MindMup vs WiseMapping (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, WiseMapping grades higher than MindMup: 3.0 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
WiseMapping grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MindMup
Web mind mapping with a free tier and simple paid plans
WiseMapping
Free open-source online mind mapping with a self-hosted option
Which one is for you
Pick MindMup if
- Fits if you want a plain mind map on the web and a free start
- Works for a class that opens a map by Guest Pass without logins
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, with 3 maps and view-only sharing
- Watch out: real-time collaboration is marked coming soon on the pricing page
- Watch out: the AI credits are marked coming soon too
- Watch out: only annual prices were readable, and Team and Organization seat rules are not stated
- Skip it if you want a desktop or phone app, as the desktop app is marked coming soon
Pick WiseMapping if
- Fits if you want free mind maps without sign-up limits
- Works for schools or companies that want to host mind mapping themselves with Docker
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a whiteboard canvas, as it only does mind maps
- Not for you if you want phone apps, because none are listed
- Watch out: the site shows ads and asks for donations or code contributions
- Watch out: the project says it has no corporate backing, so there's no support promise
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAMindMupFair | 3.0GPAWiseMappingVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPersonal is $6 a month billed annually, a little above the category's cheaper quarter of $5. Team is $9 and Organization $15, and the page does not say if they are per seat. | AFree with no limit on maps, and anyone can run it. The category's middle for paid plans is $8. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe Starter plan is free but capped at 3 mind maps with view-only sharing and a watermarked presentation mode. | AUnlimited online maps, sharing and embedding at no cost. There's no cap a normal person would reach, but the site carries ads. |
| Features | CMap layouts, notes, presentation mode, version history and sharing. Gaps the listing shows: real-time collaboration, comment threads and the AI credits are marked coming soon. | CMind maps only, with import from Freeplane, XMind and MindManager. It does that job fully, but it's a smaller one than a whiteboard, and the AI feature is a ChatGPT GPT outside the editor. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You build maps from scratch in the editor. | CNo store rating on record. You build each map yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Google Drive, Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 sign-in listed. | BBrowser plus desktop apps for Mac, Windows and Linux, but no phone apps. |
| Best for | a simple web mind map with Google Drive storage | free mind maps in the browser |
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: MindMup and WiseMapping. How we grade
Price against what you get
MindMup starts at $6 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. WiseMapping has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and WiseMapping starts $6 a month lower. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, 9 score higher than MindMup for less, and none scores higher than WiseMapping 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
- WiseMapping is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- MindMup also covers notes, diagrams and presentations.
At a glance
| MindMup | WiseMapping | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $6 per month, billed annually (Personal) | Free |
| Free plan | Starter plan: up to 3 mind maps, view-only sharing, 10 AI credits, and presentation mode with a watermark. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Mindmup, Inc. | WiseMapping LLC |
| Price read from | mindmup.com | wisemapping.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
MindMup
- The free Starter plan stops at 3 mind maps and view-only sharing.
- Real-time collaboration, comment threads, the desktop app and AI credits are marked as coming soon on the pricing page.
- The page shows only the annual-billed prices; it says yearly saves up to 40% but its monthly-billed prices could not be read.
- The page does not say whether the Team and Organization prices are per seat.
WiseMapping
- The website shows advertisements; the FAQ asks for donations or code contributions to sustain the project.
- The AI feature is a ChatGPT GPT, not a feature built into the editor.
- The tool focuses on mind maps and has no general whiteboard canvas.
- The project says it has no corporate backing.
Key features
MindMup
- Mind map layouts
- Standard mind maps, org charts, fishbone diagrams and argument visualization, with styling controls for maps and nodes.
- Notes and sticky notes
- Notes attach to nodes for outlines and drafts, and the text can be exported to another editor.
- Sharing and publishing
- Maps can be shared with members or teams, published as interactive maps, or opened to a class with a Guest Pass that needs no login.
- Presentation mode
- A map turns into a presentation in one click. The free plan adds a watermark.
- Version history and restore
- The comparison lists version history, restoring deleted maps for 30 days and manual backup and restore.
- Google Drive and SSO
- Maps can be stored in Google Drive, and organizations can use Google or Microsoft sign-on.
WiseMapping
- Unlimited online maps
- Create, share and collaborate on mind maps in the browser, with the vendor stating that the number of maps is not limited.
- Import and export
- Import maps from Freeplane, XMind and MindManager, and export to PDF, SVG or Freeplane among other formats.
- Embed and share
- Mind maps can be embedded in web pages, blogs and documentation.
- Desktop app
- A desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux works offline and keeps maps on the local machine.
- Self-hosted server
- The full platform can be run on your own infrastructure with Docker, for companies and schools that want control of their data.
- AI map creation in ChatGPT
- A Mind Map Copilot GPT turns prompts into mind maps inside ChatGPT.
Plans
MindMup
StarterFree
Up to 3 mind maps, notes, view-only sharing and publishing, 10 AI credits (AI marked as coming soon).
Personal$6
per month, billed annually
Unlimited mind maps, image and file attachments, advanced sharing, high-resolution exports and 100 AI credits.
Team$9
per month, billed annually (seat basis not stated)
Unlimited teamspaces, Guest Pass access and 200 AI credits per seat. Real-time collaboration is marked as coming soon.
Organization (SSO)$15
per month, billed annually (seat basis not stated)
Required Google or Microsoft SSO, advanced security settings, priority support and 300 AI credits per seat.
WiseMapping
Free$0
Unlimited mind maps online with no paid tier; the desktop app and self-hosted server are free too.
Ways to pay less
MindMup
- Annual discount
Yearly billing saves up to 40%
The pricing page offers a pay-yearly option that it says saves up to 40% against paying monthly.
WiseMapping
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MindMup or WiseMapping?
As of Nov 13, 2026, WiseMapping is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $6 a month for MindMup. MindMup starts at $6 per month, billed annually (Personal), and WiseMapping is free.
Which has a free plan, MindMup or WiseMapping?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both MindMup and WiseMapping have a free plan.
Which platforms do MindMup and WiseMapping run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only WiseMapping lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list 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.