# Freeplane

> Free, open source mind mapping app for the desktop

Freeplane is a free and open source mind mapping application for the desktop, written in Java. It is aimed at power users: maps are built and navigated largely from the keyboard, and nodes can carry styles, conditional formatting, formulas and Groovy scripts, with community add-ons for further functions. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, can be carried on a USB drive, and since version 1.13.1 can connect to an AI provider that the user configures.

- **Category:** Whiteboards & Mind Maps
- **Made by:** Freeplane team
- **Website:** https://docs.freeplane.org
- **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, Linux
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 6, 2026

## Pricing

Freeplane is free to use.

- **Pricing model:** 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.
- **Free trial:** None listed.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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. |

Read from https://docs.freeplane.org/ on Oct 6, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Freeplane before buying.

## Key features

- **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.

## Good for

- Power users who want formulas, scripts and rule-based formatting in a map
- Keeping mind maps as local files instead of in a cloud service
- Linux users, and anyone who wants a portable copy on a USB drive
- Former FreeMind users: Freeplane began as a fork of that project

## Worth knowing

- 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.

## Works with

OpenRouter, Gemini, Ollama, Claude Desktop

**Tags:** Mind mapping, Open source, Local-first, AI features, Templates

## Alternatives

- [Xmind](https://toolgpa.com/tools/xmind): Mind mapping app with AI, Gantt charts and a presentation mode. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/freeplane-vs-xmind)
- [MindMeister](https://toolgpa.com/tools/mindmeister): Browser-based mind mapping with real-time collaboration. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/freeplane-vs-mindmeister)
- [SimpleMind](https://toolgpa.com/tools/simplemind): Mind mapping app sold as a one-time purchase per platform. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/freeplane-vs-simplemind)
- [Mindomo](https://toolgpa.com/tools/mindomo): Mind maps, outlines and Gantt charts with real-time editing. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/freeplane-vs-mindomo)
- [Scapple](https://toolgpa.com/tools/scapple): Freeform mind-mapping app for writers, on Mac and Windows. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/freeplane-vs-scapple)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 6, 2026:

- https://docs.freeplane.org/
- https://docs.freeplane.org/getting-started/Distributions.html
- https://docs.freeplane.org/getting-started/getting-started.html
- https://docs.freeplane.org/getting-started/Add-ons_(install).html
- https://docs.freeplane.org/user-documentation/first-steps.html
- https://docs.freeplane.org/user-documentation/working-w-mindmap-files.html
- https://docs.freeplane.org/user-documentation/Conditional_node_styles.html
- https://docs.freeplane.org/user-documentation/Relationship_to_FreeMind.html
- https://docs.freeplane.org/scripting/Formulas.html
- https://docs.freeplane.org/scripting/What_are_scripts_and_what_they_do.html
- https://docs.freeplane.org/ai/ai-integration-getting-started.html
- https://docs.freeplane.org/ai/model-context-protocol-server.html

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/freeplane
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).