• Edraw Flowchart Maker On Twitter: Daily Share: Best Uml App For Mac Download
• Edraw Flowchart Maker On Twitter: Daily Share: Best Uml App For Mac Mac

Last Updated: October 10, 2018 Flowcharts are a great way to visualize data and we’ve taken a look at the best flowchart and diagramming software for Mac. The best flowchart and diagramming apps make it easy for Product and Project Managers to map out process flows or workflows to help optimize business processes. You’ll find all the apps here easy to use, inexpensive with tons of templates and automated features that do the hard work for you.

Here then is our list of the top flowchart and diagramming software for Mac in order of ranking. The main reason we like so much is simply because it makes drawing professional flowcharts and diagrams unbelievably easy.

Create flowcharts easily with this flowchart and diagram maker software. Whether you're mapping out ideas, laying out the structure of your organization or creating UML diagrams, ClickCharts is the perfect user-friendly program to get you going. Edraw CCTV Network Software makes the process quick and simple. It helps finding optimal positions for video surveillance cameras. CCTV Design Tool empowers you to save time and money and to design video surveillance system more professionally. Discover why Edraw is an awesome CCTV network maker: Download it Now.

SmartDraw has been in the diagramming software business for over 20 years and makes it very easy to create professional looking flowcharts with no fuss. In fact, SmartDraw is superb at pretty much any type of diagramming and has rapidly become popular. Here are some of the reasons that make SmartDraw our top choice. SmartDraw easily has the biggest selection of flowchart templates of any diagramming software with templates including Business Process Mapping, EPC Diagrams, Influence Diagrams, Swim Lane Diagrams, Workflow Diagrams and many more. SmartDraw has a slick, polished interface and uses high quality vector graphics whereas most online flowchart software uses pixelated bitmap graphics. This makes flowcharts look extremely professional and eye catching compared to other flowchart drawing apps. It’s incredibly time saving because SmartDraw automatically “smart” formats diagrams for you.

Whenever you add or subtract parts of your flowchart, SmartDraw automatically adjusts and re-balances diagrams all swimlanes and boxes so that it always looks clean and organized. There’s no need to spend time manually going through diagrams or flowcharts and re-balancing them after you’ve made changes. SmartDraw has a crazy number of shapes and objects.

There are more than 34,000 shapes and objects to choose from, all as high quality vector graphics. We really like the nomination and confirmation flowchart template. SmartDraw will automatically suggest and insert nomination processes for each stage which you can keep or delete as appropriate. For instance, in this flowchart for the U.S. Supreme Court Nomination and Confirmation Process, SmartDraw automatically provides the steps which are most commonly used in such processes which you can then move, delete, edit or keep in the flowchart as needed. If you need to import flowcharts created in Microsoft Visio, you can import Visio VSD and VSDX files easily. SmartDraw is also the only diagramming app that can export into the VSDX format used in Visio 2016.

Since SmartDraw is cloud based, it saves all flowcharts on its own servers but you can also choose to save to online storage solutions such as OneDrive, DropBox, Google Drive and G Suite. There’s no noticeable lag when using SmartDraw.

Dragging and dropping is as smooth and fast as any desktop app. You do always require an internet connection to use SmartDraw though – you can’t work with it offline. You can to judge for yourself. You can also check out our for more on everything it can do. Price: Single User $9.95/month or Team $5.95+/month. Like SmartDraw, Lucidchart is a cloud based diagramming software that makes it easy to create flowcharts on Mac.

Lucidchart doesn’t require any installation and since it’s cloud based, works on any version of macOS. Lucidchart isn’t quite as slick as SmartDraw as it doesn’t use vector graphics and there are far fewer templates. It is however very similar on many levels. On the plus side, it is better integrated with Microsoft Office as it has an which enables you to create flowcharts directly within Microsoft Office apps such as PowerPoint, Word and Excel.

Lucidchart also allows you to work offline via a free and you can create Lucidchart flowcharts within Google Docs too. Lucidchart can import Visio flowcharts in VSDX and VDX format but it can only export to the older Visio VDX format used in Visio 2010 and older. It can’t export to VSDX format used in Visio 2013 and above. Creating flowcharts with Lucidchart is very straightforward.

