Website Wireframe Tools: The Definitive Guide

This is a complete overview of wireframe tools. 

In this post, you’ll learn:

• What are wireframe tools
• Benefits of using a wireframe tool
• Key features of a good wireframe tool
• Best wireframe tools and their features
• Lots more

So if you’re ready to build “a rock solid” wireframe for your website, this detailed post is for you.

Let’s dive right in.

What are Wireframe Tools?

Wireframe tools allow you to create a blueprint or outline for your ideas, which is the first step toward building something great. Different tools are available for websites and apps. 

These tools are regularly used by designers, they simply use lines and shapes to better craft their ideas from the start. They have made the work easier and more effective.

Wireframing and prototyping are a major part of every UX/UI designer’s everyday job. Fortunately or unfortunately there is an overwhelming number of tools available on the internet today, which often makes choosing the right one increasingly difficult. 

We have shortlisted a few best wireframe tools along with their features and pricing after thorough research for you to make an informed decision.

Following are some of the wireframe collaborative tools we recommend:

• Adobe XD
• Figma
• Sketch
• Mockflow 
• Miro
• Justinmind
• Photoshop
• Mockplus
• Balsamiq wireframes

Benefits of using a Wireframe tool

Wireframing software allows you to create the basics of page interface, space, content, functionalities, and their proper allocation. Furthermore, it has the following features:

• Helping you create the website structure to visualise the design and making it helpful for the developer.
• Creating different types of user interfaces as per requirement.
• Helping with content creation while allocating proper space to the content sections. 
• Drag and drop features to speed up the wireframing process.
• Build templates for different wireframes that you can easily customise as per your needs. 
• Easy sharing, collaboration, and editing options with your team and developers.
• Helps you create a responsive website on all browsers and devices available. 
• They can help in identifying bugs and issues in the structure, architecture, navigation, and functionality of your website before you start developing it. 

These are just a few benefits of using a wireframe tool for the designing process. 

What to look for in a wireframe tool?

A wireframe tool is not a requirement for wireframing. You can simply use a flow chart and get the work down but because of the following features, the popularity of these tools is growing with each passing year. 

They are created with the needs of UX/UI designers in mind, with advanced editing tools, templates, and canvases to creating wireframes and a responsive design for multiple screens. 

Following are some of the features to look for in a wireframe tool:

• UI kits: An effective tool includes great in-build UI libraries and pre-loaded templates, and allows you to either upload your own or upload pre-designed kits from third parties. This can help you in creating an aesthetically pleasing interface for your website/app.
  
• Structure: The structure or navigation of a website is highly important. The sooner you figure this out, the better the outcome of your website will be. Tools that offer a logical hierarchy are used and recommended by most designers.
  
• Integrations: It should come with easy integrations, sharing, and collaboration features. This will help to integrate with your existing applications/websites and share them with your team. Furthermore, it is important for user testing.
  
  Most teams work remotely now and it is essential for them to share it with their teammates to collect feedback or for multiple people to work on the same design.
  
• Export options: There’s no doubt that most developers can simply get the work done using a screenshot, but it is recommended that your design has the ability to be exported.
  
  Developing becomes a lot easier when you have the ability to export individual items of your design like icons, images, text, etc.
  
• Regular updates: An effective wireframe tool is regularly updated and maintained. In today’s age, new innovations are being made every day like advanced communication facilities, the ability to integrate with new apps, recent templates, and so on.
  
• Testing: Testing features is a fundamental feature. This should allow you to test every page of a website on all available screens, browsers, and platforms. This will help your website to be responsive on commonly used screen devices including, IOS devices, Android devices, Windows PC, etc. 

These are some of the must-have key features that you need to consider when choosing a wireframe tool. 

Best Website Wireframe Tools

Adobe XD

Adobe XD was released in 2016 and has become one of the most popular wireframe tools. It is not only excellent for beginners but also an all-in-one tool for expert wireframing and collaboration.

Stand-out features of Adobe XD: 

• It can be used to create flowcharts, sitemaps, and storyboards, as well as a complete wireframe for websites or applications and prototypes. 
• It is available for both Microsoft Windows and macOS.
• Adobe XD can keep track of basic CSS and HTML which can be helpful during the development stage. 
• The designs are responsive for most screens, and if needed, they can stretch and shrink according to the requirement or screen size. 
• It is an AI-powered tool that gives you the functionality to add animations, and motion graphics, and transform objects into 3D forms.
• It also supports voice commands and audio playback.
• It comes with easy integration and collaboration with multiple apps including Illustrator and Photoshop etc.

Adobe has made collaborating and sharing designs extremely easy with your team all over the world.

Price Range: Adobe XD is a paid tool starting from $9.99/month. You can also get the entire Adobe Creative Cloud suite for $54.99/month. 

Unfortunately, it does not come with a free version, however, they offer a 7-day free trial.

Figma

It is the most popular tool among UX/UI designers in the current age. Figma is a cloud-based tool and is extremely easy to use with a number of functionalities. Although it does not have its own pre-built templates it gives the option to upload your own pre-built UI kits. 

Stand out features of Figma:

• You can easily optimise your user experience as it has the option to show you how the design responds on different-sized screens and browsers.
• It is also excellent for collaborative working as it allows multiple users to view and edit the design. You can have an entire conversation in Figma including sticky notes, comments, and feedback, that other members can respond to or mark as complete. 
• You can also easily access CSS code and export it. You can also export individual items. 
• It has an auto layout which not only helps the responsive design but buttons and lists are also adjusted and resized as you make changes. 
• It also comes with an animation feature for your designs.
• Figma is compatible with multiple browsers along with Windows, Mac, and Linux. 
• It also serves as a community platform where users can view, explore, and download templates uploaded by others. 

