Post by
Nasir Uddin
Published
March 12, 2024
Catregory
UI Design
Read time
5 min

Being a unique and effective UI designer makes you familiar with various UI design tools at every level of the product development process, from developing a concept to giving the project to a developer.

But aren't there times when you feel frustrated while working with it? Is it because of the tool you are using? Well, don't let it frustrate you anymore. The following discussion will introduce you to the best UI design tools to remedy all your issues!

10 Best UI Design Tools For Designers

Now that you have developed a clear concept about UI design, let's explore some of the great tools you can use and must have an overall knowledge of:

1. Figma

Figma is a comprehensive solution that streamlines teamwork and gives designers, developers, and all other team members access to a cloud platform. If you've ever used Sketch, you'll see that Figma is quite similar, making it simple for you to learn. 

You can utilize Figma's adaptable styles to customize the appearance of text, grids, and other project elements. It can be expanded by several plugins, like Autoflow for displaying user pathways, Fig motion for producing animations, and many others.

Pros

  • Best in designing
  • Works on: Browser, macOS, and Windows
  • A free trial is available

Cons 

  • It can freeze while you are attempting to do any challenging tasks.
  • It uses all of your RAM

Pricing

When you're linked to the software, you can create and store three active files, work on one team project, and use limitless cloud storage. A $12/month Professional subscription with unlimited projects and shared libraries is available if you desire more functionality.

2. InVision Studio

InVision software has been performing great since 2011. It often updates new features and has become a favorite of many Ui designers. You can quickly create functional prototypes using InVision's many well-designed features and share them with others.

It has many helpful features, such as an easy vector sketching tool, the capacity to duplicate elements and edit them afterward, and the capacity to produce animations and other interactive visual effects.

Additionally, InVision excels in communication and collaboration. You can doodle, make comments, and provide feedback while working freehand. Also, you can present a completely interactive prototype with LiveShare. Your team members can also communicate and collaborate on projects using InVision.

Pros

  • Best for prototyping and user interface design
  • Works on: macOS
  • A free trial is available

Cons 

  • It has a very poor customer service 
  • It can work slowly at any time
  • It can be a little bit tough to learn

Pricing

You can open Up to three projects at once, and it'll be free to use. But the paid plans begin at $7.95 monthly for each user.

3. Sketch

You can use Sketch in various processes, and there's a solid reason. The functionality of Sketch is characterized by consistency and uniformity. Using a smart layout, you can design reusable parts and adjust their size according to the material they contain.

You won't face any difficulty while using Sketch. It has several hotkeys to speed up your design process to create the well-designed user interface you wish for.

Sketch has the proper industry standard UI design tools for wireframing and prototyping. It is so favorite among designers because of its robust and user-friendly interface, among other things.

Pros

  • Best for prototyping and designing
  • Works on: macOS
  • A free trial is not available

Cons

  • Slows down in outdated equipment
  • You won't be able to create permanent color schemes
  • Not much user-friendly

Pricing

The base plan has a 30-day free trial and will cost you $9 if you take the monthly package.

4. Balsamiq

Balsamiq is an effective tool for low-detail wireframing. It is not just limited to websites. 

You can easily use it for product design sketches, web apps, PC software, mobile apps, and user interface layouts.

It's an excellent platform while you are building website layouts, even if it doesn't specialize in producing ready-made prototypes like other UI design tools.

Pros

  • Best in mockups, prototyping, wireframe design
  • Works on: Browser, macOS, and Windows
  • A free trial is available

Cons 

  • You won't find any ready-made prototypes
  • It isn't as modern as the other tools

Pricing

The starting monthly fee for its plans will cost you $9. This is affordable pricing if you want to cut your mobile app UI design cost.

5. Marvel

Do you want a free prototype tool so that you can make applications and websites quickly? Marvel offers you a full suite of features and tools to help you accomplish these objectives.

With this application, you can design interactive prototypes with dynamic transitions and movements, moving beyond static layouts. While testing a product, it will benefit from a genuine engagement experience.

Any member of your design team, regardless of the state of a project, can contribute notes, make revisions, and discuss ideas in real time with Marvel's collaboration features.

Pros

  • Best in prototyping, design, wireframe, and animation
  • Works on: Web, iOS, and Android
  • A free trial is available

Cons

  • You can work with only two projects in the trial stage
  • You won't be able to animate mockup screens

Pricing

For single users and single projects, the application is free to use. The Pro plan, which includes more features, is $12 per month.

