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There are many very good options for mind mapping software to help you capture and organize your ideas, but we think that MindNode is the best for most people because it has a beautiful design, is easy to use, supports very reliable iCloud sync, and there are just enough import/export options to be a really useful tool in almost any workflow.
(Via Geekanoids –Things Review – Task Management Application for Mac OS X). Evernote is a very popular app for OS X that is also available as a web app, Windows app, and mobile app for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, Blackberry, Palm Pre, and Windows Mobile.
- Task management software is slightly different from project management software. Project management apps do include task management features in them, but you can get standalone task management.
- In this list iTaskX is the number 1 desktop application for macOS and number 18 from all (Windows, Online.) 700 tested project management applications! Capterra, the leading online resource for business software buyers, is a Gartner company.
What is a Mind Map, Anyway?
A mind map is a diagram that connects information around a central topic or subject. The basic idea is that you start with a central idea and build branches (or “nodes”) around it.
Think of it as the right-brained version of a standard outline which is perfect for “radiant thinking,” an idea popularized by Tony Buzan.
We really like this definition of a mind map by David Sparks (aka MacSparky):
(A mind map is) visually looking at ideas and their connections and relationships with each other.
![Free Free](/uploads/1/2/6/2/126227138/475620583.png)
The advantage of “mind mapping” is that it enables you to make connections you might not normally see in a traditional outline by allowing you to see the big picture. In our opinion, Brett Terpstra encapsulates this concept perfectly:
With a mind map, scattered thoughts begin to solidify before my eyes.”
To create a mind map, you typically start with a central concept or subject in the middle of a blank page. For example, for this article the main topic was Our Favorite Mind Mapping App. From here, each category, subtopic, or chapter would get it’s own “node” branching off from the main topic (i.e. What is a Mind Map, Evaluation Criteria, etc.). Each of these would be fleshed out with their own set of subtopics (these are called “child nodes,” and the node that contains the child nodes is called the “parent node”). Nodes that are on the same hierarchical level (share the same parent node) are called “sibling nodes.” Here’s an example of what a basic mind map structure looks like:
What’s great about mind maps is that they are very flexible and can be used in a variety of ways. Here are just a couple of practical uses of mind maps:
- Note Taking: Mind maps offer a non-traditional and non-linear way to take notes in meetings or lectures, allowing you to make connections between separate thoughts and concepts more easily (especially if you use a digital tool that allows you to rearrange them).
- Brainstorming: One of the most popular applications of mind mapping is for brainstorming because it makes it easier to see the big picture. By escaping the traditional outline format, you’ll often find yourself “connecting the dots” in new and exciting ways.
- Writing: Mind maps are great for content creation (like when writing this article). We started with the topics and points of interest and fleshed out all the details, which made the process of writing the article much easier. Creating a mind map can help you overcome the fear of sitting down to an empty page as it provides direction and structure for knowing exactly what to write.
- Problem Solving: Mind maps can be a great way to solve problems because they allow you to analyze different parts of a complex problem to highlight new and creative solutions. As you write down different aspects of the problem and expand details where necessary, the answer often becomes clear.
- Book Summaries: One of the best ways to retain what you learn when reading a book is to write down the basic book structure in the form of a mind map. This also provides an easy way for you to review the information at a later date. For example, you might not want to re-read the entire Getting Things Done book every year, but it can be helpful to at least review the core concepts to make sure there aren’t any glaring holes in your system.
- Project/Task Management: If you just can’t seem to make a task management system work for you, try using a mind map instead. Being able to visually see how your tasks are related might help you see your to-do list in a new light and help you get more done.
- Goal Setting: Setting goals is very powerful as it creates a plan and a vision for your week, month, year, etc. There are many books that talk about the importance of setting goals and making sure that you look at them regularly. Why not put those in a mind map that makes it easy see how everything ties and works together?
Keep in mind that this is not a comprehensive list. There are many more use cases for mind maps, but hopefully you can start to see how useful they can be. One of the beautiful things about a mind map is its flexibility in application.
Available now: our video course for Things 3 users…
The Candidates
Over the past several years, the applications available for creating mind maps have evolved dramatically to the point where we’re pretty spoiled with both the quality and quantity of the options available. Here’s a list of the apps that we considered:
- MindNode
- iThoughts
- MindManager
- MindMeister
- XMind
- Scapple
There are many other options available, but these are the most popular or were the best fit for our selection criteria.
The Criteria
In order to pick our favorite mind mapping app, the following criteria was used:
- Design: While appearance isn’t everything, it is important. Since mind mapping is a visual activity, the app has to look nice. If the app is designed well and the UI is nice, then the app will be a joy to use and you’ll find yourself mind mapping more often (which is a good thing).
