The free online mind mapping tool
Double-click to drop an idea on the canvas. Drag to connect it to another. Colour-code, tag and auto-arrange the whole thing in one click — then export it as a PNG or share a read-only link that needs no account to open.
Open the canvas and start — no account needed to try it. Register free when you want to save.
Everything's included
There is no pro tier holding half of this back. This is simply what the tool does.
Double-click to think
A double-click on the canvas makes a node and wires it to the last one you made. Turn auto-connect off if you'd rather place ideas loose and link them later.
Keyboard-first
Tab adds a child, Enter adds a sibling, undo and redo work as you'd expect. Fast enough to keep up with a train of thought.
Colour and tag
Colour-code nodes from a palette and mark them with icon badges — idea, priority, warning — so structure is visible at a glance.
Connections with meaning
Label any connection and pick its style: smooth, dashed, animated circuit, LED or old school. Four anchor points per node.
Tidy Up
One click auto-arranges a sprawling map into a clean radial tree around whichever node you pick. The cure for an hour of fast thinking.
Real rich text
Bold, italic, underline, bullet and numbered lists, links and embedded images inside a node — not just a single line of plain text.
Minimap and search
A minimap for jumping around a big map and a search box that filters nodes by text, so large maps stay navigable.
Templates
Start from Brainstorm, SWOT Analysis or Project Plan instead of an empty canvas — then edit them freely.
History and autosave
It autosaves as you work and keeps past versions of every saved map, so you can roll back without having lost anything.
Share without signup
Generate a read-only link and anyone can open your map in a browser — no account needed. Revoke it whenever you like.
Export and print
Export the whole map as a PNG at any zoom level, or print a clean canvas-only layout.
Six themes
Blueprint, Night, Cyberpunk Neon, Forest, Sunset and Slate Mono, saved to your account and applied wherever you sign in.
How it works
From blank canvas to a finished map in about a minute.
Start in the middle
Double-click the canvas and type your central idea. That's the trunk everything else grows from.
Branch out fast
Double-click again for the next thought — it connects automatically. Or press Tab for a child and Enter for a sibling.
Make it readable
Colour-code, tag and label connections, then hit Tidy Up to arrange the whole map.
Keep or share it
It saves as you go. Export a PNG, print it, or send a read-only link anyone can open.
What is a mind map?
A mind map is a diagram that starts from one central idea and branches outward into related subtopics. Instead of a linear list, the relationships between ideas are laid out spatially — which is the whole point. Seeing that two branches you thought were unrelated actually connect is the thing a page of notes will never do for you.
The technique suits anything where structure emerges as you go rather than arriving up front: brainstorming, revision and study notes, planning a project, outlining an essay or a talk, mapping a decision, or breaking a vague problem into parts you can actually work on.
A few habits that make maps better
- Keep labels short. One to four words per node. A node holding a paragraph is a note, not a branch.
- Get it out first, tidy it after. Capture at speed while the ideas are arriving, then rearrange. That is exactly what Tidy Up is for.
- Use colour for meaning, not decoration. One colour per theme, or per owner, or per confidence level — pick a rule and hold to it.
- Draw the cross-links. When a branch relates to something on the far side of the map, connect them. Those links are usually the useful part.
Free, and not the kind of free with an asterisk
Plenty of "free" mind mapping software means three maps, a watermark, or a locked export button. Vision Mapr has no paid tier at all — no feature is held back, there is no cap on how many maps you save, and exporting is not a premium button. Sponsor links on the site cover the hosting so the tool itself doesn't have to charge.
You don't need an account to try it — open the canvas and start mapping right now. An account (a username and a password, nothing else) is only needed to save a map, because a saved map has to belong to somebody. People you share a finished map with need nothing at all.
It's also genuinely single-player. If you need several people editing one map at the same time, with permissions and an admin console, a paid team product will serve you better — that is what those subscriptions are actually selling.
Keyboard shortcuts
The ones worth learning on day one.
Questions people ask
What is a mind map?
A mind map is a diagram that starts from one central idea and branches outward into related subtopics. Because it is spatial rather than linear, it makes the relationships between ideas visible in a way a list of notes cannot — which is why it suits brainstorming, revision and planning.
How do I make a mind map in Vision Mapr?
Double-click the canvas to create your central node and type into it. Double-click again to add the next idea — it connects automatically to the one before. Keep going, or press Tab to add a child and Enter to add a sibling. When it gets messy, click Tidy Up to auto-arrange everything into a radial tree.
Is Vision Mapr really free?
Yes. There are no paid tiers and no features held back behind a paywall, and there is no map limit. The service is funded by the sponsor links on the site rather than by charging for the tool.
Do I need an account?
Not to try it — open the canvas and start mapping with no signup at all; your work is kept in your browser. A free account (username and password, nothing else) is only needed to save a map to your account. And anyone you send a share link to can view that map with no account either.
Can I share a mind map with someone?
Yes. Click Share on a saved map to generate a read-only link. Anyone with the link can view the map without signing up, but cannot edit it or see your other maps, and you can revoke the link any time with Stop Sharing.
Will I lose my work if I close the tab?
Probably not. Vision Mapr autosaves a local draft as you work, so if the browser closes before you press Save, reopening the app offers to restore the unsaved draft. Saved maps also keep a version history you can roll back to.
Can I export a mind map as an image?
Yes. Export PNG downloads the entire map as an image regardless of your current zoom or pan, and Print opens a clean canvas-only print layout.
Does it work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. Tap to select, drag to move or pan, pinch to zoom and double-tap to add or edit a node. A larger screen still gives you more room to work with, but nothing is desktop-only.
How many mind maps can I save?
There is no fixed limit. Create as many as you need and switch between them from the dropdown in the top bar, or use Save As to branch a copy without touching the original.
Is free mind mapping software good enough, or do I need a paid tool?
For personal brainstorming, study notes, revision and planning, a free tool is generally all you need. Paid products earn their price mainly on team features — real-time multi-user editing, permissions, admin controls and integrations with project management suites. Vision Mapr is built for the single-person case and doesn't charge for it.
Open a blank canvas
A free account takes a username and a password. Then double-click, and start.