Best Mobile App Design Software Shortlist
Here’s my shortlist of the best mobile app design software:
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
Managing a mobile app project can be overwhelming. You face tight deadlines, complex user requirements, and the need to collaborate effectively with your team. Mobile app design software helps simplify these challenges by offering tools that make design and prototyping easier.
In my experience, choosing the right software can make a significant difference in your workflow. That's why I've tested and reviewed various options to bring you an unbiased list of top picks.
In this article, you'll find insights into each tool's unique features and how they can benefit your team. Whether you're looking for collaboration, prototyping, or user testing capabilities, I've got you covered. Let's dive into the best mobile app design software available today.
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Best Mobile App Design Software Summary
This comparison chart summarizes pricing details for my top mobile app design software selections to help you find the best one for your budget and business needs.
Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Best for real-time collaboration | Free plan available | From $15/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
2 | Best for custom apps without code | Free plan available | From $49/month (billed annually) | Website | |
3 | Best for rapid prototyping | Free plan available | From $24.99/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
4 | Best for user testing | 7-day free trial + free plan available | From $16/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
5 | Best for no-code app development | Free plan available | From $100/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
6 | Best for quick mockups | Free plan available | From $8.25/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
7 | Best for interactive prototypes | 15-day free trial + free demo available | From $29/user/month | Website | |
8 | Best for cross-platform apps | Free plan available | Free open-source | Website | |
9 | Best for app customization | Free demo available | From $156/month (billed annually) | Website | |
10 | Best for design prototyping | 30-day free trial | From $19.99/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
Best Mobile App Design Software Review
Below are my detailed summaries of the best mobile app design software that made it onto my shortlist. My reviews offer a detailed look at the key features, pros & cons, integrations, and ideal use cases of each tool to help you find the best one for you.
Figma is a cloud-based design tool that caters to designers, product managers, and teams looking to collaborate on mobile app design projects. It allows users to create, prototype, and gather feedback all in one place, making design processes more efficient.
Why I picked Figma: Figma excels in real-time collaboration, allowing multiple team members to work on a design simultaneously. This feature is especially useful for remote teams or those spread across different locations. The tool offers vector editing and design features that keep your designs precise and scalable. Additionally, Figma's commenting and feedback system ensures everyone stays on the same page, reducing miscommunications.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include vector networks for flexible drawing, auto layout for responsive design, and a component library for reusable elements. You can also create interactive prototypes directly within the tool, which helps in visualizing user flows without leaving the platform. The version history feature keeps track of all changes, allowing you to revert to previous versions whenever needed.
Integrations include Slack, Zeplin, Jira, Trello, Dropbox, Notion, Asana, Confluence, Airtable, and Microsoft Teams.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Extensive component library
- Easy access to version history
- Real-time collaboration with remote teams
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
- Occasional performance lags
Softr is a no-code platform that helps users create web apps, client portals, and internal tools using data from Airtable or Google Sheets. It's designed for solo builders, small businesses, and teams that want to build functional tools without relying on developers.
Why I picked Softr: You can build and publish apps without writing a single line of code, and it works directly with your Airtable or Google Sheets data. Softr gives you building blocks like lists, charts, forms, and user authentication so you can piece things together fast. It’s ideal if you need to build something that looks good and works well, without needing to understand design systems or code. It also lets your team control access to different content by user type. Everything updates live when your data source changes, so you don’t need to sync anything manually.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include custom domains so you can brand your app, granular user permissions to control who sees what, and a responsive design that works well across all screen sizes. You also get visual editing tools to tweak layouts easily and flexible URL structures for better user flows.
Integrations include Airtable, Google Sheets, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Stripe, Zapier, Google Analytics, Intercom, Google Maps, and Calendly.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- App loads quickly even with large data
- Live data syncing from your base
- Built-in access control settings
Cons:
- Hard to customize mobile layouts
- Limited logic or conditional workflows
Mockplus is a prototyping tool designed for designers and product teams who need to quickly create interactive prototypes. It offers a platform for rapid prototyping, allowing users to visualize and test concepts without extensive design work.
Why I picked Mockplus: Mockplus excels in rapid prototyping, making it ideal for teams that need to test ideas quickly. Its drag-and-drop interface simplifies the creation of interactive prototypes, saving valuable time. The tool also offers a wide range of pre-designed components that can be used to build prototypes quickly and easily. You can use its collaboration features to share and gather feedback from your team instantly.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a component library with over 3,000 icons and elements, a drag-and-drop interface for building prototypes quickly, and interactive design tools for creating realistic user flows. Mockplus also provides a mind map feature to visualize and organize design ideas. The tool supports team collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on projects simultaneously.