6. Axure

Axure combines the ability to create wireframes and prototypes. It helps you to create high and low-fidelity interactive prototypes of websites and applications without having any programming experience.

Additionally, Axure will ensure that you are appropriately informed about the layout. It will help you to upload a prototype to their cloud with all the necessary code, specs, and other data.

This professional-level tool considers all of the subtleties of functional prototyping. It is aimed at designers who have high expectations for UI tools.

Pros

  • Best in Prototyping
  • Works on: macOS and Windows
  • A free trial is available

Cons

  • You won't get any unique features in it
  • It won't support you while making videos or animated gifs

Pricing

The first pricing plan will cost you $25 monthly for every user.

7. Framer

Framer is a high-fidelity template and layout tool. For the application to operate with interactive features and animations, you need at least a basic understanding of CSS and HTML. 

You can create a web page's structure and visual design by using it. Framer is a universally helpful tool since it has basic user testing features, and the prototype it produces is the nearest result you will get from the final result.

Pros

  • Best in prototyping
  • Works on: Browser, macOS
  • Free trial is available

Cons

  • It has a smaller community than average 
  • It can slow down while working on it

Pricing

You can only create three projects under the free plan. Advanced functions, on the other hand, are accessible with the Pro tariff plan for $19 per month.

8. Origami Studio

Origami Studio will be the top choice if you seek a more advanced solution. It provides strong tools for developing web and mobile app prototypes. The patch editor Origami Studio enables you to build animations, interactions, and chains of logical and behavioral reasoning.

It has a ton of ready-made prototype templates, but according to the website, you'll probably only use 15-20 of them. Origami Studio will be important if you wish to work beyond conventional prototyping.

Pros

  • Best in prototyping, designing, animation
  • Works on: macOS, Android, and iOS devices
  • Free trial is available

Cons 

  • It will adopt standard features slower than others

Pricing

It is a part of the list of free UI design tools.

9. Proto.io

Many well-known companies have utilized Proto.io in their work, including ESPN, Amazon, and PayPal. Without writing any code, you can create interactive prototypes using a variety of mechanisms and technologies.

You can integrate audio and video, as well as a variety of drag-and-drop web UI components, templates, icon libraries, etc., with Proto.io. Many templates, tools, and other prototyping elements are available to work on proto.io.

Pros

  • Best in prototyping and animation
  • Works on: Browsers
  • Free trial is available

Cons 

  • It is more expensive than an average UI design tool
  • It doesn't contain any desktop apps

Pricing

There are four plans for you to choose from: 

  • Freelancer: $24 per month
  • Startup: $40per month
  • Agency: $80per month
  • Corporate: $160per month

To Conclude

UI design tools' usability and user experience for creating and prototyping interfaces are improving every other day. In summarizing our mini-review, we observe that there isn't a single ideal option that works for all UI designers for every project.

So, you should learn how to use various UI design tools and select the best ones based on the technical needs of a certain project and the client's preferences.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is An Interface Design Tool?

A software program's user interface is designed using an interface design tool. The amount of prototype fidelity depends on the characteristics offered by this sort of tool, which helps in the prototyping of a software program.

Which Platform is Best for UI UX Design?

There are several UI/UX design tools on the market right now. Different tools provide different benefits to designers. However, some of the tools are considered the ultimate bests. A few are Sketch, InVision Studio, Axure, Proto.io, Adobe XD, Marvel, Figma, etc.

Which Tool is Best for UI Design?

The evolution of UX design has moved from focusing on basic user needs to a holistic approach that considers the entire user journey and involves understanding users' behaviors and needs.

  • Figma: Best all-around UI design tool. 
  • Sketch. Best UI design tool for macOS. 
  • Adobe XD: A best UI design tool for Adobe veterans. 
  • Axure: A best UI design tool for technical UI designs.
  • Framer: Highest-rated UI design tool.
Table of Contents
Nasir Uddin
CEO at Musemind
Nasir Uddin, Co-Founder and CEO at Musemind, brings over a decade of experience in dynamic UX design. With a background at prestigious companies like Panther, On Deck, Microsoft, and Motley Fool. His leadership has transformed Musemind into a trusted destination for comprehensive product design solutions.
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