16 Essential UX Design Tools for UX Designers
UX design is an ever-evolving field, and the tools used to create great user experiences are also evolving. Designers are always looking for the latest and most excellent tools, but it can take time to know where to start. In this article, we'll look at the 16 essential UX design tools for professional UX designers.
Introduction to UX Design Tools
It's no secret that UX design tools are essential for any professional UX designer. They provide the necessary tools for creating user experiences that are both engaging and effective. But with so many tools and software packages available, it can take time to know which ones are the best for your needs.
To help you make the best possible decision, we've collected a list of the best UX design tools available. We've broken them down into categories, so you can find the right tool for your specific needs.
Types of UX Design Tools
Various types of UX design tools are available, each with its own features and capabilities. Here are some popular types of UX design tools:
Wireframing tools: Wireframing tools allow you to create mockups of your user interface designs. You can use them to create a skeletal design version before adding more detailed elements.
Prototyping tools: Prototyping tools let you create interactive design versions. They allow you to test and refine your design before committing to a final version.
Design tools: Design tools let you create visual interfaces for your user experience. They usually include features such as custom fonts, color palettes, and visual components.
Collaboration tools: Collaboration tools allow you to get feedback from stakeholders and clients on your designs. They can also be used for collaboration between designers and developers.
Popular UX Design Tools
Now you are well aware of different types of UX design tools, let's look at some of the most popular tools available.
1. Figma
Figma is a cloud-based UI and UX design tool allowing you to collaborate with your team in real time. It includes features such as a drag-and-drop interface, collaborative design tools, and the ability to add comments and feedback to designs.
Pricing
Figma offers free and paid plans with different pricing tiers, depending on the user's needs. Here are the pricing options for Figma:
Free Plan: The complementary plan includes up to three projects, unlimited files and pages, and basic design and collaboration features.
Professional Plan: The Professional plan costs $12 per editor per month when billed annually or $15 per editor per month when billed monthly. This plan includes unlimited projects, version history, team libraries, commenting and presentation tools, and more.
Organization Plan: The Organization plan is designed for larger teams and costs $45 per editor per month when billed annually; it has no monthly billing. This plan includes everything in the Professional program, plus additional features such as SSO (Single Sign-On), user roles and permissions, advanced analytics, and priority support.
Education Plan: Figma also offers a free Education plan for students and teachers, which includes all the Professional program features for free.
Figma offers flexible pricing options for designers and teams of all sizes and budgets, making it a popular choice among design professionals.
2. Adobe XD
Adobe XD is a powerful UX design tool that allows you to create interactive prototypes. It includes features such as vector-based drawing tools, a library of assets, and integration with Adobe's Creative Cloud.
Pricing
Here are the pricing options for Adobe XD:
Free Plan: The free plan includes basic design and collaboration features such as design and prototyping tools, sharing capabilities, and mobile preview. Single App Plan: The Single App plan costs $9.99 per month and includes Adobe XD, 100 GB cloud storage, and exclusive access to Adobe Fonts and Adobe Portfolio.
Creative Cloud All Apps Plan: The Creative Cloud All Apps plan costs $52.99 per month and includes all Adobe innovative apps, including Adobe XD, Photoshop, Illustrator, and more.
Students and Teachers Plan: Adobe offers a discount of over 60% for students and teachers, making the Single App plan available for $19.99 monthly.
Business and Enterprise Plans: Adobe offers tailored pricing options for companies and enterprises, depending on their size and needs. These plans include additional features such as user management, onboarding and training, and enterprise-level support.
Overall, Adobe XD offers a range of pricing options for designers and teams of all sizes and budgets, with additional features available for businesses and enterprises. The free plan also makes it accessible for beginners and small-scale projects.
3. Sketch
Sketch is a popular Mac-based design tool allowing you to quickly and easily create vector-based designs. It includes features such as an intuitive interface, symbols and styles, and the ability to export your creations to a range of formats.
Pricing
Here are the pricing options for Sketch:
Free Trial: Sketch offers a 30-day free trial, including all the paid version's features.
Standard License: A standard license for Sketch costs $99, which includes a year of updates. After the first year, users can continue using the software without updates or renew the license for $79 per year to continue receiving updates.
