MindMeister vs SimpleMind

MindMeister

• Teams that brainstorm together in a browser
• MeisterTask users who turn map topics into tasks
• Students, educators and nonprofits, who get a 50% discount
• Organizations that want hosting in Germany and GDPR compliance

SimpleMind

• People who want to buy a mind mapping app once, not subscribe
• Keeping mind maps as private files on a device or personal cloud
• Families or small teams sharing a 4-user or 10-user license
• Brainstorming with a free-form layout on a phone or tablet

MindMeister

• The Free plan stops at 3 mind maps and has no file exports, printing, attachments or version history.
• Plans are billed in 6-month or 12-month cycles with no monthly option, and prices vary by region; the figures here are the vendor's EUR reference prices.
• Word and PowerPoint exports, custom branding and Google Workspace need Pro; SAML SSO needs Business and a request to the sales team.
• No desktop apps are listed: outside the iOS and Android apps, MindMeister runs in a browser.

SimpleMind

• Each platform is a separate purchase: a Mac or Windows license does not include the iPhone, iPad or Android app.
• The free edition leaves out cloud sync, images, notes, sharing, printing and search, and it is not listed for Windows, which gets the 30-day trial.
• There is no browser version, and the feature list has no co-editing: maps are files synced through a cloud service the user picks.
• SimpleMind has no built-in AI, which the vendor presents as a privacy decision.

MindMeister

Mind map editor

Topics are arranged by drag and drop and can carry links, notes, emojis and images. Layouts include mind maps, org charts and lists, with themes and color schemes.

Real-time collaboration

Collaborators invited by link edit the same map at once, comment on topics and @mention each other. Every plan, including Free, allows unlimited collaborators.

Presentation mode

A map can be shown as a presentation directly from the editor, so a team can be walked through the ideas without building separate slides.

Outline and focus modes

Outline mode switches a map to structured bullet points, and focus mode hides menus, toolbars and icons in the editor.

AI map creation (beta)

A prompt or an uploaded file such as a PDF, presentation, spreadsheet or image produces a map, which AI can then expand or tidy. It is listed as beta on every plan.

Exports and integrations

Topics convert into MeisterTask tasks on any plan. Image and PDF exports and Microsoft Teams start at Personal; Word and PowerPoint exports and Google Workspace at Pro.

SimpleMind

Free-form and auto layouts

Place topics anywhere on the page or use the horizontal auto layout. Pro adds six more: vertical, top-down, linear, radial, matrix and list.

Maps stored as your own files

Mind maps are files that are never stored on the vendor's servers. Pro syncs them across platforms through a cloud service such as Dropbox.

Notes, images and checkboxes

Pro topics can hold notes, images, photos, icons, labels, call-outs, checkboxes and progress bars, and any two topics can be joined with a crosslink.

Sharing and slideshows

Pro shares a map as a PDF, an image, or an HTML or text outline, prints it, and builds a slideshow to present it on tablets and desktops.

Style sheets

More than 15 style sheets, including dark ones, change the look of a map. Pro lets you create your own and style borders, lines and colors in detail.

Tools for large maps

Collapse branches, focus on one part with autofocus and switch to an outline. Pro adds hiding topics, group borders, folders and search.

MindMeister

• Free€0

  Up to 3 mind maps, unlimited collaborators, templates, presentations, outline and focus modes, the MeisterTask integration and AI map creation in beta.

• Personal€6.50

  per user / month, billed yearly (€7.50 on 6-month billing)

  Unlimited mind maps, PNG, JPG and PDF exports, printing, 2 attachments per map, 7-day version history and the Microsoft Teams integration.

• Pro€10.50

  per user / month, billed yearly (€12.50 on 6-month billing)

  Unlimited attachments, all-time version history, multiple admins, Word and PowerPoint exports, custom branding and the Google Workspace integration.

• Business€15.50

  per user / month, billed yearly (€19 on 6-month billing)

  Group sharing, compliance exports and backups, IP restriction, SAML SSO on request, priority email and phone support and a customer success manager.

SimpleMind

• SimpleMind Free$0

  For Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android: basic mind mapping with free-form and horizontal auto layout, style sheets and outline. No sync, sharing or printing.

• Pro for iPhone & iPad$10.99

  one-time purchase

  Full feature set on iPhone and iPad, bought on the App Store. The vendor's page lists it as from US$10.99.

• Pro for Android$11.99

  one-time purchase

  Full feature set on Android, bought on Google Play at the US price. The vendor's page lists it as from €10.99.

• Pro Single User (Mac or Windows)$29.99

  one-time purchase per platform, excluding VAT

  One user on Mac or on Windows. A license covering both platforms costs $54.99.

• Pro Family/Team (4 users)$49.99

  one-time purchase per platform, excluding VAT

  Four users on Mac or on Windows, shown on the page as "Now 49.99 USD". Both platforms together cost $99.98.

• Pro 10-user License$114.99

  one-time purchase per platform, excluding VAT

  Ten users on Mac or on Windows, or $229.98 for both platforms. Site licenses are handled separately.

MindMeister

• Annual discount

  13 to 18% lower on 12-month billing

  MindMeister's pricing file says the 12-month billing cycle costs approximately 13 to 18% less than the 6-month cycle, for example €6.50 against €7.50 per user a month on Personal.

• Education

  50% off for students and educators

  Students, educators and educational institutions get a 50% discount, applied by contacting the support team.

• Nonprofit

  50% off for nonprofits

  The same 50% discount is listed for non-profit organizations, also arranged through the support team.

SimpleMind

• Lifetime license

  One-time purchase with no subscription

  SimpleMind Pro is bought once per platform with no monthly or annual fees: $29.99 for Mac or Windows and $10.99 for iPhone and iPad.

• Other savings

  Two-platform and multi-user licenses

  A single-user license for both Mac and Windows is $54.99 against $59.98 bought separately. A four-user Family/Team license is $49.99 and a ten-user license $114.99 per platform.