UX Design Tools: Top 17 Tools to Use in 2024
High-profile designers are always looking for the most optional UX design tools that provide a straightforward workflow combined with cutting-edge technologies. What’s the point? You need to cover various user experience (UX) design needs like prototyping, wireframing, etc.
Choosing a UX design tool becomes mind-blowing when you consider your requirements for a specific system and compare the features of thousands of toolkits. That’s where UX designers usually get stuck and spend weeks reviewing numerous descriptions and lists of the best tools.
Let us guess: you don’t have much time to research through endless UX software. That’s why we’ve prepared a comprehensive list that covers systems for any request, from testing to AI-generated solutions. Take 10 minutes and learn about various tools you can implement for your projects.
What are UX design tools?
Tools for UX design represent technologies and systems that help designers create impactful and data-driven solutions. By implementing feature-rich tools, specialists can provide robust services from conceptualizing ideas and user mapping to complex prototyping.
Designing an outstanding UX stands for multiple types of needed software, and, as a result, UX designers create user-oriented visuals and high-performing user interfaces. Moreover, the diversity of these tools is simultaneously aimed at junior and senior-level experts. Moreover, specific services offer custom features for custom requests, concentrating on wireframing, UX strategy, etc.
In addition to various options, such toolkits differ in pricing, scale, advanced options, platforms they can be used with, and more unique demands. So, the point is to find software that caters to problems you need to solve and goals to reach. Let’s dive into the current list of various UX tools with detailed descriptions of pricing models, features, benefits, and challenges.
17 Best UX design tools
Let’s refer to the top-tier software designers can use to empower businesses with the best user experience and provide advanced services.
Adobe
It’s a multi-platform UI UX design tool for designers who work with complex projects and create an outstanding user interface. The company offers various services, including Adobe XD, which involves four options for designing, prototyping, building components and libraries, and collaborations.
Additionally, each benefit has multiple features aimed at creating a part of a UI or UX solution within a UX design process. To name a few advantages, Adobe allows users to co-work with other team members and save drafts or completed projects using Creative Cloud. Both beginners and experienced users can work with this tool thanks to detailed video and article tutorials.
Features:
- Activity dashboard,
- Collaboration tools,
- Prototype creation,
- Third-party integrations,
- Data import/export,
- API, etc.
Pricing:
The pricing starts from $9,99 per month, and new users can apply for a free trial. Or you can choose a subscription model for Creative Cloud features.
Figma
One of the complex UI UX design tools with numerous plugins that allow you to create vector designs and prototypes, build layouts of the entire website, and create a unique design. One of the leading advantages is that Figma enables several users to work in the same space, facilitating the workflow and simplifying communication between team members.
You also don’t have to download or launch any software; just sign up and start working within your browser using a laptop, PC, tablet, or smartphone. Numerous templates and design-related features enable you to create wireframes or prototypes quickly, minimizing unnecessary efforts.
Features:
- Third-party integrations,
- API,
- Design templates,
- UX/UI prototyping,
- Usability testing,
- Software prototyping, etc.
Pricing:
The pricing model stands for four possible options: a free one allows 3 Figma and 3 projects, Professional costs $12 ($15 month-to-month), Organization costs $45 per month, and Enterprise — $75 per month.
Sketch
It is a versatile tool for working with macOS and creating related design projects. Extensive functionality covers various options for experts who want to create full-fledged solutions: vector creation, plugins, choosing a color scheme, prototyping, etc. Designers can cooperate with other team members, share their templates, and discuss and edit in real time.
Features:
- Prototype creation,
- Customizable templates,
- Design templates,
- Visual modeling, etc.
Pricing:
When it comes to prices, Sketch offers a free trial for 30 days, and then you can apply for three options: $10 for Standart, $20 for a Business plan, and $120 for a Mac-only license.
InVision Studio
This UX tool helps teams organize space for brainstorming, sharing and evaluating ideas, creating mockups, and much more. InVision’s robust functionality makes prototyping, user testing, and other related options straightforward and effortless. One of the most significant benefits is that a UX designer can sync files from other platforms like Photoshop or other software.
Features:
- UX prototyping,
- Design management,
- Data synchronization,
- Prototype creation, etc.
Pricing:
Depending on your needs, you can choose a subscription model between the Freehand plan, which offers prices from $ 0 to $ 4 and an Enterprise option, and the InVision Cloud plan, which has a free plan with limited functionality, a $ 7.95 per user annulled bill, and an Enterprise option.
MockFlow
MockFlow is a UX design tool that offers a toolkit for product designing that helps specialists create data-driven UI solutions. The number of features is broad, covering processes from UI research to brainstorming and, additionally, the possibility to work with any type of document, including PDFs and videos. Among other tools, this one suits startups and enterprises, providing options for design needs and integration, managing, and other requirements.
Features:
- Heatmaps,
- Prototype creation,
- User research analysis,
- Design management, etc.
