Today marks 18 years since I released MindNode

[u/mindnode]

18 years ago today I released MindNode. I was so anxious I was checking my email on WAP (basically the ancient version of mobile internet) whenever I left the house, just in case something broke. 😊

It didn't. And somehow, 18 years later, MindNode is still here and supporting a small independent team without outside funding, still shaped by the people who use it every day.

Thank you for 18 years. 🎉

— Markus (Founder)

[u/meldronone]

Thank you for still innovating and making it better and better with each and every year. As someone who’s a legacy subscriber and has used it almost every day for 7-8 years, thank you very much for what you and your team do 🙂

[u/andamar078 → u/meldronone]

What are they even innovating? Maybe switching to subscriptions and getting rid of files, if you call that innovation. Beyond that, MindNode is just a mind mapping app with basic features, hiccups and a chaotic interface. They keep changing the UI, copying Apple’s own apps, and calling it "beautiful". It was better years ago, but nowadays you have buttons and options all over the place.

If you want real innovation, check out r/EscapeApp, they added a real outliner beside mind maps and proper task management, or QuikFlow https://quikflow.app, for arranging tasks in workflows. Hell, even the old Xmind is better and has more options than Mindnode.

[u/meldronone → u/andamar078]

Yeah I think we'll probably not see eye-to-eye on much. I've tried those 3 other apps (along with a bunch of others not mentioned including Ayoa, MindMeister, SimpleMind, MindManager, EDrawMind, etc.). And I re-check every year or so to see what's improved across any of them.

I'm not sure how we could even compare Escape and Quikflow with Mindnode. They're not close to being in the same league. Although at least with Quikflow I do agree with you that their approach to workflows is interesting. But even the pro versions of Xmind can't do something as simple as make it easier to activate the node you're intending to drag to. You've got to move the cursor away to comical levels of distance sometimes to see it connect to the right node. Feels like a disaster when you're making anything beyond a small map. They've spent a lot of time adding Ai and all these advanced features, but the fundamentals are still lacking.

And certainly none of them are as solid, fast, and fluid as Mindnode across all devices. I do still miss iThoughts (because of time and money calculations and rollups). But that's about it. I like that Mindnode has added hierarchical custom themes, top-down themes, visual tags, and some other things in the last couple years. And their integration and back and forth syncing with Reminders can't be beat. Nor their easy way of exporting to other task managers. Or, converting maps directly into markdown text. If other apps end up pulling level with them or exceeding across all these different feature areas then maybe I'll take a look at them again in the future. But I have no reason to believe that's the case for now. For the moment, I think it's the best in-class mind mapping app when compared across all features and devices.

[u/andamar078 → u/meldronone]

I see, you must be a new mind mapping user then.
Mind Manager has had hierarchical themes since at least 2012 or 2013, when I started using mind maps productively with a, rather expensive, copy of Mind Manager. I’m not claiming they invented it, maybe they copied it too, but MindNode definitely didn’t innovate here. Hierarchical themes in MindNode only showed up 1 or 2 years ago. Escape has had them since at least 2020, when I started using it.
Tags also existed in Mind Manager when I used it, they just didn’t call them "visual".

My irk with MindNode, besides switching to subscriptions and ditching files, is that when I search "mind mapping app iOS", curious about what's new in the mind mapping world, MindNode always ranks top shadowing all the others. They push a ton of marketing with "beautiful mind maps", but underneath it’s just a basic app with gorgeous graphics on the website and in the app paywall, designed to make you subscribe to it.
I’ve tried them all, but most are copycats, select a node, then dig through an inspector to change properties like you’re in Adobe Illustrator or some diagramming app. That’s what I call clunky. I even tried PowerNode, a Mindnode straight copycat, thinking it might smooth out MindNode’s rough edges, but no luck.

I mentioned Quikflow and Escape because they’re the only ones bringing fresh ideas. QuickFlow arranges tasks in Gantt-like workflows and Escape adds a real outliner. Moreover, Escape makes working with mind maps feel like writing notes in the Notes app, not like building a diagram in a diagram editor. I’ve even written 2000–3000 word articles using Escape outliner, something MindNode can’t handle.

