Concept Map Maker

Q: What are the different types of concept maps?

There are many types of concept maps. The most popular are; Spider maps - used to branch out and build upon a single idea. Flowcharts - used to visualize processes easily. Hierarchy maps - used to provide a picture from the highest to the lowest point of an organization or concept. System maps - used to visualize a system, especially to understand how a team is functioning or a system is working.

Visualize Concepts and Their Relationships With the Best Concept Map Tool

Create concept maps instantly with an AI‑powered concept map maker. Organize ideas visually, connect concepts clearly, and simplify complex information online.

Create a Concept Map

Professionally designed concept map templates for quick customization
An AI-powered concept map maker for effortless structuring
Attach notes, data, and comments to visual concept map designs

Concept Map Maker

Edit Online

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Diagramming

Visual Collaboration

Org Chart

How to Create a Concept Map Online?

Launch Creately

Sign in to your account and open a new workspace. Creately’s concept map software gives you an infinite canvas and drag-and-drop tools to map out ideas effortlessly. New users can sign up for free to start building right away.

Pick a Template or Start from Scratch

Choose from a wide collection of professionally designed concept map templates to save time, or begin with a blank canvas. Templates help you quickly visualize common structures, while the blank workspace gives full flexibility for a custom concept map design.

Add and Customize Your Concepts

Place your central idea in the middle, then branch out with related nodes. Use arrows and linking words to show connections between concepts. With Creately’s concept map builder, you can apply color coding, different shapes, and layouts to make your concept map design easy to understand.

Collaborate and Refine in Real Time

Work together with your team by adding sticky notes, attaching files, or using the notes panel to provide context. Use comments and @mentions to refine the map quickly. The collaborative features of Creately’s concept map tool ensure that every idea is captured and organized.

Review, Share, and Present Your Map

Finalize your conceptual map by reviewing connections and refining details. Share it instantly via a secure link, export in formats like PDF, PNG, or SVG, or use presentation mode to walk stakeholders through your ideas. Updating is simple—just reopen your concept map generator anytime to edit and expand.

Create a Concept Map

How to Make a Concept Map in Minutes

IDEATE

Brainstorm and Create Complex Concept Maps in Minutes

Snapshot of Creately's Free Concept Map Maker depicting a Nursing Concept Map

Visualize and connect ideas in real time with an infinite canvas and interactive whiteboarding tools.
Drag and drop concepts, link them instantly, and use smart formatting to keep your map organized.
Access ready-made concept map templates and customizable shapes to speed up your workflow.
Ideal for students, educators, and teams looking for a free concept map maker for students that supports brainstorming, planning, and knowledge mapping.

Snapshot of Creately's Concept Map Creator depicting a Cellular Respiration Concept Map

CONNECT & ORGANIZE

Develop a Shared Understanding with a Customizable Concept Map

Customize every element with color themes, icons, shapes, and smart formatting to clarify relationships and highlight key ideas.
Create a concept map online for free by embedding rich content like images, PDFs, links, and videos directly for added context.
Connect to external data sources, documents, or knowledge bases to create dynamic, up-to-date concept maps.
Add notes, comments, and data fields to each concept to provide deeper context and keep supporting information in one place.

ANALYZE & REFINE

Create Smarter Maps Using Our AI Concept Map Maker

Snapshot of Creately's Concept Map Template with additional data

Automatically expand concept maps with AI-powered suggestions for related ideas and missing links.
Uncover hidden patterns and connections using our AI-powered concept map generator that suggests relationships and helps expand your ideas.
Find exactly what you need instantly with powerful full-text search across all your concept maps, notes, and attachments.
Visualize complex data with automatic grouping and clustering to highlight key themes and relationships.

Snapshot of Creately's Free Concept Map Creator depicting a Concept Map Template

COLLABORATE

Seamlessly Collaborate with Your Team on a Visual Concept Map

Work together in real time on a shared canvas — co-create, organize, and connect ideas simultaneously with your team or class.
Control access and editing rights with advanced sharing settings, perfect for managing feedback and contributions.
Communicate directly on the canvas using comments, mentions, and threads to keep discussions focused and actionable.
Track updates as they happen with live cursors, synced changes, and version control for a transparent collaboration experience

EXECUTE & EXTEND

Empower Your Workflow with a Free Online Concept Map Maker

Snapshot of Creately's Concept Map Maker depicting a Science Concept Map

Organize multiple concept maps efficiently by building a centralized knowledge base or wiki using folders, databases, and labels.
Use presentation mode to turn your concept map into a guided, slide-based walkthrough for clearer communication.
Export your concept maps in SVG, PDF, PNG, or JPEG formats for presentations, documentation, or offline use.
Integrate with tools like Google Drive, Confluence, and Slack to embed, sync, and extend your workflow seamlessly.

IDEATE

Brainstorming and Structuring Complex Topics Visually

When relying on text‑heavy notes or lectures alone, it can be difficult to break down complex subjects or see how ideas connect.
Students and educators use Creately’s concept map builder as a visual diagramming tool to brainstorm ideas on an infinite canvas.
By placing concepts on a shared canvas and linking ideas visually, learners organize thoughts quickly and structure topics clearly during lessons, revision, or group discussions.
Learners understand topics faster, retain information better, and approach complex subjects with greater confidence.

CONNECT & ORGANIZE

Building Clear Relationships Between Ideas

When working with multiple ideas, references, and resources, organizing information clearly can be challenging using traditional note‑taking or diagramming alone.
Educators and students customize concept maps online using colors, icons, shapes, and smart formatting to highlight relationships and key ideas.
Rich content such as images, PDFs, links, and videos can be embedded directly into the concept map builder, with notes and comments added to each concept for deeper context.
Information stays organized in one place, connections become clearer, and learners develop a stronger conceptual understanding.

