Best Brainstorming Apps for Mobile, PC, and Mac.
Brainstorming is essential for developing creative solutions to problems. While your analytical mind works in a logical fashion, your creative mind needs space to wander and create without limits. Brainstorming gives him that freedom. While many people traditionally brainstorm with pen and paper, real-time collaboration sometimes requires the ability to do it remotely.
The good news is that there are dozens of mobile apps and idea generation software options to fuel all your brainstorming sessions. We’ve selected the best mind mapping software to help you find the one that’s right for you, whether you’re using PC, Mac, Android, or iOS.
1. Scapple
Scapple is a brainstorming tool designed specifically for writers. Created by Literature and Latte (the same developers as Scrivener), this is an easy to use tool at a low cost. It works on both Windows and Mac and only costs $18 for a full license. There is also a 30-day free trial that you can use to try the program for yourself.
The downside is that it doesn’t have the most robust feature set, but it’s perfect for the early planning stages of any project, when all you have to do is let your mind wander until you’re focused on the project goals.
2. Coggle
Coggle for collaboration. It starts with a central idea from which you can branch off an almost infinite number of ideas and thoughts. Coggle is designed with vibrant colors and flowing charts that organize your ideas while still being visually appealing, making them easy to read and follow.
Coggle has three tiers: a free plan that gives you three private charts and an infinite number of public charts, over 1600 icons, and more. The Awesome plan costs $5/month and boasts more privacy features, while the Organization plan costs $8/member/month and is geared towards teams.
3. Lucidchart
Lucidchart is another tool built specifically for teams. While it doesn’t have the same visual appeal as some of the options, it’s set up like a corkboard of sorts where users can drag and drop different shapes to create charts, timelines, and more. Once on the board, other team members can leave comments and vote on ideas.
Lucidchart offers four tiers: Free, Individual, Team, and Enterprise. The free plan is sufficient for most private users, while the individual plan is better for creative professionals at $7.95 per month. The group plan costs $9 per user per month, while the enterprise plan is priced based on the total number of users and company.
4. MindMeister
Mind mapping tools work best when they are intuitive, and this is an area where MindMeister excels. You can use the app for everything from mind maps to project planning, creating both maps and lists in the same layout. Like many others, it’s also built to encourage collaboration with collaboration features that allow an unlimited number of people to work on the same mind map or flowchart at the same time.
The creative tools in MindMeister help you create unique mind maps, and the comment features allow others to leave notes on each node. There are four pricing tiers: Free, Personal, Professional, and Business. The basic plan is $4.99/month, the professional plan is $8.25/month, and the business plan is $12.49/month.
5. XMind
XMind is a fantastic brainstorming app for one reason: it works on all platforms and is compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and even the web. Paid plans run either every six months or annually, and the price unlocks all features. XMind costs $39.99 for six months or $59.99 for a year.
Features like Pitch Mode make it easy to pitch your ideas to others in Powerpoint format, but otherwise it works just as you’d expect. This is one of the best brainstorming apps for people on the go, especially since you can open your mind map on your mobile device and continue working on it when you get back to your computer.
6. Miro
Miro is one of those mind mapping apps that is best suited for teams rather than individual users. It has an endless canvas so your ideas can spread as needed. It is similar to a whiteboard in many ways, and your team members can work on different areas at the same time. This is great for project management, especially when there are multiple areas to focus on at the same time.
Like other platforms, there are several levels. The free version lets you work with up to three boards, while the Team option (for $8/month) gives you unlimited boards and visitors. The business plan costs $16 per month per member and aims for enhanced collaboration.
7. WiseMapping
WiseMapping is a completely free and open source mind mapping software. The low cost makes it ideal for educators, and the collaboration tools let you work with anyone. You can even embed your mind maps in web pages and blog posts, or export them to various file types.
Due to its open source nature, WiseMapping has many user-facing features and continues to expand based on the needs of its users. If you want an option that won’t cost you a dime, give it a try.
Mind mapping is worth learning even if you don’t think it will work for you. Whether you need to work without limits or prefer to use a template to guide your thoughts, there are plenty of free mind mapping tools to help you.
Best Brainstorming Apps for Mobile, PC, and Mac
Best Brainstorming Apps for Mobile, PC, and Mac