Sketch for Business: Sketch for Teams is designed for larger teams and offers additional collaboration and design management features. The pricing for Sketch for Teams starts at $20 per editor per month when billed annually,
Education Discount: Sketch offers a 50% discount on all licenses for students and teachers with valid educational email addresses.
4. Balsamiq
Balsamiq is a low-fidelity wireframing tool that allows you to create mockups quickly and easily. It includes drag-and-drop design elements, a library of pre-built widgets, and collaboration tools.
Pricing
Here are the pricing options for Balsamiq:
Free Trial: Balsamiq offers a 30-day free trial, which includes all features of the paid version.
Perpetual License: A perpetual license for Balsamiq costs $89 per user, which includes one year of updates and support. After the first year, users can continue using the software without updates or renew the license for $39 per user per year to continue receiving updates and support.
Balsamiq Cloud: Balsamiq Cloud is a web-based version of Balsamiq that allows teams to collaborate on wireframes in real time. The pricing for Balsamiq Cloud starts at $9 per user per month when billed annually or $12 per user per month when billed monthly.
The free trial also makes it accessible for beginners and those looking to try the software before purchasing.
5. InVision
InVision is a cloud-based prototyping and collaboration tool for UX designers. It includes features such as an intuitive interface, version control, and sharing and collaborating with stakeholders.
Pricing
Here are the pricing options for InVision:
Free Plan: The free plan includes basic design and collaboration features such as design and prototyping tools, unlimited documents and boards, and up to one prototype.
Pro Plan: The Pro plan costs $7.95 per user per month when billed annually or $9.95 per user per month when billed monthly. It includes additional features such as unlimited prototypes, unlimited storage, and access to design system management tools.
Enterprise Plan: The Enterprise plan is designed for larger organizations and offers additional security, customization, and support features. The pricing for the Enterprise plan is available upon request.
Freehand: InVision also offers a separate product called Freehand, a collaborative whiteboarding tool for brainstorming and ideation. Freehand is available for free.
Overall, InVision offers a range of pricing options for designers and teams of all sizes and budgets, with additional features available for larger organizations. The free plan and Freehand tool make it accessible for beginners and smaller-scale projects.
6. Framer
Framer is a popular prototyping tool allowing you to quickly and easily create interactive prototypes. It includes features such as an intuitive interface, a library of components, and integration with popular design tools.
Pricing
Here are the pricing options for Framer:
Free Plan: The free plan includes basic design and prototyping features, with limitations on project size and access to advanced features.
Mini Plan: The Mini plan costs 5 per user per month when billed annually or $10 per user per month when billed monthly.
Plus Plan: The Plus plan costs $15 per user per month when billed annually or $20 per user per month when billed monthly. It includes additional features such as unlimited projects, advanced prototyping and animation tools, and access to the Framer Motion library.
Pro Plan: The Pro plan costs $25 per user per month when billed annually or $30 per user per month when billed monthly. It includes all features of the Plus plan, as well as advanced collaboration and design handoff features.
Enterprise Plan: The Enterprise plan is designed for larger organizations and offers additional security, customization, and support features. The pricing for the Enterprise plan is available upon request.
Overall, Framer offers a range of pricing options for designers and teams of all sizes and budgets, with additional features available for larger organizations. The advanced animation and interaction capabilities of Framer make it a popular choice for designers looking to create high-fidelity prototypes with complex interactions.
7. Marvel
Marvel is a prototyping and collaboration tool that allows you to create interactive prototypes and collaborate with stakeholders. It includes features such as an intuitive interface, version control, and collaboration tools.
Pricing
Here are the pricing options for Marvel:
Free Plan: The free plan includes basic design and collaboration features such as design and prototyping tools, unlimited projects, and up to two users.
Pro Plan: The Pro plan costs $12 per user per month when billed annually or $16 per user per month when billed monthly. It includes additional features such as unlimited users, design handoff, advanced collaboration and commenting, and integrations with tools like Sketch and Figma.
Team Plan: The Team plan is designed for larger teams and organizations and includes all features of the Pro plan, as well as additional security, customization, and support features. The pricing for the Team plan is available upon request.
