Brainstorming tools, also known as mind mapping software, can help you gather ideas and collaborate with colleagues to bring them to life. Options range from text-based tools that mimic a whiteboard to visual platforms that help you map out related ideas and create a plan to turn them into reality. We scoured the landscape to find the best ones, from free options to premium offerings, to identify the best products for all the different brainstorming techniques.

The tools below help users capture ideas and connect them into a flowchart. Mind mapping software records brainstorming sessions and also helps individuals and teams discover themes and contradictions before deciding what to tackle next.

According to our research, these are the four best brainstorming tools.

LucidChart is an online concept map maker, and like Mindmeister, it can work for individuals, small teams, and large enterprises. It excels when it comes to software integrations, so you can move your brainstorming sessions to the software you use every day, like cloud storage, project management software, and other tools.