In the ever-evolving world of web design, designers and developers must stay up-to-date with the latest tools and technologies. These tools help to streamline the design process, enhance creativity, and ensure that websites are visually appealing, user-friendly, and responsive.
In this guide, we have compiled the 21 best web design tools to help you create stunning and efficient websites in 2023. From wireframing and prototyping to coding and collaboration, these tools cover various aspects of the web design process to make your work easier and more productive.
Webflow
Webflow is a web design platform that enables users to create responsive and interactive websites without coding. It offers a visual interface allowing users to drag and drop elements and design their sites on a “What You See Is What You Get” setting. Webflow offers a wide range of customizable templates, allowing users to get started quickly or to use them as a starting point for their designs.
Webflow’s features include a content management system (CMS) that allows users to manage and edit their site’s content without technical knowledge and advanced features such as eCommerce functionality, form creation, and web animations. Webflow provides hosting services, making launching and managing sites from within the platform easy.
Price Plan
Basic: $14/month
CMS: $23/month
Business: $39/month
Take control of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in a visual canvas. Webflow generates clean, semantic code that’s ready to publish or hand to developers.
Unbounce
Unbounce is a landing page builder and conversion optimization tool that helps marketers and business owners create and optimize landing pages for their online marketing campaigns. It offers a drag-and-drop interface that allows users to create custom landing pages without coding or technical expertise.
Unbounce’s key features include a range of customizable templates, A/B testing capabilities, and integration with popular marketing tools like Google Analytics and Salesforce. It also has a range of conversion-focused features, such as pop-ups, sticky bars, and dynamic text replacement, that can help increase conversions and improve the user experience.
Price Plan
Launch: $99/month
Optimize: $145/month
Accelerate: $240/month
Concierge: $625/month
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Hotjar
Hotjar is an all-in-one analytics and feedback software that allows website owners, designers, and developers to understand how users interact with their websites. It offers a range of features, including heatmaps, visitor recordings, and feedback polls, that provide insights into user behavior and enable website owners to make data-driven decisions.
Hotjar’s key features include heatmaps, which show how users interact with a website by highlighting areas that receive the most attention or clicks, and visitor recordings, which allow website owners to see how users navigate their website by recording their mouse movements, clicks, and scrolls. Hotjar also offers feedback polls and surveys, which can be used to compile feedback from users about their experience on the website.
Price Plan
Plus: $32/ month
Business: $80/ month
Scale: $171/ month
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Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Creative Cloud offers a variety of tools for web design and development.
Adobe XD
Adobe XD is a robust UI/UX design and prototyping tool for web and mobile app design. It allows you to create wireframes and interactive prototypes and collaborate with team members in real time. XD also integrates with other Adobe CC tools, like Photoshop and Illustrator, to streamline your design workflow.
Adobe Dreamweaver
Dreamweaver is a comprehensive web design and development tool that helps users to create, edit, and manage websites. It supports HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other popular web programming languages. Dreamweaver caters to beginners and experienced web developers with its visual design interface and code editor.
Adobe Photoshop
Although primarily known as a photo editing tool, Photoshop is also used for web design. Designers create website mockups, design elements, and entire web page layouts using its powerful features. Photoshop also allows you to export optimized images for the web, ensuring fast loading times for your site.
Adobe Illustrator
Illustrator is a vector graphics editor web designers use to create icons, logos, and other scalable design elements. The ability to create crisp, high-quality graphics that maintain their integrity at different sizes makes Illustrator an invaluable tool for web designers.
Adobe Animate
Animate is a multimedia authoring and animation platform. It allows designers to create interactive animations, banners, and other web content using HTML5, JavaScript, and other web technologies. Animate is ideal for creating engaging, interactive experiences across various devices and platforms.
Price Plan
A. Individuals
Creative Cloud All Apps: $54.99/month
Illustrator: $20.99/month
Photoshop: $20.99/month
Dreamweaver: $20.99/month
Animate: $20.99/month
B. Business
Creative Cloud All Apps: $84.99/month
Single App: $35.99/month
C. Students and Teachers
Creative Cloud All Apps: $19.99/month
Sketch
Sketch is a macOS-exclusive, vector-based design tool for UI/UX, web, and mobile app design. Key features include artboards for creating multiple screen layouts, symbols for reusable components, layer, and text styles for consistency, and vector editing for scalable graphics. Sketch also offers numerous plugins, export options, and real-time collaboration through Sketch Cloud. Popular plugins include Craft, Anima, and Sketch2React.
Sketch offers features like Smart Layout for responsive web designs, Libraries for sharing design systems, customizable grids and guides for consistent layouts, and basic prototyping functionality for interactive prototypes. It also integrates with third-party tools like Zeplin, InVision, and Avocode for streamlined workflows and receives regular updates to stay current with design trends and user needs.
