The Best Wireframing Tools
Here’s the list of the best wireframing apps I’ll cover in this article.
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LucidchartBest for combining diagramming, data visualization, and collaboration
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InvisionBest for cross-collaborative teams needing infinite whiteboard spaces
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JustinmindBest for turning clickable wireframes to functional simulations, fast
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SketchBest for wireframe kits and resources
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Adobe XDBest wireframe tool with templates optimized for user experience design
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FramerBest for an interactive-by-default wireframing workflow
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Pencil ProjectBest for free, open-source wireframing
- Figma
Best for drag-and-drop wireframe kits
- FluidUI
Best for prototyping and sharing wireframes fast
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MockplusBest for turning low-fidelity designs into interactive wireframes
It’s one thing to have a product idea, but quite another to visualize that idea in a way others can understand. That’s where wireframing saves the day. Wireframing tools bridge the gap between concept and prototype, bringing ideas to life and setting on the long journey to the finished product.
Back in the day, these initial conceptualizations were typically pencil sketches. But in today’s SaaS-driven world, there are many software tools that do a much better job. In this article, I’ll discuss the best wireframing tools and highlight what’s great about each one.
How I Picked The Best Wireframing Tools
After researching the available tools in the market, I realized there are too many! Therefore, I evaluated and compared against a defined set of criteria that I believe make a good wireframing tool. Here are the most relevant factors I used to shortlist the best wireframing platforms.
- User Interface (UI): This is very important as we are talking about a visual representation of concepts. The UI has to be intuitive, preferably drag and drop, and have an adjustable canvas.
- Available elements: I looked at the variety of graphical elements that we can add to our wireframes. As you know, we need to insert logos, multimedia boxes, navigation, text, buttons and a number of visual stuff to represent what we want to convey.
- Integrations: I researched the different ways in which the tools on this list can expand their functionality. This could be a way to share our work, import or export data, or feed other tools.
- Pricing: I’m looking mostly at SaaS tools that have monthly plans and weighed the amount of features against the price.
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Overviews Of The 10 Best Wireframing Software Solutions
Here’s a brief description of each wireframing system to showcase each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface.
Lucidchart
Best for combining diagramming, data visualization, and collaboration
Lucidchart is a diagramming application that helps product designers by offering all the tools they need. These include diagramming, collaboration, and data visualization.
Why I picked Lucidchart: The software features a drag-and-drop interface for creating mobile, tablet, or web wireframes. The app uses layers, links, and hotspots to showcase the various functions of the design.
Additionally, you can create a shared URL and send the latest mockup version to clients or other team members. Feedback can be collected directly on the document or using the in-editor chat. The UI shape library includes everything from search boxes and text editors to accordions and breadcrumbs.
Lucidchart Standout Features & Integrations
Features include vision import and export, real-time collaboration, templates, and shape libraries.
Integrations allow you to connect Lucidchart with Google Drive, Microsoft Office, Salesforce, Atlassian, BambooHR, Slack, and thousands of other apps through Zapier.
Lucidchart Plans & Pricing
Pricing starts at $7.95/user/month for an individual plan, and a limited free plan is available too.
Pros
- Data linking for metrics overlay on diagrams
- Real-time co-authoring
- Enterprise plan available
Cons
- Getting around all toolbars takes time
Invision
Best for cross-collaborative teams needing infinite whiteboard spaces
InVision is a real-time workspace centralizes workflows so that designers can collaborate through a project life cycle. The design software includes over 100 templates from partners such as Microsoft and Atlassian to help you get results faster. You can also embed editable Google Docs, Mode dashboards, Jira issues, and Kanban boards.
Why I picked Invision: Invision combines the power of whiteboard collaboration with the clarity of wireframes for design prototyping. Team members can offer feedback in a way that’s easy for everyone to share and participate in voting to decide on the best options.
Their collaborative canvas empowers teams to create low-fidelity prototypes early in the product design process and iterate rapidly as the project evolves.
Invision Standout Features & Integrations
Features include 100+ templates, voting, version history, live chat, and smart widgets.
Integrations include professional design tools such as Adobe XD, Confluence, and Jira. Also, Loom, Zoom, Figma, Microsoft Teams, and Slack.
Invision Plans & Pricing
Pricing starts at $4.95/user/month, and a limited free version is also available.
Pros
- Available templates from world renowned companies
- Co-creation and collaboration happen in real time
- Member & guest accounts have separate permissions
Cons
- Not a wireframe dedicated tool
Justinmind
Best for turning clickable wireframes to functional simulations, fast
Justinmind is a free wireframe tool for web and mobile that helps you create interactive wireframes that you can preview and test.
Why I picked Justinmind: Justinmind helps with the wireframing and design of web (Windows/MacOS) or mobile products. The design options cover everything from navigation to animations and transitions. For mobile devices, designers may choose from a library of gestures for rotating, tapping, swiping, scrolling, and pinching.
Using these features, designers rapidly progress from prototypes to functional simulations without entering a single line of code. Sequences of actions and conditions can be included in the interactions, giving testers a realistic experience.
Justinmind Standout Features & Integrations
Features include a drag and drop work area, 4000+ pre-built UI elements, device emulators, align elements on canvas, templates, and conditional navigation.
Integrations include popular platforms such as JIRA, Sketch, and Adobe.
Justinmind Plans & Pricing
Pricing starts at $19/user/month, and a free plan is also available.
Pros
- App to emulate designs
- Frequently updated UI elements
- Robust free version of the tool
Cons
- Co-editing available until the Professional plan
Sketch
Best for wireframe kits and resources
Sketch is a Mac native digital design tool that helps you progress from brainstorming ideas to playable prototypes. It supports rapid design, real-time collaboration features, and planned handover to developers.