Pricing:
A yearly subscription allows users to save 25%. However, you can choose among four variants: a free Basic plan, $14 Wireframing, $19 Product Design, $160 Enterprise (annual), or apply for a Startup plan, which costs $99 for 6 months.
Origami Studio
Origami represents a set of services aimed at creating prototypes, visualizations, and other design-related features. With the ability to integrate third-party apps like Figma and Sketch, the quality of communication improves simultaneously. Users can build comprehensive prototypes considering UX design trends and cutting-edge technologies. The tool was developed by Facebook designers, empowered by numerous patterns and templates for a streamlined design.
Features:
- Prototype creation,
- Interactive interfaces,
- Integration with Sketch,
- API, etc.
Pricing:
Origami Studio is a free tool for macOS users, you can download it from their website and start using it right after launching the needed software.
Pencil Project
It’s a free UX design tool for prototyping and creating mockups, widely used by freelancers and small companies. It’s a perfect software with various collections of templates and shapes, the possibility to implement multiple clipart, and other features. Pencil Project is one of the open-source UX design tools that supports various operating systems. Intuitively designed, this tool is also perfect for beginners who want to gain experience in prototyping.
Features:
- Importing and exporting data,
- Prototyping,
- Drag & Drop, etc.
Pricing:
Using this tool begins as soon as you download and launch the software for your macOS or Windows. You can find the latest releases on the official website.
Framer
One of the free UX design tools is recognized as a full-fledged system for providing a seamless user experience within a high-functional prototype. Moreover, users are allowed not only to present the visual part of a future product like a website or an app, but also to test the features, animate them, and more with a code-based approach. Additionally, with the ability to work with team members on one project simultaneously, it became easier to communicate in real-time mode.
Features:
- Design templates,
- Third-party integrations,
- Design management,
- Wireframe creation, etc.
Pricing:
Framer has a free plan for small projects, which allows you to create robust UX design solutions online without downloading any software.
Justinmind
This UX design software has a free plan that allows designers to access variable capabilities for prototyping, UI/UX, and collaboration in real time. Specific tools for web and mobile interfaces, empowered by vector designing, offer the possibility to create a multi-device solution. Designers can export finished projects in any primary format from PNG to SVG, integrate visual elements from third-party apps, and much more.
Features:
- Wireframe creation,
- UI Prototyping,
- Design templates, etc.
Pricing:
Justinmind offers free access to UI wireframing and prototyping, including interactive forms, vector and pen tools, and many other benefits. For advanced features, there are three more subscription models.
Mockplus
Numerous world-famous companies, including IBM, Microsoft, and Samsung, trust this online-based tool. Many customers consider Mockplus the best UX design tool due to its vast number of services and Cloud solution that is integrable with 10 different platforms like Jira, Figma, Axure, and more. Moreover, you can create a code-free design using mockups and templates from custom libraries.
Features:
- Prototyping,
- Wireframing,
- Third-party integrations,
- Feedback collecting, etc.
Pricing:
The pricing model has two options: Mockplus PR and Mockplus Cloud. Each has a free Basic plan and two additional options, Pro and Ultimate, and a solution for Enterprises. Mockplus PR starts at $10,95, and the Cloud version costs $4,95 monthly.
UXPin
As UXPin mentions on its website, the primary goal is to simplify the transition from prototyping the future product to delivering it to the end-users. A designer who wants to create a robust interface can implement numerous components from other platforms. With this UI design tool, specialists can prototype pop-up and sign-up forms and various apps, create seamless website navigation, and much more.
Features:
- Handoff,
- Git & Storybook integrations,
- Fluent UI library,
- Prototyping, etc.
Pricing:
There are four options depending on the business needs: $29 for Advanced, $69 for Professional, $119 for Company, and custom price for Enterprise levels. The free version allows the creation of 2 prototypes, adding an endless number of users, using design libraries, etc.
Typeform
Typeform is one of the best UX design tools suitable not only for designers but also for marketing specialists. The software aimed to help experts create impactful interfaces effortlessly, collect user feedback, and improve the product until it meets customers’ expectations. With a vast number of templates, developing feature-rich UIs becomes a straightforward process.
Features:
- Reporting/Analytics,
- Feedback management,
- API,
- Online forms, etc.
Pricing:
Typeform presents four possible options for a yearly subscription in addition to a free plan: €21/month for the Basic one, €46/month for the Plus plan, €75/month for Business, and the price for Enterprise defined based on your needs.
Optimal Workshop
Using this online UX design tool, designers benefit themselves with deep analytics for UX research based on online surveys, first-click testing, qualitative research, etc. With intuitive data visualization, a UX designer can analyze the results effortlessly and make data-driven decisions when improving user experience. In addition to six leading products, Optimal Workshop offers solutions for UX design and Informative architecture.
Features:
- Visual analytics,
- Product demos,
- Card sorting, etc.
