When you look at the big picture, most of today’s innovative business ideas are the result of group brainstorming.
Brainstorming sessions, especially nowadays, with remote working being the new normal, can be facilitated by online virtual tools. Since all these productivity and brainstorming apps are at our disposal, why not use them to organize ideas and use time more efficiently?
Read on to learn more.
What Are Brainstorming Tools?
Brainstorming tools are software solutions used to generate, share, and organize ideas during online brainstorming sessions. It is an aid that helps teams during the ideation process for different projects and tasks.
Depending on the case, virtual brainstorming tools offer multiple features, such as mind mapping, voting accessibility, whiteboards, and many more.
Top 13 Best Brainstorming Tools in 2024
We’ll go over some of the most popular online brainstorming tools available to help you discover and select the one most suited to your company’s needs. Take your brainstorming to the next level with our top 13 picks.
1. Brosix
With multiple features available, Brosix is an all-in-one tool that can improve your team’s communication. Brosix offers all the solutions most brainstorming tools enable, and so much more.
It’s easy to brainstorm ideas using the online whiteboard feature, for example. What’s more, Brosix helps teams present complex ideas visually through screen sharing and co-browsing functions.
In addition, Brosix has also integrated other helpful resources for communication facilitation and brainstorming, such as chat rooms and video calls that allow remote team members to collaborate in real time.
Brosix offers diverse price packages, including a free 14-day trial, making it an accessible option for teams looking to smoothly generate ideas. So, if you’re interested in brainstorming tools with free options, you should check this one out.
In case you want to learn more about the product and discover how to be more efficient when communicating with your team, you can book a demo here!
2. Miro.com
Miro.com is one of the most loved free brainstorming tools since it perfectly understands customers’ needs and tailors its features accordingly.
This brainstorm tool offers enough space for creative teams to deconstruct their ideas in any format necessary.
Among the main features of this brainstorming tool, you’ll find a series of infinite canvases into which you can integrate visual Kanban boards.
A major advantage of this tool is the ability to import data from spreadsheets.
Miro’s free version includes three editable boards and pre-made brainstorming templates. More advanced features come with different price packages, making Miro ideal for teams to collaborate and visualize new ideas.
3. Milanote.com
Milanote.com is another visually appealing and user-friendly brainstorming app that ranks high among the best brainstorming software solutions.
This trendy brainstorming tool allows distributed teams to share and generate new ideas in various ways. You can write notes and to-do lists within the app, upload files and images, and save text, files, and images from the web and your phone.
A major benefit is that creating your Milanote account is free and has no time limit.
4. Mural.co
Mural is a brainstorm tool that connects teams through a digital whiteboard and collaboration features designed to inspire innovation.
With the integration of different shapes and connectors, icons, frameworks, and drawings, this free online brainstorming tool by far outshines brainstorming meetings of the past.
This tool arguably provides the greatest variety of options to integrate with other apps, so it’s a must-try for every business.
5. Ayoa.com
Granted, some of the team brainstorm tools we’ve presented offer quite similar benefits to each other; however, Ayoa boasts a unique mix of features for productive brainstorming.
Apart from the collaborative online brainstorming board, mind mapping, and ability to share the mind maps created, Ayoa brings a couple of new features to the table.
The platform not only enables the creation of radial maps but has also developed a Gantt timeline view. With it, you can easily create Gantt-style charts to achieve more effective time management.
Being one of the most complex interactive brainstorming tools, Ayoa has taken communication facilitation to another level, implementing instant messaging, video chat option, and artificial intelligence (AI) assistance within the platform.
Since the services provided vary, Ayoa only has premium packages at a fixed cost. However, it does offer a seven-day free trial, for which there’s no requirement to enter credit card details. There is also a free plan for personal use.
6. MindMeister.com
Depending on your needs, you may be looking for a more simplified or more complex brainstorming tool.
Midmeister.com is a brainstorming tool pretty similar to Miro.com, the first one introduced.
