{"id":6148,"date":"2025-01-14T16:05:41","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T16:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=6148"},"modified":"2025-01-15T14:19:36","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T14:19:36","slug":"best-prototyping-tools-for-ux-designers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/best-prototyping-tools-for-ux-designers\/","title":{"rendered":"The 10 best prototyping tools for UI\/UX designers [2025 Update]"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prototyping is a crucial step in the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-design-process\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX design process<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It entails creating a model of the product to validate your ideas. Prototypes can be low or high-fidelity but often when they\u2019re used for testing with users, prototypes are clickable and you\u2019re able to run specific scenarios with them before they\u2019re taken live.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like anything in UX, there are countless prototyping tools out there to help you get the job done. If you\u2019re spoiled for choice and struggling to narrow it down, this guide is for you. We\u2019ve compiled <\/span><b>the 10 best UI UX prototyping tools for UX designers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, complete with an explanation of how they work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you get to the end, you\u2019ll also find some tips on how to choose the right prototyping tool for your needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>The 10 Best Prototyping Tools At A Glance<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 10 best prototyping tool are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Figma<\/strong>: A great all-in-one tool that lets you make static designs into interactive\u00a0 prototypes without any coding.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Balsamiq Cloud: Create low-fidelity wireframes and prototypes that allow you to focus on structure instead of color or images.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Sketch:<\/strong> For Mac users, this tool combines a robust array of prototyping features with the ability to easily collaborate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Visily: <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A wireframing and prototyping tool that uses AI to bring your designs to life.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>ProtoPie:<\/strong> <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create high-fidelity prototypes without any coding that work like the real product.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Proto.io: <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A web-based tool with the ability to quickly make low-fidelity prototypes with their intuitive interactive features and turn them into high-fidelity prototypes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Fluid UI: <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A rapid prototyping tool with an existing library of thousands of ready-to-use components.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Marvel: <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Design, prototype, test and share your prototypes all in one platform<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>UXPin: <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Great for creating high-fidelity prototypes that are still easy for designers to quickly master.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Uizard:<\/strong> Use the power of AI to create, ideate, and iterate on prototypes within minutes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, let\u2019s get into the details of each one!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>1. Figma<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.figma.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Figma<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an all-in-one design tool, handling everything from wireframing, prototyping and UI design to collaboration, design system management, and developer handoff.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11556\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2025-01-14-at-15.36.37.png\" alt=\"Figma ui ux prototyping tool\" width=\"822\" height=\"410\" title=\"\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Figma at a glance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Price: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free forever with the Starter plan; $12 per editor\/month with the Professional plan; $45 per editor\/month with the Organization plan<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functionality: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wireframing, prototyping, UI design, collaboration, AI<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Who can use Figma? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anyone! Figma has a user-friendly interface and you can create prototypes without any coding knowledge<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ideal for: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quickly and easily creating interactive, mid-fidelity prototypes <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Works with: <\/b>MacOS and Windows, or in-browser<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-diploma-in-ux-designp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ux-design?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog_panel_pdux&amp;utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN UX]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Diploma in UX Design course<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h4><strong>How does Figma work as a prototyping tool?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With Figma, you can turn static design files into interactive prototypes\u2014no coding knowledge required.\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the intuitive builder, you can simply connect various UI elements and choose your interactions and animations. Once you\u2019ve built your prototype in the prototyping tool, you can view it on mobile using the Figma app (available for iOS and Android), or share a link to view it in the browser.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With their AI features you can can get your prototypes up and running fast. These features allow you to spend more time designing and less time connecting one screen to the next or naming layers, because AI takes care of that for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.figma.com\/prototyping\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prototyping with Figma here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/h4>\n<h2><strong>2. Balsamiq Cloud<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/balsamiq.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Balsamiq Cloud<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the rare tool that focuses on low-fidelity wireframing. It lets you get the basics in place quickly so you can clarify and improve ideas before they get more detailed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11557\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2025-01-14-at-15.38.15.png\" alt=\"Balsamiq cloud homepage\" width=\"847\" height=\"615\" title=\"\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Balsamiq Cloud at a glance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Price: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Up to 2 projects is $12\/month for Business and $18\/month for Enterprise and up to 10 projects is $34\/month for Business and $51\/month for Enterprise, but plans can go up to 400 projects<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functionality: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low-fidelity wireframing and prototyping<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Who can use Balsamiq Cloud? