Here are the top brainstorming tools that can enhance creativity, collaboration, and idea generation for your team. Find the perfect tool for your team.
The human mind is a complex system with billions of neurons that allow it to perform many functions, one of which is to think and generate ideas. Experts estimate that the mind thinks between 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts a day; this practically means that your mind can conceive thousands of ideas per day, but without a proper way to document these ideas, they would be lost to oblivion. That is where brainstorming software comes in.
Brainstorming software, also known as mind mapping tools, is used to develop creative ideas. It lets you document and organize your thoughts, add visuals or notes to them and create connections between them.
We have carefully curated a list of the best brainstorming software for teams of all sizes across various industries with different needs. We analyzed each tool’s features, pricing and their pros and cons to help you determine the best option for your organization.
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Here is a comparison feature summary of the best brainstorming software.
| Best for | MindMaps | Mobile app | Starting price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucidchart | Flowchart-like visualization | Yes | Yes | $7.95 |
| Miro | Complex workflow | Yes | Yes | $10 per member per month |
| ClickUp | Versatility | Yes | Yes | $10 per user per month |
| Creately | Software development teams | Yes | No | $8 per month |
| Bubbl.us | Students and small teams | Yes | No | $6 per month |
| Coggle | Ease of use | Yes | Yes | $5 per month |
| MindMeister | Extensive color and styling options | Yes | Yes | $4.50 per user per month, billable 6-monthly. |
| WiseMapping | Best free brainstorming software | Yes | No | Free |
| Scapple | Intelligent note-taking | Yes | No | $20.99 |
| Stormboard | Digital whiteboard and augmented intelligence | Yes | Yes | $10 per user per month |
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LucidChart is an easy-to-use and intuitive web-based brainstorming app that enables individuals, small teams and large enterprises to visualize and structure their ideas. It provides a vast library of shapes to simply drag and drop onto your mind map, allowing you to create complex diagrams, flowcharts and organizational charts with ease. To start your idea boards, you can begin building your diagrams by choosing from a template from the library or importing outlined ideas from a spreadsheet.
Figure A
Lucid allows you to bundle its Lucidchart and Lucidsparks products offerings as one package.
See how Lucidchart compares to other mind-mapping software for project management.
Miro is an online workspace that enables distributed teams to brainstorm ideas and create mind maps and roadmaps on a single, infinite canvas. It provides a digital canvas where users can add sticky notes, drawings, images and various other visual elements to organize and share ideas.
Miro offers over 400 templates across various categories, including:
Figure B
ClickUp is an all-in-one productivity software that allows teams of all sizes to manage projects and tasks and collaborate on ideas. Though ClickUp is primarily a project management tool, its advanced mind map and whiteboard features earned it a spot on our list of the best brainstorming software.
After creating your vision on the ClickUp mind map or whiteboards, you can select and convert the shapes to tasks and assign them to team members. This seamless integration between mind mapping and task management makes ClickUp a powerful tool for brainstorming and idea implementation.
Figure C
For more information, read our full ClickUp review.
Creately is a visual collaboration platform that allows you to create, collaborate and share diagrams, draw flowcharts, UML, mind maps, UI mockups, network diagrams and wireframes. It offers a variety of pre-designed templates and a simple drag-and-drop interface to create professional-looking visuals. Creately can be used by individuals, teams and organizations across different industries for brainstorming, planning, problem-solving and communication purposes.
Figure D
If you are on a budget and are looking for a cheap brainstorming tool, Bubbl.us is your go-to solution. The platform simplifies the process of mind mapping and brainstorming, allowing you to organize your thoughts and ideas easily. Its affordable pricing plans will enable you to access all the essential features without breaking the bank. Whether you’re a student working on a project or a professional seeking simple and beginner-friendly solutions, Bubbl.us will do the trick.
Figure E
With Coggle, you can take notes, brainstorm ideas, plan and collaborate with others. It is a simple yet dependable brainstorming platform and its user-friendly interface and intuitive design make it easy for beginners to navigate and use the platform without fuss.
Figure F
MindMeister is an online mind mapping software that allows users to organize and present ideas visually. It provides a collaborative platform for brainstorming, planning, meeting management and note-taking. Users can create and edit mind maps using various templates, colors and styles. MindMeister is accessible on web browsers and offers mobile applications for iOS and Android devices.
Figure G
Budget-conscious individuals and businesses looking for free brainstorming software should consider WiseMapping. This mind mapping tool is based on an open source project and it helps individuals and teams visualize their ideas and create structured diagrams at no cost. It offers various features, such as different layouts and styles, collaboration options, attachable notes and the ability to export and share the created maps.
Figure H
WiseMapping is a free, open source tool.
Do you like documenting your thoughts and ideas for future reference? Literature & Latte’s brainstorming software, Scapple, can help you organize your thoughts, ideas and information. It provides a flexible and freeform interface where you can connect and arrange elements such as text and notes non-linearly. Scapple is commonly used for brainstorming, outlining storyboarding and project planning.
Figure I
Scapple offers a 30-day free trial.
Commonly used for brainstorming sessions, project planning, agile retrospectives and virtual meetings, Stormboard allows teams to remotely collaborate and organize ideas visually and interactively. It provides a virtual whiteboard where users can create sticky notes, add images, drawings and documents and move them around to develop and structure ideas.
Figure J
Here are some key features to look out for when shopping for the best brainstorming software for your company.
Building a mind map from scratch can be overwhelming, especially for those new to brainstorming software. A tool that offers predefined templates for different types of brainstorming sessions (e.g., SWOT analysis, mind mapping, or affinity diagrams) can easily guide you through the process and help structure your ideas.
Before selecting a brainstorming tool, take inventory of the applications you currently use within your organization. Choose a brainstorming software that integrates with all or most of your apps to ensure seamless workflow and data sharing across platforms. Integration with project management software or task trackers is essential, as it allows for a seamless transition from brainstorming to execution by directly converting ideas into actionable tasks or projects.
The visualization capability provides you with visual representations of complex data and information. Selecting a brainstorming software with data visualization capability allows you to better understand and analyze the ideas generated during a brainstorming session. The tools we explored in this guild enable you to create charts, diagrams, mind maps or other visual representations to connect ideas and identify patterns or trends.
Not all brainstorming software providers offer this capability, but it is an essential component of brainstorming software. Voting and ranking features allow team members to vote or rank ideas. This helps identify the most popular or promising ideas, fostering consensus and prioritization.
The right brainstorming software for you depends on your team size, needs and preferences. If you prioritize affordability, consider Bubbl.us, WiseMapping or Coggle. If you value features and functionalities over money, ClickUp, Miro or Creately are excellent choices. MindMeister allows you to customize and style your mind map tool to suit your needs.
At the same time, Stormboard and Scapple’s note-taking capabilities make them desirable for more free-flowing brainstorming sessions, while Lucidchart’s visualization features make it a good option for creating flowcharts and diagrams during brainstorming sessions.
To write this review, we analyzed 25+ brainstorming software. We selected the top 10 that ranked high based on our evaluation of their features, costs, ease of use, interaction with third-party services and customer service and support.
We collected each product’s information from their websites and signed up for a free plan/trial where possible to gain first-hand experience with the tool’s capabilities. We also looked at user reviews to learn about real-world users’ experiences with the brainstorming software. This information was then used to analyze the tool’s strengths and weaknesses.
