Upload your own image, change text blocks, animate any element - do whatever you want to create a unique graphic design. Discover thousands of objects in the Crello concept map maker. Map out each point using built-in shapes, icons, and other map graphic elements to efficiently structure your information. Concept map maker features Use Canva to build a brilliant concept map for organizing your thoughts, brainstorming or solving complex problems. More than 20 professional types of graphs to choose from.
When organizing ideas and thoughts, a concept map may come to mind. Well, concept maps are also the best platform to create an outline for essays, assignments, or for making review sheets for exams. No wonder it is very popular among students nowadays. Of course, you can create a concept map on paper, but a concept mapping app would make a huge difference. If you are looking for a step-by-step process and free concept map makers to get you started, then read through.
Best Concept Map Makers
GitMind
Score: ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰
Pricing: Free
GitMind is an innovative concept map maker and is also one of the best among free graphic organizers that you can use online. It contains quite a number of customization options providing tools for color, font, shape formatting. With its relational line feature, you will be able to cross-link ideas to each other. Aside from that, you can use its summary function to label branches to better depict relationships between ideas. Furthermore, GitMind offers real-time collaboration services allowing you and your team to view and edit the same content as if you were in the same room.
XMind
Score: ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰
Pricing: Free; $39.99 / 6 Months
Another software to create a concept map with great ease is XMind. This is a free concept map creator featuring share support that enables users to export concept maps to .xmind and image files. In addition, all your data can be embedded in presentation apps including Microsoft PowerPoint, Keynote and Google Slides. When it comes to accessibility, this app is great because you can sync data across different mobile and computer platforms.
Mind42
Score: ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰
Pricing: Free
Create concept maps and collaborate on the web with the help of Mind42. This is practical if you want to avoid downloading any extra software. This tool is equipped with useful viewing functions such as zoom, birdview and collapsing to keep an overview of your content. It is also worth mentioning that this tool allows you to import and export concept maps from and to other concept map makers free of charge.
WiseMapping
Score: ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰
Pricing: Free
WiseMapping can also be used for creating and editing concept maps and is recommended for both individuals and businesses. Using this tool, you can share your concept maps publicly by embedding them to any website without plugins. One of its more interesting features is it uses HTML5.0 and Scalable Vector Graphics(SVG) technology, which are responsible for clean and smooth graphics animation.
Freeplane
Score: ★ ★ ✰ ✰ ✰
Pricing: Free
Freeplane offers an intuitive way of organizing content to give you an edge. This software automatically arranges the position of the nodes, paragraphs, and headings of your concept map. What’s more, you can set due dates and reminders to increase your productivity and finish tasks right on time using its Task Calendaring & Reminders feature.
Goconqr
Score: ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰
Pricing: Free; $2.75 / Month
Goconqr provides a dynamic learning culture for users to understand and develop key concepts. Whether you are a student or a teacher it will help you boost your visual learning process using its online study tools like mind or concept map creator, quizzes, flashcards, and a lot more. Also, if you need ideas for conceptualizing lessons, it’s best to refer to thinking maps and visualize it using Goconqr. Another highlight of Goconqr is it offers easy access to its active community to aid your studies by gathering different study methods from your study buddies.
TheBrain
Score: ★ ★ ✰ ✰ ✰
Pricing: 30-day Free trial; $219 / Year
Nothing beats the convenience of viewing and editing concept maps across all your devices and that’s what’s great about TheBrain. This tool comes with a search bar that enables you to quickly find the information from your concept map. With its interactive user-interface, recording and organizing your thoughts becomes much easier and quicker.
Novamind
Score: ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰
Pricing: Free; $7 / Month
Novamind is another concept map maker which hosts a wide variety of themes. Whether you want your map to look professional, organic, or playful, the tool can make it happen. On top of that, you can effortlessly present maps with its impromptu presentation mode. All you need to do is select the path through your map on which topic to discuss from beginning to end and then it will automatically expand and zoom in on the topics to be discussed in order.
