Frappe Charts vs Simple mind map
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A small JavaScript library that draws responsive SVG charts with no other dependencies.
Open source · MIT
A free open-source mind map library for the web, plus a separately licensed desktop app.
The short answer
Choose Frappe Charts if you need…
- Developers adding basic or medium-complexity charts to a web app
- Teams that want a small, dependency-free charting option
- Projects that need charts to resize across screen sizes
- Developers who want to update chart data in place
Choose Simple mind map if you need…
- Developers who want to add mind map editing to their own web product
- People who want a mind map app that runs in the browser or can be self-hosted
- Users who want to import and export common mind map formats such as XMind and Markdown, as listed for the desktop client
Side-by-side
| Frappe Charts | Simple mind map | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 15.1k | 12.9k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 18 days ago | 3 months ago |
What each one is
Frappe Charts
Frappe Charts is a JavaScript charting library that draws charts as SVG graphics in a web page. Its API is designed to be simple, and its visual style is inspired by charts on GitHub. Developers use it to add bar, line, pie, area, percentage, mixed-axis, and heatmap charts to web apps without pulling in other libraries.
Simple mind map
This project has two parts. The open-source part is a JavaScript library for drawing mind maps in a web page, with no framework required, and a web mind map app built on it that can also be self-hosted. The desktop client and plugins are closed source and are downloadable separately; the README says the client works offline and stores data locally.
Best for
Frappe Charts
- Developers adding basic or medium-complexity charts to a web app
- Teams that want a small, dependency-free charting option
- Projects that need charts to resize across screen sizes
- Developers who want to update chart data in place
Simple mind map
- Developers who want to add mind map editing to their own web product
- People who want a mind map app that runs in the browser or can be self-hosted
- Users who want to import and export common mind map formats such as XMind and Markdown, as listed for the desktop client
Strengths
Frappe Charts
- Has zero dependencies, as stated in its description and README
- Supports many common chart types in one library
- Offers a simple API with configuration options for colors, animations and titles
Simple mind map
- Framework-independent JavaScript library, per the README
- Desktop client supports many formats for import and export, according to the README
- Documentation site is linked from the README
Not ideal for
Frappe Charts
- Users needing highly specialized or 3D charts, since the README lists only the chart types above
- Projects that need a library with extensive built-in interactivity, because the README describes only annotations, tooltips and basic customization
Simple mind map
- People who need only the open-source code and expect every feature of the desktop client, since the README says the client and plugin code are not open source
- Teams that need active maintenance, because the README says the open-source library is in a low-maintenance state
- Users who need an offline, fully open-source tool, since the offline client is closed source
Trade-offs
Frappe Charts
- The README is short and does not document every option, so details need to be checked in the separate documentation site
- The README does not state browser support or how it compares in performance to other libraries
Simple mind map
- The open-source library is described by the README as being in low-maintenance mode
- Desktop client and plugins are closed source, so their code cannot be inspected or modified
Getting started
Simple mind map
Install the library from npm (package name taken from the README badge)
npm install simple-mind-mapFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Frappe Charts and Simple mind map?
Frappe Charts: A small JavaScript library that draws responsive SVG charts with no other dependencies. Simple mind map: A free open-source mind map library for the web, plus a separately licensed desktop app. Frappe Charts suits developers adding basic or medium-complexity charts to a web app, while Simple mind map suits developers who want to add mind map editing to their own web product.
Are Frappe Charts and Simple mind map free?
Frappe Charts: Free and open source. Simple mind map: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Frappe Charts or Simple mind map?
Frappe Charts is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Simple mind map is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Frappe Charts or Simple mind map more popular?
Frappe Charts has more GitHub stars (15.1k) than Simple mind map (12.9k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Frappe Charts and Simple mind map?
Other options people compare them with include Chart.js, Recharts, visx, G2, markmap.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.