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No coding knowledge is required and the tool is fairly easy to understand for any UX designer.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ideal for: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating low-fidelity wireframes and simple prototypes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Works with: <\/b>Balsamiq Cloud works with all web browsers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>How does Balsamiq Cloud work as a prototyping tool?<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To whip up screens of low-fi wireframes, simply open the Cloud-based app and drag and drop elements onto your screen. To make these designs interactive prototypes, use linking to go from one screen to the other.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This will allow you to make a low-fidelity prototype that allows you and your users to focus on structure and content and avoid discussions about colors or images.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can learn more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jn28_aeh5DU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how to link screens to create interactive prototypes in Balsamiq<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/h4>\n<h2><strong>3. Sketch<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sketch.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sketch<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is another all-in-one digital design platform used for creating static designs and prototypes, and for developer handoff.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11558\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2025-01-14-at-15.39.20.png\" alt=\"Sketch&#039;s ui ux prototyping tool\" width=\"846\" height=\"593\" title=\"\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sketch at a glance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Price: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$10 per editor\/month with the Standard plan (for individuals and teams)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functionality: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wireframing, prototyping, UI design, collaboration<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Who can use Sketch? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Sketch interface is ideal for beginners, but it is only available with MacOS<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ideal for: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Light prototyping <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Works with: <\/b>MacOS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>How does Sketch work as a prototyping tool?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, you create your static designs in the Canvas using Sketch\u2019s flexible vector editing tools. You then use the prototyping function to preview your designs and navigate between Artboards (i.e. screens) with animated interactions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The quickest way to turn your static screens into interactive prototypes in Sketch is to add links between two Artboards. You can then fine-tune your prototypes by adding <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sketch.com\/docs\/prototyping\/adding-hotspots\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hotspots<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (clickable areas), fixing certain elements in place, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sketch.com\/docs\/prototyping\/using-starting-points\/#setting-a-start-point\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">setting start points<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to determine which Artboard your prototype starts with when you preview it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are 3 ways to preview your Sketch prototypes: directly in the Sketch app (for Mac), via the Sketch Mirror app on an iOS device, or in the web app.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can learn more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sketch.com\/docs\/prototyping\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how to use Sketch\u2019s prototyping tools here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>4. <b>Visily<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visily.ai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visily<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> uses AI to quickly create realistic, high-fidelity prototypes with screen transitions, button clicks and components like sliders and tags. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11559\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2025-01-14-at-15.41.24.png\" alt=\"Visily&#039;s prototyping tool homepage\" width=\"845\" height=\"526\" title=\"\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visily at a glance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Price: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free to get started with 2 boards per workspace, then $11\/editor\/month for unlimited boards with the Pro Plan or $29\/editor\/month for the Business plan<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functionality: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wireframing, prototyping, brainstorming, collaboration<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Who can use Visily? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beginners and advanced designers alike. The tool is simple to use and easy for teams to interact on.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ideal for: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quickly creating high-fidelity, interactive prototypes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Works with: <\/b>All browsers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>How does Visily work as a prototyping tool?<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get prototyping with Visily simply sign up and either upload your wireframes or design them with Visily\u2019s elements or templates. Either way, you can then use Visily\u2019s prototyping tools to easily program interactions and transitions in your screens. Plus, while you\u2019re designing, the AI is creating code to go with your prototype.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most exciting thing Visily can do is turn your existing designs, whether they\u2019re hand-drawn or digital, into editable wireframes that can then be used in prototypes. Visily is a great tool for new UX designers or seasoned professional alike.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visily.ai\/ai-design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visily\u2019s AI tools<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/h4>\n<h2><strong>5. ProtoPie<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.protopie.