Top 10 UX Design tools in 2023
UX Design is an extremely important aspect of any business. It is important to create a website in a way that ensures an easy and enjoyable experience for its users. A good UX Design will make sure that the website is easy to understand, leads the user in a direction, and is able to keep the audience engaged. But before that, it is crucial for you to be organized as well. A step prior to heading on to any design software is to have a rough sketch of what you wish your design to look like. You can check out some of our merchandise to kickstart your design journey!
However, UX design is not a one-time deal. As time changes, trends change as well. So does the way people interact with the design. Gone are the days when people expected pamphlets to know about new products and services. It is all digital now. People now get attracted to a completely different type of content. That’s why it’s important for UX designers to keep upgrading themselves. To do the same, there are different types of UX Design Tools that will help the designers keep up their game. These are as follows:
Lunacy
Lunacy is free-of-cost software available for Windows users. It offers visual libraries that are directly integrated into the software, 100,000 high-quality free icons, photo stock with over 50,000 assets, etc. This software allows you easy and rapid access to UI Prototyping, testing brand concepts within little time. You wouldn’t have to add extra assets or think about how you are going to add them to the software.
Pros:
- Free
- Easy to Install and Setup
- Easy to use
- Wide Library of high-quality graphic assets
- Available to work offline
Cons:
- Limited advanced features
- Export only in Sketch or PNG
- No collaboration features
Sketch
The sketch is specifically available for Mac users and is priced at $99. One of the best things about this software is its extensive plugin ecosystem. It allows you to keep the React components within the software and access them instantly. You can further export your work in GIF, HTML, CSS, and GIT. You can not only customize your own design but also the environment you are designing it in. Along with all the features, it also has symbols, responsive grids, layer styles ad much more. However, it is paid software. Make sure that before you start on Sketch, do sketch out some of your ideas on our Sketchpad!
Pros:
- Extensive Plugin Ecosystem
- Extensive documentation
Cons:
- Weak text formatting as compared to others
- Available only for Mac users
Justinmind
Justinmind is paid software for prototyping and designing tools for $19 per month (per user). It is majorly for the making of websites and mobile applications. But you are not restricted, it can be used to design any kind of user interface. One of the major functions of this software is that it lets you focus on creating interactive screens of all types. You can go from clickable wireframes and interactive prototypes. While wireframing is important, it is also important to ensure that you have a rough sketch before heading to the software. Check out our wireframing notebook.
Pros:
- Strong animation
- Interactive Features
- Built-in ability
Cons:
- Paid software
- Not fit for first-time UX Designers
Figma
Figma is online software that allows you to do collaborative designs. It is perfect for people who like to create designs together in real-time. It is available for both Windows and Mac. If you are going for a basic version, it’s free of cost. If you are looking for a professional version, the price is $12.
Pros:
- Available online
- Focus on collaboration
- Free plan for solo designers
Cons:
- Online (can’t be used offline but you can edit if the file was already open)
- Tricky fluid prototypes
Adobe XD
It is available for both macOS and Windows. It offers standard UI design features along with a simple format and innovative touches. The price of the software starts from $9.99.
Pros:
- Free
- Available for both Mac and Windows
- Voice Commands
Cons:
- Free version limits collaboration
- No touch and gesture support for prototypes
Origami
When it comes to interactivity with the screens, origami is the go-to. If you are someone who is familiar with blueprint systems or decision trees before, it’ll be easy for you to understand this software and its tools. Origami offers you to fine-tune timings, spacing, animation types, and much more. The price of the software starts from $24 per month.
Pros:
- Free
- Suitable for complex interactions
- You can use it on mobile as well with the Origami app
Cons:
- Basic in-status UX design tools
- Different workflow than other design tools
InVision Studio
It is available for both Windows and macOS. It is perfect for collaborative designing with functions like “Live Collaboration with Freehand” which allows the users to schedule review sessions in the browser. However, everyone must have an InVision account.
Pros:
- Collaboration tools
- Free
Cons:
- Uncommon UI
- Basic workflow
Framer
It is good software with all the basic features that a design tool must have but it does get tricky while working with code. It helps with plugins and extensions and also supports Reach components. You can code your components in React and then export them to FramerX Canvas.
Pros:
- Downloadable UI Components and Kits
- Unique workflow
Cons:
- Only for Mac users
- You need to learn coding to be able to use this software fully.
GravitDesigner
GravitDesigner is vector software, more suited for creating custom vector illustrations than UI interfaces. It does not support interactions, responsive grids, and embedded UI kits.
Pros:
- Professional vector editing
- Easy to learn and use
- Available online
Cons:
- Not exactly for UX Design
- The offline version requires a paid subscription which is $48.50.
Marvel
Marvel is a UI prototyping software that works only in your browser. It has a user-friendly interface and multiple UI Building features just like any other good designing tool. Along with many other features, it allows you to test your design. You can check within the software itself as to how will the users interact with your design. The price starts at $12. Further, it is important to keep notes of what you do and what your clients have to say. Get our journal mapping notebook now!
Pros:
- Simple
- Stable
- Multiple integrations
Cons:
- Not available offline
These are some of the finest designing tools available in the market for you to learn. We at Imaginxp ensure that the students who enroll with us are well-trained in being able to use any software with ease. You can check the guide and merchandise here.