You simply need to enter your email address to go straight to the editor or you can use your Google account to sign-up. When you sign into the editor, Lucidchart will ask you what type of industry you’re in so it can customize the interface for you. Once you’ve selected an industry, you’ll then be given a choice of things you’d like to visualize. Just select the type of diagram you’d like to create such as flowchart. Like all flowchart creation, creating flowcharts with Lucidchart is easier if you approach it methodically as follows. Step 1: Make a list To help you make your flowchart, start by writing down every step in the process you’re trying to capture. For some steps, you may be unsure of the order in which they should be listed.

Ask yourself what decisions need to be made before future steps can happen; this will help you flesh out the process. Step 2: Begin drawing shapes Lucidchart offers a variety of flowchart templates which do the hard work for you such as the business process template below. However, you can simply start from scratch. In Lucidchart, the flowchart shape library is automatically turned on. Begin your flowchart by dragging an elongated rectangle shape into the upper part of your canvas. Double click the shape to add text and label it “Begin” or “Start here.” Step 3: Add more shapes and symbols One you have your starting shape, you can click on any of its edges to drag out a line, which will then prompt you to choose another shape to connect to. The two most common shapes you will use for your flowchart are:.

Rectangles, which represent processes. Diamonds, which represent decisions Depending on the complexity of your flowchart, you may want to add other types of shapes. You can also refer to the for more flowchart shapes and their meanings. For the last shape in your flowchart, use another elongated circle like the one you began with; this signifies the ending. To make things easier, if you hit the F1 key, you’ll see a list of Mac keyboard shortcuts that will speed up your diagramming. Step 4: Add color Once you’ve finished drawing, connecting, and labeling your shapes, you can color code your chart.

The paint can on the top panel will help you add color, or you can choose a set theme from the Graphics option on the right-hand panel. Having color will help your chart stand out and give it a professional touch.

Step 5: Review Once you’re done with your flowchart, it’s always a good idea to have a colleague or friend review it for you. The most important thing they should look out for is that each step in your process is clear. You can do this easily by clicking “Share” in the top right corner of Lucidchart.

Note that anyone you share the flowchart with will require a Lucidchart account in order to view it. After you’ve had your flowchart vetted, you can save it as a PDF, print it out, export to Visio or show it off in Lucidchart’s presentation mode by clicking “Present” in the top right corner. If you want to lighten-up a presentations or document, it’s also worth mentioning that Lucidchart can also be used to produce fun such as Which Dungeons & Dragons Character Are You? You can sign-up for Lucidchart (which can be extended on request) to see what you think for yourself. We also recommend reading our full as there’s a lot more to it than we’ve covered here. Below you can also watch how to whip-up a flowchart using Lucidchart in Google Docs. Price: Single $8.95/month or Team $20.00+/month – Free Trial.

Unlike SmartDraw and Lucidchart, OmniGraffle is a desktop diagramming software for Mac. For those that prefer a native desktop flowchart app for Mac over web based apps, OmniGraffle is definitely one of the best diagramming apps for Mac out there. Like Lucidchart, OmniGraffle is also a powerful and design oriented alternative to Visio on Mac capable of everything from wireframes to industrial prototypes but if you don’t need all that, it’s also an excellent tool for creating attractive flowcharts. OmniGraffle can import flowcharts in VDX and VSDX format from Visio but it can only export to VDX used in Visio 2010 or older.

There are thousands of although the slight drawback is that some of them are part of Graffletopia which costs $24 per year but for this you get a choice of over 10,000 templates including hundreds of flowcharts. There are however other free OmniGraffle templates and stencils resources which don’t cost a cent.

Most OmniGraffle stencils and templates are uploaded by other users with very diverse diagramming and flowchart needs meaning there’s a huge variety of themes. The Standard version of OmniGraffle is $99.99 and is more than enough for most flowcharting needs. However, if you need Visio import and export, you’ll need to upgrade to OmniGraffle Pro for $199.99. There are generous discounts for educators and students. There’s also an which allows you to edit flowcharts on iPad or iPhone although this is sold separately for $49.99.

You can and even if you decide not to upgrade, you can still use OmniGraffle for an unlimited time as a useful. Price: $99.99 Mac App Store – Free Trial.