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ProtoPie<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a flexible yet powerful prototyping tool praised among the design community for its easy-to-use interface and almost non-existent learning curve.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2025-01-14-at-15.42.45.png\" alt=\"ProtoPie ui ux prototyping tools\" width=\"839\" height=\"373\" title=\"\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ProtoPie at a glance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Price: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free for 2 prototypes, $25\/month with the Basic plan, or $47 per editor\/month with the Pro plan.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functionality: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prototyping. Also integrates with Sketch, Figma and Adobe XD<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Who can use ProtoPie? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both individual designers and teams. ProtoPie is especially good for beginners as it\u2019s so easy to learn and use<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ideal for: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beginners looking for a powerful prototyping tool with almost no learning curve<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Works with: <\/b>MacOS, Windows, iOS, iPadOS and Android<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>How does ProtoPie work as a prototyping tool?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike some other prototyping tools on our list, ProtoPie focuses solely on prototyping, so you\u2019ll need to import your static designs from another tool first. ProtoPie has plugins for Figma, Adobe XD and Sketch.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve imported your wireframes, you turn them into interactive prototypes by adding triggers, responses, and objects. The trigger is the user action that will \u201ccause\u201d the interaction. The object is the element that the user will interact with in order to set the trigger in motion. The response is the result of the interaction\u2014for example, opening a link or jumping to another page. You can build these interactions by simply selecting pre-made triggers and responses from the drop-down menu in the toolbar.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From there, you can use a range of additional features and tools to make your interactions more complex and precise. You can then preview your prototypes in the preview window, upload them to the cloud and share a link, or generate a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.adobe.com\/express\/feature\/image\/qr-code-generator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">QR code<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which you can scan in order to view the prototype using your smartphone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ProtoPie is a powerful yet easy-to-use prototyping tool, a great combination for new UX designers. You can learn more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.protopie.io\/learn\/course\/protopie-school\/lecture\/quick-start-in-3-steps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how to get started with ProtoPie in this tutorial<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-certificate-in-ui-designp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ui-design?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog_panel_text&amp;utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN UI DESIGN]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Certificate in UI Design course<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>6. Proto.io<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/proto.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proto.io<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a browser-based prototyping tool with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and hundreds of ready-made templates and components.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6123\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Screenshot-2022-02-11-at-12.39.15.png\" alt=\"Proto.io UI UX prototyping tool&#039;s website\" width=\"1109\" height=\"942\" title=\"\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proto.io at a glance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Price: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can start with a 15-day free trial, then upgrade to the Freelancer plan for $24\/month (1 user) or the Startup plan for $40\/month (2 users)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functionality: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collaborative high-fidelity prototyping. Also integrates with Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD and Photoshop<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Who can use Proto.io? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX designers and product managers of all levels; no coding required!<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ideal for: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solo UX designers or startups who want to create interactive, high-fidelity prototypes quickly and easily<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Works with: <\/b>Proto.io is 100% web-based<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>How does Proto.io work as a prototyping tool?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like other prototyping tools, Proto.io lets you quickly put together basic low-fidelity prototypes which you can later transform into more realistic high-fi prototypes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to start by creating low-fi wireframes from scratch, you first need to select the device\/screen size you want to design for, then add basic UI elements from the extensive UI library. Alternatively, you can customise a ready-made template. You can also import existing wireframes from Sketch, Adobe XD, Figma and Photoshop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To turn your basic wireframes into prototypes, you use the Proto.io interaction wizard to add motion and interactive properties. You can add connectors between one screen and another, customise the type of transition via the drop-down menu, and polish up your prototypes with over 6,000 ready-to-use digital assets and animations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prototypes can be viewed in preview mode, downloaded and tested in the Proto.io mobile app, and shared via a public URL.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can learn more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kXQH-CdkVcg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prototyping with Proto.io in this video tutorial<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>7. Fluid UI<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluidui.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fluid UI<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a rapid prototyping tool with extensive component libraries, easy animations, and real-time collaboration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6153\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Screenshot-2022-02-11-at-15.07.32.png\" alt=\"Fluid ui ux prototyping tool\" width=\"998\" height=\"774\" title=\"\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fluid UI at a glance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Price: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can create 1 project with the free plan, or upgrade to the Solo plan for $15\/month, the Pro plan for $25\/month, or the Team plan for $65\/month<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functionality: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rapid low and high-fidelity prototyping, real-time collaboration and feedback<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Who can use Fluid UI? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anyone! The interface is easy to use, and the extensive library of ready-made components means you don\u2019t need to design from scratch<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ideal for: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX designers who want to create rapid prototypes collaboratively and iteratively<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Works with: <\/b>Windows, MacOS and Linux, and in-browser with Firefox or Chrome.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>How does Fluid UI work as a prototyping tool?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As prototyping tools go the Fluid UI platform is built for speed. You can create prototypes in minutes with over 2,000 ready-to-use components, with libraries for Material Design, iOS, and Windows. You can also upload existing assets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the user-friendly linking system, you can add mouse and touch gestures and unique animations, and convey the flow of your website or app.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll also find lots of handy features for collaboration and feedback, including live video calling, video presentations, and built-in commenting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Follow <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/guide.fluidui.com\/basics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">these beginner-friendly guides to get started with Fluid UI<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>8. Marvel<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marvel<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a rapid prototyping tool endorsed by companies such as Cabify, Monzo, BuzzFeed and Stripe.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6154\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Screenshot-2022-02-11-at-15.08.52.png\" alt=\"Marvel ui ux prototyping tool\" width=\"1368\" height=\"742\" title=\"\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marvel at a glance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Price: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free to create 1 project; $12\/month with the Pro plan (ideal for individuals); $42\/month with the Team plan (3+ users)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functionality: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wireframing, rapid prototyping, testing and handoff<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Who can use Marvel? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both beginner and advanced solo UX designers or small teams<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ideal for: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Designers who want to design, prototype and test in one single platform<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Works with: <\/b>Marvel is browser-based<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>How does Marvel work as a prototyping tool?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To prototype with Marvel, you can either import existing static designs which you\u2019ve created elsewhere, or create wireframes from scratch using pre-made elements and icons. Alternatively, you can use the Sketch plugin to directly sync Sketch files.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marvel\u2019s prototyping tool is relatively straightforward. With your static designs ready, just hover over any file within your project and click \u201cPrototype\u201d. This will take you to the editor, where you can create hotspot links (interactive areas that are drawn on top of your designs to enable users to click or tap to move between screens), and add effects, transitions and gestures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To preview your prototype, simply close the editor and press \u201cPlay\u201d in the project view. This will take you to Play mode, where you can click around and interact with your prototype as if it\u2019s a live product. Once you\u2019re happy, you can share your prototype for feedback and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/marvelapp.com\/user-testing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">put it in front of real users for testing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can find <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/help.marvelapp.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360002536038-A-guide-to-creating-your-first-prototype\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a step-by-step guide to creating your first prototype with Marvel here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>9. UXPin<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxpin.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UXPin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a robust end-to-end prototyping tool with powerful capabilities. It\u2019s arguably one of the best prototyping tools out there for creating high-fidelity, true-to-life prototypes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11561\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2025-01-14-at-15.54.20.png\" alt=\"UXPin UX design tool\" width=\"847\" height=\"451\" title=\"\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UXPin at a glance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Price: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can use a limited version of UXPin for free, or upgrade to the Essentials plan for $6\/editor per month, the Advanced plan for $29\/editor per month, or the Merge AI plan for $39\/editor per month<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functionality: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wireframing, prototyping, UI design, handoff, collaboration, AI and design system management<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Who can use UXPin? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UXPin offers powerful functionality with a not-so-steep learning curve, making it ideal for designers of all levels<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ideal for: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating true-to-life high-fidelity prototypes that look like the real deal<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Works with: <\/b>MacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and in-browser.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>How does UXPin work as a prototyping tool?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When prototyping with UXPin, you can either start from scratch or import existing designs from Sketch or Photoshop, as well as static PNG or JPG files.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your prototypes are nested within projects, so you can navigate to the project view to see an overview of all your prototypes, as well as an activity feed on the right-hand side to see who\u2019s working on what.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019re working on a prototype, you\u2019ll find that the UXPin interface is fairly similar to Sketch and Photoshop: a blank canvas in the middle and then various tools, shapes and icon libraries on the right and left-hand sides.