Integrations include Slack, Jira, Confluence, Trello, Sketch, Adobe XD, Axure, Figma, and Photoshop.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
- Extensive component library
- Quick prototype creation
Cons:
- Performance can lag with large projects
- Limited advanced customization
Marvel App is a design and prototyping tool aimed at designers and teams wanting to create interactive prototypes and conduct user testing. It provides a platform for turning ideas into interactive prototypes that can be tested for usability and user experience.
Why I picked Marvel App: Marvel App is designed with user testing in mind, making it easy to gather feedback on prototypes. Its user testing feature allows you to record user interactions, providing valuable insights into usability issues. The tool's simple interface makes it accessible for teams of all sizes, and you can create interactive prototypes without needing a technical background. Marvel App's design and prototyping features are intuitive, allowing you to focus on creativity and user feedback.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include the ability to create interactive prototypes with hotspots and transitions, a design mode for crafting high-fidelity designs, and a user testing feature to capture real user interactions. You can also use the handoff tool to generate specifications for developers, ensuring a smooth transition from design to development. Marvel App's collaboration features let you share prototypes with your team for feedback and iteration.
Integrations include Slack, Sketch, Jira, Confluence, Dropbox, Google Drive, Trello, Microsoft Teams, Zapier, and Unsplash.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- No technical background needed
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Strong user testing capabilities
Cons:
- Basic prototyping features
- Limited customization options
Caspio is a no-code platform that enables businesses and individuals to create custom web applications without needing advanced coding skills. It targets users who want to build functional applications quickly and efficiently.
Why I picked Caspio: Caspio offers a no-code solution that empowers you to develop applications without programming knowledge. Its visual application builder simplifies the design process, allowing you to focus on functionality. The platform includes a variety of templates, which you can customize to suit your specific needs. With its scalable database capabilities, you can manage large datasets without compromising performance.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a visual application builder that lets you drag and drop elements to create applications, robust database management tools for handling large datasets, and customizable templates to speed up development. Caspio also provides user authentication features to secure access to your applications. The platform offers responsive design capabilities, ensuring your apps work well on any device.
Integrations include Salesforce, Microsoft SharePoint, Google Drive, Dropbox, Zapier, QuickBooks, Box, Twilio, PayPal, and Stripe.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Customizable templates available
- Scalable database management
- No-code development platform
Cons:
- Limited customization for complex apps
- Higher learning curve for beginners
Fluid UI is a web-based design tool aimed at designers and product teams who need to quickly create mockups and prototypes. It allows users to visualize ideas rapidly, facilitating efficient design iteration and team collaboration.
Why I picked Fluid UI: Fluid UI is designed for speed, making it easy to create quick mockups that can be shared and tested. Its drag-and-drop editor simplifies the design process, allowing you to focus on creativity. The tool includes pre-built libraries that help you build prototypes without starting from scratch. You can also use its collaboration features to get instant feedback from your team, improving the design process.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a drag-and-drop editor that simplifies the design process, pre-built libraries with a wide range of UI elements, and a live presentation mode for showcasing designs. Fluid UI also offers real-time collaboration, enabling your team to work together and provide feedback instantly. The tool's export feature allows you to share designs in various formats, making it easy to present concepts to stakeholders.
Integrations include Slack, Jira, Trello, Google Drive, Dropbox, Sketch, Adobe XD, Balsamiq, Marvel App, and Figma.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Pre-built UI libraries
- Fast mockup creation
Cons:
- Basic prototyping capabilities
- Limited advanced features
Proto.io is a web-based prototyping tool designed for designers and product teams who want to create interactive prototypes. It allows users to build, test, and iterate on app designs without any coding, making it accessible for a wide range of users.
Why I picked Proto.io: Proto.io excels in creating interactive prototypes that mimic real app experiences, which is helpful for user testing. Its drag-and-drop interface simplifies the design process, allowing you to focus on creating detailed interactions. The tool offers a wide range of UI components and templates to speed up the prototyping process. You can also use its collaboration features to share prototypes with your team and gather feedback quickly.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a drag-and-drop interface for easy design, a rich library of UI components and templates, and advanced animation tools to create realistic interactions. Proto.io also provides user testing capabilities, allowing you to gather feedback directly within the platform. The tool supports video recording of user sessions, helping you analyze user interactions in detail.