- Ease of Use: Nothing disrupts the flow of creative juices quicker than having to consult a technical manual. The best mind mapping app is one that allows you to focus on the exercise of creating your mind map as the application fades into the background. It should be simple, intuitive, and user-friendly.
- Syncing: Mind mapping is one of those activities you can do anytime, anywhere — unless the file you were working with doesn’t sync across platforms or devices. A good mind mapping app should allow you to start building your mind map on your Mac and pick up on your iOS device (or vice versa).
- Data Portability: Mind mapping is usually where ideas start, but seldom where they end. It’s important that a mind mapping app have support for import/export options so you can easily translate your ideas to another tool in your workflow.
- Price: This isn’t weighted too heavily, but because the options that are available range from free to almost $500, it does have to be taken into consideration when you’re considering the value of the application you’re spending your hard-earned money on.
Our Favorite Mind Mapping App: MindNode
MindNode has the perfect balance between beautiful design, ease of use, standard features like iCloud syncing between your Mac and iOS devices, and import/export features to make it a functional part of any workflow.
The best thing about MindNode is that it is incredibly easy to use. The UI is simple and intuitive, even if you’re not an experienced mind mapper. In fact, you could probably start using MindNode without even fully understanding the concept of mind mapping because the user interface will actually teach you how to do it. Here’s what it looks like when you first open the app:
The text is even selected in the central topic node for you, so all you have to do in order to start making a mind map in MindNode is start typing. Once you get your central topic down, just click the “plus” button (or hit the Tab key) and a new child node is created.
When you add child nodes, the application uses a smart layout feature to automatically rearrange your nodes so that they’re spaced appropriately and you can still read everything.
As you build your mind map, you’re not just limited to text though. You can also attach images and hyperlinks to your mind map. To attach an image, just select a node and click the Image button in the toolbar. A photo picker will pop up, allowing you to select any photo from your Photos (or iPhoto) library. Just double-click the image you want to use, and it’s automatically attached to the node in your mind map:
Attaching a hyperlink is just as easy: simply select the node and click Add Link… from the Edit menu (you can also use the keyboard shortcut ⌘K). A pop-up window will appear where you can paste your URL:
You can even attach files to nodes in MindNode by simply dragging them over the node. This can be really useful when you want to refer to files on your Mac from your mind map without having to search or navigate through the Finder to locate the file.
Once you’ve been working on your mind map for a while and you have a bit of information down, your mind map might start looking a little crazy:
MindNode lets you clean things up with the ability to “fold” nodes. You can do this by right-clicking on the node and selecting Fold Nodes, selecting Fold Nodes from the Node menu, or by holding the option key and clicking the plus button (it will change to an ellipsis, or three small dots).
When you fold a node, all of its child nodes become hidden; when you unfold it, they all return to their original location. This allows you to get a high-level overview without getting into the minute details of your mind map.
![Task software for mac Task software for mac](/uploads/1/2/6/2/126227138/332502877.gif)
As of version 6, MindNode also offers the ability to enter Focus Mode, a view that fades out non-active nodes and shows you only the branch you’re editing. On top of this, you now have the ability to toggle the visibility of connections between nodes if they’re cluttering up your view.
There’s even an outline mode in MindNode. It’s read-only, but it allows you to see your mind map in a traditional outline format if that’s your thing.
All of this functionality establishes the key benefits of using a mind mapping app instead of mind mapping on paper. A digital mind map is much more flexible and gives you many more options in terms of layout. For example, in MindNode, you can even detach nodes or files if you’re not exactly sure where they belong, then just drag onto the parent node as things start to come together and those connections will be made automatically for you. You can even make additional external connections between nodes with different parents if you really want to tie things together.
What’s New in Version 6
While it may not be as transformative an update as version 5 was, MindNode 6 adds a welcome layer of polish to an already-fantastic app.
MindNode version 5 completely revamped the layout and interface of the app to make it easier to use and improve discoverability of important features.
Version 6 builds on that overhaul by introducing Focus Mode, adding multi-select on iOS, unifying keyboard shortcuts across macOS and iOS versions, adding a search function to the sticker library, and allowing iOS users to customize the action panel to include their choice of two quick actions.
The ability to use an external display from iOS and customize its display resolution also sets the stage for more robust external display workflows in upcoming versions of iOS.
Syncing & Sharing
MindNode offers rock solid (in our testing) iCloud sync with the iOS version. iCloud had some struggles initially, but it’s improved quite a bit over the years and has evolved into a very solid sync platform. We encountered no problems in our tests with MindNode.
The iOS version of MindNode is clean, beautiful, and easy to use. And with version 6, the iOS version has near feature parity with the macOS version so you can work on your mind map just about anywhere. Even the Quick Entry feature has made it into the iOS version, but that doesn’t mean that the interface is cluttered as the iOS interface has been reengineered for the smaller screen size. While the Mac version has a slim toolbar across the top of your mind map file, the iOS version uses a couple of customizable quick action buttons and a swipe-up panel to access many of MindNode’s features. The end result is that it is incredibly easy to access and edit your mind map, even on the limited screen real estate of an iPhone.