Overall, Marvel offers a range of pricing options for designers and teams of all sizes and budgets, with additional features available for larger organizations. Integrating other tools, such as Sketch and Figma, makes it a popular choice for designers who use multiple design tools in their workflow. The free plan also makes it accessible for beginners and those looking to try out the software before purchasing.
8. Zeplin
Zeplin is a popular collaboration tool that allows you to share designs with developers quickly and easily. It includes features such as a library of components, a drag-and-drop interface, and integration with popular design tools.
Pricing
Here are the pricing options for Zeplin:
Free Plan: The free plan includes basic design handoff features such as design specs, code snippets, and limited project sharing.
Team Plan: The Starter plan costs $8 per month/seat when billed annually or $10 per month when billed monthly. It includes only 12 projects.
Organization Plan: The Pro plan costs $16 per month when billed annually or $20 per month when billed monthly. It includes additional features such as unlimited projects, design collaboration, and design system management tools access.
Enterprise Plan: The Enterprise plan is designed for larger organizations and offers additional security, customization, and support features. The pricing for the Enterprise plan is available upon request.
Overall, Zeplin offers a range of pricing options for designers and teams of all sizes and budgets, with additional features available for larger organizations. The streamlined design handoff process and integration with popular design tools such as Sketch and Figma make it a popular choice for designers and developers. The free plan also makes it accessible for beginners and those looking to try out the software before purchasing.
9. Origami
Origami is a prototyping tool that allows you to create high-fidelity, interactive prototypes quickly and easily. It includes features such as a drag-and-drop interface, a library of components, and integration with popular design tools.
Pricing
Origami is a prototyping tool for designing and testing interactive interfaces and animations for web and mobile apps. It was created by Facebook and is based on their internal design tools.
Here are the pricing options for Origami:
Free Plan: Origami is entirely free to download and use, with access to all features.
Overall, Origami is a powerful, free prototyping tool popular among designers and developers. Its integration with other Facebook design tools, such as Sketch
10. Atomic
Atomic is a popular UI design tool allowing you to quickly and easily create vector-based designs. It includes features such as a library of components, a drag-and-drop interface, and integration with popular design tools.
Pricing
Here are the pricing options for Atomic:
Free Plan: The free plan includes basic design and collaboration features such as design and prototyping tools, up to 10 screens, and one user.
Starter Plan: The Starter plan costs $15 per user per month when billed annually or $19 per user per month when billed monthly. It includes additional features such as unlimited projects, screens, and users.
Pro Plan: The Pro plan costs $25 per user per month when billed annually or $29 per user per month when billed monthly. It includes all features of the Starter plan, as well as advanced collaboration and user testing features.
Enterprise Plan: The Enterprise plan is designed for larger organizations and offers additional security, customization, and support features. The pricing for the Enterprise plan is available upon request.
Overall, Atomic offers a range of pricing options for designers and teams of all sizes and budgets, with additional features available for larger organizations.
11. Webflow
Webflow is a popular web design tool that allows you to create interactive, responsive websites quickly and easily. It includes features such as a library of components, a drag-and-drop interface, and integration with popular design tools.
Pricing
It has a variable pricing structure and can be viewed here.
Overall, Webflow is a robust web design and development platform, particularly for those without extensive coding knowledge. The range of pricing options makes it accessible for individuals and teams of all sizes and budgets, with additional features available for larger organizations. The drag-and-drop design tools and CMS capabilities make it popular for designers and developers who want to create and manage websites on one platform.
12. UXPin
UXPin is a popular design and prototyping tool that allows you to create interactive, high-fidelity prototypes quickly and easily. It includes features such as a library of components, a drag-and-drop interface, and collaboration tools.
Pricing
Basic Plan: The Basic plan costs $9 per month when billed annually or $12 per month when billed monthly. This plan includes basic design and collaboration features such as up to 5 active projects, basic design libraries, and collaboration tools for up to 2 users.
Advanced Plan: The Advanced plan costs $29 per month when billed annually or $39/per month when billed monthly. The advanced plan includes all the features of the first plan plus additional features such as unlimited projects, advanced design libraries, and collaboration tools for up to 10 users.