Price Plan
Single User: $3.95 per 3 months
Classroom of 10: $6.95 per 3 months
Classroom of 40: $10.95 per 3 months
Figma
Figma is a platform-independent, cloud-based web design tool for UI/UX design, web design, and prototyping. Key features include real-time collaboration, reusable components and styles, vector editing, built-in prototyping, design systems, and libraries, Auto Layout for responsive components, and various export options. Figma is accessible on Windows, macOS, and Linux through a web browser, making it a popular choice among designers and teams.
Figma offers features like version history for tracking design changes, a growing ecosystem of plugins, frame-based design for responsive layouts, Inspect mode for design handoff, integration with third-party tools, and offline support. These additional capabilities contribute to Figma’s popularity among designers and developers across different platforms.
Price Plan
$12 per editor/month
InVision Studio
InVision Studio is a design and prototyping tool for UI/UX and web design software, available on Windows and macOS. Key features include responsive design, advanced prototyping, vector editing, reusable components and styles, collaboration through InVision’s cloud platform, integration with Design System Manager, and compatibility with third-party tools.
InVision Studio offers features like artboards for various screen layouts, timeline animation for intricate interactions, swift prototyping, Inspect mode for seamless design handoff, cloud sync for real-time collaboration, and frequent updates to keep up with design trends. These features make it a preferred choice for designers in creating responsive and interactive designs across multiple platforms.
Price Plan
$4 per active user/month billed annually or $4.95 monthly.
Axure
Axure RP is a comprehensive design and prototyping tool for creating wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes. Key features include advanced prototyping with conditional logic and dynamic content, responsive design support, reusable components and styles, Masters for easy updates, collaboration through team projects, various export options, integration with third-party tools, and Axure Cloud for sharing and feedback.
Axure RP has additional features like flowcharts for user flows and sitemaps, annotations and documentation, pre-built and custom libraries, conditional interactions, variables and expressions for data-driven prototypes, and extensive training and support resources. These capabilities enhance Axure RP’s functionality, making it a popular choice for creating advanced, interactive wireframes and prototypes for web and mobile applications.
Price Plan
Axure RP Pro: $25/month per user
Axure RP Team: $42/month per user
Marvel App
Marvel App is a web-based design and prototyping tool that enables designers to create wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes for websites and mobile applications. It offers a simple design editor, real-time collaboration, user testing, and design handoff features. Additionally, Marvel App integrates with various project management, communication, and design tools to streamline workflows and improve team collaboration.
The platform supports responsive design, making creating layouts for different screen sizes and resolutions easy. With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, Marvel App is a popular choice for designers looking to create interactive prototypes, collaborate with their teams, and test their designs with users.
Price Plan
Pro: $12/month
Team: $42/month
UXPin
UXPin is a web-based design and prototyping tool focused on user experience and user interface design. It offers a robust design editor, interactive prototyping, responsive design capabilities, and real-time collaboration. Additionally, UXPin allows for creating and managing design systems and streamlines the design-to-development handoff process by providing developers with design specs, assets, and code snippets.
Integrations with popular tools and services, such as Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, Jira, and Slack, enhance the design workflow and improve team communication and collaboration. UXPin also includes built-in user testing and validation tools, enabling designers to gather feedback and analyze user interactions with prototypes. These features make UXPin an ideal solution for designers and product teams working on web and mobile applications.
Price Plan
StartUp: $$89 per editor/month
Company: $$119 per editor/month
Balsamiq
Balsamiq is a user interface (UI) design tool that allows designers and developers to quickly create wireframes and mockups of websites, web applications, and mobile applications. The platform is designed to be fast and easy to use, focusing on simplicity and collaboration. Balsamiq’s interface is intentionally rough, with hand-drawn elements that mimic the look of a whiteboard or sketchbook. This approach encourages collaboration and discussion, as it communicates that the designs are not final and can be easily modified.
Balsamiq’s features include drag-and-drop interface elements, pre-built templates, creating custom templates, and exporting designs as images or interactive PDFs. It also offers collaboration tools that let multiple users simultaneously work on the same project and share and comment on layouts.
Price Plan
2 Projects: $9/month or $90/year
20 Projects: $49/month or $490/year
200 Projects: $199/month or $1,990/year
Protopie
Protopie is a prototyping tool used for creating interactive and high-fidelity prototypes of mobile applications, websites, and IoT (Internet of Things) devices. It allows designers and developers to create complex interactions and animations using a simple drag-and-drop interface. Protopie supports various input methods, including touch, voice, and sensors, enabling designers to create realistic and immersive user experiences.