ConceptDraw Pro is another professional desktop flowchart software for Mac that works natively on both Mac and PC. Although ConceptDraw Pro is aimed more at those with advanced diagramming needs, it’s very complete when it comes to creating flowcharts on macOS. If you work in a mixed Windows and Mac environment and don’t want an online flowchart tool, ConceptDraw Pro could well be your best bet. ConceptDraw Pro is very good at guiding you through flowchart creation and provides tool tips and explanations of how to construct flowcharts and what individual shapes and symbols should be used for. When it comes to Business Process flowcharts, ConceptDraw is particularly adept as it features a “RapidDraw Interface” designed specifically for this task. This helps you find objects and shapes and link them together to create business process flows faster and more professionally If you need to import a flowchart from Microsoft Visio, you can import files from all versions of Visio into ConceptDraw Pro including Visio Stencils in VSSX format.

You can also export flowcharts to Visio VSDX format plus other major formats such as vector graphics (SVG, EMF, EPS), bitmap graphics (PNG, JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF), web documents (HTML, PDF), PowerPoint presentations (PPT) and Adobe Flash (SWF). You can also export directly to third party productivity apps such as Microsoft Word, Project and Evernote. One slight drawback is that the number of objects, symbols and templates is limited in the app itself but you can download more from which also includes audiovisual clips and tutorials to enhance your flowcharts. ConceptDraw offers a fully functional and if you decide to purchase it, one license costs $199 which you can use to install on both one PC and one Mac. You can see some created with ConceptDraw Pro and you can also watch how to create a flowchart using ConceptDraw Pro for Mac below.

Price: $199 – Free Trial. If you’re looking for something that doesn’t cost a cent but still packs a punch, Draw.io is definitely worth a second look. Draw.io is completely free to use for individuals (it only requires payment for team plans) but includes premium features such as Visio VSDX import and export. Although it’s Cloud based, you can still work offline thanks to a which syncs diagrams and flowcharts when you go online.

Draw.io is integrated with most major online cloud storage solitions such as Dropbox, Google Drive and Dropbox so you can choose where your diagrams are stored. Draw.io doesn’t have a huge choice of templates or shapes but the basic are there to enable you to create straightforward flowcharts. You can watch how to create Flowcharts for free with Draw.io below. Price: Free / Teams $10+ per month. Gliffy is an easy to use cloud diagramming app that’s similar to Draw.io but with more restrictions on the free version. The interface is similar to Draw.io although unlike it, it doesn’t support importing or exporting of Visio VSDX files. Gliffy is very team focused and like Draw.io, also supports offline flowcharting via a.

Gliffy uses HTML5 to provide a very quick and snappy diagramming experience with smooth, fast and quick drag and dropping of objects. There aren’t many templates in Gliffy but there are more than enough shapes to create flowchart diagrams as you can see below. Unlike Draw.io, Gliffy isn’t free to use for an unlimited time. Individuals must upgrade for $7.99 per month with team plans starting at $4.99 per user, per month.

Pricing: $7.99/month for individuals. Teams start at $4.99 per user/month. Free for students and 50% off for academic institutions. Creately is another easy to use cloud diagram software that can import Visio files and make impressive flowcharts in minutes.

If you want the option of both a cloud and desktop app, then Creately is a good choice because it has an app you can download for both Mac and PC. The Creately interface is slimline and elegant and really looks at home on Mac. All tools are in the top menu and adding flowchart shapes and symbols is fast and easy. There are thousands of and to speed-up diagramming, there’s a 1-click create and connect function which automates much of the process. You can create up to 5 diagrams for free in Creately but after that it costs $5 per month.

Note that all free diagrams are made public so make sure you don’t create anything that you don’t want sharing. Watch how easy is to create flowcharts with Creately below. Mindcab Incubator is a much simpler and inexpensive flowchart tool for Mac designed specifically for macOS. Mindcab is more a free form flowchart drawing tool than the other applications featured here but is excellent if you need more flexibility than just adding shapes. Mindcab Incubator allows you to easily organize ideas and draw flowcharts without a complicated interface that overwhelms you.

You can drag text and images from other applications installed on your Mac such as Safari, MS Word and add them to your flowcharts and link to external web pages and desktop documents. There are also for using Mindcab Incubator in English, French and German. Mindcab Incubator is otherwise very basic and hasn’t been updated since OS X 10.9 Mavericks but for just $10.99, it’s a very cheap free form flowchart creation tool. Price: $10.99 Mac App Store.

Did you know that Google Docs and Drive now offers a free way to draw flowcharts on your Mac. Like most of the Google Docs toolset, its quite simple and basic but very easy to use and works on any platform. All you need is a free Google account in order to use it. There are an increasing number of Google Docs to choose from which you can download for free and preview before using.