Professional Plan: The Professional plan costs $69 per month when billed annually or $83/per month when billed monthly. The professional plan includes all the features of the Advanced plan, plus advanced prototyping features, design systems, and collaboration tools for up to 50 users.
Enterprise Plan: The Enterprise plan is designed for larger organizations and offers additional security, customization, and support features. Pricing for this plan is available upon request.
All plans come with a free trial period of 7 days. Additionally, UXPin offers a 25% discount for all annual plans.
13. Axure
Axure is a popular prototyping tool that allows you to create interactive, high-fidelity prototypes quickly and easily. It includes features such as a library of components, a drag-and-drop interface, and collaboration tools.
Pricing
Here is an overview of the pricing structure for Axure, as listed on their website
Pro Plan: The Pro plan costs $25 per user per month when billed annually or $29 per user per month when billed monthly. This plan includes all the core features of Axure, such as wireframing, prototyping, collaboration, and design documentation.
Team Plan: The Team plan costs $42 per user per month when billed annually or $49 per user per month when billed monthly. This plan includes all the Pro plan's features and additional collaboration features such as team projects, shared workspaces, and version history.
Enterprise Plan: The Enterprise plan is designed for larger organizations and offers additional security, support, and customization features. Pricing for this plan is available upon request.
All plans come with a free trial period of 30 days. Additionally, Axure offers a 10% discount for all annual plans.
It's worth noting that Axure's pricing is based on the number of users who need access to the tool rather than the number of projects or features required. This means that the cost may vary depending on the size and needs of your team or organization.
14. Craft
Craft is a popular prototyping and collaboration tool that allows you to create interactive prototypes and collaborate with stakeholders. It includes features such as an intuitive interface, version control, and collaboration tools.
Pricing
Here is an overview of the pricing structure for Craft.io, as listed on their website :
Free Plan: The Free plan is suitable for small teams or individuals and includes essential features such as unlimited users, up to 3 products, and up to 100 user stories. This plan is entirely free of charge.
Essential Plan: The essential plan costs $39 per month when billed annually or $49 per month when billed monthly. This plan includes more advanced features such as unlimited products, up to 500 user stories, and integration with Jira and Trello.
Pro Plan: The Professional plan costs $89 per user per month when billed annually or $109 per user per month when billed monthly. This plan includes all the features of the essential plan plus additional features.
15. Proto.io
Proto.io is a popular prototyping tool that allows you to create interactive, high-fidelity prototypes quickly and easily. It includes features such as a library of components, a drag-and-drop interface, and integration with popular design tools.
Pricing
Here is an overview of the pricing structure for Proto.io, as listed on their website;
Freelancer Plan: The Freelancer plan costs $24 per month when billed annually or $29 per month when billed monthly. This plan includes unlimited prototypes, up to 5 users, and 1 GB of storage.
Startup Plan: The Startup plan costs $40 per month when billed annually or $49 per month when billed monthly. This plan includes all the features of the Freelancer plan, as well as additional features such as up to 10 users, 5 GB of storage, and user testing.
Agency Plan: The Business plan costs $80 per month when billed annually or $99 per month when billed monthly. This plan includes all the features of the Startup plan and additional features such as up to 20 users, 20 GB of storage, and custom branding
Corporate Plan: The Corporate plan is designed for larger organizations and offers additional security, support, and customization features. Pricing for this plan is available upon request.
All plans come with a free trial period of 15 days. Additionally, Proto.io offers a 20% discount for all annual plans.
It's worth noting that Proto.io's pricing is based on the number of users who need access to the tool rather than the number of projects or features required. This means that the cost may vary depending on the size and needs of your team or organization.
16. Optimal Workshop
Optimal Workshop is a widespread testing and research tool that allows you to get user feedback quickly and easily. It includes features like an intuitive interface, version control, and sharing and collaborating with stakeholders.
Pricing
Its pricing can be viewed here.
Conclusion
The above discussed are a few of the many UX design tools available. Knowing which options are the best for your needs can be tricky with so many options. However, by considering the types of tools available and the features offered by popular UX design tools, you can easily find the right tool for your specific needs. With the right tools in place, professional UX designers will be able to create user experiences that are both engaging and effective.
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