Canva
Score: ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰
Pricing: Free; $12.95 / Month
Think you’ve seen it all? Canva isn’t your run of the mill concept map creator as this platform combines the benefits of idea organization and a quality graphic design editor. It is loaded mostly with tools for photo editing, offering a vast library of images, fonts, icons, figures, and templates. It’s fun and exciting to create concept maps using Canva because it inspires you to be creative with all the interesting features it offers.
Conclusion
Concept maps are indeed helpful for studies as they enable you to freely layout your thoughts visually. Some of these can be used for free, while some require a subscription to access premium features. Yet in case you’re looking for a totally free app with full access to all its great tools, why not give GitMind a shot.
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Concept maps are slowly evolving into a useful tool of modern millennials who wish to simplify relationships and ideas in a graphical format rather than going the theoretical way. It makes use of connecting lines and boxes to establish connections between ideas. Their relationships are also revealed by using linking words and arrows in the form of a hierarchical structure. Today we are going to discuss 6 of the best concept map makers which you can avail for efficiently creating these project diagrams.
Concept Map vs. Mind Map
Points of Difference | Concept Map | Mind Map |
---|---|---|
Structure | Tree structure with clusters and branches. | Radial structure. |
Main Focus | Multiple ideas or concepts. | Just one concept. |
Labelling | Arrows are labelled to represent connection type with ancestor node. | Links are labelled for representing relationship with ancestor node. |
Morphologies | Supports all morphologies. | Supports only linear morphology. |
Flexibility | Not very flexible. | Very flexible. |
What Are the Criteria’s of A Good Concept Map Maker?
The concept map maker needs to encourage high-level thinking and brainstorming.
It should ideally promote collaborative learning.
A free concept map maker should spark creativity amongst its users.
While selecting a concept map maker, you need to make sure that it identifies the areas requiring further review.
It should synthesize information by integrating both new and old concepts so that you can gain a true understanding of the picture.
The concept map creator should allow users to communicate their complex ideas with each other for effective teamwork.
6 Best Concept Map Makers
1. EdrawMax
This all-in-one diagramming tool presents a drag and drop interface, which makes it an extremely user-friendly option. It allows users to customize every single detail using dynamic and smart toolkits. The results can be exported in a variety of formats and even printed as well as shared for greater versatility.
Pros:
- Offer users with a plethora of templates that can cater to a variety of career paths, fields, and needs.
- Files created can be exported to a variety of formats such as PDF, Visio, PPT, Word, Html, JPEG, etc.
- It also presents an online version which is as feature-packed as the software version.
- Users can create 260 varieties of diagrams ranging from technical ones to attractive infographics.
- The concept maps created can be shared on social media using an HTML link.
Cons:
- Nothing as such.
Supported Platforms | Windows, Mac, Linux, Cloud, SaaS, Web |
Price | Pricing of perpetual license starts from $139. |
Scores from Capterra | 4.6/5 |
Link of official website | https://www.edrawsoft.com/edraw-max/ |
EdrawMax
All-in-One Diagram Software
- Superior file compatibility: Import and export drawings to various file formats, such as Visio
- Cross-platform supported (Windows, Mac, Linux, Web)
2. MindMaster by Edraw
You can now easily create concept maps for revealing connections between ideas and concepts with this concept map maker. This easy-to-use software doesn’t disrupt the creative flow while users visualize ideas and concepts. Users can insert tags, notes, attachments, and even comments for illustrating relationships between ideas.
Pros:
- It offers a note-taking tool that helps users efficiently organizing their content.
- Presents a user-friendly interface wherein users can organize their ideas.
- Present users with a large number of templates which help in the creation of eye-catching concept maps.
- Hand drawn function can be used for turning default border lines into natural wavy ones.
- Attachments and hyperlinks can be added for referring to supporting views.
Cons:
- Nothing to report.