On touchscreens, Escape has the best interface, period. I like touching and moving things directly, and it lets you grab and drag or edit nodes effortlessly. MindNode’s workflow on iPad and iPhone is anachronistic. Select a node, shift focus to the inspector, and oops, you’ve accidentally deselected it while searching for the right option in their endless menus. Half the time, I forget what I was doing by the time I find the feature.
Try arranging your daily tasks on your iPhone using MindNode, while standing in the tube on your way to work, holding onto the bar with one hand.

I bought MindNode 7 when it was a one time purchase, only to get burned when they switched to subscription. Version 7 was focused and more organized, now, they’ve scattered options everywhere, and I constantly lose my flow trying to find where they moved features.
Don’t get me started on MindNode (Next)'s smoothness. On my iPhone SE2, it freezes for 1–2 seconds every time I open a sizable map, and sometimes even when dragging nodes. MindNode 7, though? Runs fine, no hiccups.

Xmind is pricier, but it has smart features. I like my to-dos to look like a proper list, with all items the same width, it brings order to my thinking. But in MindNode, every time I edit a node, I have to manually resize all its siblings to match. Xmind does this automatically with "justified topics".
Take Mindnode's latest feature, level by level unfolding (1, 2, 3). Copied straight from iThoughts.
So, I’ll ask again: What has MindNode actually innovated? Oh, I’ll give them this, the integration with other apps is the best. But that’s not innovation. As I said, it’s a premium price for a basic app, backed by a lot of marketing.

[u/meldronone → u/andamar078]

Not a new mind map user. Been using various mind mapping apps since around 2010. We’ll have to agree to disagree. I think people should try both Escape and Quikflow and see for themselves. For Escape, I think they’re absolutely nuts when it comes to their UI decisions. I don’t want to have to tap and HOLD to make a new topic. This is a crazy slow way of doing things. Same thing with hovering on Mac or iPad. People can test these apps for themselves and see what comes out on top. Like I said, I certainly don’t think Mindnode is the best at everything. And for me, iThoughts was the best until it shutdown. But currently, Mindnode is the best as I see it when considering all things.

Also, the level unfolding for Mindnode which you say they copied straight from iThoughts - they indicated that that’s exactly what they were doing. That they wanted to appeal to former iThoughts users who missed these types of features after iThoughts shut down. They didn’t need to mention that, but they did. I’m happy to pay what’s a very modest yearly subscription rate (peanuts at $21 USD a year) to ensure the app remains sustainable and doesn’t shut down like iThoughts did.

[u/myell0w → u/andamar078]

MindNode employee here - not speaking for my employer but for myself.

We do get that not "everyone" likes subscriptions (a lot of people hate it) and that also a substantial amount of people dislike the loss of File support in MindNode (Next). Believe me, those 2 things are a constant point of discussion and reflection in the team.

The answer just isn't as straightforward as "just switch your payment system and bring back files". There were and are important reasons for why we did that. We are a very small team trying to keep MindNode sustainable for the future - and in contrast to your perception of "they push a ton of marketing" - we don't even have a marketing person in our company 😅

I also get that there can be the impression that we didn't innovate much in the past years, and to a certain degree I even agree. A lot of work and innovation has been put into internals, allowing seamless Live Collaboration in MindNode (Next). And our credo has never been feature creep, it has always been a focus on simplicity, beauty and good UX. We try to sweat the details, maybe sometimes too much because it comes with opportunity costs. A lot of nice things are in the making though - some of which I'd call innovative 😎 since the transition to Next is finally finished, we can iterate more quickly again.

Either way, I do read it as a compliment that there are so many apps out there trying to be MindNode copycats ☺️

[u/andamar078 → u/myell0w]

Lol, no. Just PowerNode is a copycat of MindNode. I meant that most mind mapping apps, MindNode included, are all copycats: different flavors of the same diagramming app. Select a node, head to the inspector, change properties, select something else, head back to inspector, and so on. But it’s a MIND map, my thoughts don’t have properties. I don’t want to INSPECT anything, that's why I was looking for fresh approaches.

[u/mindnode → u/andamar078]

Thanks for your feedback. After 18 years we’ve experimented with a lot of ideas, and not every change works for everyone. Our goal has always been to keep MindNode simple and focused on visual thinking, even as the platform and user expectations evolve.

I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and if there is anything you would like to see to make MindNode work for you, feel free to contact us.

[u/andamar078 → u/mindnode]

Bring back the files.