The Markmap Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Markmap in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Markmap
The Insider’s Guide
Free open-source tool that turns Markdown outlines into mind maps
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among whiteboard and mind map tools, read from Markmap’s own pages.
Made by gera2ld · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Markmap’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Markmap’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 85 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade
Markmap renders a Markdown outline as an interactive mind map that can be folded, zoomed and exported. It runs as an online editor, a script or web component for your own pages, a command-line tool and a VS Code extension. The code is open source under the MIT license.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Markmap, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You need to write Markdown, and some uses involve scripts or the command line.
- 1
Best for turning Markdown notes into mind maps
Markmap turns a Markdown outline into a mind map you can fold, zoom and export, and it's open source under the MIT license.
- 2
It is free
Markmap has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
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.
- 5
Layouts and themes
Choose a tree, two-sided or org-chart layout and a classic, cards or minimal theme, in light and dark.
- 6
Notes on branches
Paragraphs, tables and code stay attached to their branch and open in a popover.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 85 of 98
That is against the other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Markmap is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Markmap at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- gera2ld
- Category
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for turning Markdown notes into mind maps
Markmap turns a Markdown outline into a mind map you can fold, zoom and export, and it's open source under the MIT license. The map comes from text, so there's no drag-and-drop editing or live collaboration on the page we read, and it's a renderer rather than a whiteboard.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free 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 | A | Free outright, with an online editor, a script, a command-line tool and a VS Code extension. No account or cap. |
| Features | C | Layouts, 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 | C | No store rating on record. You need to write Markdown, and some uses involve scripts or the command line. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web editor, VS Code extension, command-line tool and an embeddable script. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Markmap is for
- Fits if you already keep notes in Markdown
- Works for putting mind maps into documentation or blog posts
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Developers and writers who already keep notes in Markdown
- Embedding mind maps in documentation or blog posts
- People who want a free, open-source mapping tool
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Markmap is free to use.
Free and open source under the MIT license, and anyone can run it.
Free
$0
Open-source project with no paid plans; the editor, libraries and command-line tool are free to use.
Read from markmap.js.org on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Free open-source tool that turns Markdown outlines into mind maps. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, Markdown, mind mapping, diagrams.
Layouts, themes, notes on branches, export, share links and embedding.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- VS Code
Markmap is made by gera2ld.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
85/98
Other whiteboard and mind map tools it is graded above
Markmap's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 85 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 83 of 98) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Markmap has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 99 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Markmap’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 74 of 98
- AFree plan and trialAbove 83 of 98
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 98
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 98
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 35 of 98
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 88 whiteboard and mind map tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Markmap is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Markmap is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 85 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade.
What you could make
- Mind mapping and Markdown: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A diagram editor.
What this rests on. Markmap’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Mermaid, Freeplane, MindMup, MindMap AI and Xmind
The 5 tools Markmap is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Mermaid
Free plan · from $10/mo
Text-based diagramming platform with AI and a visual editor.
- Markmap is open source, according to its own site.
- Markmap also covers Markdown and mind mapping.
- Mermaid also covers presentations.
- 2.8GPA
Freeplane
Free
Free, open source mind mapping app for the desktop.
- Only Markmap lists a web app.
- Only Freeplane lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Markmap also covers Markdown and diagrams.
- 2.2GPA
MindMup
Free plan · from $6/mo
Web mind mapping with a free tier and simple paid plans.
- Markmap is open source, according to its own site.
- Markmap also covers Markdown.
- MindMup also covers notes and presentations.
- 2.8GPA
MindMap AI
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
AI mind map generator from text, PDFs, audio and video.
- Only MindMap AI lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only MindMap AI lists a browser extension.
- Markmap is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
Xmind
Free plan · from $4.92/mo
Mind mapping app with AI, Gantt charts and a presentation mode.
- Only Xmind lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Markmap is open source, according to its own site.
- Markmap also covers Markdown and diagrams.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Markmap free?
Yes. Markmap is free to use.
How much does Markmap cost?
Markmap lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Markmap work on?
Markmap is available on Web.
Does Markmap have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Markmap is listed for Web.
Does Markmap have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Markmap is listed for Web.
Is Markmap open source?
Yes. Markmap is open source, according to its own site.
What does Markmap integrate with?
Markmap's listing names VS Code. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Markmap?
Markmap is made by gera2ld.
What are the alternatives to Markmap?
The closest alternatives to Markmap in our directory are Mermaid, Freeplane, MindMup, MindMap AI and Xmind.
How does Markmap compare with other whiteboard and mind map tools?
Markmap's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 85 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 10.
Is Markmap good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Markmap A for value for money. Markmap has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Markmap?
Markmap is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Markmap’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Markmap's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by gera2ld. Prices change, so check markmap.js.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Markmap, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/markmap
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Markmap: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/markmap
Know someone choosing between whiteboard and mind map tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/markmap/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded whiteboard and mind map tools after Markmap, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 99 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft Whiteboard Insider's GuideFree collaborative canvas built into Microsoft 365 and Teams3.4 GPA
- draw.io Insider's GuideFree diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose3.2 GPA
- tldraw Insider's GuideFree online whiteboard with a local desktop app3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Markmap’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Markmap is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by gera2ld. Prices and plans change: check markmap.js.org before you buy.