XMind Reviews

I've trialled or used a lot of mind mapping software and this is the one that I stick with. Mostly because it has two big criteria that I look for:
1. Ease of use - fast and intuitive
2. Flexibility - I can use a range of shapes and even the included clip art or my own images.

I love that it's also available on IOS devices but so far, have been content to use it mostly on my Mac.

I'm using XMind 8 Update 8 Pro via a license with Setapp (a subscription service that aggregates 200+ apps for $10/mth). I use enough of the Setapp utilities and apps that Xmind is basically free for me and that's just another big plus.

Nothing to dislike really. It ticks all the boxes for me. If anything, my main gripe would be that it's not as well known as some other software so it took me a while to find it. It was via the Setapp subscription that I first found it but it is now also in the Apple App Store.

XMind is a great visualization tool that allows you to create beautiful mind maps. I have used XMind for over an year to create flow diagrams, charts, mind maps, hierarchies, project timelines etc. You can use prebuilt templates and add icons, images, comments using drag and drop functionality. You can easily share and export your file in any desired format like HTML, .pdf, .txt, .xls, .rtf etc. I absolutely love the Presentation mode.

XMind is not flexible when it comes to arrangement of the elements of any diagram. Also, you will face some issues in performance (i.e. significant lag), if the size of your mind map/diagram increases beyond a certain limit. Though XMind is a fairly simple tool to learn but it still needs some time to get used to the menu icons and its features.

Mindmapping helps me to be creative, to organize and connect my ideas into an easily readable format. xMind has been my go-to mindmapping software for this.

I'm using version 8, and it has a much better UI (than other similar apps). The Pro features like Gantt-Chart helps me to use it for Project Implementations. The Walk-through (Presentation Mode) is great for presentation during meetings. It also allows to export to multiple formats like Jpg, pdf, etc. Also, backup using xMind Cloud works great for backup and easy sharing.

There are many pre-installed themes to make your mindmaps look formal or fun, or colorful, etc.

There are similar apps which are Cloud-based, but I prefer to have xMind, which is installed locally and available for use offline (since I'm not always connected to the Internet).

I'm using xMind on a Macbook, but it seems that up to now, smooth scrolling is not yet fixed by their devs. This has been brought up since 2014 (you may Google it) but still not supported. It's a shame because for me, Mac has the best touch pad/scrolling. On the other hand, I've used xMind in Windows and it scrolls smoothly using the trackpad/mouse with no problems.

Xmind helps me organize my ideas into a mindmap that is easy to manage (add, remove, connect nodes).

The presentation feature is very helpful whenever I use my mindmap as a storyboard outline during meetings.

I likewise use this app for Project Management. All project elements are mapped out and there's even a feature to put checkboxes, brainstorming, and gantt chart view.

The Windows version works flawlessly (scrolling etc.). For the Mac version, see below.

The Mac version still does not support smooth scrolling via Mouse/Touchpad. It makes it frustrating to navigate the mindmap. This has been reported a few years back, but still the same. Support/Dev team doesn't seem to be listening to public clamor.

I like being able to illustrate complex processes quickly and simply. I use XMind often when brainstorming how to complete a project or show visually how a process works to my coworkers. It's easy to learn, and even the free version gives us enough options that it meets our needs. I was introduced to mindmapping by a coworker a couple of years ago, which is how I found XMind, and have used it frequently ever since.

Sometimes the layout of the tree you make can look a little strange and there's no way to change it. I wish we had a little more control over the spacing between the boxes and the lines connecting them, as sometimes a box can hang out too far or too close in your tree, and that can make things a little less visually appealing, but overall I don't have any major complaints.

I've used XMind for the better part of 5 years and it works exactly as intended. I've used it for everything from setting up website information architecture to mapping out org charts for the business. It's super intuitive and easy to use, with built in templates to help make development a snap. There are a variety of uses and XMind does a great job of illustrating the possibilities through their templates and tutorials.

XMind features 'drag and drop' technology that allows users to rearrange secondary and tertiary items as needed after creation. While a great concept in theory, the functionality can be a bit clunky at times, not allowing the user to drop the item in the desired location. The user interface makes building and modifying mind maps easy but it isn't the most attractive thing to look at - it could use a refresh and some modernization.

Having used many mindmapping tools over the years I came to XMind expecting just more of the same. I was pleasantly surprised. In addition to the usual features you'd expect of a mindmapping tool it has a plethora of additional features, some of them unique to XMinds, which takes its usability to the next level. I particularly liked the ability to drill down into specific nodes of the mindmap and create additional sub-mindmaps using those nodes as the central point. That is so cool.

I also liked the availability of a large number of flags and icons that could be easily added to a mindmap. Not only did this brighten things up, but it helped to color-code the map to match my particular needs.

There are two things I don't like about XMind.

Firstly, I am a Mac user and XMind doesn'd do a good job of following the standard Mac user interface. It feels very much like a PC application that has been made to run on a Mac. This is a shame as it makes it a little clunky to use on a Mac I feel.

Secondly, XMind has some weird pricing that seems to have change over the years. At one time I found it to be an affordable alternative to other tools such as Mindjet (which is stupidly expensive). Unfortunately, XMind seems to have complicated its offerings and for some of them gone down the subscription route, which I think is offensive for a desktop application that requires no online services or access. I don't rent cans of beans or chairs in my house, so I object to having to rent software.

The interface of XMind is simple so it is very easy to get started, it comes in handy with keyboard shortcuts that’s what I like most about Xmind. Allowing users to capture their ideas freely in a handy way and express intuitively is extremely important for a mind mapping software, and XMind makes it! I like those makers and the colour coding support features, which really assists to identify and classify information. I like its brainstorming mode as well because this makes my group assignment meeting more effective. Also, it supports multiple platforms and I can export the mind maps into Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, PDF documents. This enables users to share their mind maps with others and promote team collaboration.

When it comes to what I like least about XMind, there is actually little problems. The first one is that I can not add more marker in one topic and the second is that I can not move those main topics very freely. What’s more, I suppose the branch customization(such as line width) can be improved or more choices for different nodes. The startup speed is a bit slow, sometimes it would freeze, it would be good if this can be improved.