On the larger screen of an iPad, MindNode 5 for iOS really shines. In fact, mind mapping on an iPad is sometimes even easier than on the Mac because you can just drag nodes around with your finger on screen. David Sparks and Katie Floyd talked about mind mapping in Episode 82 of Mac Power Users, and David talked for quite a while about how mind mapping on an iPad just “feels right” (and in our experience, we tend to agree with him).
MindNode also has some cool sharing features, including sharing to “MyMindNode,” which uploads your mind map to the MyMindNode service and creates a unique URL that allows you to open the mind map in a browser. You can even get a customized embed code to publish the mind map in a webpage if you’d like.
If you’re a Things user, MindNode 5 has a super handy integration to export a mind map directly to a project in Things 3.4. As Marius Masalar stated in our look at the latest MindNode and Things update:
When you share a mind map from MindNode to Things 3, you’ll get a new project in Things that inherits the MindNode document name as its title. Within the project, the outermost leaves of a branch become individual tasks, and intermediary nodes become project headings with simple text breadcrumbs to indicate further hierarchy.
It’s an elegant representation of the data, and the implementation is thoughtful. Notes attached to your nodes are brought over as notes attached to the resulting tasks in Things, and the project itself gets a deep link within its notes field that returns you to the mind map with a single tap, on macOS or iOS, using MindNode’s own URL scheme.
It’s important to note that all this is one-way: it’s an export system, not a synced integration. You must also explicitly set the outermost leaves as task type nodes in MindNode before it will let you export the project to Things — a step that makes sense semantically but is probably unnecessary.
You can also share mind maps in a variety of places through the Share extension.
Importing & Exporting
If you want to either import data into MindNode to get a head start on your mind map or export into another program or app, there are a variety of importing and exporting options in MindNode:
- OPML: This is probably the most important one, as it allows you to take an outline from a standard outlining application (like OmniOutliner) and import it as a mind map. OPML is a fairly standard format, so support for this file type is essential.
- FreeMind: FreeMind is a free mind mapping application built on the Java framework for both Mac and Windows that has been around for awhile, and MindNode can both import and export FreeMind files if you need to work with someone else who uses this format.
- CSV: The format supported by most spreadsheet applications, and MindNode allows you to both import from and export to CSV files.
- Plain Text: If you like the concept of mind mapping but work with outliners, MindNode allows you to export your mind map in a format that they’ll easily understand.
- iThoughts (import only): You can import your mind maps from this popular mind mapping application.
- Mindjet MindManager (import only): If you received a mind map file in the MindManager format (seems to be more common in corporate settings because of MindManager’s high price tag), you can import it into MindNode.
- PNG (export only): MindNode also allows you to export your entire mind map as a PNG image file.
- PDF (export only): PDFs are a standard file format that is great for archival, and MindNode allows you to export as PDF as well.
MindNode is available as a native Mac app for $39.99, and the iOS version is available as a universal app for $14.99. You can download the apps for free from their respective App Stores to try them before you buy, and both include a free 2-week trial of the additional features before deciding on the in-app purchase. And if you’re a previous MindNode user, there’s special upgrade pricing available for both the Mac and iOS versions (details for upgrading are available on the developer’s website).
Best for Power Users: iThoughts
If you find yourself needing a bit more from your mind mapping application, iThoughts could be for you. It’s not as easy to use as MindNode and the interface doesn’t look quite as nice, but it has some really powerful additional features that can take your mind mapping game to the next level.
One example of these additional features is that you can actually edit your mind maps in iThoughts via Markdown through the Marked 2 app integration. We’re big fans of Markdown here at The Sweet Setup, and we think the ability to edit mind maps in Markdown is pretty cool. By opening the same mind map file in both iThoughts and Marked 2, you can edit your mind map in real-time using Markdown in Marked 2 and see your changes displayed in real-time in iThoughts.
You can also create mind maps using your voice with Siri dictation with the iOS version of iThoughts. To distinguish between different nodes, just say “comma” after each node. David Sparks [wrote about this a while back](http://macsparky.com/blog/2011/12/16/mind map-with-your-voice.html), and his post includes a video by the developer showing this feature in action.
iThoughts also has a lot more importing and exporting options available. It supports just about every file format for mind mapping available, including:
- CSV
- Microsoft Word (export only)
- Microsoft Powerpoint (export only)
- Freemind
- MindManager
- Novamind
- Freeplane
- ConceptDraw
- XMind
- iMindMap
- MindNode (import only)
- MyThoughts (import only)
- Mindmapper (import only)
If flexibility with different files types is important to you, than iThoughts is a great option.
