Microsoft Visio vs MindManager

Microsoft Visio

• Organizations already licensed for Microsoft 365
• IT, facilities and engineering teams drawing networks, floor plans or P&ID
• Process teams documenting BPMN 2.0 workflows
• Buyers who want a one-time license instead of a subscription

MindManager

• Project managers who plan with mind maps and Gantt charts in one file
• Organizations that work in Microsoft Teams, SharePoint and Outlook
• Buyers who prefer a one-time desktop license to a subscription
• Students and educators, who have a discounted plan

Microsoft Visio

• The desktop app's system requirements list only Windows 11, Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019; on other systems Visio is limited to the web app.
• Visio Plan 1 is web and Teams only. The desktop app, BPMN 2.0, floor plans, engineering diagrams and data linking need Plan 2.
• The web app bundled with Microsoft 365 has limited templates and needs a work or school account; personal Microsoft accounts are not supported.
• Trials cover only Plan 1 and Plan 2 and require a credit card. Visio Standard 2024 and Professional 2024 have no trial version.

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.

Microsoft Visio

Templates and shape libraries

Templates, starter diagrams and stencils come with every version. Plan 1 adds thousands of shapes and Microsoft product icons, and Plan 2 opens more than 250,000 shapes.

Technical and business diagram types

Plan 1 covers cross-functional flowcharts, network, Azure and AWS, ERD and UML diagrams. Plan 2 adds BPMN 2.0, floor plans, P&ID, electrical and engineering diagrams.

Co-editing on the web and in Teams

Visio for the web and the Visio app in Microsoft Teams support real-time collaboration, commenting and sharing. Teams itself is licensed separately.

Data-linked diagrams

The desktop app links shapes to Excel workbooks, Access databases, SharePoint lists, SQL Server and other sources. The web app can only view data-linked diagrams.

Microsoft 365 integrations

Data Visualizer turns Excel process data into diagrams, Visio Visual embeds diagrams in Power BI dashboards, and diagrams can be exported to Word and PowerPoint.

Desktop app with offline support

Plan 2 includes the Visio desktop app with local file and offline support and AutoCAD file support, installable on up to five Windows PCs per user.

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.

Microsoft Visio

• Visio in Microsoft 365Included

  with Microsoft 365 commercial plans

  Web and Teams app for viewing and basic editing, with limited templates for general diagrams and basic flowcharts. Not sold separately.

• Visio Plan 1$5.00

  per user / month, paid yearly

  Web and Teams apps with thousands of shapes, cross-functional flowcharts, network, Azure and AWS, ERD and UML diagrams, mind maps and 2 GB of OneDrive storage.

• Visio Plan 2$15.00

  per user / month, paid yearly

  Adds the Windows desktop app with offline support, 250,000+ shapes, BPMN 2.0, floor plans, P&ID and electrical diagrams, and two-way data connectivity.

• Visio Standard 2024$309.99

  one-time purchase

  Non-subscription Windows desktop app with templates, thousands of shapes, in-app commenting, DWG import and org charts generated from data sources.

• Visio Professional 2024$579.99

  one-time purchase

  Adds diagram validation against BPMN 2.0 and UML 2.5 and links to live data from Excel, Access, SharePoint, SQL Server and other sources.

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.

Microsoft Visio

• Lifetime license

  Visio 2024 one-time purchase

  Visio Standard 2024 at $309.99 and Visio Professional 2024 at $579.99 are sold as one-time purchases of the Windows desktop app, with no subscription.

• Education

  Visio web app in free Office 365 A1 for schools

  Microsoft donates Office 365 A1 to eligible educational institutions at no cost, and Visio's FAQ lists Office 365 A1 among the plans that include the Visio web app.

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.