Are you looking for best free prototyping tools? If yes, then go further as we are going to share the best prototyping tool. As the popularity of web and mobile apps is growing users want to try many new things without knowing their pros and cons. That is why they develop their ideas as prototypes which help them to decide whether the app is worth investing or not.
If you’re a software developer and work on an app or website, you know how important prototyping is. Prototyping tools allow you to test your app or website before actually building it. You’ll be able to see if the flow and structure works as expected. It will also help you determine whether your layout and design meet expectations. There are several free prototyping tools available on the Internet that can be used to create prototypes for apps, websites, and even mobile devices.
Origami Studio
Developed at Facebook as a tool for building and designing products, Origami is available free for Mac users. You need to be a registered Apple developer to get started, with Xcode and Quartz Composer installed, but once you’ve jumped through the necessary hoops you’ll find that it’s easy to start creating with Origami, thanks to a wealth of online documentation, tutorials and ready made prototypes.
You can import designs from Sketch and Photoshop with project layers preserved, and create concepts with simulated scrolling, taps, swipes and page links. As well as mobile apps you can also use Origami to create responsive websites with features such as text input and drag and drop, and once you’re finished it’s easy to export prototypes to be added to projects.
Adobe XD
Adobe XD is one of the most go-to apps among UI/UX designers as an all-in-one prototyping tool for building wireframes, interactive prototypes, website designs, games, mobile applications, voice interfaces, and a lot more. It allows teams to work together among platforms in a real-time manner while receiving valuable comments and feedback from clients directly.
Adobe XD is available both for Mac OS and Windows. It also supports seamless integration with other Adobe products being the newest addition to Adobe’s Creative Cloud Suite.
InVision
As one of the most popular prototyping tools today, InVision continuously introduces new features to enable designers to create innovative prototypes. The design workflow is simplified so that every aspect is kept organized. This makes the design process better and faster, especially with the in-browser design collaboration and presentation features.
With InVision Freehand, individuals and teams have access to various templates built for brainstorming, planning, strategizing, and more. It can also be integrated with other powerful tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Photoshop, and Sketch that can help keep everyone aligned with the team’s goals resulting in productive collaborations.
Pricing
Free
- For small teams with up to 10 active users
- Full access to InVision’s platforms
- Limited access to collaboration and design system management tools
- Does not support advanced team management and security
Pro ($7.95/mo.)
- For teams with up to 15 active users
- Full access to InVision’s platforms
- Limited access to collaboration and design system management tools
- Does not support advanced team management and security
Enterprise
- Per seat pricing with no limit to the number of users
- Full access to InVision platforms and tools
- Supports advanced team management and security.
Webflow
Webflow has plenty of paid plans on offer for all team sizes, but if you’re looking for a taster then there’s a free option that will do a great job of getting you started, allowing you two projects, client billing and free staging, but no code export or project transfer option.
With a visual CMS you can create dynamic, responsive prototypes without having to write any code, and it comes with a library of templates and components to make it even easier to build your projects. Prototypes can be connected to over 400 services including Slack, Google Drive and MailChimp, and if you get stuck there’s a wealth of online documentation to help you out.
Marvel
Marvel is a simpler and user-friendly cloud-based solution to create a realistic interface and design specifications. Building interactive mockups to bring every designer idea to life is possible through its pre-built templates and design tool equipped with limitless stock photos and icons. Designers can create prototypes for Desktop, Android, and Apple Products and also features Sketch plugin and iOS tool.
Marvel is a centralized workspace where designers and clients can validate every stage of the design process.
Axure RP
Axure RP is a powerful prototyping tool that is highly regarded by professional designers. The dynamic content and functions are all that you need to create perfect simulations. It comes with over 20 Triggers and more than 30 Actions that open up possibilities for data-driven prototypes.
Prototypes that are built with Axure XP seem particularly real because they respond and act just like the product even without the actual codes. A private workspace can also be created where you can invite users to collaborate and gather comments.
Its most useful feature is that you can integrate third-party testing services in order to generate real feedback, which is useful for taking action on proposed solutions to any errors.
Pricing
Axure RP 9 Pro ($25.00/mo)
- Unlimited prototypes and reviewers
- Advanced prototyping
- Create wireframes, various diagrams, and documentation
Axure RP 9 Team ($42.00/mo.)
- Unlimited prototypes and reviewers
- Advanced prototyping
- Create wireframes, various diagrams, and documentation
- Allows co-authoring and access to the team’s revision history
- Team project hosting on cloud
Axure for Enterprise
- Everything that’s included in RP 9 Pro
- Unlimited projects
- Use of company domain for members’ use
- User management
- Supports private/on-premise security
Vectr
Built as a free cross-platform vector design app, Vectr also works very well as a free prototyping tool. While it’s maybe a little slim on features compared with other vector apps, it’s designed to be easy to pick up and play with, and after following a few tutorials (there are plenty to get stuck into on the Vectr site) you’ll be ready to start designing.
One really useful collaboration function is its link sharing option; with that you can send a link to others and they’ll be able to watch you edit in real-time and provide quick feedback. And once you’re done, your finished design can be exported as a JPG, PNG or SVG.
Framer
If you are looking for a design tool that features simple and rapid prototyping, Framer best suits you. Framer is best known for its flexibility, interactive designs, realistic prototypes, and responsive layouts. It will widen designer dynamics from the usual drag and drop designing because it is a code-based prototyping tool that uses CoffeeScript to build prototypes.
Framer offers live device previews, well-written documentation, and harmonious workflow since it is backed up by code. It is also equipped with multiple tutorial videos that can help users learn this highly-rated tool.
Justinmind
Justinmind makes it easy to transform clickable wireframes into interactive prototypes. There is a full range of interactions and gestures available to ensure a delightful user experience.
Justinmind has features that can create both simple and advanced interactions easily. Collaborating with the design team, clients, and business analysts is so efficient with the centralized management system that synchronizes all of the design components.
Pricing
Professional ($19/mo.)
- Unlimited prototypes, reviewers, and developers
- Access to UI kits, animations and effects, rich web interactions, and mobile gestures/ transitions
- Dedicated ticketing support
- Collaboration storage
Enterprise
- All Pro features
- Requirements management
- JIRA, TFS, and Doors integration
- User testing integration
- Priority Support
Server On-Premise
- All Enterprise features
- Collaboration between own servers
- LDAP integration
- Multiple admin accounts
- Repositories, roles, and permissions
Conclusion:
Prototyping tools are tools we use to create wireframes and mockups. They let us turn our ideas into reality even before we develop code. Prototyping equals thinking in visual terms and is an essential part of the app development process. Prototyping is the process of creating a model of a system that can be used for demonstration and review. Prototyping has long been widely used in the field of computer science and in design.