The developer has done a great job of adapting the iOS version to take advantage of the touch interface, making it easy to use, but that doesn’t mean the application is stripped of any of its power. For example, there’s an integrated browser you can use for in-app research so you don’t have to switch back and forth from iThoughts to Safari. This is really handy as it keeps all your links right inside the app and adds them to your mind map automatically. In fact, all you have to do is select a node and press Research in the contextual menu and the in-app browser will open and do an internet search for the term from the node.
Like MindNode, iThoughts also supports a ton of keyboard shortcuts. There’s also an iOS presentation mode for presenting your mind maps on an external display (either VGA or AirPlay).
Another power user feature is x-callback URL support. This allows it to integrate with powerful iOS automation apps like Launch Center Pro, Drafts, Workflow, and Editorial. The developer has a page that explains how to use it with iThoughts, but if you don’t know what that is then you definitely don’t need it.
iThoughts also has a bunch of other awesome features like versioning support, so if you make edits and realize that you made a mistake, you can go back and restore to a previous version. It is also extremely customizable, letting you tweak just about everything in the application like colors, fonts, text size, etc. (iThoughts calls these styles). Once you get everything just the way you like it, you can share your custom styles through email with colleagues or friends.
Just like MindNode, iThoughts has seen the addition of several additional features, including updates for iOS 11 and Drag-and-Drop. The iOS version integrates with the native Share sheet, there are Topic count tooltips that allow you to quickly count up the number of descendent topics, and even a new Windows version. But one of the most notable additions is the not a feature in the application itself, but the inclusion of iThoughts as part of the SetApp service. It you’re not familiar with SetApp, it’s like Netflix for quality Mac apps, giving you access to many fine applications (like Ulysses, 2Do, iStat Menus, and many more) for one monthly cost of $9.99.
If you don’t like the idea of subscription software, you can always buy iThoughts outright. It’s available on the Mac (iThoughtsX) for $49.99 and a universal iOS app (iThoughts) for $11.99.
Other Candidates
MindManager
Best Calendar And Task App For Mac
MindManager has been around for a long time and has long been considered the go-to power user app. It’s supported a lot of standard features longer than most of the other apps on the list have been around, but it’s also VERY expensive and, frankly, the extra cost isn’t justified in our opinion (the standard version is $349, while the Mac version is $179). The Mac version also lags in development, which is reflected in the price being almost half of MindManager 2018 (the current version as of this writing). In fact, it’s still on version 10, which is the same major version that was available when the first version of this article was published — in 2015!
To be fair, MindManager has a lot of exclusive features — we just don’t think they’re useful enough to justify such a steep price, especially when considering our evaluation criteria and the quality of the other apps that are available. If you really want to make your mind maps do some crazy stuff (like have multiple links in a topic, link in a database, etc.) then maybe it’s for you. Their focus is primarily on the Windows-using corporate users, and the Mac version hasn’t been updated in several years. It’s worth mentioning here only so that you don’t make the mistake of investing in it.
XMind
XMind touts itself as “the most popular mind mapping tool on the planet.” Their website lists several large corporations where XMind is used, and it is a solid mind mapping application available for Mac, Windows, and iOS. XMind is available in two versions:
- XMind: Zen: Subscription-based app for personal use, which is $27.99 for 6 months.
- XMind Pro: Geared towards corporate users, which is a $129.00 one-time purchase.
The Pro version includes features that didn’t make our list of criteria for what’s important (like the ability to use Gantt charts), but for certain users they could prove useful.
XMind is a decent application, but there’s nothing that really sets it apart according to our selection criteria and is very expensive if you decide to buy it outright. $27.99 for a 6-month subscription is not a small chunk of change, and that doesn’t include the separate subscription for iOS ($9.99 for 6 months). Although you can buy both together for a discounted rate of $29.99 every 6 months, the pricing is still way too high (and can be very confusing).
XMind is available through SetApp, however. So if you already have a SetApp subscription, you may as well give XMind a shot and see how it compares to iThoughts.
MindMeister
MindMeister is a web-based mind mapping app that aims to alleviate the difficulty of collaborative mind mapping. It has a really cool “Opinions” feature that allows collaborators to vote “yay” or “nay” to individual nodes in your shared mind map. It also has some cool integrations, like a Google Docs add-on and even an integration to [turn your mind maps into agile projects](http://www.mindmeister.com/blog/2015/03/18/this-tool-turns-your-mind maps-into-agile-projects/), if that’s your thing.
MindMeister offers several different plans, including a free basic plan with support for up to 3 mind maps at no cost. You can upgrade to a Personal plan ($4.99 per month) that lifts the 3 mind map limit and also gives you a bunch of additional features, or a Pro plan ($8.25 per user per month) that gives you multiple users in a team as well as custom themes and branding. There’s also a business plan ($12.49 per user per month), which gives you multiple admins, custom domains, and group sharing.