Integrations include Slack, Jira, Dropbox, Google Drive, Trello, Sketch, Adobe XD, Figma, and Marvel App.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Advanced animation tools
- Supports video recording for testing
- Easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface
Cons:
- Complexity in advanced animations
- Limited offline functionality
Flutter is an open-source UI software development kit designed for developers looking to build natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase. It serves developers seeking to create cross-platform apps with high performance and expressive designs.
Why I picked Flutter: Flutter allows you to develop cross-platform apps using a single codebase, which is efficient for teams targeting multiple platforms. Its hot reload feature speeds up the development process by allowing you to see code changes in real-time. The rich widget library provides customizable UI components to create visually appealing apps. Flutter's integration with existing code makes it a versatile choice for enhancing current projects or starting new ones.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a hot reload function that lets you instantly view code changes, a rich set of widgets that facilitate expressive UI design, and strong native performance due to its direct compilation approach. It also supports internationalization, allowing your apps to reach a global audience. With its layered architecture, you can customize designs and control every pixel on the screen.
Integrations include Firebase, Google Maps, Stripe, AWS, Cloud Firestore, GraphQL, Sentry, Google Analytics, FlutterFire, and Adobe XD.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Customizable rich widgets
- Real-time updates with hot reload
- Single codebase for multiple platforms
Cons:
- Limited library variety
- Requires the Dart programming language
BuildFire is an app development platform designed for businesses and individuals who want to create custom mobile apps without extensive coding knowledge. It allows users to build, customize, and manage apps tailored to their specific needs.
Why I picked BuildFire: BuildFire offers extensive customization options, which is ideal for users who need tailored app solutions. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to add features and design elements without coding. The platform provides a wide range of pre-built templates to simplify the app creation process. You can also use its plugin marketplace to extend functionality and meet unique business requirements.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a drag-and-drop app builder that simplifies the design process, a plugin marketplace for adding custom features, and real-time app updates that allow you to make changes on the fly. BuildFire also offers analytics tools to track app performance and user engagement. The platform supports white-labeling, enabling you to brand the app as your own.
Integrations include Google Analytics, Mailchimp, Salesforce, Shopify, QuickBooks, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Zapier.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- White-labeling available
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Extensive customization options
Cons:
- Limited offline functionality
- Higher cost for advanced features
Adobe XD is a vector-based user experience design tool aimed at UX/UI designers and teams needing to prototype and design mobile apps. It provides a platform for creating interactive prototypes and wireframes, making design processes more efficient.
Why I picked Adobe XD: Adobe XD offers an intuitive interface that makes prototyping straightforward, which sets it apart from other tools. It supports vector-based drawing tools, allowing for precise design work. You can easily create interactive prototypes with transitions and animations to visualize user flows. The tool's artboards feature enables you to manage multiple screen sizes and layouts, ensuring your designs are adaptable.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a repeat grid feature for duplicating design elements, responsive resizing for adjusting designs across different devices, and voice prototyping for adding voice interactions. You can also use the auto-animate feature to create micro-interactions that enhance the user experience. Adobe XD's coediting functionality lets multiple team members work on a project simultaneously.
