Cmap vs MindManager (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Cmap grades higher than MindManager: 3.0 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Cmap grades higher on value for money and the free plan. MindManager grades higher on features. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MindManager
Mind mapping and diagramming software with Gantt charts
Which one is for you
Pick Cmap if
- Fits if you teach or study with concept maps and want a free program
- Works for researchers who link maps to images, videos and other maps
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want live shared editing without a server, since that needs a CmapServer
- Skip it if you want a polished phone app: the iPad app lists iOS 7 or later and charges for sync and export
- Not for you if you need the browser version on a tablet or phone, as it is meant for desktops and laptops
- Watch out: the installer asks for your name, organization type and country first
- Watch out: the vendor describes commercial use as a free beta test
Pick MindManager if
- Fits if you plan projects and want the mind map and the Gantt chart in one file
- Works for companies that run on Microsoft Teams, SharePoint and Outlook
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you want the desktop apps and co-editing, at $179 a user a year
- Not for you if you want a free plan, as the 30-day trial is all there is
- Skip it if you edit maps on your phone, since MindManager Go only views them
- Watch out: the $369 one-time license has no co-editing, web access, publishing or upgrades, and Essentials is web only
- Watch out: Jira is a paid add-on, and content control and SharePoint Linker are Windows only
How we grade them
| 3.0GPACmapVery good | 2.2GPAMindManagerFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree to download and run, for education, personal and commercial use, with donations requested. | DEssentials is $99 a user a year, but it's web only with no co-editing. Most of what people buy it for is in Professional at $179, about $15 a month against this category's $8.33 middle, and buying once costs $369 and still leaves out co-editing, web access and upgrades. Jira is a paid add-on on top. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with no cap a normal person would reach, though the vendor describes commercial use as a beta test. | CThere's no free plan at all. The 30-day trial is fully functional and asks for no credit card, and the Enterprise program stretches it to 60 days. When it ends, you pay or you stop. |
| Features | CConcept maps linked to other maps and resources, a cloud account and a viewer. Gaps the listing shows: simultaneous editing needs a CmapServer, and on iPad syncing and export are in-app purchases. | BIt covers the whole job: mind maps, flowcharts, org charts, timelines, fishbone and funnel diagrams, kanban boards, and topics that become tasks with resources, costs and dates in a Gantt view. XMind, Mindomo and Ayoa do maps with Gantt charts too, so it isn't alone. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. A registration form comes before the installer, and shared editing means setting up a server. | CNo rating on record, and there is a lot to get your head round: one map in five views, SmartRules, formulas, power filtering, and a plan structure to choose before you start. There are templates, from fishbone diagrams to funnel charts. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, Mac, Linux, an iPad app and a browser version. No Android app and no API or integrations list. | BWeb, Windows, Mac and Chromebook, with Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Outlook, Excel, Google Drive and Dropbox hooked in. Phones are the weak spot: MindManager Go only views maps, and it comes with Professional and Enterprise. |
| Best for | free concept maps for classrooms and research | turning mind maps into project plans with Gantt charts |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Cmap and MindManager. How we grade
Price against what you get
Cmap has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. MindManager starts at $8.25 a month when paid by the year for each person and scores 2.7.
MindManager scores higher, and starts $8.25 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, none scores higher than Cmap for less, and 7 score higher than MindManager for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- MindManager can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- MindManager also covers templates, kanban boards and Gantt & timelines.
At a glance
| Cmap | MindManager | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $99 per user / year (Essentials, web only) |
| Free plan | CmapTools is free for educational, personal and commercial use; the vendor asks for donations. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day fully functional free trial, no credit card required; the Enterprise program offers a 60-day trial |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC) | Corel Corporation |
| Price read from | cmap.ihmc.us | mindmanager.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Cmap
- The desktop download asks for registration with name, organization type and country before the installer is released.
- The vendor says the basic software is free for education and US federal agencies, and is offered free as a beta test to other users, including commercial ones.
- On iPad, syncing with the Cmap Cloud and export are in-app purchases, and the listed requirement is iOS 7 or later.