If you find yourself needing to collaborate with others on a mind map, definitely check out MindMeister. For individual mind mapping, MindMesiter just isn’t as polished as either MindNode or iThoughts.
Scapple
Scapple is interesting because it has a little bit of a different take on mind mapping. Instead of starting in the middle with a central topic, Scapple allows you to put nodes anywhere on the page without making connections so you can just get everything on the page and then figure out how it all ties together later. In Scapple, you double-click to add a free standing node and then drag it on to another node to make a connection. This approach is more flexible and lends itself better to creating “concept maps,” which are basically mind maps with more than one central topic. If you’re into free-style mind mapping, Scapple may be for you.
Scapple is available for both Mac and Windows and is $14.99. It’s developed by Literature and Latte (the makers of Scrivener), so it integrates very nicely with Scrivener for large writing projects as well. In fact, all you have to do is drag your Scapple file into Scrivener and it will organize everything for you.
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Conclusion
Free Software For Mac
In short, MindNode is going to be perfect for about 95% of people. It has a gorgeous UI, is extremely easy to use, syncs well between mac and iOS, and has enough import/export options to be really useful. The price point is also very fair. For power users who really like to make their software dance, iThoughts is the logical step up. It offers some really cool features like editing in Markdown and x-callback URL support. And, if you need to collaborate with others, MindMeister is a great (albeit limited) web-based option.
Best Organization Software 2019 - Daily Planner and Scheduler
If you are always running late, planning software is a fantastic way to organize your time. The best organization software will be packed with loads of features that help you track your time, and ensure you never forget an appointment. Organizing software should include a calendar that lets you organize your day, make a to-do list to make sure you don’t forget all those annoying admin tasks, and password managers help you access all your accounts. If you are wondering what to look for in the best organizer software, our guide can talk you through it.
We tested 10 of the best organizer applications to determine which ones will help you schedule all your events.t. Our overall winner is AnyTime Organizer Deluxe. It matches incredible ease of use with a full set of organization tools including a highly interactive and customizable calendar, notepad, password manager, budget templates, expense reports, to-do lists and address book. It also has generous file export options as well as Google calendar integration.
Editor's note: Our best pick is Anytime Organizer 15. A new version (16) is now available, and we’ll update this page after we’ve evaluated the new version.
Best OverallAnyTime Organizer Deluxe
AnyTime Organizer’s powerful security features and organizing tools, as well as its ability to connect to your Google calendar, make it a great option for anyone, including busy professionals.
Best ValueOrganizer Pro
Organizer Pro provides many of the same features as our top-rated software with the exception of app and external calendar integration, limiting what devices you can access your information on.
Best IntegrationC-Organizer
With an artillery of convenient features, like cross-linking files to events and mobile device synchronization, C-Organizer helps you stay organized on the go, both personally and professionally.
Product | Price | Overall Rating | Price | Feature Set | Integration & Exporting | Calendar & Alerts | Ease of Use Score | Built-In Notepad | To-Do Lists | Address Book | Budget Template | Task Priority Levels | Password Manager | Password Protected | Cloud | Android/iOS Sync | Export PDF | Export CSV | Export TXT | Recurring Event Setup | Event Conflict Warning | Drag & Drop Events | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anytime Organizer Deluxe 15 | View Deal | 5/5 | 4.5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Organizer Pro 7.0 The Simplest Way to Get Organized! | View Deal | 4.5/5 | 5 | 4.9 | 3.8 | 5 | B | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
C-Organizer | CSoftLab | View Deal | 4/5 | 4 | 4.4 | 5 | 3.4 | A- | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | |
MSD Organizer | View Deal | 4/5 | 3.5 | 4.9 | 5 | 3.4 | B | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | |
Efficcess - Free Personal Information Manager (PIM) Software | View Deal | 4/5 | 4 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.4 | A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | Both | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ |
MyOrganizer Ultimate 7 | Avanquest | 4/5 | 4.5 | 5 | 2.5 | 3.4 | A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ||
LeaderTask | View Deal | 3.5/5 | 3 | 3.6 | 5 | 3.4 | B- | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | Both | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ |
MyLife Organized Professional | View Deal | 3.5/5 | 3 | 3 | 3.8 | 3.4 | B- | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | Both | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ |
AllMyNotes Organizer Deluxe | View Deal | 3/5 | 4.3 | 3 | 2.5 | 1.6 | C+ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | |
Notesbrowser - Professional | View Deal | 2.5/5 | 4 | 2.4 | 0 | 3.4 | A- | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ |
Best Overall
AnyTime Organizer Deluxe
AnyTime Organizer Deluxe
Easy to use
Extra templates and reports
No access to your data via the cloud
AnyTime Organizer Deluxe is packed with organizing tools, calendar options and security features. It even integrates with Google calendar.