Pricing:
When it comes to pricing models, you can apply for monthly and annual payments. A free account provides access for 1 user with limited features for other annual plans: Pro plan, the most popular one, costs $208/month, Team $191/user monthly, and custom price for Enterprise.
Uizard
It’s an incredible tool for web and application prototyping that uses AI and doesn’t require any tech or design experience. Users can generate various UI elements describing the idea and receive results within a few minutes. Uizard allows teams to work in real-time mode; the generation process takes simple steps: choose a device you need UI for, provide a brief overview of the project’s desired design style, and enjoy the full-fledged interface.
Features:
- UI components library,
- Design templates,
- AI design,
- Wireframing, etc.
Pricing:
A free account allows you to create 2 projects and receive 10 templates. For more beneficial features, they can choose the Pro plan, which starts at $12/month (annual), a Business plan of $39 for a creator per month (billed yearly), and an Enterprise plan for companies with specific requests.
Khroma
The tool for UX design is aimed at helping users choose colors more efficiently and quickly, presenting their business with outstanding color combinations. Various UX design examples show that the psychology of colors works for target audiences differently. Thereby, AI-trained algorithms will pick palettes based on the business’s uniqueness, and designers can implement them when creating mockups and pictures, choosing colors for buttons, etc.
Features:
- Colors filter,
- Colors generating,
- Various color libraries, etc.
Pricing:
Khroma is free to use, offering advanced features that designers can use by clicking on one button and being redirected to the toolkit.
Visily
VisilIy provides a suite of features for designing prototypes and wireframing using pre-made templates powered by AI. World-class brands like Rakuten, Microsoft, Udemy, and many UX design companies trust the tool. The use cases are not limited to prototypes but cover collaboration, brainstorming, and other aspects. Experts produce new designs, sketches, and other solutions more efficiently with a robust toolkit.
Features:
- UI templates,
- Wireframing and prototyping,
- Co-design,
- Data export (Figma), etc.
Pricing:
For now, you can use VisilIy for free. Further, a Pro plan will allow the use of more templates, prioritized supports, and many more options.
Marvel
Marvel is a UX design tool with a bunch of benefits for a seamless and comprehensive work process. After signing up, the user receives access to four main features and five additional options. AI allows this tool to create prototypes and wireframing within minutes, provide handoff design and development processes, conduct user testing, and more.
Features:
- Integrations,
- Handoff,
- Collaboration, etc.
Pricing:
You can receive various benefits that differ by the number of features when applying for a yearly or monthly bill. A free account allows one project for a single user; however, paying for an annual subscription, experts can choose among the Pro plan — €10/month, Team — €30/month, or communicate for Enterprise level and receive the individual project.
How can I choose tools for UX design?
Searching for the outstanding one among the numerous UX design tools depends not only on your needs. Being one of the most experienced UX design agencies in London, Limeup experts outlined four leading points for you not to be overwhelmed with the research.
- Define the scope of work and requirements. Foremost, depending on the project’s needs, you can choose an all-in-one tool or target a particular request, like UX research or a color palette. Secondly, consider your design skills since some UX tools may be too complicated for beginners or, otherwise, not cover complex projects.
- Consider budget and timeframes. You may wonder how these points are comparable; we will say they determine each other. For example, you can apply for AI-powered software for emerging prototyping tasks, thereby, you have to consider the budget within the cost of such a service.
- Compare various software. After defining your needs, it’s time to outline the pros and cons of each option. You can accomplish this with the help of our list, outlining the most significant features of your future product. Additionally, check the testimonials, reviews, and successful projects.
- Apply for free trials and test the functionality. Typically, UX design tools have demos for customers to check scalability, interface, templates, etc. Mostly, you only need to sign up with an account or download software and quickly test the tool. Another option is to refer to ready-made demos or how-to videos.
What is the leading UX design tool?
The list includes Figma, Adobe XD, and Sketch tools, well-known for their all-in-one services and robust solutions. Leveraging our experience as one of London design agencies, we would like to note that the popularity of tools depends on the functionality, but most of all, on the industry’s nuances, the designer’s skills and expertise, etc.
Among other points that influence in-demand tools is the ability to adapt and implement leading-edge technologies, such as AI. It’s also essential to what high-quality services a brand provides and how the tools facilitate the designing process for companies.
When it comes to the listed services, they are staying in demand because they offer customers a comprehensive set of features, covering needs from creating a project from scratch to redesigning an existing website or an app.
Summing up on UX design tools
Companies understand that UI and UX design is the part of your website or app with one of the most impactful influences on end-users. Along with presenting the business and playing an eye-catching role, outstanding user experience is vital for companies that want to remain competitive. UX designers empower their solutions with full-fledged platforms with tools aimed at prototyping and wireframing future products.
You can now choose the most suitable platform to optimize your prototyping workflow and facilitate UX design creation. We investigated toolkits for user experience and defined four crucial points to pay attention to so that your search will be straightforward and seamless.