5 Best UX Design Tools and How They Compare

A carefully executed user experience(UX) can significantly boost a business’s bottom line.

Research has revealed that a great UX design can increase customer conversion by nearly 400%.  

To achieve this level of success, website designers harness the power of top UX design tools to streamline their design process and thoughtfully construct meaningful user experiences. 

Whether you are a seasoned designer or just dipping your toes into this field, these 5 best UX design tools can be game-changers for your business, helping you craft exceptional user experiences that convert browsers into buyers. 

Without further ado, here’s a comparison table of the 5 best tools for UX designers before we discuss each in depth. 

Comparison of 5 Best UX Design Tools

1. Figma: A Cloud-based Collaborative Plaform 

Figma is one of the best UX design tools, as it's browser-based and enables designers, developers, and copywriters to collaborate on one shared file in real-time. Since it’s browser-based, you can create, edit, and share designs from anywhere, anytime, 24/7.  The platform is so thoughtfully designed that you can invite external contractors and clients to leave their comments/ideas within the file. And, no, it’s not just for the veteran designers who can make the most of it; beginners can equally benefit from and use it like a pro.       

Why Designers Love Figma 

Here are the 7 key features that make Figma one of the top UX design tools

Next-level Collaboration 

Being a browser-based design tool, collaboration is a cinch with Sigma. All stakeholders - developers, designers, copywriters, product owners, you name it - can work together simultaneously on a shared file. The real-time editing feature enables you to see changes happen live. Meaning you can approve or reject ideas on the go.   

Intuitive Interface

Figma’s interface is darn designer-friendly. Simply put, the designer is not manual-dependent and can figure out things independently. Whether adding text, choosing colors, or tracking down elements, beginner designers can learn things on the fly. Since the interface is simple, clean, and highly intuitive, designers can spend more time doing their job than getting messed up in details. 

Cloud Storage 

Figma is housed in the cloud, so you will never lose your work due to hardware failures or accidental deletions, as everything gets saved automatically. Another good part?  You can send the link to anyone, be it your clients or stakeholders, who want to see your work. They can even leave comments directly on the design. 

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Figma's cross-platform compatibility feature means you can run the design almost anywhere, be it your Max, Linux, Windows PC, etc. No, no, there won’t be glitches of any sort. Designs can be run seamlessly as you want them to. 

Easy Prototyping

Figma is one of the top UX prototyping tools. The tool enables designers to create interactive prototypes that help stakeholders and everyone involved in the design process check out user flow and mitigate issues before executing their final codes.

Version Control 

Figma offers version control. In other words, if you are unhappy with how your current version turns out, you can return to the previous versions without much ado. Yes, it acts like a time machine for your design. You can play around with your current and prior version designs. You can simply review different versions to see how your ideas have evolved.  

Vibrant Community 

Joining the Figma community automatically translates to umpteen plugins, tutorials, templates, and more, which are created by fellow designers. Rest assured, you’ll never run out of resources and ideas.   

Why Designers Choose Figma Over Other Design Tools

Figma is one of the most popular UX design tools because of its collaborative nature. It allows multiple designers and stakeholders to chime in with their creative inputs in real-time. Plus, it’s browser-based, so you can use it on any operating system without installation. It also offers powerful interactive prototyping capabilities, which make testing and iterations easy and quick.   

#2. Sketch: The Evergreen Favourite

Sketch came first, and Figma came in later. So, in one sense, Sketch is one of the best UX tools, outscoring Figma in several departments. For instance, if you are looking for highly detailed, intricate designs with pixel-perfect accuracy, Sketch is good. Plus, when it comes to rendering speed, especially for complex designs, Sketch is faster. Its interface and performance responsiveness are far better than those of Figma. More than anything, it’s a plug-in-rich tool for UX design, whether you are working on mobile apps, websites, or animations. Figma is not up there with Sketch in these departments.   

What makes Sketch the Real Favorites In the Face of Figma’s Soaring Popularity

Sketch, the MacOS-Centric, top UX design tool, has been around for so long that it’s the go-to choice for designers for many good reasons. Let’s explore the benefits of using Sketch. 

Straightforward Interface

Navigating through Sketch is darn easy. The layout is super straight, and all the essential tools are close at hand. Plus, you can easily mix and match the best design components without much fuss. The simplicity ensures that you can focus on creativity for the most part rather than getting drowned in technicalities.    

Amazing Vector Editing Capabilities 

If you are looking for pixel-perfect precision and flexibility in Vector editing, it’s better that you zero down on Sketch than any other tool. While the vector tool helps create vector paths through points, curves, and lines, the pencil tool converts your freehand drawings into vector paths. Plus, it offers critical features like point editing, path editing, and pixel-perfect alignment, ensuring your design plays along for all screen sizes. You are free to tweak your designs until you find them correct.  

Streamlined Feedback System 

Getting feedback on the design is relatively straightforward with Sketch. You just need to share links with your team so they can leave comments directly on the design page. Thus, everyone can chime in with feedback, strengthening the final product.