Protopie’s key features include the ability to create interactive animations using a timeline-based interface, support for importing designs from Sketch or Adobe XD, and the ability to simulate device sensors, such as accelerometers or gyroscopes. Protopie also offers features for designing and testing voice-based interfaces, making it a versatile tool for prototyping various applications.
Price Plan
$79 per editor/month
Moqups
Moqups is an online design tool for creating wireframes, mockups, and prototypes of websites, mobile applications, and other digital products. It presents a drag-and-drop interface that makes it manageable to create and customize designs, and it includes a wide range of pre-built templates and design elements to speed up the design process. Moqups is also compatible with popular design tools like Sketch and Adobe XD, allowing users to import designs and collaborate seamlessly.
Moqups offers a range of features, including creating interactive prototypes with clickable links, animations, and transitions. It also includes collaboration tools that allow multiple users to work on the same task simultaneously and to leave comments and feedback.
Overall, Moqups is a versatile tool ideal for designers and developers looking to create high-quality wireframes, mockups, and prototypes with a minimal learning curve.
Price Plan
Solo: $10/month
Team: $16/month
Unlimited: $47/month
Framer
Framer is a web design and prototyping tool that enables designers and developers to create high-fidelity interactive prototypes of websites, mobile applications, and other digital products. It offers a code-based design system that allows users to create complex animations and interactions using JavaScript and React, giving designers complete control over the design and functionality of their prototypes.
Framer’s key features include a visual editor that enables designers to create and customize their designs quickly and easily and a code editor that allows more advanced users to fine-tune the details of their creations. Framer also offers a range of design templates and pre-built components, making it easy to get started quickly. Framer also provides collaboration tools, shares feedback, and reviews changes in real-time.
Price Plan
Mini: $5/month
Basic: $15/month
Pro: $25/month
Principle
Principle is a prototyping tool that allows designers and developers to create interactive and animated prototypes of mobile applications and websites. It offers a simple and intuitive interface that enables users to design and animate their prototypes using a timeline-based system. Principle supports input methods, including touch, mouse, and keyboard interactions, and integration with popular design tools like Sketch and Figma.
Principle’s key features include quickly creating complex animations and interactions using different pre-built templates and design elements. It also offers a preview mode that allows users to test their designs on real devices, providing a more accurate representation of how the design will look and feel in the final product.
Price Plan
The price of Principle for Mac is a one-time fee of $129.
Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer is a professional-grade vector graphics editor and tool for creating digital illustrations, graphics, and user interface designs. It offers a range of advanced features and tools, including vector brushes, non-destructive editing, and pixel-perfect control, allowing designers to create high-quality designs that can be scaled up and down without losing quality.
Affinity Designer’s key features include vector and raster tools, such as pen and pencil, shapes, brushes, and textures. It also offers advanced typography tools, allowing users to create and customize their fonts and various effects and filters to add depth and dimension to designs. Affinity Designer also supports a wide range of file formats, making it easy to export designs for other applications or share them with clients and collaborators.
Price Plan
The regular price for Affinity Designer is $49.99 for a one-time purchase on both macOS and Windows platforms.
XdGuru
XD Guru is a community-driven website that provides resources, tutorials, and inspiration for designers who use Adobe XD, a user interface and user experience design tool. The website offers a range of free resources, including UI kits, icons, templates, and plugins, that designers can use to speed up their design workflow and create high-quality designs more efficiently.
XD Guru’s key features include a curated collection of design inspiration and examples and a forum where designers can ask questions, share their work, and get feedback from other designers. The website also offers tutorials and articles on design theory, user experience, and design trends, making it a valuable resource for designers of all skill levels.
Price Plan
The subscription plan starts at $7 per month.
Gravit Designer
Gravit Designer is a vector graphics design tool that allows designers to create high-quality vector graphics, illustrations, and user interface designs. It is a web-based and downloadable desktop application for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Gravit Designer’s key features include vector and raster tools, pen and pencil tools, shape tools, and brushes and textures. It also offers advanced typography tools, allowing users to create and customize their fonts. Gravit Designer also includes a range of effects and filters to add depth and dimension to designs. Additionally, Gravit Designer supports a wide range of file formats, making it easy to export designs for other applications or share them with clients and collaborators.
Price Plan
The Pro version costs $49.99 per year.
Zeplin
Zeplin is a collaboration and design handoff tool that helps designers and developers work together more efficiently. It allows designers to upload their designs, including mockups and style guides, from design tools like Sketch, Adobe XD, and Figma and generate a style guide that includes design specifications and assets.
