Home / Relationship map maker
Map People, Events, and Connections
Use AnacapaChart as a relationship mapping tool. Put each person, organisation, place and event on a card, connect them with labelled lines, and get a picture of who is tied to what. It works in your browser, it is free, and you do not need an account.
What you can add
- People, places and events. Cards for every entity, with notes, a photo if you have one, and a category.
- Relationship labels. Say how two entities are related right on the line: "sister of", "employs", "attended".
- Search and filters. Find a card by text, tag or source, or filter by category and status to see only what you need.
- Frames. Group a family, a company or a meeting inside a labelled frame.
- Network layout. Spread the map out automatically, then drag cards where you want them.
- Notes and sources. Record where each fact came from so the map stays trustworthy.
How to get started
- Add a card for each person, organisation or place.
- Give every card a category so you can filter later.
- Connect cards and label each relationship.
- Use search or the category filter to focus on one part of the map.
- Arrange as network, then tidy the layout by hand.
- Export an image of the map or a printable report.
A fictional example: the Harlow bakery
Map the owner, her brother, the supplier, the bank and the shop premises. Label the links "owns", "supplies", "lends to". Filter by organisation and the businesses stand apart from the people. Select the owner and everything she directly touches lights up.
Saving, sharing and export
Boards autosave in your browser on this device and stay there until you clear your site data, so export a board file when a board matters. A share link uploads a copy of the board to our storage, so do not share anything sensitive that way.
You can export a PNG image, save a board file you can import again later, or open a printable case report and save it as a PDF from your browser.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from a mind map?
A mind map grows from one central idea. A relationship map is a network: any card can connect to any other, and the links carry labels.
Can I show uncertain relationships?
Yes. Mark a link as suspected and it is drawn dashed.
Where is my map saved?
Boards autosave in your browser on this device and stay there until you clear your site data, so export a board file when a board matters. A share link uploads a copy of the board to our storage, so do not share anything sensitive that way.
Related tools
- Link chart maker: A link chart shows how entities such as people, organisations, accounts, places and events are connected.
- Evidence board maker: AnacapaChart is a free evidence board that runs in your browser.
- Templates: These starter boards load straight into AnacapaChart, where every card, label and link is editable.
- Guides on evidence boards and link analysis