15 Best UI Design Tools for Designers

The choice of the right UI Design Tools, is a critical part of any digital product's development, determining how users interact with a product. As technology evolves, so does the importance of innovative and effective UI design.  

More importantly, a key part of achieving this is choosing the right UI Design Tools. These tools provide a platform to create, collaborate, and test designs, significantly influencing the final product's quality.  

According to a Zippa report, UI Designers earn about 83,000 GBP annually on average. This statistic validates the high earning potential of UI Designers experienced with the right UI tools. UI Design Tools are essential for creating visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces. Explore this blog to learn more about the UI Design Tools. 

Table of Contents 

1) A brief introduction to UI Design 

2) What makes a UI Design Tool valuable? 

3) Exploring the top 15 UI Design Tools  

a) Adobe XD 

b) Sketch 

c) Figma 

d) InVision  

e) Balsamiq 

f) Marvel 

g) Axure RP 

h) Gravit Designer 

i) Zeplin 

j) Affinity Designer

4) Conclusion

A brief introduction to UI Design 

User Interface (UI) design is an essential component of the digital product landscape, shaping how we interact with technology every day. It's a discipline that focuses on the visual and interactive elements of a product, such as buttons, icons, spacing, and colour schemes, all while adhering to UI Design Principles. The aim of UI design is to create intuitive, engaging, and aesthetically pleasing interfaces that users find easy and enjoyable to use.

Furthermore, a UI designer's job isn't just about making things look pretty. It's about understanding the needs of the users and creating a design that aligns with those needs. This requires a deep understanding of human behaviour, including how we process information, make decisions, and manage tasks. 

Moreover, the principles of UI design have evolved with technology and user expectations, but some core aspects remain the same. These include ensuring consistency across the interface, providing clear and concise feedback to user actions, and prioritising simplicity to ensure ease of use. With a focus on these principles, UI design serves as a crucial bridge between users and technology, enhancing user satisfaction and driving the success of digital products.
 

 

What makes a UI Design Tool valuable? 

Here is a list of the various factors which make a UI Design Tool valuable: 

a) Versatility: A valuable UI design tool should be capable of creating a wide range of design elements and layouts. The ability to design for different devices and platforms is essential. 

b) Ease of use: A user-friendly interface that is easy to learn and navigate can significantly enhance productivity and efficiency. 

c) Prototyping: The ability to create interactive prototypes allows designers to test and refine designs before development, saving time and resources. 

d) Collaboration features: Tools that allow multiple designers to work together on a project in real-time can greatly improve workflow and consistency. 

e) Responsiveness: The tool should be able to create responsive designs that adapt to different screen sizes and orientations. 

f) Integration: The ability to integrate with other tools in the design process, such as project management and version control tools, can streamline workflows. 

g) Design systems: The ability to create and manage design systems, including reusable components and styles, ensures consistency across projects. 

h) Customisability: A good tool allows designers to customise their workspace to their liking, helping them work more efficiently. 

i) Asset exporting: Easy exporting of design assets in various formats is crucial for passing designs to developers. 

j) Regular updates: Regular updates and enhancements to the tool based on user feedback ensure the tool remains relevant and useful. 

Learn to adapt web designs to screen sizes, by signing up for the Responsive Web Design Training Course now! 

Exploring the top 15 UI Design Tools  

Here is a list of the most used UI Design Tools, discussed in detail as follows: 

1) Adobe XD 

Here are the various aspects of Adobe XD, discussed as follows: 

a) Leading tool: Adobe XD is one of the most prominent UI/UX design tools in the industry, known for its robust features. 

b) Design & prototype: It provides an all-in-one solution for designing and prototyping user experiences for web and mobile. 

c) Interactive prototypes: Adobe XD allows the creation of interactive prototypes, enhancing the real-life feel of designs. 

d) Real-time collaboration: It offers real-time collaboration features, allowing designers to work together seamlessly. 

e) Integration: Adobe XD integrates well with other Adobe Suite products, making it easier to work across platforms. 

f) Responsive resize: This feature automatically adjusts and resizes design elements for different screen sizes, enhancing efficiency. 

g) Voice prototyping: Unique to Adobe XD, this feature allows designers to incorporate voice commands into their designs. 

h) Auto-animate: This feature helps create more engaging and realistic prototypes by automating animation between artboards. 

i) Free starter plan: Adobe XD offers a free starter plan, making it accessible for beginners or smaller projects. 

Learn to manipulate objects and work with styling, by signing up for the Adobe XD Masterclass Course now! 

