Scapple

Freeform brainstorming app for jotting notes anywhere and connecting them with lines.

Verified facts: 4 of 4
Alternatives ranked: 5
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Scapple

Scapple is a small desktop app from Literature & Latte, the makers of the writing app Scrivener. It is not a strict mind mapper: there is no central topic or enforced hierarchy. You double-click anywhere on an endless page to write a note, then drag notes onto each other to connect them with lines or arrows, stack related notes, and add background shapes to group areas. That freedom makes it good for planning novels, essays, research and tangled problems where ideas don't fit a tree. It works well alongside Scrivener, as notes can be dragged into a Scrivener project. Scapple is a one-time purchase with a generous free trial, available for macOS and Windows; there is no mobile, web or collaboration version, and features have changed little over the years, which some users see as stability and others as neglect.

Best for: Writers and researchers who want to brainstorm without a rigid map structure.

What works

Completely freeform notes and connections
Simple and fast to learn
One-time purchase with a free trial
Pairs well with Scrivener

Why people leave

No mobile or web version
No collaboration
Few formatting or layout tools

Top Scapple alternatives

See all 5

1
TheBrain
Free networked thinking tool for linking ideas across a large knowledge base.
66.5
2
SimpleMind
Supports free-form layouts too, with mobile apps.
62.6
3
MindNode
Clean structured maps for Mac and iOS users.
59.6
4
Xmind
Structured maps with many layouts and cross-platform sync.
57.2
5Cm
CmapTools
Concept maps with labelled links between ideas, for free.
55.3

Why people left Scapple

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Scapple: common questions

Is Scapple free?

No, Scapple is a paid product.

Is Scapple open source?

No, Scapple is not open source.

What platforms does Scapple run on?

Scapple is available for macOS and Windows.

What are the best alternatives to Scapple?

The highest-ranked Scapple alternatives right now are TheBrain, SimpleMind and MindNode. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 5 Scapple alternatives

Scapple facts

4 of 4 verified

Free trial: Yes; Checked Oct 25, 2026literatureandlatte.com(opens source in a new tab); “Watch how Scapple works BUY NOW DOWNLOAD FREE TRIAL Scapple Get your thoughts, musings and 3am brainwaves onto the page.”
macOS version: Scapple 1.5.4, macOS 10.15+; Checked Oct 25, 2026literatureandlatte.com(opens source in a new tab); “WATCH NOW macOS BUY NOW DOWNLOAD Scapple 1.5.4 Requires macOS 10.15+”
Windows version: Scapple 1.4.2, 64-bit Windows 10+; Checked Oct 25, 2026literatureandlatte.com(opens source in a new tab); “Scapple 1.4.2 Requires 64-bit Windows 10+”
Structure: Freeform, no enforced hierarchy; Checked Oct 25, 2026literatureandlatte.com(opens source in a new tab); “Scapple doesn’t force you to make connections—every note is equal, so it’s up to you which notes have connections and which don’t.”