Creating a great mockup is one of the most important steps because these mockups or wireframes help the client understand how a proposed idea will look like in the end. Not too long ago web/app developers had to rely on Not too long ago web/app developers had to rely on MS Powerpoint or MS Word alone. Thankfully, times have changed and there are a lot of better and evolved wireframe and mockup tools now. In this post today, we have listed down 3 of the best design tools for mockups and wireframes.
1. Wireframe
Wireframe is essentially one of the minimalistic and simple wireframe tools available. The USP of this tool is that it offers distraction-free designing, meaning that the design elements are context-sensitive i.e., they are available only when they are required. This context sensitivity makes it a great tool to work with as the frame isn’t crowded with tools which aren’t needed. However, the However, the color options are a tad limited — currently, it offers only eight colors to work with. But on the brighter side, whichever elements are present, they can be seamlessly aligned and arranged. Along with the drawing elements, it also features a smart draw feature which lets you draw with precision. Plus, there’s an option to choose between grid lines or dots for the background as well. This tool is free to use or it can be upgraded to the pro version for $99/month, which unlocks features like links and exporting wireframes in PDF or PNG formats.
2. Figma
Figma not only helps in designing wireframes and mockups but also acts as a great collaborative tool. Similar to Wireframe, this tool lets you create a mockup from scratch and add in elements as you proceed. The upper hand that Figma has over Wireframe is that it doesn’t tie your hands with limited color shades. Instead, Figma lets you choose colors freely, along with different strokes and effects that you would like on a particular element. More than the mouse, you will have to weave your magic with a few keyboard shortcuts. This tool is a tad tough to learn initially, however, with time you’ll get a hang of it. From adding informative boxes and headings to the commenting feature — Figma contains all the features necessary to make it a great collaborative design tool. What’s more, it also has an Android app which will let you mirror the wireframes or mockups into your phone.
3. FluidUI
If you are not too keen on building projects from scratch, say hello to Fluid UI. This tool offers a diverse range of built-in libraries which are well suited for mobiles, tablets, and desktops. These built-in libraries have a bevy of ready-made icons, controls, search boxes, etc. What makes this tool an absolute favorite is that all the features are visually impressive and each category contains at least 10-12 different looks and designs. What’s more, you can easily create links between pages and see a bird’s eye view of the whole project. Pretty impressive, if you ask me. FluidUI is free to use and can be upgraded to the premium version for $8.25/month (Solo) or $41.58/month (Team). The upgrade unlocks an barray of options for unlimited projects, sharing and export options, cloning projects, etc.
That’s all, Folks!
So, these were three of the best design tools that help you build crazy and detailed wireframes and mockups for your projects. It’s a common knowledge that poorly thought out mockups eventually results in a bad development cycle and higher project costs. And you wouldn’t want that, would you? The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