Zeplin’s key features include the ability to generate code snippets and CSS stylesheets for developers and a commenting and feedback system that enables designers and developers to leave comments and collaborate in real-time. Zeplin also offers a range of integrations with project management tools, making it easy to manage and track design projects.
Price Plan
Team: $8/seat per month
Organization: $16/seat per month
Elegant Themes
Elegant Themes offers a range of web design tools and resources for WordPress users. Their flagship product is the Divi Theme, a highly customizable and versatile WordPress theme that allows users to create custom designs without coding or technical expertise.
The Divi Theme includes a visual drag-and-drop page builder called the Divi Builder, which enables users to design custom page layouts and designs using a range of pre-built modules and design elements. The Divi Builder also includes a range of customization options, allowing users to adjust the design and layout of their pages to their specific needs.
In addition to the Divi Theme, Elegant Themes offers a range of WordPress plugins to help users improve their website’s functionality and design. For example, the Bloom Email Opt-Ins plugin allows users to create custom email opt-in forms. In contrast, the Monarch Social Sharing plugin enables users to add custom social sharing buttons to their websites.
Price Plan
Yearly Access: $70/ Year
Lifetime Access: $199 one-time payment
Corel Vector
CorelDRAW is primarily a vector graphics editor and design tool for creating high-quality vector graphics, illustrations, and user interface designs. While it does not have any specific features for web design, it can be used to create vector graphics that can be used in web design, such as logos, icons, and illustrations.
In addition, CorelDRAW’s advanced typography tools and text effects can be used to create custom fonts and stylized text for web design. The software’s support for a wide range of file formats makes it easy to export designs for other web design tools or share them with clients and collaborators.
While CorelDRAW is not a web design-specific tool, it can be a valuable asset for web designers who must create custom vector graphics or stylized text for their designs. With its advanced features and cross-platform compatibility, CorelDRAW is a powerful tool for designers and artists looking to create high-quality designs across different applications and platforms.
Price Plan
The subscription starts at $69.99.
FAQs
What are some common web design principles?
What are some common web design principles?
Visual hierarchy: Design elements arrange to guide users’ attention and create a sense of order.
Balance: The distribution of visual weight across a design to develop an understanding of harmony.
Contrast: Using color, shape, size, and other design elements to create visual interest and make essential features stand out.
Alignment: It is the placement of design elements about one to develop a sense of unity and coherence.
Repetition: Using consistent design elements throughout a website to make sense of consistency and reinforce the brand.
White space: Using space between design elements makes sense of the breathing room and improves readability.
What are the necessary skills for becoming a web designer?
What are the necessary skills for becoming a web designer?
Expertness in CSS, HTML, and JavaScript programming languages.
Familiarity with design fundamentals, like typography, color schemes, and composition.
Experience working with graphic design applications, such as Photoshop or Illustrator.
Understanding of user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design concepts.
Familiarity with web development frameworks and content management systems (CMS).
Strong communication and project management capabilities.
What are some examples of free blog design software that support multiple designers?
Some examples of free blog design software that support multiple designers include:
WordPress: This platform allows multiple users to collaborate on the same project with different levels of access and permissions.
Figma: This design tool enables various designers to work on the same project simultaneously, with real-time collaboration features.
Canva: This design tool allows multiple users to work on the same project, with various collaboration and sharing features.
Are free blog design software tools as good as paid ones?
While paid blog design software may offer more advanced features and customization options, free blog design software can still produce great results. It depends on the specific needs of the blogger and the project they are working on. Free tools may have limitations, but they can still be effective for creating visually appealing and functional blogs.
What are some benefits of having multiple designers working on a project?
Some benefits of having multiple designers working on a project include the following:
More diverse perspectives and ideas
Improved problem-solving and decision-making
Greater creativity and innovation
Enhanced collaboration and teamwork
Faster project completion times
How does a website builder work?
A website builder provides a visual interface allowing users to drag and drop elements, such as text boxes, images, and videos, onto a pre-designed template. Users can customize these elements by changing the text, color, or layout to create a unique and visually appealing website. Website builders also typically include domain management features, hosting, and other technical aspects of website creation.
Can web design software be used to create complex websites?
Yes. Many top web design tools offer advanced features and customization options that allow users to create complex websites with advanced functionality. However, more complex websites may require additional technical knowledge and expertise.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, many web design tools are available to help designers create beautiful and functional websites. From text and graphics editors to website builders and content management systems, there are tools for every level of expertise and budget.
When choosing a web design tool, you must consider your specific needs, budget, and level of expertise. Additionally, it’s essential to keep up with web design trends and best practices to create websites that are visually appealing, user-friendly, and accessible.
With the right tools and skills, web designers can create beautiful and functional websites that meet their clients’ needs and stand out in a crowded online landscape.