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re designing from scratch, you can use the pen tool and shapes to add the basic UI elements. From there, you can draw out clickable hotspot areas to add interactivity, insert ready-made elements and build out advanced interactions such as button hovers, expandable menus and conditional navigation flows. Or you can use AI elements to make fully functional prototypes in minutes. Drag and drop components that AI can render as code, or plug in code that renders as UI.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll end up with fully clickable prototypes which, depending on their visual fidelity, can feel almost indistinguishable from a real, live product.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For a first-hand look at how UXPin works for prototyping, check out this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=U7ho1H3OXUs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UXPin for beginners tutorial over on YouTube<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>10. Uizard<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/uizard.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uizard<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> allows you to create and iterate on wireframes and prototypes within minutes with the power of AI.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11562\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2025-01-14-at-16.02.47.png\" alt=\"UIzard homepage\" width=\"845\" height=\"436\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uizard at a glance:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Price: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A limited version is available for free, or upgrade to the Pro plan for $12\/month or the Business plan for $39\/month<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functionality: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wireframing, prototyping, UI design, mockups, and collaboration<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Who can use Uizard? <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anyone can use this tool, especially because of its AI features.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ideal for: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using AI to create, ideate, and iterate interactive prototypes faster<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Works with: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Web browsers<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><b>How does Uizard work as a prototyping tool?<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To prototype apps and websites in Uizard, populate your screen with assets, add dynamic links, and preview your prototype. Throughout you can use their AI features to instantly generate wireframes or prototypes from a text prompt or screenshot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You spend more time on high-level considerations, while this tool takes care of the visualization.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=sgLs8CJ8W0Q\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">full walkthrough of Uizard on YouTube<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>How to choose between prototyping tools<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the prototyping tools on our list are focused solely on prototyping, like Fluid UI and Proto.io. Others serve as end-to-end design tools, with all the features you need to go from static wireframes right through to developer handoff.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some offer \u201cfree forever\u201d plans ideal for solo designers, while others are more expensive and geared towards team collaboration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some tools offer AI components with their tools such as Visily or Uizard, while others haven\u2019t gone the AI route yet, like Sketch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, we\u2019ve also covered a mix of Mac-only tools, tools that are compatible with all operating systems, and some that work purely in the browser.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All this to say: <\/span><b>Choosing the right prototyping tools <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">depends on your specific needs with regards to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The number of people who will be using the prototyping tools<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The scale of your projects and the desired fidelity of your wireframes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether or not you want to use AI in your prototypes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your budget<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The prototyping tools you already have in your UX toolkit<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The type of computer and operating system you\u2019re using<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those factors alone should help you shortlist a few suitable tools! From there, sign up for free trials and experiment with different tools to see how you get on. It\u2019s also worth checking if your preferred prototyping tools has good supporting resources, such as step-by-step guides and video tutorials you can follow along with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A robust prototyping tool is just one part of your UX toolkit. If you\u2019d like to learn more about UX tools, read through <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ui-ux-design-tools\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this complete guide to UX design tools for all stages of the UX process <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/best-ux-research-tools\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this comparison of the best UX research tools currently on the market<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If you\u2019re new to UX and building your portfolio, you may also want to check out <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/the-top-10-ux-portfolio-builders\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the top 10 portfolio builders (and their pros and cons)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. And if you\u2019d like a more practical introduction to prototyping tools and how they fit into the end-to-end design process, consider <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/product-design\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX Design Institute\u2019s Product Design (UX\/UI) Programme<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prototyping is a crucial step in the UX design process. It entails creating a model of the product to validate your ideas. Prototypes can be low or high-fidelity but often when they\u2019re used for testing with users, prototypes are clickable and you\u2019re able to run specific scenarios with them before they\u2019re taken live.\u00a0 Like anything [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":11568,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[274],"tags":[289],"class_list":["post-6148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ux-tools","tag-ux-tools"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6148"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6148\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11566,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6148\/revisions\/11566"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}