Are you looking forward to attractively growing your business? Are you going to shift your business online? Or are you going to make a new eye-catching website for your business? Do you need assistance?
If yes, then we are here to help you. We will w discussing some tools and software that you can use to make your website absolutely amazing! Making a website eye-catching is a big deal now and doing it might be hard if you do not know the right tools and ways.
The first thing your viewers see when they get introduced to your brand online is your website. And if it is not pretty to their eyes, they might leave without searching for more. We have been such viewers too once or more. But it is not their fault. It is you who has to bring and then keep them on your site so that they become your loyal customers.
No doubt, this might not be the only factor influencing your business but it sure is a major one. You cannot attract a loyal customer without a good-looking website. Other than this, a website with good search engine optimization and good features is also needed with the above-mentioned features. Now, Let’s start by learning about the stuff we are going to discuss in this article.
What Are Web Design Tools?
As their names tell, Web Design Tools are basically software and tools that you use to design your website. Design is the way of presenting your website. Web designing tools are not just to make a website pretty to look at, but it also works to make it effective and responsive.
A good website is one that not only looks attractive but also works well and ranks at the top of the search engine. Web designing tools help with all these needed features that turn a normal website into a good one.
You will have to select the right tool for you based on your company’s size, the type of website you need, the budget you have, all resources that you own, and your technical requirements.
Why Do You Need Web Design Tools?
Some reasons and some benefits of these tools are:
- They provide services of Search Engine Optimization.
- You can make mobile responsive websites.
- You get good analytics after using these tools.
- You get full control of the Design process.
- Your time is saved.
- You can design on a budget.
- You can control the overall layout.
- They make your tasks easier.
Best Free Web Design Tools in 2023
We have prepared a detailed list of the Best Free Web Design Tools in 2023 that we thought were worth mentioning in the list. The details are mentioned so that they can help you choose the right one for yourself.
- Sublime Text 4
- Visual Studio Code
- Figma
- Sketch
- Marvel
- InVision Studio
- Infinity Designer
- Balsamiq
- MockFlow
- Framer
- Fluid
- Bootstrap
- Pattern Lab
- Google Material Design
- Coolors
1. Sublime Text 4:
Sublime Text 4 is a highly customizable platform that helps in text editing. It is a well-known and very powerful tool that has a customizable interface. It also supports a good range of languages as the tool is being used worldwide. The tool is user-friendly with an intriguing interface.
It does not have much of a learning curve. It is very simple to use and understand. The tool is also very pleasing to the eyes. Sublime Text 4 makes code readable by adding colors that indicate different types of elements. This not only makes the code easier to read but also locates errors.
You will see a pool of features in the tool to work with. It is also plugin-friendly and plugin rich. You get to see a free and paid version of the platform too. It also has a good speed to work with.
Some things to keep in mind while using the tool are that it shows a popup to buy their paid version which has become really annoying for some of the users out there. You need another software to run or test a code. It also does not auto-recognize the type of your code. According to some users, the tool also lacks some advanced automation and helpers.
2. Visual Studio Code:
Visual Studio Code is a source code editing tool for MacOS, Windows, and Linux. It is a free tool to work with. You get a ton of good features that you can work with. Some of its interesting features include Syntax highlighting in coding, find and replace in coding, autocompletion in coding, code folding, collaborative editing, selection methods for editing, language support, extensibility, plugins and integrations, cross-platform support, good security, version control, application management, API, bug tracking, change management, code review, and custom development.
The platform is very easy to use and understand. Their customer support is also top-notch, and you will not be disappointed by them. Some things to keep in mind before you use this platform are that it consumes quite a lot of battery power.
They have a number of extensions that are provided by VS Code, which makes it easy to run a code smoothly. According to some users, sometimes, you may also experience it hanging. It provides instructions on each piece of code. You will not experience a built-in function to display an SVG file preview.
Their debugging supporter AI needs to be improved, according to some users too. Finding the settings and the setting interface is considered a bit complex as compared to the other functions, which are super easy to work with.
3. Figma:
Figma is an advanced design tool that makes prototyping easier than it is. It is a free yet powerful tool that works to make web designing and app UIs easy too. You get free and paid versions of Figma. You get monthly and annual subscriptions for the users who want its premium version. It is a browser-based platform that allows anyone to share in the design process.
Being web-based, it is also highly accessible. Its interface is also very easy to use and understand. You get really powerful tools to work with on this platform. You also get access to the keyboard shortcut during your work. It is a great feature for teams. It promotes online collaboration that helps teams communicate properly and design together. It has endless capabilities to start with.
