The maps are categorized and work with a large variety of applications. It is a British company selling an online map repository. I hadn't heard of Biggerplate before conducting this review. The Biggerplate FactorĪnother feature of XMind that separates it from others in this review is a built-in way to share your maps with Biggerplate. Markers include icons for task priority, emojis, task progress (in the form of little symbolic pie charts), colorful flags, stars, people, arrows, symbols (such as check marks, question marks, exclamation points, etc.), months, and days of the week. Open a map, select markers, and stick in your iconic feedback with having to type a single character. XMind has an idea called Markers that could possibly speed up the process. Many organizations, for better or worse, make decisions by too-large committees. Presentation mode automates a PowerPoint-like slideshow. I didn't see a way to adjust the automatic backup frequency if it's there, then it is buried. Options on the Window menu include Gantt charts, audio notes, an Inspector tool used for handling advanced map properties, and an option called Black Box which performs automatic backups. A powerful Insert menu lets you add topics, subtopics, floating topics, markers, relationships, and various file attachments. Different maps and templates can be different shapes and have various levels of detail, so the interface has a useful zoom feature. I tried a "strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats" (SWOT) template. (Opens in a new window) Read Our Idearium Review I also needed to set up an account at, which is used for uploading and synchronizing maps from any version of the XMind client software. You just download the files, unzip them into any folder you like, and run the application file.
Interface and Usabilityįor testing, we used a portable configuration, meaning there's no installation process. Plug-ins for additional functions are sold separately.
XMind also offers academic, government, volume, and update licenses. Still, XMind has a lot going for it, including open source flexibility and an annual subscription option for the Pro version, which includes updates. Though it has many strengths, XMind did not win the Editors' Choice award in this minf mapping roundup, as that honor went to Expert Software Applications Mindomo (36.00 Per User (for a 6-month-long license) at Mindomo) (Opens in a new window) instead. XMind notes customers such as Barclays, Deutsche Post, and the U.S. XMind is an open-source, mind mapping and idea management software solution with commercial extensions for Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X, and Linux operating systems (OSes). XMind, currently in version 8, begins at $79 per user per year (billed annually) for its "Plus" edition, though there's also a free edition and a $99 Pro version.