iThoughtsX - Mind Map App Reviews

v3.1 update. Wow. Many to one relationships! Hoorah. I think this is the only mind mapping tool out there that can do this. Really flexible. Can’t wait to see what I can do with this in terms of story plotting! Like another reviewer I’ve tried every other mind map tool out there. Very excited to see iThougths on the mac. The ability to use the same app on iPad and Mac is fantastic. You can even set it up to use the iPad version hotkeys for child and sibling topic creation. iThoughtsX is mind-mapping streamlined. I’m a writer and use mindmapping daily to record notes, do story plotting, scene construction, charcter notes, backstory etc. I used outlines before discovering mindmapping, and then tried every mind mapping tool out there. I settled on iThoughts because simply put it was the fastest way to gather and record ideas and organize them on the fly. Every other mindmapping tool had some limitation which added friction to the generation of content. Not so with iThoughts. You never have to remove your hands from the core keys of the keyboard. When the ideas are flying, your own, or recording others like a lecture, speed of input and organization is everything. Also, the developer (very responsive to requests) is working on iCloud support. So, if you are looking for a tool which is designed to record your thoughts with lightening ease, you found it.

I’ve used mind mapping tools for a very long time, but it’s been difficult because there are some that are good, but very expensive, and there are some that are lower cost, but lacking in many features. iThoughtsX bridges that gap by not only providing an incredibly functional application at a reasonable price, but also providing an outstandingly easy and efficient interface. Everything flows so well, you just get in the groove and after a while you look back at what you’ve created and think “wow—that’s amazing and I did it!” I have tried other apps like MindJet Mind Manager, but they haven’t put out a material new release on mac in many years—and the annual cost is astronomical. I’ve also tried xmind, but the interface seems very sluggish to me—it disrupts my flow rather than supporting it. iThoughtsX just seems to do everything right. And the developer is very responsive with questions. Did I mention it also works seamlessly with the ipad app? Excellent in every way.

I love the flexibility of this app. Lot’s of options for various layouts let it be vertical, horizontal, org chart, etc. Custom theming, including colors, line thickness, line cuvature, etc, all sorts of ways you can cuztomize it, which gives you lot’s of flexibility. There’s really no shortage of features. I do have one gripe, however. The “Edit Style” option is implemented as a slide-down dialog box. This can (and will) cover up some parts of your layout, depending on your screen size. The funny thing is, that while you are doing editing in the “Edit Style” dialog, the changes are immediately reflected on the canvas. Which is great. The problem is, many times i can’t see the change because the dialog is covering up the layout. It would be more helpful if this dialog could be implemented as a floating panel (like the Colors, or Fonts). If you have a big display (2560x1440 resolution or so), not to mention multiple monitors, there’s plenty of space that you could simply position the “Edit Style” panel somewhere aside and work with it comfortably without covering up some part of your design. Other than that, I love the app!

Like others, I spent plenty of money on mind mapping, outlining, and organization tools. I tried virtual every competitor as of 4/18/16, and iThoughtsX and its iOS app, are the best. iThoughts makes mind mapping so quick, simple, and enjoyable, that I find myself mapping everything, and have built a wonderful ecosystem around it. A truly great app.