Integrations include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Zeplin, Trello, Notion, Airtable, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Sketch.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Easy artboard management
- Supports voice interactions
- Intuitive prototyping interface
Cons:
- Requires Adobe ecosystem familiarity
- Limited plugin availability
Other Mobile App Design Software
Here are some additional mobile app design software options that didn’t make it onto my shortlist, but are still worth checking out:
- Axure RP
For complex wireframing
- Sketch
For macOS users
- Justinmind
For functional wireframes
- Canva
For non-designers
- Balsamiq
For low-fidelity mockups
- UXPin
For design systems
- Miro
For visual collaboration
- Flinto
For micro-interactions
- Origami Studio
For functional wireframes
Mobile App Design Software Selection Criteria
When selecting the best mobile app design software to include in this list, I considered common buyer needs and pain points like ease of use and collaboration features. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair:
Core Functionality (25% of total score)
To be considered for inclusion in this list, each solution had to fulfill these common use cases:
- Create interactive prototypes
- Design user interfaces
- Support collaboration among team members
- Export design assets for development
- Provide version control and history
Additional Standout Features (25% of total score)
To help further narrow down the competition, I also looked for unique features, such as:
- Real-time design collaboration
- Advanced animation capabilities
- Built-in user testing tools
- Integration with developer handoff tools
- Support for voice interactions
Usability (10% of total score)
To get a sense of the usability of each system, I considered the following:
- Intuitive interface design
- Ease of navigation within the tool
- Availability of shortcut keys
- Customizability of the workspace
- Clarity of tooltips and guidance
Onboarding (10% of total score)
To evaluate the onboarding experience for each platform, I considered the following:
- Availability of training videos
- Access to interactive product tours
- Presence of onboarding templates
- Support through chatbots or live chat
- Access to webinars for new users
Customer Support (10% of total score)
To assess each software provider’s customer support services, I considered the following:
- Availability of 24/7 support
- Response time to inquiries
- Access to a comprehensive knowledge base
- Availability of live chat support
- Quality of community forums
Value For Money (10% of total score)
To evaluate the value for money of each platform, I considered the following:
- Competitive pricing compared to similar tools
- Availability of a free trial or plan
- Flexibility of pricing tiers
- Features included in each pricing plan
- Discounts for annual subscriptions
Customer Reviews (10% of total score)
To get a sense of overall customer satisfaction, I considered the following when reading customer reviews:
- Frequency of positive feedback
- Commonly mentioned pain points
- Consistency in performance reviews
- Feedback on customer support quality
- Overall user satisfaction ratings
How to Choose Mobile App Design Software
It’s easy to get bogged down in long feature lists and complex pricing structures. To help you stay focused as you work through your unique software selection process, here’s a checklist of factors to keep in mind:
Factor | What to Consider |
Scalability | Ensure the software can grow with your team. Look for solutions that support an increasing number of users, projects, and complexity without performance issues. |
Integrations | Check if the tool integrates with other software your team uses, like project management tools, communication platforms, and development environments. |
Customizability | Look for tools that allow you to tailor the interface and features to fit your workflow. Consider options that let you create custom components or templates. |
Ease of Use | Choose software with a user-friendly interface that your team can quickly learn. Look for features like drag-and-drop functionality and intuitive navigation. |
Budget | Consider both initial costs and long-term expenses. Ensure the pricing aligns with your budget, and evaluate if the features justify the cost. |
Security Safeguards | Ensure the software complies with industry security standards to protect your data. Look for features like data encryption, user authentication, and regular updates. |
Collaboration | Evaluate how well the tool supports team collaboration. Look for real-time editing, commenting, and feedback options to enhance teamwork. |
Support | Consider the availability and quality of customer support. Look for options that offer 24/7 assistance, comprehensive documentation, and active community forums. |
Trends in Mobile App Design Software
In my research, I sourced countless product updates, press releases, and release logs from different mobile app design software vendors. Here are some of the emerging trends I’m keeping an eye on:
- Real-time collaboration: Teams increasingly need to work together in real-time, regardless of location. Software like Figma allows multiple users to edit designs simultaneously, making collaboration more efficient and reducing miscommunication.
- Augmented reality (AR) integration: AR features are becoming more prevalent in design tools, allowing designers to create immersive experiences. This trend supports industries like retail and gaming, where visualizing products in real environments is beneficial.
- Voice user interface (VUI) design: As voice-activated devices grow in popularity, tools are adapting to support VUI design. Adobe XD, for example, includes features for prototyping voice interactions, helping designers create more inclusive and modern user experiences.
- Design systems management: More tools now offer features to manage and maintain design systems, ensuring consistency across projects. UXPin provides design system libraries that help teams keep design elements uniform and up-to-date.
- AI-driven design suggestions: AI is beginning to play a role in suggesting design improvements and automating repetitive tasks. Some tools are incorporating AI to help designers optimize layouts and color schemes, saving time and enhancing creativity.
What Is Mobile App Design Software?
- Real-time collaboration: Work simultaneously with teammates across different platforms—whether on mac, Windows, or mobile devices—to update designs, provide feedback, and avoid version control issues.
- Interactive prototyping: Simulate user interactions with dynamic prototypes that mimic app behavior. Tools like InVision make it easy to test usability and get stakeholder feedback early in the process.
- Design systems management: Maintain visual and functional consistency with centralized libraries of reusable components, fonts, and design templates that can scale across projects.
- Drag-and-drop interface: Ideal for users without coding experience, this feature lets designers build layouts and modify elements visually—making it accessible whether you're designing for Android or Apple devices.
- Augmented reality integration: Create immersive app experiences by previewing how digital elements interact with the real world, particularly useful for product previews or location-based apps.
- Voice user interface design: Accommodate the rise of voice-first experiences by designing and testing voice interactions directly within your mobile app UI.
