Organic branches
Structure you can read at a glance.
Curved branches keep related ideas connected, so the map stays visual instead of becoming a rigid diagram. Notes and task indicators stay quiet until you need the detail.
Ideas need room to grow
Tendril is a private desktop mind mapping app for planning, research, study, and writing. Shape loose ideas into organic maps, work offline, and export cleanly when you are ready to share.
Free macOS beta now · Windows planned later · No account required
Built with care, not complexity.
Tendril keeps the essentials close: a fast canvas, flowing branches, task-aware topics, local files, and focused tools that stay out of your way.
Notes, icons, and tasks
Keep the map clean without losing the detail.
Select a branch to add notes, icons, status, priority, due date, and progress. The canvas stays readable while the practical detail remains one click away.
Task View
A list when a map becomes work.
Branches with task details can roll into a sortable list. Scan due dates, update status, and jump back to the exact branch when you need context.
Clean export
Move the map into the next stage of work.
Export the same map as shareable images, documents, outlines, or task sheets for presentations, notes, and follow-up planning.
Built for the keyboard
Use Tab for children, Enter for siblings, and drag to reparent. Build structure quickly without breaking your flow.
Auto layout & focus
Use auto layout when a map gets uneven, collapse branches when you need focus, and rely on undo and redo while you explore.
Full-text search
Search finds labels, notes, and task details instantly. Step through matches without leaving the canvas.
Offline & private
Tendril needs no internet, no AI data sharing, no cloud workspace, and no account. Your maps stay as ordinary files on your own machine.
Recovery & backups
Recovery snapshots protect unsaved work after an unexpected close, and backup snapshots sit alongside successful saves.
Messy ideas are easier to shape when you can see how they connect.
Built for focused visual thinking
Local by default.
Simple on purpose.
Tendril runs on Mac and Windows and saves maps as files you control. It keeps mind mapping focused, visual, and local without moving your thinking into a cloud workspace.
PlatformsMac and Windows
Internet requiredNever
AI data sharingNone
TasksStatus, priority, due date, progress, Task View
File storageLocal map files
ExportImages, PDF, outlines, task spreadsheet
PriceOne-time personal license
0
Accounts to create
0
Subscriptions to manage
0
Data shared with AI companies
0
Tendril cloud uploads
Where Tendril fits
A focused tool for clear visual thinking.
Tendril is for private plans, research trails, study maps, writing structures, and early ideas that are still taking shape. It is not trying to be a whiteboard suite, a meeting room, or another cloud account.
Best for
Solo thinking, private notes, project outlines, study maps, and visual plans you can export.
Not for
Live team workshops, enterprise diagramming, mobile-first capture, or collaborative whiteboards.
Why choose it
It stays fast, local, expressive, and quiet instead of becoming a general productivity platform.
Comparison
Pick Tendril for privacy, ownership, and feel.
The big tools are better for collaboration, mobile ecosystems, templates, and enterprise workflows. Tendril is sharper when you want a quiet desktop app, files you control, and maps that feel organic instead of corporate.
| Alternative | Their strengths | Tendril's strengths |
|---|---|---|
| Xmind | Mature feature set, themes, AI options, collaboration, and broad import/export expectations. | Local files, no sign-in workflow, and a warmer organic branch style. |
| MindNode | Native Apple polish, iPhone/iPad support, iCloud sync, and years of refinement. | Local files, no sign-in workflow, and a simpler desktop purchase. |
| Miro | Team whiteboarding, workshops, integrations, templates, and enterprise collaboration. | Private desktop work, offline use, local files, and focused mind mapping without workspace overhead. |
| MindMeister | Cloud sharing, team accounts, browser access, task/project suites, and education/team plans. | No cloud dependency, no account requirement, direct file ownership, and simpler personal pricing. |
| Free tools | No purchase required and often highly flexible for technical users. | More polished visual output, smoother desktop workflow, and a product direction built around expressive maps. |
Pricing
One purchase. No subscription to justify.
Tendril is paid desktop software for Mac and Windows: a one-time personal license, 2 years of updates, and optional paid upgrades for future major releases.
Standard price
$49.99
Special launch offer
$39.99
Included updates
2 years
Local desktop software, no subscription, no recurring cloud bill.
FAQ
Offline mind mapping, without a cloud workspace.
Tendril is built for people who want a private mind mapping app, a local-first Xmind alternative, or a quieter desktop tool for visual thinking on Mac and Windows.
Is Tendril an offline mind mapping app?
Yes. Tendril works offline and saves maps as local files on your own machine, so you can keep planning without a cloud workspace.
Does Tendril require an account?
No. Tendril is built around local files, not accounts, cloud workspaces, or sign-in flows.
Can Tendril track tasks?
Yes. Any branch can carry status, priority, due date, and progress, then appear in Task View and task sheet export.
Does Tendril work on Mac and Windows?
Yes. Tendril is built for Mac and Windows desktop use.
How do I get Tendril?
Use the request button to join the free macOS beta list.
What does Tendril cost?
Tendril is paid desktop software with a one-time personal license, 2 years of updates, and optional paid upgrades for later major releases.
Can I export maps from Tendril?
Yes. Tendril exports images, documents, outlines, and task sheets so maps can move into presentations, notes, documents, and spreadsheets.
How is Tendril different from Xmind, MindNode, Miro, or MindMeister?
Those tools are stronger for collaboration, mobile ecosystems, templates, and team workspaces. Tendril focuses on private desktop maps, local files, organic branches, and a no-account workflow.
Keep your thinking on your machine.
Use Tendril for messy ideas, project outlines, and study notes. Save locally, work offline, and export cleanly when you are ready to share.
Free macOS beta now · Windows planned later · No account required