AnyTime Organizer Deluxe is packed with organizing tools, calendar options and security features. It even integrates with Google calendar to ensure your events are always up to date.
This organization software has an easy to navigate interface that even a novice could use. There are scores of features that help even the busiest of people organize their time, and keep track of their activity. You can take advantage of its to-do lists, calendar, address book, budget template, word processor and other functions to plan out your schedule. You can set up recurring events, like anniversaries, and other important dates, such as meetings, appointments and bill due dates.
The handy in-program reminders are easy to set up, and a scrolling ticker atop the program keeps upcoming events fresh in your mind. It even alerts you when you have conflicting scheduled events, and makes it easy for you to reschedule them.
The application can only be accessed via password, which deters prying eyes. It also has a built-in password manager, which can store all your passwords PINs and usernames so you never get locked out of a site again. The one downside to the planner software, however, is its lack of external syncing options. It has no mobile companion app.
This organization software has an easy to navigate interface that even a novice could use. There are scores of features that help even the busiest of people organize their time, and keep track of their activity. You can take advantage of its to-do lists, calendar, address book, budget template, word processor and other functions to plan out your schedule. You can set up recurring events, like anniversaries, and other important dates, such as meetings, appointments and bill due dates.
The handy in-program reminders are easy to set up, and a scrolling ticker atop the program keeps upcoming events fresh in your mind. It even alerts you when you have conflicting scheduled events, and makes it easy for you to reschedule them.
The application can only be accessed via password, which deters prying eyes. It also has a built-in password manager, which can store all your passwords PINs and usernames so you never get locked out of a site again. The one downside to the planner software, however, is its lack of external syncing options. It has no mobile companion app.
Best Value
Organizer Pro
Organizer Pro™
Affordable
Best New Mac Software
Built-in password manager
Hard to use
Organizer Pro is an affordable organizer packed with all kinds of organization tools and management options. It’s made by the same developer as our best pick, AnyTime Organizer Deluxe, and has a beautiful, simple interface that’s a cinch to navigate and use. It lacks integration and synchronization options,but for the low price it is still a value driven purchase. .
Once you open the program, you’ll see loads of organization tools embedded in the sidebar. Any data you enter into the program is saved and is automatically backed up. This planning software offers all of the expected tools and functionality, such as an address book, notebook, to-do lists, calendar and password manager. It also has advanced tools like expense reports and a world clock.
When you’re in the calendar function, you can easily add one-time or recurring events, be it birthdays, anniversaries, appointments or meetings. Organizer Pro gives you the option to set up a custom reminder for any event you input. You can also easily reschedule events, simply by using the convenient drag-and-drop function. The software can also notify you of any double-scheduled or otherwise conflicting events. The personal information software has a built-in text editor you can use for note taking or even as a journal. You can opt to use different templates, and even export any text you write as a TXT or PDF file. The program is password-protected and can also manage all of your passwords for other websites.
Once you open the program, you’ll see loads of organization tools embedded in the sidebar. Any data you enter into the program is saved and is automatically backed up. This planning software offers all of the expected tools and functionality, such as an address book, notebook, to-do lists, calendar and password manager. It also has advanced tools like expense reports and a world clock.
When you’re in the calendar function, you can easily add one-time or recurring events, be it birthdays, anniversaries, appointments or meetings. Organizer Pro gives you the option to set up a custom reminder for any event you input. You can also easily reschedule events, simply by using the convenient drag-and-drop function. The software can also notify you of any double-scheduled or otherwise conflicting events. The personal information software has a built-in text editor you can use for note taking or even as a journal. You can opt to use different templates, and even export any text you write as a TXT or PDF file. The program is password-protected and can also manage all of your passwords for other websites.
Best Integration
C-Organizer
C-Organizer Professional
Easy event management
Robust planning tools and reminders
Lacks compatibility with mobile devices
C-Organizer is planner software that comes with organizational tools like to-do lists, a word processor, a calendar, an address book and a password manager.
It’s also one of the most extensive options out of any program in our comparison for synchronization, making your data easy to access from cloud services. You can also sync your Google calendar with the one in this application. We found the planner software easy to install and use. The calendar function makes it easy to input one-time appointments and recurring events, like birthdays. The built in notification system is great for reminding you about any upcoming event so you never miss that important meeting.
The reminder notification system has customization features so you are informed before or as the event begins, meaning you can schedule your arrival time accurately. You can opt to receive these alarms as on-screen alerts, or to receive an email. If you need to reschedule an event, the simple drag-and-drop function lets you move an event rather than having to type in the data again. The application is password protected and encrypted. Additionally, it has a built-in password manager for keeping all of your online passwords and IDs safely stored. You can export your stored data as a TXT, XML, HTML or CSV file, but there is no export to PDF option. And despite its compatibility with cloud services and Google, it lacks a companion mobile app.
