Freeplane review

Freeplane is the most capable option for anyone who wants everything for free and is willing to learn. It is free and open source, written in Java, and runs on any operating system with a current Java installation, either installed or portably from a USB drive, which suits school computers where you cannot install software. The documentation covers styles, conditional node styles, templates, LaTeX, a spell checker, formulas and Groovy scripting, plus newer AI chat workflows and a Model Context Protocol server. Freeplane started as a fork of FreeMind and documents how it relates to it, and unlike FreeMind it is still updated: the GitHub repository shows release 1.13.4 on October 30, 2026. The trade-offs are collaboration and polish. There is no real-time co-editing or cloud account, so groups have to share files, and the interface is dense compared with web tools like Coggle.

Who it is for

Power users and students who want unlimited offline maps at no cost

Price

Free and open source; no paid plan.

Freeplane is a free and open source software application that supports thinking, sharing information, getting things done at work, in school and at home.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Runs on any operating system with a current Java version
• Can run portably from a USB drive
• Formulas, Groovy scripts and add-ons
• Styles, conditional node styles, templates and LaTeX
• AI integration with chat workflows and a Model Context Protocol server

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: No cost, no account and no map limit
• Strength: Active development, with version 1.13.4 released on October 30, 2026
• Strength: Deep customization through scripts and add-ons
• Weakness: No built-in real-time collaboration or cloud sync
• Weakness: Java-based desktop interface takes longer to learn
• Weakness: No official mobile app

Key facts

• Price: Free and open source
• Platforms: Any OS with Java
• Portable: Yes, runs from removable storage
• Latest stable release: 1.13.4, October 30, 2026

Where it ranks

Freeplane is No. 3 in our Best Free Mind Mapping Software verdict.