Countless Plugins 

One of the most beloved features of Sketch is its plugins: It’s got a goldmine when it comes to plugins. Think of any feature, and it’s got a plugin for it. Automating repetitive tasks? Automating layout? Exporting assets? Creating interactive prototypes and user flows? Storing and sharing files in the cloud? Sharing design specs and assets with developers? Sketch has a plugin for every need of yours, elevating user experience every step of the way. The tool offers a plug-in manager that lets you quickly find, install, and manage plugins. Sketch also offers plug-ins from third-party sources.      

Why Designers Choose Sketch Over Other Design Tools

One of thepopular UX tools, Sketch, is designed especially for macOS users and is backed by excellent vector editing tools, extensive plugins, reusable design elements, and an intuitive interface. However, it can only be used in macOS, thus limiting its usage significantly. 

3. Adobe XD: The All-in-One Solution

One of the most popular UX tools, Adobe XD, is vector-based and offers incredible features, such as a live preview on multiple devices, real-time collaboration, voice command, gesture support for designing interactive prototypes, repeat grids for creating complex layouts, and so on.  Adobe XD’s creative cloud ecosystem enables seamless integration with Adobe’s Cloud applications, such as Illustrator, Photoshop, and After Effects. This enables smooth workflow when migrating complex graphics or assets. 

Why Designers Prefer Adobe XD 

Adobe XD offers several key features that distinguish it from other designer tools. Here, we explore five essential features to help you better understand them.  

Live preview on Multiple Devices

Adobe XD’s live preview feature lets designers simultaneously see their designs on multiple devices. This enables real-time feedback, ironing out frictions and ensuring seamless user experiences on different screen sizes.  

Repeat Grid for Efficient Layouts

Adobe XD’s repeat grid feature makes creating complex layouts easy. Once designers create an element, such as cards or a list, they can create copies and ensure they fit within the grid automatically. This ensures consistent spacing and alignment throughout the design process.  

Voice commands and gestures support 

The voice commands and gesture support features of Adobe XD make prototyping of voice and gesture-based interactions easier. Adobe XD allows designers to simulate and test interactions, enhancing user experience.    

Plug-in support and App Integrations 

Adobe XD plug-ins and app integrations from Adobe and third-party developers enhance productivity and make work faster and better. There are plugins for asset management, publishing, and accessibility features, enabling greater collaboration between designers, developers, and stakeholders. Some of the popular Adobe XD plugins include UnDraw, PhotoSplash 2, Mockplus iDoc, UI Faces, Colour Ranger Pro 2, Rename It, Stark, Change Case, Artboard Plus, and more. 

Wireframing Tools and Functionalities 

If your mobile app or website design strategies seem overused, try Adobe XD’s wireframes that help you break out from the rut. Yes, Adobe XD is a great tool for wireframing as well. Wireframing helps designers draft layout structures and figure out the content hierarchy, thus allowing designers to lay out the basic groundwork of their designs.     

Cloud-based Sharing and Real-Time Collaboration 

Adobe XD facilitates real-time collaboration through its cloud-based sharing features. Designers generate a shareable link for their design or prototype and send it to anyone, regardless of whether they use Adobe XD. Changes made in the design are instantly known to all the stakeholders with the shared link. Team members can leave comments directly on the design. There’s also a review mode for collaborators to leave feedback. The version history features enable designers to revisit and reuse the previous versions if need be.  

Why Designers Choose Adobe XD Over Other Design Tools

Adobe XD is perfect for designers already in the Adobe ecosystem, as it allows integration with other Adobe apps. The tool allows Rapid Prototyping, Real-time Collaboration, and Live Previews with Real-time Feedback, among many other features. The auto-animation feature allows smooth animations and transitions between screens. 

4. Axure RP: Top Prototyping Tool  

Axure RP is among the best prototyping tools for UX designers when building highly interactive HTML prototypes. The result? It brings unique design ideas to life that help product owners visualize how everything eventually turns out. Not surprisingly, the tool has caught the fancy of many developers and designers. This top-tier tool has been around for quite some time and is backed by a strong community that expands its capabilities via third-party widget libraries.   

What Makes Axure RP Special?

Axure RP is not just one of the best UX prototyping tools; it’s excellent. Here is another host of reasons that make Axure RP unique. 

Intuitive Menus and Tools 

Axure RP’s interface is intuitive, and the learning curve is manageable. However, understanding how the workspace works will speed things up. For instance, there’s this canvas area where you design your prototype, the widget library with its pre-built elements, and the inspector panel, where you adjust properties and interactions. With these intuitive menus and tools, you can create detailed wireframes and prototypes. 

Interactive Prototyping

Azure RP provides prototyping of the next level. You can assign interactions to any widget. For instance, you can verify the validity of the input added to the text field, perhaps an email address, by adding an interaction to the submit button.   

If the email address added to the text field is invalid, an error message will pop up when you click the submit button, helped by the display mantel.   