ANALYZE & REFINE

Exploring Patterns and Improving Understanding with AI Support

When identifying missing links, refining ideas, or making sense of complex information structures, visual support becomes essential.
Creately’s AI‑powered concept map generator helps students explore related concepts, expand maps automatically, and surface hidden connections within their work.
They can search across their maps, notes, and attachments, while automatic grouping and clustering highlight patterns and themes to support deeper analysis.
As a result, learners gain deeper insights, refine their understanding more effectively, and develop stronger critical‑thinking skills.

COLLABORATE

Learning Together on a Shared Visual Workspace

When working in groups or classes, there has to be an easy way to collaborate, discuss ideas, and refine understanding together.
Students and teachers collaborate in real time on shared concept maps, allowing them to co‑create ideas simultaneously on the same visual workspace.
Comments, feedback, and mentions can be added directly to the map, while live updates and version history in the concept map tool help everyone stay aligned as ideas evolve.
Collaboration becomes more engaging, discussions are clearer, and group learning is more productive and inclusive.

EXECUTE & EXTEND

Presenting, Sharing, and Applying Learning

When making revision notes for exams, or submitting work for assessment, ideas need to be clear and easy to share.
Learners organize concept maps into folders or knowledge bases, presented using guided presentation mode, or exported in formats such as PDF, PNG, or SVG.
Maps can also be shared digitally or embedded into learning materials and connected with familiar tools like Google Drive or learning platforms.
Students communicate ideas more clearly, educators assess understanding more easily, and learning resources are ready to reuse, share, or build upon.

Ideate, plan, and execute ideas better with Creately

Create a Concept Map Request a Demo

A concept map is a visual tool that organizes and represents relationships between ideas, concepts, or pieces of information. It uses nodes (concepts) connected by labeled lines to show how concepts relate, helping simplify complex information, improve understanding, and support learning or planning.

How to Create a Concept Map Online

Launch Creately

Pick a Template or Start from Scratch

Add and Customize Your Concepts

Collaborate and Refine in Real Time

Review, Share, and Present Your Map

Create a Concept Map

Create Your Concept Map with Editable Templates

Business Outcome Concept Map

Edit Diagram

Marketing Presentation

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Knowledge Management

Edit Diagram

Science Concept Map Template

Edit Diagram

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it is ease of collaborative diagramming and real-time editing. This allows teams to brainstorm, create, and refine diagrams together in a way that feels intuitive and seamless, regardless of location.

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I love how easy it is to create and collaborate on diagrams with Creately. The real-time collaboration feature is incredibly helpful for team projects, and the extensive library of templates and shapes saves a lot of time

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Creately provides best diagram structure.

Creately has proven to be an incredibly creative tool, enhancing the visual appeal of our company tasks significantly. Additionally, its pricing is highly competitive, offering great value for the features it provides.

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Great AI features

AI Modelling capability. It gives Prompt examples so user can learn how to create effective prompts

Karma A.

User friendly and visually appealing!!

The interface is easy to use. The look is aesthetically pleasing as well. Love the functionality.

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FAQs About the Concept Map Maker in Creately

What are the different types of concept maps?

There are many types of visual concept maps. The most popular are:

Spider maps: used to branch out and build upon a single idea.
Flowcharts: used to visualize processes easily.
Hierarchy maps: used to provide a picture from the highest to the lowest point of an organization or concept.
System maps: used to visualize a system, especially to understand how a team is functioning or a system is working.

What is the use of concept maps?

Concept maps are used to visually illustrate relationships between ideas, support brainstorming sessions, improve knowledge retention, aid problem-solving, and streamline strategic planning.

Concept map maker vs. concept map creator–is there a difference?

Both terms are used interchangeably to describe online tools that simplify the creation of concept maps with features like templates, drag-and-drop functionality, and collaboration options. While the names differ, the core functionality remains similar.

Can I use Creately as a free online concept map software?

Yes, you can! Sign up for free with Creately’s basic plan, which provides you access to unlimited canvases. It offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, pre-designed templates, and real-time collaboration features, making it easy to visually organize ideas and relationships. There are certain limitations, such as the number of shapes on each canvas and export options. But you can always upgrade for unlimited access and features.

What are the advantages of using a conceptual map maker or creator?

Concept maps are a great way to lay out your information in detail to understand the bigger picture. You can branch out and include every minor detail to avoid missing vital information. Using a concept map creator like Creately, you can get a quick start with the readily available templates or use the extensive shape library to create your own. Many styles, preset colors, and precise formatting options are available to customize your concept map further. If you want to take a print, simply save it as a PDF and take a printout. You can easily share the space with your colleagues to collaborate via email or a link.

Does Google have a concept map generator?

Google does not have a dedicated concept map tool, but you can create a basic concept map using Google Docs, Google Drawings, or Google Slides. To do this in Google Docs, go to Insert > Drawing > New, where you can manually add shapes, lines, and text to create a simple concept map. However, for a more advanced and collaborative experience, tools like Creately’s concept map software offer pre-built templates, drag-and-drop functionality, and real-time collaboration features, making concept mapping much easier and more efficient.

How do students create a concept map?

Choose a clear topic and gather the key concepts related to it. Use a concept map maker to place and connect these ideas visually, showing their relationships. Review and refine the map for clarity and accuracy. With Creately, students can collaborate in real time, add notes, and customize maps for interactive learning.

How can educators, healthcare professionals, and business teams use concept maps?

Concept maps help educators organize lesson plans, explain complex topics, and encourage student collaboration. Healthcare professionals use them to visualize patient information, track diagnoses, and plan treatments. Business teams rely on concept maps for brainstorming, process mapping, and strategic planning to improve communication and decision-making.

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