You can make your project better and better by spending more time on the platform. It is super lightweight, with a desktop app available for you. Something to keep in mind about the platform is that its free version has some restrictions when it comes to the features that can be used, but still, it is enough for many of the users.
It might get a little hard to work with if you start to use the tool without any experience. They also lack a mobile app; they do have a mobile viewer but not an app to work on properly.
4. Sketch:
The sketch is a product design tool that is made to turn your ideas into reality. It is a free and paid tool. The platform is great for creating artwork. It is great for both vector and raster-based graphics. It supports a number of plugins as well. This makes it easy for the user to link it to third-party software.
If you are an Adobe user, learning the platform is not a big issue for you as the functionalities are almost the same except for a few changes. The key command shortcuts also make the design process super easy and productive. It helps in creating wireframes and mockups with ease.
It can be synced with Craft and InVision too. It is a big deal when it comes to converting your ideas into reality. Some things to keep in mind about the platform are that sometimes it gets hard to collaborate with. One of the biggest issues faced by its fans is that it is only available on Mac.
This can be an issue, especially when you are working in a team as it will be really difficult for the Windows users to play their part in the project. It might also be not good for prototyping according to some users.
5. Marvel:
Marvel is a tool that is made for cloud-based prototyping and wireframing of multi-device apps. The platform has a really user-friendly interface. The customer support team is also very supportive and user-friendly. The platform shows a pool of features that have become the basis of its huge fan base.
Some of these features include API, alerts and notifications, application management, collaboration tools, custom development, customizable branding, customizable templates, data synchronization, drag and drop, feedback management, mobile access, multiple user accounts, offline access, prototype creation, role-based permissions, single sign-on, software prototyping, third party integrations, usability testing, user management, WYSIWYG editor, etc. You will find a free plan and a subscription on this platform.
They have a well-designed and intriguing interface for you to work on. It also promotes online team collaborations allowing them to work together on a single project at the same time. Some things to keep in mind before using the platform are that it needs some updates for android. The free version limits the users to lock freely. You can get lost while creating flows, so you need to keep an eye on the flows that are going on.
6. InVision Studio:
InVision Studio is a visual collaborative design platform that also assists in prototyping. It is a good way to style for developers that are based on design. It allows all the team members to work together on a project. You can share your assets as well through the platform. Other than this, their features can help you in promoting team collaboration.
Some of its major features include alerts and notifications, animation, brainstorming, collaboration tools, commenting and notes, configurable workflow, data import and export, data linking, data synchronization, design management, desktop interface, digital canvas, document management, document storage, drag and drop, feedback management, idea management, ideation, image library, interactive elements, mind maps, mobile access, mobile interface, multiple projects, multiple user accounts, planning tools, presentation streaming,
presentation tools, project management, project planning, prototype creation, real-time notifications, real-time updates, reporting and analytics, screen capture, security management, sketching and annotation tools, synchronous editing, tagging, task management, task planning, templates, and many more.
Some of the things you should keep in mind before working are that the login process may sometimes cause some frustration. It might be somehow limited in the platforms it can upload the projects too, and some users might also face issues with third-party plugins. Development of the features might also be slow sometimes. And for some users, the web and mobile application becomes heavy and lag.
7. Affinity Designer:
Affinity Designer is a powerful tool that is for professionals. It is a graphic and vector designing tool that is for all the creative people out there. The company basically combines vector design and raster finishing under one roof. The platform’s speed and precision have made it a powerful tool that many professionals work with. The platform has an easy-to-use and understandable interface.
The customer service is also quite top-notch when it comes to users facing issues. Some main features of the platform include creating accurate designs, accurate curves, more than 1,000,000 percent zoom, working with pixel and vector in one workflow, dynamic symbols, split screen, UI, web and app design optimization,
advanced grids, snapping options, amazing geometry, game design, brush stabilization, responsive designs, advanced memory system, asset management, advanced file support, unlimited artboards, impressive text, non-destructive operations, and many more. With a huge pool of features, this tool is considered a great alternative to Adobe tools.
There is nothing much to not like about the platform, but when you are working with it, some things that you might keep in mind are that the document compatibility with non-affinity programs is not very well put. Some of their features are considered difficult to use by their users. And some of the users have said that they face some minor issues while working with the platform.
These may include platforms suddenly closing while they were doing their work. Some professionals who have worked with many other professional platforms find some tools missing from this one. But the overall performance of the platform is highly appreciated by the users.
8. Balsamiq:
Balsamiq is a platform that has made wireframing easy for everyone. It is a leading wireframing software that has combined comfort and simplicity under one roof. The tool helps in sketching out user interfaces for not only websites but also mobile applications. It has a very easy-to-use and understandable interface with a great customer service team to work with.