2) Sketch 

Here are the various aspects of Sketch, discussed as follows: 

a) Mac-based: Sketch is a vector-based design tool built specifically for macOS, optimised for the Apple ecosystem. 

b) User-friendly interface: Its simple, clean interface makes it user-friendly and reduces the learning curve for new designers. 

c) Symbols: Sketch's Symbols feature allows designers to create reusable design components, saving time and ensuring consistency across designs. 

d) Plugins: Sketch supports a vast array of plugins, enhancing functionality and allowing designers to tailor the tool to their needs. 

e) Shared styles: This feature enables designers to apply consistent styles (like colours, fonts, etc.) across various elements. 

f) Artboards: Sketch uses artboards for designing different screens, which allows designers to see all screens simultaneously and visualise the overall user flow. 

g) Exporting features: Sketch makes it easy to export design elements, making it ideal for creating design assets. 

h) Collaboration: With Sketch Cloud, teams can share designs and gather feedback, improving design collaboration. 

3) Figma 

Here are the various aspects of Figma, discussed as follows: 

a) Cloud-based: Figma is a cloud-based design tool that allows designers to access their work from any device with an internet connection. 

b) Real-time collaboration: Figma’s collaborative approach enables multiple designers to work on the same project simultaneously, perfect for teamwork. 

d) Prototyping: With Figma, designers can create interactive prototypes with clickable regions and transitions, enhancing user experience design. 

d) Components: The Components feature in Figma allows for creating reusable design elements, improving consistency and efficiency. 

e) Design files: In Figma, all design files are stored in one place, reducing the risk of losing work and simplifying organisation. 

f) Auto layout: This feature enables designers to create responsive designs that automatically adjust when resizing or adding content. 

g) Multiplatform: As a browser-based tool, Figma is accessible on multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. 

i) Observation mode: Figma's Observation Mode lets stakeholders view the design process in real-time, promoting transparency and involvement. 

Learn to streamline design workflows and create compelling designs, by signing up for the Figma Training now! 

4) InVision  

Here are the various aspects of InVision, discussed as follows: 

a) Prototyping tool: InVision is best known as a prototyping tool, enabling designers to create interactive and animated designs. 

b) Collaboration: Its strong emphasis on collaboration allows designers, stakeholders, and clients to work together, share feedback, and make real-time changes. 

c) InVision Studio: With InVision Studio, designers can create complex animations and transitions, enhancing user experience. 

d) Design System Manager: InVision's Design System Manager ensures consistency across designs by allowing teams to manage design components centrally. 

e) Integration: InVision integrates well with tools like Sketch and Adobe Suite, providing a more comprehensive workflow. 

f) User testing: InVision allows user testing within the platform itself, capturing valuable user feedback to refine designs. 

g) Clickable prototypes: Designers can create high-fidelity, clickable prototypes, providing a realistic preview of the final product. 

h) Freehand: This unique feature provides a digital whiteboard for real-time collaboration, brainstorming, and sketching. 

5) Balsamiq 

Here are the various aspects of Balsamiq, discussed as follows: 

a) Wireframing tool: Balsamiq is a dedicated wireframing tool, focused on creating low-fidelity prototypes to sketch out ideas and design concepts. 

b) Drag-and-drop interface: Its simple, user-friendly interface allows designers to drag and drop components, making it quick and intuitive to use. 

c) Quick prototyping: Balsamiq prioritises speed, allowing designers to quickly create design layouts and get a sense of the user flow. 

d) Sketch-style aesthetics: The tool creates designs with a hand-drawn, sketch-like aesthetic, emphasising the 'draft' nature of the wireframes. 

e) Collaboration: Balsamiq supports real-time collaboration, enabling team members to work together seamlessly. 

6) Marvel 

Here are the various aspects of Marvel, discussed as follows: 

a) All-in-one platform: Marvel is a comprehensive design platform that caters to wireframing, prototyping, and user testing. 

b) User-friendly: With its intuitive interface, Marvel makes it easy for both experienced designers and beginners to create designs and prototypes. 

c) Interactive prototypes: It allows the creation of interactive prototypes, offering a realistic preview of the user interface and experience. 

d) Collaboration: Marvel supports real-time collaboration, enabling designers and stakeholders to work together and share feedback directly on the project. 

e) User testing: It provides in-built user testing and usability analytics to understand how users interact with designs. 

7) Axure RP 

Here are the various aspects of Axure RP, discussed as follows: 

a) Comprehensive tool: Axure RP is a comprehensive tool for wireframing, prototyping, and documenting, providing a complete solution for UX designers. 

b) Dynamic content: It allows for the creation of dynamic content like dropdown menus, draggable items, and variable-driven designs. 

c) Conditional logic: With Axure RP, designers can add conditional logic to their designs to simulate complex, realistic interactions. 

d) Collaboration: It supports real-time co-editing and automatic updates, improving team collaboration and workflow. 

e) Annotations: Axure RP allows designers to add notes and annotations to their wireframes, providing clearer design context and intent. 

8) Gravit Designer 

Here are the various aspects of Gravit Designer, discussed as follows: 

a) Vector design tool: Gravit Designer is a full-featured vector design app suitable for all kinds of jobs, from screen and icon designs to presentations, illustrations and animations. 

b) Cross-platform: As a web-based tool, it works across different platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS. 

c) Flexible layouts: It offers flexible layouts for creating responsive designs, ensuring a great user experience across different devices. 

d) Version history: Gravit Designer includes a version history feature, enabling designers to track changes and revert to previous versions. 

e) Strong typography tools: It offers comprehensive typography tools, providing great control over text in designs. 

