In 2021, almost all businesses from every other industry strive hard to establish an online presence. As people rely on the internet to learn about brands and their products/services, how brands represent themselves online matters the most.
So, the website as the digital identity of their business needs to be visually inviting, highly functional, and absolutely interactive to keep the visitors hooked.
No users prefer to linger on a website that has a complex UI/UX interface. No matter even if your business offers the best of products/services. That's the fact today as people quickly judge the brand depending on its website quality.But, no worries. Web design tools are right here for you to make your website more attractive, responsive, and user-friendly. Now comes the next question. With various web design tools available in the market, how to select the ideal tool?
Let’s understand this first. There is no one perfect tool that covers every aspect of web design. So, you would need to invest in multiple software tools. Hence, make sure you have the budget for that. Next, you have to go for the web design tool that fits in with your workflow.
Every modern design tool today integrates with software tools like Slack. Thus it is easy to work on various design aspects efficiently. So, let’s put it in this way. The best web design tool is the one that has the maximum features and support you need and the one that fits your budget.
Top 7 Web Design Tools
Here are 7 Web Design Tools that you can leverage to make your Website better:
1. Figma:
Figma is a splendid platform that enables web designers to work on designing and prototyping skills even if they are not into coding. The tools you get with Figma help you create responsive websites and web design elements. Plus, you can copy the reusable components across various web pages and access a library of design assets that you can drag and drop into your designs.
Moreover, you can build intuitive prototypes to define interactions between elements as you design your website. With prototyping tools, you can define transitions, create dynamic overlays, and even generate GIFs. Thus, you can show how different elements interact precisely.
Figma works well for collaboration, allowing you to get feedback from your design team or mentor. One can add comments on your designs or prototypes and work on designs simultaneously with you. Plus, you can check on a full version history and make needed changes.
Finally, when you want to share your design with developers, Figma will even generate the code you need for each of your design aspects. That is why many newbies and even professional web designers prefer Figma for web design.
2. Sketch:
Sketch is an easy-to-use drag-and-drop web design tool that enables web designers to create striking designs and prototypes without knowing how to code. With Sketch, you can zoom in on any component or element down to the pixel level. Thus, you can align each of your design parts precisely.
Sketch has a collaborative component library that enables you to create universal components and update them universally while you design. Plus, Sketch comes with an app library; that you can leverage to add extra functionality to the software.
The app library, plugins, and assistants of the Sketch tool help you comply with the design standards, organize your work and even turn designs into animated user flow demonstrations.
Designers worldwide prefer Sketch as it is intuitive, straightforward, and quick to learn. Though Figma has more advanced features, Sketch is great for learning about design principles and collaborating in a design environment.
3. Adobe XD:
Professional web designers have been into Photoshop for years to create prototypes and design mock-ups. Adobe came up with XD in 2019 as a vector-based web design tool. If you are familiar with Photoshop, you will most likely learn Adobe XD also with ease.
Adobe XD comes with several tools that help you create reliable prototypes and designs individually as well as collaboratively. You will also get a design asset library with Adobe XD that enables you to specify fonts, colors, and components.
Interestingly, Adobe XD works well with Photoshop, Illustrator, and Sketch files. Thus, if you are a web designer comfortable in using Photoshop for mock-ups, you can easily import your designs into XD and vice versa. Suppose, if you are a web designer who prefers using windows, you can still collaborate with other designers who use the macOS-only Sketch tool.
4. Webflow:
Webflow’s robust website builder and web design software come with all the tools you will need to create appealing and responsive websites. The intuitive interface of Webflow allows you to work with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript so that you need not worry about coding.
But, that doesn’t mean that Webflow does not support coders. If you want a specific functionality in your website that Webflow does not support yet, you can create custom code and use it wherever you need it.
In case if you are new to web designing, you can use the design library of Webflow. The library has nearly 100 various responsive web design templates which will help you get started with web designing. Plus, Webflow allows you to design interactions and animations even if you do not know JavaScript.
Finally, when you want to export your design, Webflow will provide all HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files that you will need to deliver your design to your development team.
Last but not least, Webflow includes web hosting and a complete content management system. You can even hire Webflow experts to migrate your website from other platforms like WordPress, Wix, and more.
5. Framer:
Launched as a JavaScript library for prototyping, Framer is now more like a full-fledged tool that helps designers create stunning prototypes without coding.
Framer comes with an extensive library of visual assets, which you can use to customize your project. Though the interface is similar to Sketch, Framer provides more support, offering advanced animations and fully responsive designs.
You do not need to know coding to create design prototypes in Framer. However, Framer supports custom code, and you can customize any design element. Moreover, Framer depends on React and JavaScript, enabling you to pull up the code editor readily while you are working.
Lastly, once you are done with the website design and want to hand over your design to development, you can do so smoothly with the pre-generated React and JavaScript code.
6. FlowMapp:
Understanding the audience is the key in any online business. FlowMapp knows that precisely and hence it allows you to build flowcharts and journey maps to understand the needs of your website visitors. It is also ideal for collaboration and encourages teams to work on projects together in real-time.
FlowMapp is not a full-fledged designer tool, but it has a library of icons, text editors, pointer tools, and many more to create appealing flowcharts that you can present at your office meetings. FlowMapp comes with a persona planning tool that helps you in marketing, like doing user research. So, you can build custom flow charts based on your prospect's needs.
The major challenge that designers have to encounter with FlowMapp is that it only integrates with Slack at present. Though it can benefit you still, your workflow can get disconnected if you use other web design tools like Sketch, Webflow, or others.
7. Balsamiq
:Balsamiq is yet another tool for designers who want to build user interfaces and improve user experience. As a quick low-fidelity wireframing tool, it makes it quick and easy to draft up numerous versions of user interfaces without worrying about details like colors, fonts, and other design elements that will come in the later stage.
Balsamiq is ideal for newbie web designers as it is easy to learn. It has many resources for designers to use in its handy drag-and-drop editor that allows you to link designs together for basic prototyping. Plus, the tool has flexible pricing options and is ideal for individuals and teams of designers.
With Balsamiq Cloud, you can either pay monthly or annually based on how many design slots you need, no matter what features you use. It is also a cost-effective tool that allows you to pay a one-time fee for the desktop version.
Wrapping Up:
Web designing has never been this easier before. With these super-effective tools, almost anyone can master web designing even without knowing how to code. In case if you are a pro in web designing already, it’s time to update yourself with the current design trends and the recent web design tools to build attractive and responsive websites.
As we know, the design trends keep evolving. What was trending last year has become obsolete already. So, you have to keep yourself updated with the current design trends, brush up on your design skills and learn the recent tools.
However, if you feel intimidated to handle the entire web design and development process along with your business challenges, you can hire a Web Design & Development Company. All you need is to find a reputed Web Development Company that has extensive experience in web design.
Cypherox Technologies is a leading Web Development Company that crafts visually stunning and highly responsive websites. Thus, you can level up your online presence, attracting many audiences and increasing your ROIs.
