Thortspace

Thortspace is a visual-thinking app that arranges ideas in linked 3D spheres and can turn them into plans or presentations. It suits people working through connected research, projects, or problems, especially when collaborators need to work across devices. Its flexible structure and local offline use are compelling, but the free account’s public-only restrictions deserve close attention.

Overview

Thortspace organizes ideas as movable “thorts” and groups, with paths to show relationships. Spheres can link into wider networks, so related work need not be forced into one large map. That makes the approach useful when connections between topics matter; it is less suitable for readers who simply want a conventional, flat mind map.

Do Mode shapes insights into action plans, while Present Mode turns them into presentations. The same workspace can therefore support exploration, follow-through, and communication. Real-time collaboration, offline mode, and AI assistance broaden its usefulness, while drag-and-drop support for pictures, text, and web links makes it easier to bring in material from other applications.

Key features

Visual organization: Move thorts and groups and draw paths between them. This accommodates evolving ideas better than a rigid outline, though the spherical model may be unnecessary for simpler planning.

Sphere networks: Link spheres to represent connections across topics or projects. Theoretical limits are 10,000 thorts, 1,000 category sets, and 1,000 two-way links per sphere, ample room for substantial work.

Local use: The app can be installed and used for locally stored spheres without an account. That is a meaningful option for individual work, but it does not remove the free account’s limits on syncing and collaboration.

Security and support: Cloud data is stored in Google data centres and encrypted at rest, in transit, and in backups; transfers use TLS. Gooisoft identifies Google Cloud Services and Google App Engine as storage providers and says it is registered with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office. Introductory videos, documentation, a community Facebook group, and email support provide several routes to help.

Pricing

Thortspace is freemium, with a free plan and paid plans starting at $4.99/mo. The tiers serve different needs, and the cheapest paid option is a reader subscription rather than a way to create or publish spheres.

Free — free: Free license, public spheres only, a limited number of public spheres, and ads on published spheres. Private spheres are excluded. It fits local use or public work within those limits, but not confidential projects or an unrestricted shared workspace.

Content Reader — $4.99 a month: After a 7-day free trial, this gives access to spheres publishers have paywalled. It excludes private spheres, unlimited public spheres, and publishing, so it is for readers of paid content, not creators seeking broader publishing rights.

Premium — $14.99 a month: Includes a 14-day free trial. Premium adds internet picture search and full-text sphere search. Those tools are most relevant to people managing or exploring substantial sphere collections; the trial gives prospective subscribers time to assess that fit.

Business — $15 a month: Billed monthly, with multiple users on one license and bill, organization-owned spheres, and team administration. Optional on-site deployment, customization, and introductory courses make it the business choice for organizations needing a managed team setup. Optional services are not included in the listed core plan.

Platforms

Thortspace runs on the web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. That breadth helps teams and individuals continue work across desktop and mobile platforms; offline mode also supports work without a connection.

Who it's for

Thortspace is a strong fit for researchers, educators, project teams, and presenters who need to connect ideas across topics and move from exploration to action or presentation. Business is the more appropriate tier for shared organization-owned work. A reader who needs private spheres on a free account, or a user who prefers a simple linear map, should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

Pro: Linked spheres, movable ideas, and paths support work where relationships between topics are central.

Pro: Do Mode and Present Mode help carry insights toward action plans or presentations.

Pro: Local use needs no account, and the app supports offline work.

Con: Free accounts cannot create private spheres, and public spheres are limited; published spheres include ads.

Con: The $4.99 a month Content Reader plan does not include publishing, private spheres, or unlimited public spheres.

Con: The spherical workspace is more involved than a flat mind map, making it a poor match for users who want a straightforward outline.

Alternatives

Browse the Mind Mapping Software category to compare other approaches. Choose EdrawMind if its free plan’s 100 MB storage and 100-topic allowance suit your needs; its Individual plan is $4.90 a month billed annually. Mindomo is another freemium option for readers comparing cross-platform mind-mapping tools.

GoMind may suit users who want core mind mapping with rich notes and layouts, plus import and export workflows on its free plan; Plus is $9.90 a month. Consider MindMapVault if encrypted storage and active-share or published-map quotas are a better fit, or Xmind if 10 online maps and a 3-day version history on a free plan cover your needs.

ideaBraid is worth comparing if you want a free reader with map search, pitch mode, and exports to PNG, PDF, Markdown, OPML, ICS, and CSV. Mapify may appeal to readers prioritizing AI-assisted conversion, with 30 one-time AI credits and limited PDF, document, and YouTube conversions on its free plan. Comapping is another freemium alternative.

Verdict

Choose Thortspace if your work benefits from exploring interconnected ideas and carrying them into plans or presentations, particularly across a team and multiple platforms. Local offline use and linked spheres are its clearest strengths. Look elsewhere if you need private work on a free account, or if you want a simpler, flatter mind-mapping workflow.