Price Range: You can use Figma wireframing tools free version for up to three projects or two editors without having to select a payment plan. 

1. Professional plans are available from $12/user/month
2. Organisation plans are available at $45/user/month 
3. The most advanced Enterprise plan costs $75/user/month

Sketch

Sketch was one of the first tools to revolutionize the functionality of a wireframe tool. 

Just like Figma, it does not come with built-in UI kits but it gives the option to upload your own. It is a lightweight vector design tool. However, it is not available for Windows and is specifically designed for Mac users only. 

Stand out features of Sketch: 

• One of the top features of Sketch is its symbol function which allows you to create different elements that automatically repeat throughout your design or layout. 
• It has a simpler and more intuitive interface than Adobe and Photoshop. 
• Sketch can sync with Unsplash and other sites for royalty-free photos without having to leave the app. 
• Its drag and drop feature makes it one of the easiest tools to use. 
• It provides multiple plugins and other integrations to enhance the functionality. 
• Various users can collaborate together on a Sketch file in real-time. 

Price Range: Sketch offers a 10-day free trial for Mac users. After that, you can purchase the entire program at a one-time cost rather than going for a monthly subscription.

You can also subscribe to the Standard plan for $9/month or $99/year. 

Photoshop 

Photoshop is also powered by Adobe. Ever since its launch, it has been regularly updated for better and more advanced features. It has an AI core which makes image selection and overall user experience extremely effective. 

It has always been up to the industry standards for general design and wireframing. 

Stand out features of Photoshop: 

• It offers easy integrations with other Adobe products which makes wireframing very easy. 
• Although it doesn’t offer any UI kits for wireframes it is loaded with features and functionality that allow you to create any design you want.
• Photoshop comes with a great learning curve.
• Its latest version comes with the ability to scan pictures. 
• You can also share it with others for easy feedback and collaboration.
• It is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems as well as iPad. 

Price Range: Photoshop comes with a free version but limited functionality. Its paid version starts from $9.99/month and goes up to $52.99/month. 

Mockflow 

Mockflow is one of the most popular online wireframe tools. It is extremely easy to use and recommended for beginners and non-technical users to create designs as well as wireframes in very little time. 

Stand out features of Mockflow: 

• It is not only compatible with Windows, Mac, and Android but is also available to use online. 
• Sharing and collaboration are very easy on desktop versions as well as online. 
• It has added bonus of real-time, drag and drop features, keyboard shortcuts, and menus. 
• It comes with tons of built-in UI kits for easy use and design.
• Mockflow can handle multiple projects at once. 
•  It has a vast number of UI including, Android phones, iPhones, iPad, iWatch, and Android watches.
• It can be exported in various formats, including HTML, PDF, and Microsoft Word
• You can also keep track of all the changes, as it keeps a history of your project. 
• It is a highly secure tool offering features such as SSL and SSO. 

Price Range: Its free version is available that you can use for one project at a time and limited features. The premium version is available at $14/month. 

Miro

Miro is a widely used tool for presentations, designing, and wireframing. It is a library that allows you to create simple wireframes even if you have no knowledge or design experience.

Stand out features of Miro:

• It is one of the most versatile tools that you can use for wireframing. 
• It has exceptional collaboration features like video chat, sticky notes, background music, as well as a meeting option. 
• There are numerous UI kits and templates, you can either download and use them or just look at them for inspiration. 
• New features are introduced almost every day to improve its functionality.

Price Range: A free version is available but it comes with its limitations. Premium versions are available from $8-16/month. Custom pricing is available for enterprise-level accounts. 

Justinmind

Justinmind is recommended for beginners or the ones with less technical knowledge but it’s not built for beginner-level wireframing and designing. It is one of the most advanced wireframing tools.

It is one of the most loved tools among UX designers. 

Stand out features of Justinmind:

• It empowers you to create a responsive wireframe that can be tested from start. 
• It comes with interactive prototype tool with much better functionality than other tools like dropdowns, radio buttons, etc. 
• With all these features available at the click of a button, working with Justinmind can save you days and hours worth of time. 
• It is available for both Mac and Windows.
• It has more than 500 UI elements and widgets. And you can also import your own elements. 
• Once the design is completed, it can be exported as an HTML file. 
• You can also integrate multiple tools and apps including Sketch and Adobe XD.

Price Range: You can use Stand out wireframe tools free version for desktop apps with wireframing features. A professional plan is also available at $19/month which comes with advanced features. 

Mockplus

Mockplus is popular for being a quick wireframing tool for both websites and apps, which saves you time. And enables you to test the prototype from the start across PCs and mobile devices. 

Stand out features of Mockplus:

• It is available for both Windows and Mac users. 
• It has over 3000 built-in templates, elements, and designs that you can simply use with the drag and drop feature. 
• Their wireframe supports both Android and IOS mobile app and devices. 
• It offers 8 different ways to test and preview your wireframe.
• Mockplus offers interactive animations, and high fidelity wireframes as well to make your wireframe more attractive. 
• Plus it has collaborative features that allow your entire team to work on the same project at the same time. 

Price Range: The basic version of Mockplus is a free wireframe tool. The Premium version also comes with a 15-day free trial period and is available at $16/month which is billed annually. 

Conclusion 

A good website wireframe tool will give you a solid foundation to create an interactive wireframe for your coaching website that actually converts.

I hope this guide will help you choose the right tool as per your needs, expertise, and budget. 

Now I would like to hear from you, which is your favorite wireframe tools and why?

Let me know by leaving a comment below right now.