The Best Free XMind Alternative

What Is XMind?

XMind is a mind mapping application founded by Brian Sun in 2008. The popular mind mapping tool was created with the aim of helping people brainstorm more ideas and organize them via mind maps.

If you’re thinking of getting started with mind maps, XMind is one of the best mind mapping applications that you can use. Being a dedicated mind mapping tool, XMind has essential mind-mapping features to help you create mind maps individually or collaboratively as a team.

Today, XMind has over 2 million users on its platform. Some alternative software to XMind would include Miro, Obsidian, Roam Research, and Whimsical.

Features of XMind

XMind is a dedicated mind mapping tool that has advanced features to help you create mind maps intuitively. The application lets you create multiple styles of mind maps depending on your mind map use case.

Here are some of the types of mind maps that you can create on XMind:

• Fishbone
• Tree table
• Timeline
• Org chart

To help you get a headstart on your mind mapping journey, you can also find mind mapping templates on XMind. Besides that, XMind also allows you to switch to an outliner view so that you can organize your thoughts in hierarchies.

Here are some other features of XMind that make it a good mind mapping application:

• Color themes and custom graphics
• Outlining, distraction-free mode, and dark UI
• Import/export functionality
• Sync across desktop and mobile devices

You can also use XMind for simple task management, but we wouldn’t recommend it. This is because even though XMind is a solid mind mapping application, it is lacking in advanced task management features that other better project management apps provide. 

XMind does have task management templates available, but they’re all created based on a mind map view. This makes it hard to manage tasks intuitively as there are other methods of managing tasks and projects such as a list view, and a kanban board view; all of which are lacking in XMind.

What Is XMind Good For?

XMind is a mind mapping tool that is focused on helping you create the best mind maps possible. Here are some of its use-cases.

• Mind mapping
• Brainstorming
• Creating simple outlines
• Planning projects
• Second brain movement

What Are Some Limitations of XMind?

Although XMind is a good tool to use when it comes to creating mind maps, it has limitations that limit its capabilities in project management.

• No chat function
• No built-in video calls
• Lack of project management features
• Free version is light on features

Although you can use XMind to brainstorm new ideas, we wouldn’t recommend it for project management. Taskade on the other hand allows you to create mind maps for free while communicating and collaborating with your teammates on the same project.

Mix this alongside Taskade’s advanced project management features and you have a tool that allows you to both create mind maps and manage projects collaboratively!

How Much Does XMind Cost?

XMind offers its software in one main pricing plan. You can choose to pay every 6 months for $39.99, or yearly for $59.99 per user.

Each XMind subscription unlocks all features across all devices, with a limit of 5 desktops/laptops, and 5 mobile devices.

XMind also has special pricing plans that are available for people in academia and non-profit organizations.

What Is Taskade?

Taskade is an online productivity and collaboration tool that was founded by John Xie, Dionis Loire, and Stan Chang in 2017. The Y Combinator-backed startup aims to help remote teams and individuals get work done faster and smarter.

Taskade is where remote teams get work done. With Taskade, you can organize projects and tasks, change between multiple project views, automate repetitive workflows, collaborate via built-in video chat with your team, and more, via an all-in-one unified workspace. 

Get a headstart on your projects and find a suitable structure for your notes via Taskade’s versatile collection of templates. Simply choose from a wide variety of templates and add them to your projects to get started instantly!

Taskade is a supercharged productivity app that both individuals and teams can use to collaborate on projects in real-time.

Taskade is the best free XMind alternative. Get started instantly for free today.

Key Features of Taskade

• Project Views. Visualize your projects in several different ways. Cycle between the List, Mind Map, Org Chart, and Board views to work the way you want. 

  • List View. This is the default view on Taskade. Create new lists here.
  • Board View. This view lets you work horizontally like a Kanban board. Visualize your workflow and tasks in this full-width view.
  • Mind Map View. This view lets you work in a horizontal tree-structured manner and map out what you have in mind.
  • Action View. Work in table view and stay organized with your task due dates, and more.
  • Org Chart View. Break down larger tasks into smaller ones to help you get things done.