There’s no automated formatting, Visio import or vector graphic support but if you’re looking for something simple and free, it does a very good job. You can see just how easy it is to create flowcharts on Mac for free using Google Docs and Drive below. Price: Free Shapes is an elegant cost effective Mac diagramming tool that produces impressive flowcharts. Shapes focuses on the bare essentials of diagramming and that’s ideal for good looking flowcharts, wireframes and visualizing model relationships. Shapes is also well integrated into macOS and supports Quick Look, Full-Screen Mode, Autosave, and Version Browsing. There’s no Visio import or export support but it does export to SVG and major image formats such as PNG, JPG and TIFF.

To upgrade to the full version costs a very reasonable $9.99. Price: $9.99 – Free Trial.

Textografo is an intelligent online flowchart software that uses syntax to construct flowcharts on your Mac. Textografo is designed specifically for businesses flowchart creation and has specific templates and tools for Process Analysis, Business Operations, Software Development, Sales & Marketing and Customer Service flowcharts. Textografo has a Flowchart Maker, Mindmap Maker, Decision Tree Maker, Organizational Chart Maker and a Sitemap Maker. Textografo requires you to type processes along the left hand margin and then automatically constructs flowcharts in the main canvas on the right of the screen. For example, if you type “#decision” it will automatically insert a decision diamond in which you can then add text. Textografo automatically aligns objects and processes via different layout templates that you can select at the top of the screen although you can manually drag and drop objects. Textografo in an interesting and clean approach to flowchart making.

Textografo Essential is $4 per month but limited to 5 diagrams and 40 shapes per diagram. Textografo Premium costs $8 per month with unlimited diagrams and other features such as export to PDF and revision history. You can try a before having to purchase a plan. You can watch an overview of Textografo below. Price: $4 or $8/month – Free Trial. MyDraw (formerly known as Nevron Draw) is a cheap Mac desktop diagramming software inspired by Microsoft Office.

MyDraw is also one of the few desktop diagramming apps for Mac that supports both Visio VSDX import and export as well as the older Visio VDX format and even Visio VSSX stencils. MyDraw uses the familiar Microsoft Office ribbon interface which makes it easy to get going with. MyDraw has plenty of objects and, and is ideal for cross-functional flowcharts, workflow diagrams, data flow diagrams and sketching out process flows. You can try a of NevronDraw or download it from the. EDraw Max is similar to MyDraw in that it’s a cheap desktop diagramming software for Mac and PC. EDraw looks very similar to Microsoft Visio and can import or export Visio files.

EDraw Max supports vector graphics and has around 1300 objects and 100 different flowchart templates to choose from. You can add attachments, notes and comments to flowcharts, expand and collapse shapes and collaborate on diagrams via the Cloud. There are many easily accessible flowchart shapes to help illustrate your flowcharts with. Other useful touches are that Edraw Max automatically aligns swim lanes and flowchart objects and can also create double page, super sized flowcharts.

Edraw Max is a surprisingly powerful tool considering the cost although like MyDraw, it does feel a bit like it’s been ported directly from Windows to Mac. You can try a free trial of Edraw and vary from $179 for 3 years to $99 per year. Sensus BPM is a highly specialized business process management flowchart software for business and enterprise environments. Sensus BPM is designed to continually help businesses to improve processes and share them across the entire organization. For most general users, it won’t be suitable but for those in fast moving and changing corporate environments, Sensus BPM is a very powerful business process focused flowchart software for those that need to manage cmplex organizational structures.

Note that Sensus BPM is only available on an annual subscription starting at $120 for the most basic version although you can try a first. Price: $120+/year – Free Trial. DRAKON is a free online flowchart software that’s unusually based on the DRAKON visual language that was designed for the Russian aerospace industry.

DRAKON has stood the test of time however and makes it surprisingly fast and easy ti create flowcharts on Mac or mobile devices. DRAKON has a very simple and easy to use interface and allows you to invite colleagues to collaborate with you on any DRAKON flowcharts. All you need to do is create a DRAKON account to start using it although the free version is limited to 3 diagrams and one user. However the Extended version is just $5 per month and allows 200 diagrams and the Team version costs $12 per month and allows unlimited diagrams and 3 or more users.

