Freeplane vs Markmap (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Markmap grades higher than Freeplane: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Markmap grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Markmap
Free open-source tool that turns Markdown outlines into mind maps
Free
Which one is for you
Pick Freeplane if
- Fits if you want formulas, scripts and rule-based formatting inside a mind map
- Works for Linux users, or anyone who wants a portable copy on a USB drive
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want your maps on a phone, in a browser or shared live, as it's a desktop app only
- Not for you if installing a Java runtime sounds like a chore, since some downloads need one
- Skip it if you just want a quick, simple map, because this one is built for power users
- Watch out: AI needs your own OpenRouter or Gemini key or an Ollama service, and map content may leave your machine
- Tight if your Mac runs anything older than macOS 14, which the bundled builds require
Pick Markmap if
- Fits if you already keep notes in Markdown
- Works for putting mind maps into documentation or blog posts
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to drag nodes around, as maps come from text
- Not for you if you need real-time collaboration, which the page doesn't describe
- Too light for a whiteboard: there's no freeform canvas
- Watch out: very large maps need the canvas renderer to stay smooth
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAFreeplaneGood | 3.0GPAMarkmapVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source, with no paid edition at all, in a category where the middle plan is $8.33 a month. Scripting, add-ons and the AI panel are all part of the one free download, though the AI needs your own provider key. | AFree and open source under the MIT license, and anyone can run it. Nothing to set against the category's $8 middle. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe full application on Windows, macOS and Linux, for nothing, with no cap to hit and no paid tier holding anything back, because there isn't one. You can even carry a copy around on a USB drive. | AFree outright, with an online editor, a script, a command-line tool and a VS Code extension. No account or cap. |
| Features | CIt does mind maps completely, and that's a smaller job than this category's: keyboard-driven nodes, styles that apply themselves by rule, formulas computed inside a node, Groovy scripts shared as add-ons, password-protected maps and an AI panel. No shared canvas, no stickies, no collaboration. | CLayouts, themes, notes on branches, export, share links and embedding. It does the Markdown-to-map job fully, but it's a smaller job and has no freeform canvas or collaboration. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record, and the project says plainly that it's for power users. Some downloads want a Java runtime installed separately, only certain Windows and macOS installers bundle it, and the extra parts, scripts, conditional styles, AI keys, all have to be learnt. | CNo store rating on record. You need to write Markdown, and some uses involve scripts or the command line. |
| Platforms and integrations | CA desktop program and nothing more. Windows, macOS and Linux are all covered, but there's no web version and no phone app, so your maps stay on the machine they're on. The bundled macOS builds also want macOS 14 or later. | BWeb editor, VS Code extension, command-line tool and an embeddable script. |
| Best for | free mind maps with formulas and scripts | turning Markdown notes into mind maps |
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: Freeplane and Markmap. How we grade
Price against what you get
Freeplane has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Markmap has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Markmap scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, none scores higher than Freeplane for less, and none scores higher than Markmap 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
- Freeplane also covers templates.
- Markmap also covers Markdown and diagrams.
In commonFree planOpen sourceMind mapping
At a glance
| Freeplane | Markmap | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Freeplane is free and open source software with no paid edition. Installers for Windows, macOS and Linux are downloaded from the project's SourceForge page. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Freeplane team | gera2ld |
| Price read from | docs.freeplane.org | markmap.js.org |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Freeplane
- Freeplane is a desktop Java application: the documentation lists downloads for Windows, macOS and Linux and no web or mobile version.
- Some downloads need a separately installed Java runtime (versions 11 to 21 for the Linux packages); only certain Windows and macOS installers bundle Java.
- The bundled macOS builds require macOS 14 or later.
- AI features need the user's own OpenRouter or Gemini key or an Ollama service, and the docs warn that map content sent to a provider may leave the machine.
Markmap
- Maps are generated from text; the page does not describe drag-and-drop editing or real-time collaboration.
- It is a viewer and renderer, not a whiteboard: there is no freeform canvas.
- Large maps need the canvas renderer to stay smooth with thousands of nodes.
Key features
Freeplane
- Keyboard-driven mind mapping
- Enter adds a node, Tab adds a child, the arrow keys move between nodes and Space folds or unfolds a branch. Nodes can also be dragged into place with the mouse.
- Styles and conditional styles
- Styles set a node's formatting, and conditional styles apply one automatically when a node matches a rule based on its content, attributes, icons or level.
- Formulas and Groovy scripts
- A node whose text starts with = shows a computed result instead of the formula. Groovy scripts automate repeated edits and can change how the application behaves.
- Add-ons
- Scripts are packaged and shared as add-ons. The documentation lists examples such as Freeplane|GTD for task planning, Study Planner and several import and export tools.
- AI integration and MCP server
- An AI panel can summarize, rewrite, inspect and edit map content through OpenRouter, Gemini or an Ollama service. An optional local MCP server lets apps such as Claude Desktop work with maps.
- Templates and protected maps
- A new map can start from a standard or user-defined template, or be created password-protected so that it cannot be opened or read without the password.
Markmap
- Markdown in, map out
- Write an outline the way you already do and the editor draws it as a mind map, with bold text, links, code, task lists, images and math on the nodes.
- Layouts and themes
- Choose a tree, two-sided or org-chart layout and a classic, cards or minimal theme, in light and dark.
- Notes on branches
- Paragraphs, tables and code stay attached to their branch and open in a popover.
- Export
- Export SVG and PNG images, or one offline HTML file that opens in any browser.
- Share links without a server
- A share link carries the document and the view inside the address, so nothing is stored on a server.
- Embed and script
- Add maps to a web page with an autoloader script, a web component for any framework, or a command-line tool for scripts and CI.
Plans
Freeplane
Free$0
The full application for Windows, macOS and Linux, including scripting, add-ons and the AI integration. AI use needs the user's own provider key.
Markmap
Free$0
Open-source project with no paid plans; the editor, libraries and command-line tool are free to use.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Freeplane or Markmap?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Freeplane and Markmap are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Freeplane or Markmap?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Freeplane and Markmap have a free plan.
Which platforms do Freeplane and Markmap run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Freeplane lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps and only Markmap lists a web app. 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.