It’s also one of the most extensive options out of any program in our comparison for synchronization, making your data easy to access from cloud services. You can also sync your Google calendar with the one in this application. We found the planner software easy to install and use. The calendar function makes it easy to input one-time appointments and recurring events, like birthdays. The built in notification system is great for reminding you about any upcoming event so you never miss that important meeting.
The reminder notification system has customization features so you are informed before or as the event begins, meaning you can schedule your arrival time accurately. You can opt to receive these alarms as on-screen alerts, or to receive an email. If you need to reschedule an event, the simple drag-and-drop function lets you move an event rather than having to type in the data again. The application is password protected and encrypted. Additionally, it has a built-in password manager for keeping all of your online passwords and IDs safely stored. You can export your stored data as a TXT, XML, HTML or CSV file, but there is no export to PDF option. And despite its compatibility with cloud services and Google, it lacks a companion mobile app.
Best Mobile App
LeaderTask
Good daily task management
LeaderTask puts all your organization tools together in one place with an easy-to-use app.
The clean, modern design displays your daily to-dos until you check them off the list. You can also note whether a project is urgent or use the app with a group of people and assign chores to each signed-in member. That makes LeaderTask a great tool for managing employees. The software puts an emphasis on long-term goals while the calendar helps you stay on top of day-to-day tasks. You can add birthdays and holidays, but this program is best for work. The desktop version of this software can also save to a thumb drive or other storage device so you can access it at work, at home or on your phone.
The clean, modern design displays your daily to-dos until you check them off the list. You can also note whether a project is urgent or use the app with a group of people and assign chores to each signed-in member. That makes LeaderTask a great tool for managing employees. The software puts an emphasis on long-term goals while the calendar helps you stay on top of day-to-day tasks. You can add birthdays and holidays, but this program is best for work. The desktop version of this software can also save to a thumb drive or other storage device so you can access it at work, at home or on your phone.
Most Tools
MSD Organizer Pro
MSD Organizer
Data backup reminders
MSD Organizer Pro has a ton of tools to keep your life in order.
Each resource is located on a panel across the top of the screen including a calendar and to-do list. It's easy to alter your schedule with the calendar's drop-and-drag feature and the to-do list is incredibly detailed. You can see everything from a job's completion status and how much time you have left to finish. There are also templates for organizing your budget, health records, music and even your property. The address book is extremely easy-to-use and while there isn't an app and the support options aren't great, the MSD Organizer Pro has a ton of tools if you love being organized.
Each resource is located on a panel across the top of the screen including a calendar and to-do list. It's easy to alter your schedule with the calendar's drop-and-drag feature and the to-do list is incredibly detailed. You can see everything from a job's completion status and how much time you have left to finish. There are also templates for organizing your budget, health records, music and even your property. The address book is extremely easy-to-use and while there isn't an app and the support options aren't great, the MSD Organizer Pro has a ton of tools if you love being organized.
Why trust us on organization software?
We have tested organization software in-house for several years. Our most recent testing took over 25 hours in Purch Labs. The applications were thoroughly researched and tested, with all of the features and functionality studied and compared. We considered each program’s interface design, task-oriented tools, budget templates, schedule planning, security, integration, configurations, customer tech support and ease of use, all while examining how effective each program would be for users of all requirements and experience levels.
Our team of reviewers and Purch Labs test assistants worked together throughout the evaluation process. This helped us consider organizer software from the perspective of many types of users, ensuring our product recommendations appeal to a variety of personalities and technological experience levels.
How we tested organization software
We thoroughly evaluated each organizer’s features, tools, interface, templates, security, app integration, device compatibility, customizable settings and overall ease of use. We programmed in a variety of events, alarms, passwords, alerts and tons of other data to test not only each program’s capacity, but also to see how reliable, well organized and effective it is. Where applicable, we also tested accompanying mobile apps to see the extent of data integration, alerts and syncing capabilities. The best organization software has an intuitive interface, a variety of tools and features and extensive customization options.
We investigated each software company’s technical support and informational resources, verifying it offers the services it advertises. We also read through the accompanying warranty where applicable and compared each software program’s price and quantity of features, helping us find the highest-quality products for you.
We found that, when it comes to organizer software, price isn’t an indicator of what you’ll get. However, we determined that the most useful features for most users are space for note taking, integrated budget templates, to-do lists, data backup, event conflict warning, a password manager and extensive app and file format integration.
How much does organization software cost?
The organization software we tested cost an average of $38 and comes with a multitude of tools including calendars, budgeting templates and to-do lists. There are free organizational apps for your smartphone, but they often have far fewer features.
What features and tools should organization software have?