Supported Platforms | Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, Cloud, SaaS, Web |
Price | Pricing of Pro version is $49 for one year. |
Scores from Capterra | 5/5 |
Link of official website | https://www.edrawsoft.com/mindmaster/ |
EdrawMind
Full-Featured Mind Mapping Software
- Cross-platforms supported (Windows, Mac, Linux, Web)
- Brainstorming mode and presentation mode
- Group & real-time collaboration
3. Canva
This concept map maker can serve you exceptionally well while trying to simplify complex relationships with the use of various icons, lines, and shapes. Users can even control all the elements of their design using just a few drags and clicks.
Pros:
- Allow users to create visually-appealing and high-quality concept maps in no time.
- Presents an array of pre-designed templates and layouts which can be customized with a few clicks.
- The concept maps created can be shared through email or social media.
Cons:
- It might be difficult for amateur users to navigate.
- Lack of adequate editing options for fonts.
- It does not have any text-bending feature making it difficult to curve text around images, graphics, and other texts.
Supported Platforms | Cloud, SaaS, Web, Mobile |
Price | Starting price of the Pro version is $12.95 per month per user. |
Scores from Capterra | 4.7/5 |
Link of official website | https://www.canva.com |
4. Visual Paradigm
Concept Map Maker Word
Creating beautiful concept maps becomes a child’s play with this concept map creator, which allows users to decorate their concepts and ideas with attractive fonts and colors. The concept map diagrams can even be shared in commonly used formats such as PDF, PNG, SVG, and JPG.
Pros:
- Allow users to collaborate on projects through self-hosted or cloud server.
- Offer users an array of formatting options for delivering professional outputs.
- Model elements can be dragged and dropped into the document editor for building reports.
Cons:
- The interface is not adequately intuitive.
- Offer a large number of options that might just end up confusing the user.
- Some of the color effects on the diagrams are not up to the mark.
Supported Platforms | Mac, Windows, Linux, Cloud, SaaS, Web |
Price | unknown |
Scores from Capterra | 4.4/5 |
Link of official website | https://www.visual-paradigm.com |
5. MindMup
You can explain the relationship between different components, visualize knowledge graphs, and even illustrate structural dependencies and flows using this intuitive concept map creator. Directions can be explained using arrows, and relationships can be explained through caption on lines for visualizing different relationship attributes.
Pros:
- Make it possible to depict the strength of connections using line styles.
- Allow users to connect with Google Drive so that they can access the concept maps whenever required.
- Users can take screenshots of the concept maps for being shared with other users.
Cons:
- Loading time might seem too long.
- Objects cannot be arranged with custom lines.
- Printing concept maps might cause the output to look either too small for reading or scaled.
Supported Platforms | Cloud, SaaS, Web |
Price | Pricing starts from $2.99 per month per user. |
Scores from Capterra | 4.1/5 |
Link of official website | https://www.mindmup.com |
6. Lucidchart
This visual workplace can drive up innovation by combining data visualization, diagramming, and collaboration. It allows in-editor chatting, which helps collate ideas from other contributors and give a final touch to the same. Users can retain control over editing permissions. They can also make use of presentation mode for presenting their concept map in a single click. G Suite integrations make it possible to both access and maintain the online concept map.
Pros:
- Offer various templates that help in merely plugging in your information and making edits as per requirement.
- Help in quickly organizing ideas by visualizing connections between them.
- Formatting options can be customized as per the requirement for gaining complete control over the concept map.
Concept Map Maker Online
Cons:
- Loading time is too much at the very beginning.
- Integration with PowerPoint is not very straightforward.
- It does not integrate with other engines.
Supported Platforms | Cloud, SaaS, Web, Mobile |
Price | Pricing starts from $9.95 per month per user. |
Scores from Capterra | 4.5/5 |
Link of official website | https://www.lucidchart.com/pages/ |
Conclusion
Concept Map Maker Bubble
Concept mapping serves as a beneficial exercise for hypothesizing, brainstorming, discovering new knowledge, finding solutions as well as connections between different concepts. You can use any of the concept map makers mentioned above for making the most out of this functionality.