Tools for Mind Mapping, Flowchart Creation, and Website Navigation Planning: Top Picks
In the ever-evolving world of UX research, having the right tools to visualise and analyse data is crucial. Here, we present the top 5 paid and open-source diagramming and mind mapping tools that are ideal for UX research in 2025.
Paid Tools
Lucidchart
Lucidchart, a paid tool, is renowned for its professional team collaboration and complex diagramming capabilities. Key features include flowcharts, UML diagrams, wireframes, AI-powered smart diagram generation, real-time collaboration, role assignments, and comment integration. Pricing starts from a basic plan, with individual plans costing $7.95 per month and team plans costing $9 per user per month, billed annually.
Ayoa
Ayoa, another paid tool, offers a user-friendly mind mapping experience with a frictionless interface and strong collaboration features. It is cloud-based, allowing for easy export options and integration with Google and Zoom. For those needing more advanced features like AI and Gantt charts, an additional cost of $3 per user per month is required.
Figma
Figma, a popular paid tool, is primarily focused on UI/UX design with real-time collaboration and prototyping capabilities. It offers vector networks, auto layout, commenting, and code snippets. Pricing for Figma starts from approximately $12 to $15 per user per month.
UXPressia
UXPressia is a tool specialised in customer journey maps, personas, and impact maps. Its drag-and-drop interface, custom branding, and responsive customer service make it an excellent choice for UX research documentation. Pricing starts from $16 per user per month for the STARTER plan and $36 per user per month for the PRO plan.
Mouseflow
Mouseflow, unlike the other tools, focuses on user behaviour analytics. It provides session replays, heatmaps, friction detection, conversion funnels, click tracking, surveys, and data segmentation. Pricing starts from free for 500 sessions per month, with paid plans starting from $31 per month billed annually.
Open-Source Tools
While the search results did not explicitly mention open-source tools specifically targeting UX research for diagramming and mind mapping, popular open-source options outside these results include draw.io (diagrams.net) and FreeMind. These tools are free and widely used but lacked detailed descriptions in the results.
In conclusion, this selection of tools provides a mix of diagramming, mind mapping, and UX research-focused visual and analytic tools suitable for various workflows and budgets. Whether you're looking for professional collaboration, user-friendly mind mapping, UI/UX design, customer journey mapping, or user behaviour analytics, there's a tool on this list to meet your needs.
- UXPressia, a specialized tool, offers customer journey maps, personas, and impact maps, making it ideal for UX research documentation, with pricing starting from $16 per user per month for the STARTER plan and $36 per user per month for the PRO plan.
- A popular open-source option for diagramming, outside the scope of the search results, is draw.io (diagrams.net), a free tool widely used but lacking detailed descriptions in the results.
- In technology, as lifestyle and home-and-garden fields continue to evolve, having the right information architecture, such as the ones offered by these tools, becomes crucial for successful UX research.