All of the organizers come with similar organizing tools such as address books, calendars, note sections and task lists; however, the planning programs differ in convenience features. For example, all of the organizer software we evaluated offers either a calendar or date planner, but only some of these organizers allow you to assign your tasks a priority level and remind you about upcoming events. Likewise, not many of the organization programs alert you to events with conflicting times. Programs with all of these features rank high in our lineup, as each one greatly improves organization.
Each program has a to-do list tool. To test these lists, we tracked tasks and evaluated how the programs alerted us to each task. Programs with reminders, filters and categories make it easy to customize to-do lists to work best with your organization style. We also took note of the programs that allow you to adjust each to-do item’s priority level, as this feature helps you complete your tasks in an efficient manner.
All of the organizers we reviewed come with an address book to hold your contact information for a large number of people. While some of the programs include extra features, such as the ability to add a photo to your contact or access driving directions, each software’s address book functioned similarly.
Security features on organizing software
Organizing software is set apart from personal information managers like Microsoft Outlook and Google by its security features. Since you are likely to store personal information in your organizer, a program’s security features are just as important as the tools available. All of the programs we reviewed are protected by passwords to keep your data secure. Some of the organization software can also generate passwords and securely store them for email, social media and other websites.
Usability of organizing software
While each organizing program has a unique feature set, we evaluated the usability of the software and the effectiveness of its tools. Our ease of use score considers how easy it is to input events into the calendar, add tasks to the to-do-list, create notes or journal entries, add contacts to the address book and use the password manager. The score also factors in the presence of features that make the above tasks easy to complete. For example, the ability to create a recurring event improved the usability of the calendar and resulted in a higher ease of use score.
There is little difference in the usability of the organizers we reviewed; they’re all rather intuitive and easy to use. While the address book and notes tools were included in our score, the differences between these two tools are minimal from one application to the next.
Mobile sync of organizing software
Over half of the programs we reviewed include a mobile app. Using this organizing app, you can access your information on your smartphone from anywhere. Most of the planning software syncs with Android and iOS systems and some even with Windows phones. Downloading these apps and syncing them to their desktop is easy. Some of the applications don’t include apps and instead sync with Google or upload your information to the cloud.
When software uploads to the cloud, your organizer is always up to date on all of your devices, making it the best option. However, most cloud services require a subscription fee to store your information. If your software doesn’t upload to the cloud, you have to sync the planning software on your computer to your smartphone’s app, or vice versa, each time you input data.
Many of the programs automatically import data, contacts and events from Google when you give them access to your account. This feature is very useful if you are already using Google to keep track of your tasks. It also provides you with another way to access the information on the software from a handheld device. During testing, we were able to import information from Google with ease using the programs that have this feature.
Export options of planning software
If you use the planning software as a word processor or need to export your calendar, to-do list or address book, it’s important to find software that exports the file types you use. For example, if you use the software’s journal feature, you want to export the files either in text or PDF format. Most of the programs export text files, with the best organizing software exporting CSV, XML, HTML and PDF formats.
Should you buy organizer software?
If you struggle to remember appointments, birthdays, due dates and other events, organization software is a godsend. Personal information management software organizes your life by creating daily to-do lists, helping you manage your budget and keeping you on track to reach life goals. Organizer software also serves as a planner, notebook, journal and address book.
The one major downside of these programs is that, in most cases, they can only be accessed and managed on your computer. A few have complementary mobile apps that let you access a good portion of the program’s functionality, but they’re really meant for use on your computer. Most alerts are sent through your computer, so if you are not nearby when an alert is sent, you will miss it. These setbacks are less of a hassle if you install the program on a laptop and typically carry it around with you wherever you go. There are also multiple smartphone apps that do the same thing for free.
Similar assistance programs
Keeping your life organized is a big task, and we don’t blame you if you need some extra help staying organized. There are many programs and web apps that pair well with traditional organizer software – they act almost like extensions and aim to help you keep even more things organized. With software for homework and time tracking as well as general task management, organization help is readily available.
Sometimes the easiest way to get organized is to have a simple, clean place to write down all your thoughts and to-dos. Note-keeping programs like Evernote and Google Keep, as well as mobile phone apps like Things, make this easy. Building on these programs, there are brainstorming and visualization apps like Mindnode, which helps you find and list out tasks and subtasks so nothing gets forgotten.
Many of the organizers we reviewed integrate with Google Calendar. It is also available as a mobile app, so you can view your events anywhere you go.
If you want to audit how efficiently and effectively you spend your time, use a time-tracking program like Freckle to log everything you do during a certain period of time. Knowing how you spend time – or waste it – is another great step to helping you stay organized.
And in the spirit of saving time, you can use task automation software like Zapier or IFTTT to automate certain digital tasks. For example, you can set up a routine that will automatically post anything you share on Instagram to Twitter, so you don’t have to waste time uploading the same thing again.
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