The platform supports a number of languages, including German, French, Italian, English, Spanish, Turkish, and Portuguese. The platform is seen with a lot of features that it offers to its users. Some of these features are brainstorming, access controls and permissions, collaboration tools, commenting and notes, component library, customizable templates, data linking, data import and export, design management,
design templates, desktop interface, drag and drop, drag and drop editor, feedback management, for mobile, for websites, ideation, image library, mobile access, mockup creation, presentation tools, offline access, real-time updates, single sign-on, software prototyping, third party integrations, UI prototyping, and many more.
Some points to keep in mind about this platform before using it are that it does not support API, AB testing, activity dashboards, and behavior tracking. Negative reviews of the platform are quite rare, and you will find most of its users completely satisfied with it.
Some users believe that the UI of the platform may need some improvements to be impressive as the other software in the market of the same niche tends to have impressive and intriguing UI to work with.
9. MockFlow:
Mockflow is a platform that has taken online wireframing to another level. It is a UI toolset that gives a mesmerizing product design experience that brings teams together to work on innovation. It is famous for its simplicity and a very easy-to-use and understandable user interface. It also promotes team collaboration.
The major features that might give you an idea of the platform include access controls and permission, brainstorming, chat and messaging, collaboration tools, commenting and notes, component library, design management, design templates, desktop interface, drag and drop option, drag and drop editor, feedback management, heatmaps, mockup creation, multiple projects, multiple user accounts, offline access, presentation tools, prototype creation, real-time updates, reporting and analytics, screen capture, search and filter,
single sign-on, surveys and feedback, third part, and integrations, UI prototyping, usability testing, user management, user research analysis, version control, whiteboard, wireframe creation, easy exporting of wires in different formats, etc
The platform does not seem to support behavior tracking and an activity dashboard. Customer support is only available through email and not through phone, training, or tickets. That is why it might be a little slow to respond to your queries.
It is also well functioning for mobile phones right now. The platform also only supports the English language. And you may not be able to co-create a project at the same time as your team. But overall, users do not mention a big concern about using the platform.
10. Framer:
Framer is a platform for professionals that is an all-in-one prototyping software that is an amazing canvas for web designing. You can design your website and then publish it to the world. The platform welcomes creativity at all costs. It allows team collaboration on a single project.
Some of its major features include access controls and permissions, brainstorming, chat, and messaging, collaboration tools, commenting and notes, data import and export, data linking, design management, design templates, document storage, mind maps, mockup creation, multiple projects, multiple user accounts, presentation tools, third party integrations, version control, whiteboard, wireframe creation.
This is a wireframe platform that offers almost all the features that are expected by such a platform. Farmers not only allow team collaboration for a single project but also for multiple projects. It also allows multiple user accounts. It is an amazing product that is used to make amazing designs. It is a tool that welcomes creative people to change their ideas into reality.
Along with these features, animation, coding, and a new App Store make the product next level. It has made production highly feasible. It is an amazing one to create high-quality prototypes. It also supports interactions more than others.
The platform does not have many cons to look at, but some of the issues some of the users might be facing are that it has a big learning curve when it comes to starting to use the platform. Some of the things might need a guide to help the users learn how to use them. Other than this, the platform does not seem to have many problems.
11. Fluid UI:
Fluid UI is a web-based prototyping and wireframing tool. The tool allows users to create mockups, prototypes, and wireframes for mobile apps. The tool is for both beginners and advanced users; whoever wants to get benefited from its services can use it.
The customer support of the platform is quite amazing, and the user interface of the platform is also very welcoming and easy to use. The platform works really well for individuals as well as for teams. The speed of the platform is also very impressive. The platform’s overall performance is easy and fun. It has a free and paid version to work with.
A free version and a free trial are both available for their users. You can get kits for material design, iOS, wireframing, and much more. Some of its major features include Prototyping, Mockups, Wireframes, Online collaboration, Built-in libraries, On device testing, Comments, and feedback, Live presentation,
Gestures and transitions, Upload assets, export HTML, screens and screen flow, mobile support, collaboration, feedback management, feedback collection, screen capture, drag and drop, desktop interface, interactive elements, page linking, prototype creation, revision history, wireframe creation, etc. The customer support team can be contacted through email, live support, and training.