This brainstorming tool offers mixed map layouts, multiple and varied team accounts, and permissions. It allows users to seamlessly add their thoughts, leave comments, export files, and much more.
Midmeister comes with a basic free plan and the option to upgrade to different pricing packages.
7. Lucidchart
Lucidchart is a cloud-based tool that excels at creating diagrams. Top companies trust it around the world. Features like an infinite canvas, digital sticky notes, and real-time collaboration tools make it easy for teams to work together, no matter their location.
Prices vary, as there is a free plan available. However, paid pricing plans come with a seven-day free trial and exclusive benefits, such as custom idea categories, multilingual interfaces, and data protection.
8. Stormboard.com
Similar to other apps in this niche, this tool promises seamless remote collaboration, certified data security, and access to instant meeting notes. This makes it perfect for stakeholders looking to run better online brainstorming sessions.
Whether you’re aiming to solve problems and find opportunities, capture, organize, or prioritize ideas, Stormboard.com is ready to assist, making it easier to outline your next steps.
Various pricing options are available, including a free package for individuals, a $10 per user/month package for businesses, and a custom package for enterprises.
9. Conceptboard.com
Launched in 2010, Conceptboard.com is one of the oldest brainstorming tools on the market. You’ll find features like concept maps, template libraries, and aids to streamline documentation centralization among the main services provided.
Conceptboard.com is marketed at a similar price point to its competitors, offering a free account while also having special packages. Two of the mid-priced packages also give the option of a free 30-day trial.
When it comes to allowing integrations, this brainstorming tool offers the fewest options and solutions for remote teams.
10. WiseMapping.com
While most of the online tools we’ve examined are freemium brainstorming tools, this particular one is an exception, as it is an entirely free brainstorming program.
You’ll enjoy editing tools and collaborative features, as well as the ability to import and export documents, aiding in idea generation.
It has a pretty simple interface, so if that’s what you want, it may be the perfect brainstorming tool for a quick solution.
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11. MindNode.com
Available for download on both desktop and mobile devices, MindNode.com is a great online brainstorming tool for optimizing your team’s workflow. It could help you and your team members design your mind maps for free and put your best ideas in order.
Even though MindNode is not primarily a visual collaboration platform, it facilitates visual representation of ideas. This tool provides a great way for teams and individuals to personalize their visuals through multiple elements, including themes, stickers, and visual tags.
12. Scapple
Looking for a tool that allows you to connect notes, create background shapes to group them, or entirely customize the appearance of your notes? Scapple may be the right tool for you.
This tool’s website offers a video tutorial on how the product works, so you can make an informed decision about whether to choose it or not. It also provides a free trial, which expires after 30 days if you use the tool daily, and after 15 weeks if you use it twice a week.
13. Coggle.it
The last brainstorming tool on our list brings the following brainstorming features to the table: unlimited image uploads, floating text and images, and unlimited private diagrams.
Coggle offers scalable pricing: a free package and two other premium ones. The tool also provides a product video on YouTube for those who are curious about what it looks like and want to know what’s available if they choose to register.
How Can Online Brainstorming Tools Help You Be More Efficient?
The first and foremost benefit of online brainstorming tools is that they can help your team be more organized and get creative.
Instead of having stickies thrown across the room or covering a table, isn’t it better to gather them all virtually in one place? This way, you can rest assured knowing that no valuable idea is at risk of getting lost.
Or, instead of breaking your colleagues’ train of thought when pitching something, everyone can write and gather ideas in one place. This is called brainwriting. Using an online brainstorming tool eliminates possible disruptions and ensures that you won’t forget your idea in the meantime.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, each brainstorming tool’s description and feature breakdown offered some insights into what the market can offer you.
In the end, when choosing a tool for brainstorming, it’s also important to keep in mind the user experience it provides. This way, your team can not only take pleasure in their work but also be productive in the brainstorming process. This is, after all, the ultimate goal of any app implemented in your virtual workspace, isn’t it?