- The browser version is meant for desktops and laptops, not for tapping on tablets and phones.
MindManager
- There is no free plan; the 30-day trial is the only way to use MindManager without paying.
- Essentials is web only and has no co-editing, while the one-time purchase is desktop only and excludes co-editing, publishing, web access and version upgrades.
- Content control and SharePoint Linker are available on Windows only, and the Jira integration is a paid add-on.
- On mobile the pricing page lists only a viewing app, MindManager Go, which comes with Professional and Enterprise.
Key features
Cmap
- Concept maps linked to resources
- Users link a concept map to other maps and to resources such as images and videos, and can publish the result on the web.
- Cmap Cloud
- A free cloud account stores maps and shares them among CmapTools, CmapTools in the Cloud and the iPad app. A viewer embeds a map in a web page.
- Browser version
- CmapTools in the Cloud runs in Chrome, Safari and Firefox on a desktop or laptop, and exports to CXL, JPG and SVG.
- Synchronous editing on a CmapServer
- Two or more people can edit the same map at once on a CmapServer, with folder-level permissions to view, annotate or edit.
- Many interface languages
- The single download includes 18 languages, including Spanish, French, German, Chinese and Japanese.
MindManager
- Mind maps and many diagram types
- Templates cover mind maps, org charts, timelines, flowcharts, concept maps, Venn and onion diagrams, kanban boards, fishbone diagrams, funnel charts and matrix diagrams.
- Gantt charts and project tracking
- Topics become tasks with resources, costs, start dates and due dates, and the same map can be shown in Gantt, schedule, outline, icon or tag view.
- Co-editing and published maps
- Subscribers can co-edit a map in real time across platforms and publish it as a web link with view, comment or edit access. Co-editing is not part of Essentials.
- Microsoft integrations
- MindManager connects with Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, Project, Planner, To Do and Lists, and stores files in SharePoint or OneDrive.
- MindManager Snap
- Snap captures ideas and content from a desktop, browser or mobile device into a personal queue, and team queues on Professional and Enterprise, for adding to maps later.
- SmartRules and formulas
- Conditional formatting rules and formulas built on topic properties automate updates in a map, and power filtering shows only the topics that match chosen markers or tags.
Plans
Cmap
Free$0
CmapTools for desktop, CmapTools in the Cloud and a free Cmap Cloud account; donations are requested.
MindManager
Essentials$99
per user / year
Web version only, for individuals: diagram types, templates, basic task management, and publishing and sharing of maps. No co-editing or desktop app.
Professional$179
per user / year
Windows and Mac desktop apps plus web, Chromebook and Microsoft Teams, with co-editing, team content capture, the mobile viewing app and version upgrades.
One-time purchase$369
one-time payment per license
Desktop license for Windows or Mac at the current version, single user. Excludes co-editing, publishing, web access, the mobile app and upgrades.
EnterpriseCustom
Per-user annual licensing for teams of five or more, with volume discounts, an IT admin portal, SSO activation, read-only licenses and dedicated support.
Ways to pay less
Cmap
No public discounts listed.
MindManager
- Lifetime license
One-time purchase instead of a subscription
A desktop license for Windows or Mac costs $369 once. It covers the current version for a single user and does not include co-editing, web access or upgrades.
- Education
Students and educators: $59 a year
The US price list sets the Students and Educators subscription at $59 a year against a $179 regular price, after eligibility is verified through Proxi.id. Schools can ask for site-license quotes.
- Nonprofit
Special pricing for nonprofits
MindManager's license programs page offers special pricing on request to nonprofit organizations such as charities, churches, clinics, hospitals and museums.
- Other savings
Government and public service pricing
Special pricing and licensing options are available on request for governmental agencies and public service offices.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Cmap or MindManager?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Cmap is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $8.25 a month when paid by the year for each person for MindManager. Cmap is free, and MindManager starts at $99 per user / year (Essentials, web only).
Which has a free plan, Cmap or MindManager?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Cmap has a free plan. MindManager does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Cmap and MindManager run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Cmap lists a Linux app and only MindManager lists an Android app. Both list a web app and macOS, Windows and iOS apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.