Students and educators can use all of DRAKON’s features for free. You can watch how to create a simple flowchart with DRAKON below. Price: Free Basic / $5 or $12/month plans. If you’re a Microsoft Office user, it’s useful to know that if you already use, you can create very basic flowcharts in Microsoft Word.

The toolset, shapes and functionality is very limited however and if you intend on making flowcharts regularly, you’re much better using a dedicated flowchart software like one of the ones featured in this article. The process for creating flowcharts is slightly different in Office 2011 compared to Office 2016 but assuming you’re using the latest version of Office, here’s how to draw a flowchart on Mac in MS Office. Click on Shapes:. You then get a choice of several shapes. For guidance, Rectangle for processes, Diamond for decisions and an Elongated Oval is a terminator to start and end the process. You then simply drag the shape you want using the crosshairs.

To connect shapes, you must ensure that the crosshairs are aligned and then on the Shape Format tab, select Align to get a choice of connecting lines. Then simply choose the type of connecting line you want to use. The flowchart features in Office are very limited but suffice to create basic flowcharts. Price: Free For MS Office Users Pages is Apple’s and also allows you to create basic flowcharts within it. Pages is designed for word processing but it includes, ability to add text and connect it with to allow you to create simple flowcharts on your Mac. To create a flowchart using Pages, simply click on the “Shapes” icon in the toolbar and drag it where you want to place it on the page.

You can change the style of the shape by clicking the “Style” tab in the Format panel and add effects such as shadows and change the opacity of shapes. The same applies for adding text – just click the “Text” tab in the Format panel and choose the font and color that you’d like to use. You can also insert lines using the “Insert” option in the toolbar including lines with arrowheads. Pages is very basic and simple for creating flowcharts but if you don’t need anything fancy, it’s a good quick solution.

Price: Free Mac App Store Mac Flowchart & Diagramming Software Tips There are a few important things to consider when choosing which Mac flowchart software is best for you. There are some specific aspects to flowchart software compared to other types of diagram software to bear in mind when you make your decision. Simplicity: Flowcharting isn’t like creating wireframes or prototypes. It’s a much simpler process of generally linking shapes and processes, therefore you want something with a simple interface.

A lot of flowchart for Mac software is designed for more than just creating flowcharts and can get unnecessarily complicated. Look for something that makes flowchart tools easy to access. Less Is More: Likewise, you don’t need hundreds of objects and shapes to create an effective flowchart. A lot of flowcharting tools on Mac offer thousands of objects, shapes and template and while these can be useful, the likelihood is that you won’t need most of them. Think about what you’re going to be creating flowcharts for before deciding whether you need to choose a software just because it has thousands of objects to choose from. Automation: One of the most time consuming aspects to creating flowcharts is connecting objects and shapes.

Any software that helps automatically align objects and speed-up this process is extremely useful. One reason we like apps such as SmartDraw for example, is because it does exactly this and saves a surprising amount of time messing around trying to make sure your flowcharts are aligned and look professional. Online vs Offline: Almost all the best flowchart apps nowadays are Cloud based.

This means that in most cases, you need an internet connection in order to use. Some like Lucidchart have a Chrome plugin that allow you to work offline but if needing a constant internet connection is going to be a problem for you, you’re better off going for a dedicated desktop Mac flowchart software such as OmniGraffle.

The advantage of desktop flowchart software is that it usually doesn’t require a monthly subscription. The disadvantage however is that you have to pay for upgrades and you may have compatibility problems when new versions of macOS are released by Apple. Collaboration: If you’re creating a flowchart or org chart alongside other colleagues then you’ll need something that support multiple users. Pretty much all online flowchart software have team collaboration pricing plans which allow multiple users to edit and comment on diagrams simultaneously.

Desktop software makes this much harder as you’ll normally need a separate license for each install so consider how many people are going to be using the tool before you decide which is best for your needs. Free Diagram and Flowchart Software: There are many cloud based diagramming software for Mac and PC that allow a certain amount of free use and in some cases unlimited free use. However the catch is often that your diagrams and flowcharts are made public – you have to subscribe or buy the app to make it private. Watch out for this if you’re creating confidential diagrams or flowcharts.

Visio Import/Export: Many PC users use Visio to create diagrams and flowcharts. If you’re going to be working on flowcharts and diagrams with Visio users, make sure the software you choose can both import and export Visio VDX or VSDX file formats (VSDX is used by Visio 2013 or later). We’ve indicated here which ones can but if this is a particular concern, you’ll probably find our look at the more helpful.