• Zoom In, Zoom Out. Get a bird’s-eye view of the workflow by zooming out on all project views, or zoom in to focus on a specific area.
• Fold/Unfold. Fold (collapse) a parent task/bullet element to hide its subtasks. Indent outline elements with ⌨️ Tab and unfold lists with ⌨️ Shift+Tab.
• Real-time Communication. Chat and video conference with your team while collaborating in real-time on the same page. 
• 500+ Templates. Choose from 500+ templates across 26 categories to improve your productivity and workflows. Customize existing templates or create new ones across your workspaces.
• Multi-Select. Select and format multiple blocks or bulk assign them as tasks to other team members. You can also copy, paste, or indent selected blocks.
• Customize Sub-Tasks. Customize the format of your sub-tasks at individual levels. Choose from headings, numbered lists, shapes, and more.
• Recurring Tasks. Add due dates with start and end times to tasks within your project and set them to repeat daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly.

• Move Tasks. Move and copy selected tasks to other projects across any workspace. You’ll receive a pop-up notification on completion.
• User Roles & Permissions. Manage collaborators and assign user roles/editing privileges (Owner, Admin, Editor, Checker, Viewer).
• Sort Tasks. Sort sub-tasks/children elements by completed/uncompleted stats or the due date. Task sorting can be accessed from a convenient pop-up menu.
• Search. Search within projects or globally across workspaces and subspaces. Instantly browse and jump between projects anywhere in the Taskade.
• Keyboard Shortcuts. Navigate projects, create content blocks, reorder elements, and complete tasks using a set of handy keyboard shortcuts.

• Team Calendar. Aggregate all tasks and projects in a shared calendar. The Taskade calendar integrates with Google (two-way), Apple, and Outlook. 
• Reorder Tasks. Lists in Taskade aren’t set in stone. Reorder tasks and find them a new home with intuitive drag-and-drop mechanics.
• Project History. See all the changes made by you and other collaborators. Click on the entries to navigate to the edited items within the project.
• Version History. Taskade saves snapshots of your project so that you can restore a previous version of your project with a single click.

• Export and Print. You can export your projects as plain text or markdown files. Attach them to emails, presentations, or for print.

• Cloud File Upload. Share files directly from Google Drive, Dropbox, Instagram, and Box in your projects with our integrations.
• Breakdown Larger Tasks. Organize your thoughts with Taskade’s unlimited hierarchy to break down large projects into tasks.
• Quick Search. Use CMD / CTRL + K to jump between any projects within Taskade web and apps.

For an exhaustive list of Taskade’s features, click here.

Taskade Pros

• Free-forever plan is loaded with features
• Real-time collaboration within the same project 
• Free built-in video call and chat function in each project
• Customizable templates to give you a headstart
• Work and chat in the same window, in the same app
• Frequent updates based on user/your feedback and suggestions
• Tabbed workflow for working with multiple Projects

Taskade Cons

• No custom APIs (yet)

Taskade Pricing

Taskade Free Plan

• Unlimited Tasks & Projects
• Unlimited Members & Guests
• Unlimited Folders & Teams
• Templates, Calendar, Repeat Tasks
• Real-time Collaboration
• Built-in Free Chat and Video Call

Taskade Unlimited Plan - Starts from $5/month

• Everything in Free, plus:
• Version History
• Advanced Permission
• Cloud Upload Integration
• 2-Way Calendar Integration

Click here for more information.

Is Taskade Right for You?

Taskade can be used by individuals and teams working from anywhere. Use Taskade individually or collaborate with your team for weekly agendas, team meetings, note-taking, project management, product roadmaps, and more. 

Make use of customizable board views to visualize your projects into digestible smaller tasks. Multiple board views are available even on Taskade’s free plan, allowing you to get more work done the smarter way. 

Collaborate with your team in real-time with free and unlimited chat and video conferencing available on every project. Automatic syncing ensures that your data is always up to date across devices.

Our customizable templates are available even with our free plan. Find the perfect template to help you get started with your project, and customize it to fit your needs!

Taskade is the simplest way to create task lists, checklists, and workflows. Manage projects and get more work done the simple way with Taskade.

Taskade is the best free XMind alternative. Try Taskade for free today.