Axure uses conditional logic to develop such validations. You can set conditions based on user input and thereby control what happens when the user interacts with the form. This feature is beneficial while prototyping forms that require complex validation, such as password strength or multi-step forms. In the case of multi-step forms, new questions are framed based on users’ previous answers.    

Once the interactions are added, you can preview and interact with the design as if you are really checking a live website or app, thus testing the prototype's functionality and flow.    

Collaboration on the Cloud  

A cloud-based platform, Axure RP 10 enables collaboration between designers, developers and stakeholders throughout the design journey in a seamless fashion. The designers can easily gather feedback and make revisions to ensure nothing gets lost in translation. 

Customizable and Flexible

Be it an app, a website, or a desktop app, Axure RP, powered by an array of templates and widgets, adapts to your requirements without much hassle. If you want your own elements, you can easily create them. It won’t be wrong to say you have a customizable toolbox at your fingertips.   

Integration with Other Tools

Products aren’t made in isolation. Integration with third-party tools enhances functionalities and capabilities and delivers a seamless user experience. Axure RP is connected with third-party tools such as Adobe XD and Jira, which makes the workflow efficient.   

Real-Time Preview

With Axure RP, you can preview your work as you create it. You can instantly witness the changes you are making in the design. This means fewer surprises down the road as you can make changes on the fly.

Why Designers Choose Axure RP Over Other Design Tools

 If you are looking for the best high-fidelity prototyping tools, Axure RP should be your design tool of choice. Axure RP is extremely good at building detailed, interactive prototypes powered by conditional logic and user-friendly menus that help communicate ideas effectively. The collaboration, customization, and integration features also help you work harder and smarter.

5. Balsamiq: Rapid Wireframing

Balsamiq is one of best ux mockup tool for rapid, low-fidelity wireframing and mockups. The drag-and-drop feature lets the designer quickly drag widgets from the library and load them on the canvas. Every feature is moveable, editable, and resizable.

Despite the automated feature, the wireframes' look pretty human-like - loose, hand-drawn, and sketchy. This allows the users to focus more on structure and content and less on the design details. 

What Makes Balsamiq Special 

1. Drag-and-Drop Interface 

Balsamiq Mockups is all about dragging and dropping UI widgets onto the canvas. Currently, the gallery comprises more than 70 prebuilt widgets, including the conventional ones:  

• text fields
• form elements
• tab menus
• scroll bars
• common icons
• charts and graphs
• image placeholders

2. Pre-built UI Components

Balsamiq doesn’t offer pixel-perfect designs, allowing enough room for customization. Most buttons, forms, icons, and containers can be easily customized to fit your requirements. You can even edit text appearing on budgets, labels, and more. Plus, you can even change the color of design tools, not to mention bring together multiple components to create complex elements.  

3. Sketch-style Design

The low-fidelity mock-ups and wireframes look and feel like hand-drawn sketches, which makes it very plain to the users that they are not final designs but conceptual mockups that require further iterations and polishes. The tool focuses more on structure, content, and interaction, not pixel-perfect details.

4. Linking and Clickable Prototypes

You can create basic interactive prototypes with this tool by connecting different wireframes. Though this may not be as good as other prototyping tools, it’s good enough to demonstrate basic flows and user interactions. 

5. Collaboration Tools

Balsamiq supports real-time collaboration, enabling multiple team members to work together on wireframes. You can also share the wireframes with stakeholders and collaborators who can add comments and feedback directly to the wireframe elements, paving the way for discussions and iterations. More importantly, it offers role-based permissions. In other words, you can control who views, edits, and manages your project, ensuring data security.  

6. Version Control

The tool offers version control, so users can track changes revert to previous versions, if they don’t like the current version. 

7. Integration with Third-party tools 

Balsamiq works with other tools like Jira, Confluence, and Google Drive. Integrations with Jira help developers visualize the context for development tasks.  Integration with confluence helps develop centralized documentation backed by a visual representation of the product, while Google Drive facilitates storing, managing, and sharing files with stakeholders.   

8. Templates and Symbols

Users can create reusable templates and symbols, especially for recurring UI elements.

9. Offline and Cloud Versions

Balsamiq offers both a cloud-based and desktop version that can be used offline. When you want to sketch out ideas quickly and efficiently without worrying about the visual details, then Balsamiq should be your go-to-tool

Why Designers Choose Balsamiq Over Other Design Tools

Balsamiq is a low-fidelity, early-stage wire-framing tool, which means its designs have a hand-drawn feel. This means rough sketches can be produced with minimal effort, as the focus is more on the structure rather than the design. What’s more, the drag-and-drop components make it accessible for novice and veteran designers alike.    

Final Thoughts  

There you go, 5 top UX design tools pivotal for a website/app’s success. Needless to say, design tools play a crucial role in ensuring that your UX builds upon your lead-generation attempts and does not harm them. The 5 top tools for UX designers provide all critical services, such as collaboration, prototyping, user testing, and more, to ensure outstanding user experiences.  Embrace these tools, explore their features, and watch your conversion rise.