Conclusion As we’ve seen, there’s plenty of flowchart software on Mac but the best apps make life much easier at creating them. Is the best we’ve used in terms of templates, automated diagramming features, high quality graphics and professional full Visio VSDX export support.

Particularly when it comes to quickly drawing process flows, it’s the best process mapping software for Mac we’ve tried. Is excellent if you need Microsoft Office integration with useful plugins that allow you to create far better flowcharts in MS Office than Office itself can.

If you want a native desktop flowchart application on your Mac, then the options are considerably more limited. Is easily the best desktop diagramming software designed specifically for Mac but it doesn’t come cheap. The same goes for ConceptDraw Pro which may be a better solution if you want a desktop flowchart software on your Mac which also works on PC desktops too.

If you’re looking for something less powerful and cheaper, then, and are also excellent budget diagramming software for Mac users. If you just want something really simple and economical meanwhile, and are easy to use if more limited solutions. If you have any questions, comments or experiences you want to share about the flowchart solutions covered here, let us know in the comments below.

You May Also Like:. One Macintosh flowchart software that you excluded from this list is ConceptDraw PRO v10. ConceptDraw PRO has thousands of objects and hundred of samples and templates. The RapidDraw technology in ConceptDraw allows one to quickly sketch out a flowchart or swim lane diagram.

ConceptDraw PRO v10 will work directly with users of Visio products. ConceptDraw PRO v10 retails for $199. For the iPad there is a free App to view ConceptDraw PRO v10 and Visio 2013 diagrams. This free viewer from CS Odessa, Diagram Viewer, is a great tool to carry your business diagrams with you.

Advertisement Here’s the good news. Finally, we can be like in one small way. No, we are not getting his polymathic superpowers.

His penchant for taking free-flowing notes that filled notebooks with diagrams and scribblings is more achievable. Maybe, he knew that the human brain likes visuals more than words. Maybe, connecting words and images made him see things which most could not. Today, we call these brain-cell like intertwinings.

It is the most popular brainstorming technique of all. Count the hits on Google if you don’t believe me. Check the number of books British psychologist Tony Buzan wrote for promoting it. For a student, a mind map is a memory aid to review notes. For an office worker, a mind map can be a solo brainstorming tool or a collaborative one. Brainstorming groups at work use mind mapping techniques for problem solving and decision making.

Want to develop an agenda for an annual conference or plan your time as a manager? Maybe, a mind mapped SWOT analysis can help spot a weakness or an opportunity? You can apply a mind map to any office scenario. Forecast revenue.

Prepare for a hiring interview. Chart product development and marketing. Fine tune a RFP (Request for Proposal). Organize a trade show. Pick a Free Mind Map Tool Choosing from the many A mind map is the best way to organize ideas that pop into your brain.

These mind mapping apps will help you go digital. and Life can be busy and chaotic. These mind mapping and brainstorming apps can help you keep track of your inspirations and ideas for a better thought process. All just a screen tap away.

And tools is a matter of nitpicking. But how should you go about selecting the right tool that doesn’t befuddle you?

Keeping your needs front and center, here are few standout features you can look at:. Free or paid. When you are starting out with mind mapping take what you find for free. Mind mapping is a habit before it is a practice, so build up the habit first without paying a dime. Offline or online. There are many mindmapping web apps, but if you are on a spotty connection then definitely an offline tool works best.

Also, storing mind maps containing confidential or sensitive information online could be a security issue. Ease of use. The easiest tool to mind map with is pen and paper. Compare any software you pick with that ease. The fluidity of putting your thoughts on screen matters a lot in rapid brainstorming. Look and feel.

The aesthetic appeal of your mind maps will be a factor, if you need to display them to a team. Also, beautiful mind maps draw the eye (and mind) when you need to come back to them.

Template variety. With Free Word templates are not just about beautiful documents, perfect resumes, and cover pages. They can be vital for brainstorming and mind maps too. Here are eight Word templates for your ideation needs., you can save a lot of time when every mind map is imagined around a few common organizational processes. Import and export options. A critical feature as you wouldn’t want your lovely creations trapped in one format. Many popular mind map tools, e.g.

FreeMind, also accept other formats for import. An export format like PDF is necessary. Export to Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, or Project helps with document integration. Collaboration.

