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Indie alternatives to MindMeister

5 products made by independent developers and small teams that do what MindMeister does, 5 of them with a free plan. Free and open-source options come first.

At a glance

Product	Price	Open source	Self-host	Platforms
Freeplane	Free	Yes	–	Mac, Windows, Linux
Coggle	Free plan	–	–	Web
MindNode	Free plan	–	–	Mac, iOS
SimpleMind	Free plan	–	–	Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
Xmind	Free plan	–	–	Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android

The alternatives

1. Freeplane

Free, open-source mind mapping and knowledge management

A free, open-source desktop app for mind mapping and organizing information, a fork of FreeMind with scripting and add-ons.

Free · Mac, Windows, Linux · Website ↗

2. Coggle

Simple collaborative mind maps and flowcharts in the browser

A web app for creating and sharing mind maps and flowcharts with real-time collaboration.

Free plan · Web · Website ↗

3. MindNode

Mind mapping and outlining for Mac, iPad and iPhone

A native Apple app for creating mind maps and outlines to brainstorm and organize thoughts, with themes and export options.

Free plan · Mac, iOS · Website ↗

4. SimpleMind

Cross-platform mind mapping app

A mind mapping app for organizing thoughts and ideas with free layout, images and syncing across devices.

Free plan · Mac, Windows, iOS, Android · Website ↗

5. Xmind

Mind mapping and brainstorming app

A mind mapping app with many map structures, outline mode, presentations and AI-assisted brainstorming. For planning, note-taking and brainstorming.

Free plan · Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android · Website ↗

Questions

Is there a free alternative to MindMeister?

Yes. 5 of the 5 indie alternatives listed here have a free plan or are free: Freeplane, Coggle, MindNode, SimpleMind and 1 more.

Is there an open-source alternative to MindMeister?

Freeplane is open source.

Which MindMeister alternatives work on Mac, Windows, iPhone or Android?

On Mac: Freeplane, MindNode, SimpleMind and 1 more. On Windows: Freeplane, SimpleMind and Xmind. On Linux: Freeplane and Xmind. On iPhone and iPad: MindNode, SimpleMind and Xmind. On Android: SimpleMind and Xmind. On the web: Coggle and Xmind.

What makes these alternatives to MindMeister “indie”?

They are built by independent developers or small teams rather than large companies. Each one is listed because it does the same core job as MindMeister.

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