- Advanced animation tools: Bring designs to life with transitions, gestures, and animations that help visualize how the app will respond to user input.
- User testing capabilities: Collect real-time insights from testers to evaluate usability and identify pain points before launch—essential for refining both web design and mobile flows.
- AI-driven design suggestions: Use built-in intelligence to automate repetitive tasks, improve layouts, and inspire creativity with smart recommendations.
- Export design assets: Easily transfer files and design elements to developers, ensuring alignment between your design platform and the production environment, whether it's for the App Store, Google Play, or internal deployment.
Features of Mobile App Design Software
When selecting mobile app design software, keep an eye out for the following key features:
- Intuitive interface: Enable designers to quickly prototype and iterate without a steep learning curve.
- Cross-platform compatibility: Allow users to design for both iOS and Android simultaneously, streamlining development.
- Real-time collaboration: Support multiple users working together on the same project for faster feedback and iteration.
- Responsive design tools: Ensure layouts automatically adapt to different screen sizes and device orientations.
- Component libraries: Provide reusable UI elements to maintain consistency and speed up the design process.
- Interactive prototyping: Let designers simulate app interactions and user flows without writing code.
- Version control: Track design changes and allows rollback to previous versions when needed.
- Developer handoff tools: Generate design specs and assets to simplify the transition from design to development.
- Third-party integrations: Connect with other tools like Slack, Jira, or usability testing platforms to enhance workflow.
- Cloud storage and sync: Ensure access to designs from any device and backs up work automatically.
Benefits of Mobile App Design Software
Implementing mobile app design software provides several benefits for your team and your business. Here are a few you can look forward to:
- Improved collaboration: Real-time editing features enable your team to work together efficiently, no matter where they are.
- Faster prototyping: Drag-and-drop interfaces and interactive app prototyping tools allow you to quickly create and test app designs.
- Consistent design: Design systems management ensures that all your projects maintain a uniform look and feel.
- Enhanced creativity: AI-driven design suggestions and advanced animation tools help spark new ideas and refine existing designs.
- Better user engagement: User testing capabilities let you gather feedback to create designs that resonate with your audience.
- Increased accessibility: Features like voice user interface design make your apps more inclusive and modern.
- Seamless development handoff: Export design assets easily to ensure a smooth transition from design to mobile app development.
Costs and Pricing of Mobile App Design Software
Selecting mobile app design software requires an understanding of the various pricing models and plans available. Costs vary based on features, team size, add-ons, and more. The table below summarizes common plans, their average prices, and typical features included in mobile app design software solutions:
Plan Comparison Table for Mobile App Design Software
Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features |
Free Plan | $0 | Basic prototyping, limited storage, and community support. |
Personal Plan | $5-$25/user/ month | Advanced prototyping, custom templates, and email support. |
Business Plan | $25-$50/ user/month | Team collaboration tools, design systems management, and priority support. |
Enterprise Plan | $50-$100/ user/month | Custom integrations, dedicated account management, and enhanced security features. |
Mobile App Design Software FAQs
Here are some answers to common questions about mobile app design software:
What is the key factor to consider when designing for mobile apps?
The key factor is simplicity. Your design should be intuitive and easy for users to understand without excessive guidance. Focus on clear navigation and ensure the app performs as users expect. This helps improve user satisfaction and reduces frustration.
What is the difference between an app developer and an app designer?
An app developer focuses on building the app to be fast, secure, and efficient. The designer, on the other hand, ensures the app is visually appealing and easy to navigate. Both roles are crucial for creating a successful app that meets user needs and expectations.
What are the five important questions to ask a client before building their app?
Ask about the app’s purpose, desired features, target audience, budget, and any design constraints. Understanding these aspects helps you align the design with client expectations and ensures the app serves its intended function effectively.
How do you choose the right mobile app design software?
When selecting a mobile app designt tool, consider factors like ease of use, available features, integration capabilities, and scalability. Evaluate the software’s ability to meet your specific product design needs and ensure it supports collaboration within your design team.
What are the common challenges faced in mobile app design?
Common challenges include maintaining a consistent user experience across different devices, ensuring app performance, and keeping the design intuitive. Balancing aesthetics with functionality is also important to meet user expectations.
How can mobile app design software improve team collaboration?
Many tools offer real-time collaboration features, allowing team members to work on designs simultaneously. This reduces miscommunication and speeds up the design process, ensuring everyone is aligned and can contribute effectively.
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