Another critical feature, if you are working within a shared workspace and perform team brainstorms. We have covered many mindmapping tools here at MakeUseOf. You might have discarded some and may have settled on one., and are popular. As not every tool will tick all the boxes, here are a few more mind mapping tools to consider. Platforms: Web, Chrome This Notes are the simplest self-management tools. With information overload on your mind, use these ten extensions to jot down quick notes, manage them better, or just share them with others. Deserves a look again for its sheer simplicity.

Use it in the browser instead of installing it on Chrome. Coggle saves your work in the browser just as well. Coggle comes in three flavors – Free,. The free version allows you to create unlimited maps, so it should be good enough for your needs.

The commercial versions come with features like presentation modes and unlimited private mind maps. Noteworthy Features:.

Create mind maps with colored nodes and branches. Add comments or detailed notes to branches. Supports Markdown. Drag and drop images from the desktop into the mind map. No image limits. Coggle mind maps are also collaborative.

Work alone or invite team members. Version tracking with a history mode.

See who changed what and when. Message team members, leave notes, and even chat in real time. Download mind maps as PDF, text, PNG, or mind map (.mm) files.

Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS MindMapple (ver. 1.71) is a desktop and iOS application that has free and pro versions on offer. The ribbon interface should be familiar. MindMapple is pre-loaded with themes and templates. Visual thinkers will like the software because it allows use of pictures and clip-art. Select any topic on your mind map and use the Clip Art library to add appropriate graphics. Cloud sharing via Google Drive is a, but it’s not functional due to API changes.

MindMapple has powerful set of features for handling larger projects. Multiple mind maps can be collated in one document.

You can track topics with priority and schedules – an Full Horizon Planning is an easy system to manage multiple active and dormant projects. It's superbly unbreakable when it comes to those guaranteed, daily distractions. We show you how to set it up digitally. I would definitely recommend MindMapple for its completeness. The Pro version gives you advanced features like PDF export, password security, and advanced Microsoft Office exporting. Noteworthy Features:. Add relationships, boundaries, hyperlinks, and files to a mind map.

Add extra information by adding topic notes and attachments. Labels and bookmarks allow you to manage complex mind maps with ease. Export your mind maps as PowerPoint, Word, Excel, HTML, TXT, image files, and XMind files.

Import mind maps created in FreeMind and MindManager. Platforms: cross platform NovaMind is a cross-platform brainstorming software.

Try it on Windows desktop, Windows 8, iPad, Mac OS X, or Android, and online as NovaMind Cloud. It is a commercial software but has a capable free version. NovaMind starts you off with an interactive tutorial to introduce the basic concepts. A demo mind map is built as the tutorial progresses. The application has a useful layout engine that helps you design quickly as the topics are not allowed to overlap on top of each other.

A unique user-friendly “dial” holds all the mind mapping commands. The Lite version is useful for trying out the software. It suffers because it doesn’t offer options to save or export mind maps in different formats.

Noteworthy Features:. Mind maps are limited to 25 topics. Store up to 10 NovaMind documents online on NovaMind Cloud. Share your documents publicly. Private sharing is not available in the free version. Stylize mind maps with symbols, themes, and images. Notes, external links, and callouts are also supported.

Platform: Web Text2Mindmap is one of my favorites for one reason – speed. As the name indicates, the online tool allows you to put down your thoughts as a text list.

Each text line will become a node in the mind map. An indent (with a press of the TAB key) on the list translates into a new branch of nodes. Text2Mindmap is free for this core purpose. Mini ($5/Month), Standard ($9/Month), and Pro ($11/Month) subscriptions open up more features, like private accounts, more storage space for maps, and printing mind maps without ads.

Noteworthy Features:. Download mind map as an image or as PDF. Saved maps are available via a unique URL. Keyboard shortcuts are supported. Platform: Windows Blumind is three things everyone loves — powerful, portable, and free. The download is less than 1MB.

Within that small portability factor Bluemind doesn’t pack in many bells and whistles. But it has all the basics for simple mind maps. Apart from mind maps, you can use the freeware to create org charts, logic charts, and tree diagrams too. The software has a tabbed interface. You can import pre-existing mind maps from FreeMind. Import from Excel spreadsheets is also available. Blumind also has an internal timer.