9) Zeplin 

Here are the various aspects of Zeplin, discussed as follows: 

a) Handoff tool: Zeplin is primarily a design handoff tool, streamlining the transition from designers to developers. 

b) Design specs: It automatically generates accurate specs, assets and code snippets from designs, saving time and preventing misunderstandings. 

c) Collaboration: Zeplin fosters collaboration between designers and developers by providing a shared workspace for discussion and feedback. 

d) Integration: Zeplin integrates with leading design tools like Sketch, Adobe XD, and Figma, enabling a smooth workflow. 

e) Organised projects: It allows you to organise projects in a neat and structured way, improving project management. 

10) Affinity Designer 

Here are the various aspects of Affinity Designer, discussed as follows: 

a) Hybrid tool: Affinity Designer is a hybrid tool, offering both vector and raster capabilities within the same workspace. 

b) Performance: Known for its speed and performance, it can handle complex designs without slowing down. 

c) Precision: Affinity Designer offers precision tools and features, allowing for detailed and accurate designs. 

d) Grids and guides: Its advanced grids and guides are ideal for creating complex layouts and aligning elements with precision. 

e) Non-destructive operations: Its non-destructive operations enable designers to make changes without permanently affecting the original design.  

11) UXPin 

Here are the various aspects of UXPin, discussed as follows: 

a) Full-featured UX tool: UXPin is a comprehensive UX design tool that encompasses wireframing, prototyping, and documentation. 

b) Interactive states: UXPin allows the creation of interactive states within one element, offering a higher level of design detail and realism. 

c) Code-based design: It is built on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, resulting in code-based designs and high-fidelity prototypes. 

d) Design systems: UXPin provides capabilities for creating and managing design systems, ensuring design consistency. 

e) Collaboration: Its robust collaboration features allow designers and stakeholders to communicate and provide feedback directly on the designs. 

12) Webflow 

Here are the various aspects of Webflow, discussed as follows: 

a) Visual web design tool: Webflow is a unique tool that allows designers to design, build, and launch responsive websites visually, without coding. 

b) Responsive design: It provides capabilities for creating designs that automatically adapt to different screen sizes. 

c) CMS integration: Webflow includes a built-in CMS, allowing designers to define custom content types and integrate them directly into designs. 

d) Interactions and animations: It offers a wide range of pre-built animations and interactions, enhancing the user experience. 

e) Hosting and deployment: Webflow handles hosting and deployment, making it a one-stop solution for web design. 

13) Justinmind 

Here are the various aspects of Justinmind, discussed as follows: 

a) Prototyping tool: Justinmind is a tool specifically designed for creating high-fidelity web and mobile app prototypes. 

b) Interactive prototypes: It allows the creation of interactive and dynamic prototypes, providing a realistic preview of the user interface and experience. 

c) Extensive widget library: Justinmind has an extensive library of pre-made widgets, including forms, buttons, and containers. 

d) Data lists and grids: It enables the creation of data-driven lists and grids, simulating real-world applications. 

e) Collaboration and feedback: Justinmind offers features for collaborative design and feedback collection, making teamwork easier. 

14) Origami Studio 

a) Developed by Facebook: Origami Studio is a free design tool created by Facebook, used for designing and prototyping interfaces. 

b) Advanced prototyping: It offers advanced prototyping features, such as touch gestures and device motion, providing a realistic preview of the user experience.

c) Live preview: Origami Studio supports live previews on mobile devices, allowing designers to test and tweak designs in real-time. 

d) Components and logic: It provides a range of components and logic operations, facilitating complex interactive designs. 

e) Integration: Origami Studio integrates with Sketch, allowing designers to import and use Sketch files directly in their prototypes. 

15) Proto.io 

a) Interactive prototyping: Proto.io is a web-based tool designed for creating interactive and animated prototypes of mobile and web interfaces. 

b) Drag and drop interface: Its user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface allows designers to create prototypes without any coding. 

c) User testing: Proto.io supports user testing with a variety of features, including usability analytics and user feedback. 

d) Collaboration: It offers powerful collaboration tools, enabling real-time co-editing and feedback sharing amongst team members. 

e) Integration: Proto.io integrates with numerous design and communication tools, enhancing the workflow. 

Conclusion 

UI Design Tools play a crucial role in the digital product design process. Each tool presents unique features, from interactive prototyping to advanced animations and collaboration capabilities. When building a UI Design Portfolio, selecting the right tool depends on the project's specific requirements and the team's preferences.

More importantly, as designers, staying updated about these tools can open up new possibilities and enhance the overall design process, leading to the creation of superior and user-friendly interfaces. Being well-versed in these tools can also help you confidently answer common UI Designer Interview Questions, demonstrating your expertise in crafting effective designs.

Acquire the skills to build and test an application prototype, by signing up for the UX/UI Design Jumpstart Course now!