ConceptDraw vs MindManager (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, MindManager grades higher than ConceptDraw: 2.2 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
MindManager grades higher on the free plan, features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
ConceptDraw
Desktop diagramming, mind mapping and project software
MindManager
Mind mapping and diagramming software with Gantt charts
Which one is for you
Pick ConceptDraw if
- Fits if you want desktop diagramming software installed on your own machine
- Works for people who need flowcharts, mind maps and Gantt charts from one vendor
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you are one person: $199 a licence is many times the category's usual one-time price
- Skip it if you want a live shared board, because none is described
- Skip it if you work on the web, a phone or Linux, as only Windows and Mac are listed
- Watch out: the page does not say whether a licence is one-time or renewing
- Watch out: DIAGRAM, MINDMAP and PROJECT are separate purchases, and the OFFICE bundle is $299, with a $499 figure shown beside it
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
| 1.6GPAConceptDrawWeak | 2.2GPAMindManagerFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$199 a licence for DIAGRAM or MINDMAP, and $299 for PROJECT, against a category one-time middle of $20.99. The category's own price tool leaves it out because the page does not say what the price buys. | 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 | DA free try is offered, but its length and card rules are not stated on the pages read. | 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 | CFlowcharts, network diagrams, org charts, mind maps and Gantt charts. The listing names gaps: no live multi-user board, and each product is bought separately. | 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. These are full desktop programs with a learning curve. | 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 | CWindows and Mac programs only, with a Visio file conversion service. No web, phone or Linux version is named. | 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 | desktop flowcharts and mind maps | 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: ConceptDraw and MindManager. How we grade
Where they differ
- MindManager can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- ConceptDraw also covers presentations.
- MindManager also covers templates and kanban boards.
At a glance
| ConceptDraw | MindManager | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $199 per license (ConceptDraw DIAGRAM 18 or MINDMAP 16, 1 license) | $99 per user / year (Essentials, web only) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Try It Free offered on the site; trial length is not stated on the pages read | 30-day fully functional free trial, no credit card required; the Enterprise program offers a 60-day trial |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | CS Odessa Corp. | Corel Corporation |
| Price read from | my.conceptdraw.com | mindmanager.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Worth knowing
ConceptDraw
- These are Windows and macOS desktop programs; the pages read name no web, mobile or Linux version.
- It is not a real-time whiteboard: the pages read describe no live multi-user board.
- The pricing page does not say whether a license is a one-time purchase or renews, and it lists a maintenance assurance with free upgrades to the next paid version.
- Each product is a separate purchase, priced per license.
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
ConceptDraw
- Business diagramming
- DIAGRAM makes flowcharts, network diagrams, org charts, business process diagrams, dashboards and floor plans.
- Mind mapping
- MINDMAP covers brainstorming, decision-making and knowledge organization, and prepares presentations from a map.
- Project planning
- PROJECT handles schedules, resources, Gantt charts, calendars and tracking.
- Solutions and samples
- The site offers free and premium solution libraries, a sample gallery and ConceptDraw STORE for downloading templates and libraries.
- Visio file conversion
- The support menu lists a Visio file conversion service.
- Multi-user licenses
- Licenses for 5 or 10 users are priced lower per seat and are administered locally, and academic and nonprofit prices are listed separately.
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
ConceptDraw
MINDMAP 16$199
per license, 1 license (billing basis not stated)
Mind mapping for brainstorming, structuring ideas and preparing presentations. Cheaper per license for 5 or 10 licenses.
DIAGRAM 18$199
per license, 1 license (billing basis not stated)
Flowcharts, process and network diagrams, floor plans, org charts and infographics. The site calls it the most popular product.
PROJECT 15$299
per license, 1 license (billing basis not stated)
Project management with schedules, Gantt charts, calendars, resources and reporting.
OFFICE 11$299
per license, 1 license (billing basis not stated)
Bundles DIAGRAM 18, PROJECT 15 and MINDMAP 16. The pricing page also shows a $499 figure beside it.
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
ConceptDraw
- Education
Academic and nonprofit pricing
The pricing page has an Academic/Nonprofit tab with lower prices, for example $99 for DIAGRAM 18 and $75 for MINDMAP 16 for one license.
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, ConceptDraw or MindManager?
As of Nov 12, 2026, ConceptDraw starts at $199 per license (ConceptDraw DIAGRAM 18 or MINDMAP 16, 1 license), and MindManager starts at $99 per user / year (Essentials, web only).
Which has a free plan, ConceptDraw or MindManager?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither ConceptDraw nor MindManager has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do ConceptDraw and MindManager run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only MindManager lists a web app and iOS and Android apps. Both list macOS and Windows 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.