Edraw Flowchart Maker On Twitter: Daily Share: Best Uml App For Mac Download

That is useful for using a timed constraint for your brainstorming sessions. I would vouch for Bluemind, if you are looking for a simple portable mind mapping alternative. Noteworthy Features:. The software has built in color themes and can be customized with user themes. Draw a variety of chart layouts like: organization chart, tree diagram, and logic diagram. Supports multiple export formats, including all common image formats, CSV, PDF, SVG, and text.

Support notes, icons, progress bars and other widgets for a richer view. Keyboard shortcuts are supported. Offers multiple languages. Platforms: Web, Chrome Sketchboard is more of a collaborative whiteboard rather than a dedicated mind mapping program.

But whiteboards are vital for Small teams don't need expensive enterprise apps for collaboration. Here are six fantastic tools that you can use to manage your team's data, communication, and more. Paired with a good chat app. You can also integrate Sketchboard with team tools like Slack, Google Drive, HipChat, GitHub, and FlowDock.

Check out the for some fine examples. Like the majority of mind mapping tools, Sketchboard.io also comes with a choice of free. The free plan is for 5 users. Noteworthy Features:. Real-time collaboration.

Free account is limited to 5 users. Create boards with endless drawing space by dragging the canvas area. Mix and match ideas with UML, freehand drawing, mind maps, notes, and roadmap. Comment and annotate while you collaborate with team members.

Download Board as SVG, PNG, PDF. Platforms: Windows, Mac, OS X, Linux The Visual Understanding Environment (VUE) is an Open Source project from Tufts University. The latest version of the software was released in October this year. The cross-platform mind mapping program is designed for teaching, learning, and research. But you can re-purpose it according to your ideation needs. For example, VUE handles complex maps well.

An Outline window is just the thing for concept maps that get too complex. In the above screenshot example, of Except Integrated Systainability uses VUE to create system maps of production processes. Noteworthy Features:. The “Merge Maps” tool can merge multiple maps into a new one for analysis. Search nodes and links in large maps.

Edraw Flowchart Maker On Twitter: Daily Share: Best Uml App For Mac Mac

Search results can be highlighted, hidden or filtered. Add a VUE mind map to a collection.

Zotero is another Open Source tool for organizing your academic research. Supports external data from FTP sites, RSS feeds, and Google.

You can also import CSV datasets. Multiple other external resources like Twitter and Wikipedia are also supported. Present better mind maps on-screen by selectively fading out nodes and links. You can also zoom in and out of the map during presentations.

VUE files can be saved on the VUE site or to a drive. Formats supported include HTML, PDF, image formats, RDF, and XML. (Web) Platform: Web Start mind mapping without logging in with this free online application. WiseMapping takes minutes to master.

It works on all modern browsers as it uses vector graphics and HTML5 to render the mind maps. You can start using it without logging in. But without an account, you can create just one mind map and when you exit the program, your mind map will not be saved. Noteworthy Features:. Easy-to-use drag’n drop interface. Embed mind maps on any website or blog.

Collaborate on maps with friends or coworkers. Download and save maps as images, PDF document, or FreeMind file. Import and export mind map files from FreeMind. Other Mind Mapping Tools We Have Covered Before This article is about the lesser known, but capable programs out there. Do look into what has come before. We have covered Whether you're using an iPhone or iPad, these mind map tools can keep your thoughts flowing on-the-go. And Looking for the best free mind map apps for Mac?

Here are some great free mind mapping tools to help organize your thoughts on macOS. We have also re-purposed The average person has thousands of thoughts each day. Our brainstorms are rarely strategic.

A Mind Map helps you capture a mess of thoughts and bring them in order. We show you how.

How to Best Use a Mind Map Application? Before you pick the right software, you have to decide its role in your workflow.

Maybe, asking yourself these questions will help. Your answers will help to benchmark the best fit for the job. If your needs are extensive and system-wide, then a commercial powerhouse like MindMeister or MindJet works best. If you are already on Windows 10 and not looking for that elephant gun, but something simple – choosing will save you a lot of bother. Remember, it is as much about elimination as it is about selection.

If mind mapping doesn’t cut it, you could give outlines a try instead. Check out these. Do you use mind mapping in the office or for personal brainstorming needs? Which is the one software you would recommend? Or do you feel that the humble pen and paper is the best bet for those intangible cognitive benefits? Pour your heart out in the comments. Image Credits: by Ellagrin via Shutterstock Explore more about:,.