Some of the things to keep in mind about the platform are that sometimes positioning things becomes a little awkward, it has a learning curve to it as well, which might make some new users stop using it, size of the monitor might change the way you look at things, the features might not be very intuitive according to some of the users
12. Bootstrap Studio:
Bootstrap Studio is a platform that has made web design easy for the Bootstrap framework. It is a web design tool for the bootstrap framework. The platform has an intuitive and impressive interface, a rich library of components, an advanced CSS editor, easily import fonts from Google fonts, real-time review, smart reusable components, live JavaScript editing, one-click export to HTML, Linux versions available, auto-publish,
Live preview on a local network, shareable components, multi-platform, and many more. It has integrations with Bootstrap and BootFaces. The tool is appreciated for its flexibility and is considered great for creating websites. The tool is considered great for speeding up the development of Bootstrap elements for sites.
Some drawbacks of the platform that can be discussed are that they do not offer support for the Chrome operating system, detailed HTML editing is not extensively covered as the platform has its major focus on speed, it does not support React or Angular, and you can also not automatically export the website to WordPress.
As it is just a design tool, some people might come with more expectations from it. Professionals usually look forward to places where they can find multiple services under one roof, which might not be possible in this case.
13. Pattern Lab:
Pattern Lab is a platform that allows users to use atomic design principles and build creative and thoughtful user interfaces. The platform has integrations with Webix, Moqups, Angular UI Bootstrap, JSHint, Ember.js, PHP, Node.js, etc. Some of its major features include Nested Patterns, Design With Dynamic Data, Language Agnostic, Pattern Documentation, Viewport Resizer Tools, etc.
Pattern Lab is a tool that allows you to involve UI patterns. It is basically a static-site generator that is powered by PHP or Node and joins UI components together. The platform allows swapping different representative content into the user’s components to make sure that they can handle the dynamic nature of the user’s content. Its major feature is UI design.
The only language this platform supports is English. The platform also allows the users to include UI patterns inside each other. When you make a change to a pattern, you will see those changes reflected anywhere the pattern is included.
The developer tools provided by the platform are amazing, and so is the CSS framework by the platform. The website builder of the platform is also considered a good one, but it does not have good support for CMS. The platform’s overall performance is good for the designers and works well.
14. Google Material Design:
Google Material Design is a platform that is a solid choice for many professionals out there. The guidelines of this platform have become a signature look for Google’s websites and application-based services. The company is affiliated with Google, which makes it highly recognizable. It is an excellent choice for a number of design implementations.
Material design is basically a platform that is made by Google and is a design tool that has guidelines for everything, including typography, grids, space, scale, color, and imagery. This platform is an entire design ecosystem. Material Design has rules to handle any potential design situation. This feature can be very relaxing for many designers who are looking for platforms like these.
Google has deep support and extensive documentation of this platform. The documentation consists of information about how to use and implement this tool. Features like Subtle Skeumorphism, user-friendliness, subtle animations, user feedback, a simplified sense of physics, etc, are some of its amazing ones.
The platform’s deep association with Google and especially Android may have a negative impact on some of the users. Using Material Design might also limit the effectiveness of another branding as the product that is following Material Design is also associated with Google.
This is a point that bothers many users too. The Material Design functioning may be considered a little difficult for beginners and using it at first might involve a learning curve to itself too. Some usability issues are also a part of the user experience and may also negatively impact its users.
15. Coolors:
Coolors is a color scheme generator for designers. The platform is liked for being easy to use and for having a very supportive and knowledgeable customer support team. Color schemes for branding and websites are a big deal. It makes it worth looking at and then eventually worth visiting. No one hates a good-looking website.
Colors can help in generating a perfect palette or let you just get inspired by thousands of color schemes already present. The tool can be integrated easily with mobile phones. The major features of the platform include a palette generator, thousands of color schemes, an image picker, a contrast checker, and an image recolor. There is a collage maker that assists in matching color schemes.
You are allowed to explore multiple gradients from this platform and can also make new ones for your own designs. Premium icons, drag and drop, image exporting, file sharing, customizable layout, and automated designs are some of its major features to look at too.
There is nothing much not to like about this platform. It has helped thousands of designers in their art. The endless choices may make you confused, and you might not know which colors you want to look at for your art. You spend a lot of time on this site to find just a few palettes
Conclusion:
To end this discussion, we must say that there are so many web design tools out there. When you start web designing, you might be confused about so many things, and you might be looking for easier stuff to start with. This list has been made for everyone who can use the service.
From beginners to professionals, we have added all the tools that we thought would be helpful for you and your business. There are some which might be good for beginners, and then there are some that many professionals might be looking for.
The list has been made with the purpose of guiding you well enough that you know which tool to use at which stage of your profession. We hope that it helps you make a good decision. Happy designing!