Why I picked Sketch: This tool is a powerful editor that provides all the tools, from design to coding, to link your design and development teams. Sketch is planned to make work happen faster. Therefore, its Artboard templates allow you to start a project quickly in an editable document that you can later save to make it your own template. You can also replicate elements across projects thanks to Smart Layout, which maintains the padding and spacing between layers in a Symbol when an override changes its size.
Once you finish a prototype, Libraries and Color Tokens will help developers understand what the design team did and an iPhone app can be used to test the prototype as you edit in your Mac.
Sketch Standout Features & Integrations
Features include real-time collaboration, Artboard templates, on-Canvas annotations, a testing app for iPhone, and a free Sketch 101 course for beginners.
Integrations include a range of design tools, including Protopie, Maze, Flinto, Abstract, and Zeplin. You can also find over 700 plugins that will add extra functionality to the tool, and you can share links to your specs directly to tools like Jira and GitHub.
Sketch Plans & Pricing
Pricing starts at $9/user/month and offers a 30-day free trial.
Pros
- Tools built to smoothen developer handoffs
- Unlimited viewers and guests
- The editor works offline
Cons
- Made exclusively for Mac
Adobe XD
Best wireframe tool with templates optimized for user experience design
Adobe XD is a popular, vector-based design tool that is part of the Adobe Creative Suite. Created for UI and UX design, it can be used to develop anything from apps to websites.
Why I picked Adobe XD: Designers can create fluid and dynamic designs that you can’t achieve with traditional design tools. This platform includes a range of wireframing templates that can quickly get you started on your work. The platform will support the entire process from wireframing to delivering to the development team.
Adobe XD supports web design, app design, brand design, and game design. Using online features it makes real-time collaboration possible, and teams can engage in co-creation and conversations in a single place. If your designers already work with Adobe products, they will love using XD, as they can import their work and streamline their creative process.
Adobe XD Standout Features & Integrations
Features include link sharing, co-editing, animations, video exports (MacOS only), document history, and unlimited linked libraries.
Integrations in Adobe XD include a range of apps and services across the Creative Cloud suite. Also, plugins with Zeplin, unDraw, Overflow, Miro, Stark, Anima, and Frontify to boost your workflows.
Adobe XD Plans & Pricing
Adobe XD costs from $9.99/user/month, and there is a 7-day free trial.
Pros
- Loads of documentation, training videos, and community templates
- One of the most popular tools on the market
- Part of the Adobe suite
Cons
- Works best when you purchase more Adobe products
Framer
Best for an interactive-by-default wireframing workflow
Framer is a web builder for creative professionals that provides an intuitive experience where you can build wireframes for free and pay until you are ready to ship.
Why I picked Framer: Framer provides ready-made starter kits and UI components to accelerate the wireframing process. You can arrange layouts with grids and use stacks to space elements evenly. You can also reuse components to speed up iterations. A key feature is flexible templates that you can customize for your project.
From the start, you can click buttons, move elements and customize transitions. You can link between screens to design, test and iterate until you find the optimal user workflow.
Framer Standout Features & Integrations
Features include real-time collaboration and chat, templates, resizable layouts, scroll-based animations, copy-paste function from Figma, and SEO automated optimization.
Integrations are called plugins and include many popular applications, including YouTube, Vimeo, Google Maps, and ProductHunt.
Framer Plans & Pricing
Pricing starts at $20/user/month.
Pros
- It supports website creation rather than just wireframes
- Pay only when you want to export
- Freeform canvas
Cons
- Complex pricing structure
Pencil Project
Best for free, open-source wireframing
Pencil Project is a free GUI prototyping tool that provides free prototyping in an open-source platform.
Why I picked Pencil Project: It includes a library of pre-built shapes for drawing different user interfaces. Both Android and iOS user interface stencils are pre-installed, along with tools for web development.
The template collections include general-purpose shapes, flowchart elements, desktop/web designs, and shapes for mobile. Collections can be dragged and dropped into the wireframe in progress. Connectors may be used to link shapes in a logical flowchart. This tool integrates with design apps such as Flamory.
Pencil Project Standout Features & Integrations
Features include various built-in shapes and stencils, connectors to support flowcharts and diagrams, multiple export formats, and page linking.
Integrations are not mentioned in their documentation.
Pencil Project Plans & Pricing
Pencil Project is available free of charge as an open-source application.
Pros
- Color picker within software
- Shape collections can be installed using drag and drop
- Available for all platforms
Cons
- Last updated in 2019
Figma
Best for drag-and-drop wireframe kits
Figma is a design platform for web and graphic design. It is focused on the future of web, and because of it, they strive to create new and exciting features that will help take you from design to development faster.
Why I picked Figma: It provides wireframe kits to help you validate ideas and accelerate design workflow. You can go from wireframe to clickable prototype in a few steps and add interactivity without the need for code. Out-of-the-box website components include navigation bars, features, headers, and buttons.
The drag-and-drop interface means anyone can create wireframes from the provided kits. Components can be customized to suit the required style, directly from the browser.
Figma Standout Features & Integrations
Features include vector drawing, OpenTypes for personalized fonts, automatic element resizing, auto animation, on-canvas commenting, and audio conversations.
Integrations include tools such as Jira, Zeplin, Dropbox, Microsoft Teams, Slack, ProtoPie, and Axure.
Figma Plans & Pricing
Pricing starts at $15/user/month and is free for students and educators.
Pros
- Connects to FigJam for brainstorming
- Rollout of updates every week
- Unlimited viewers for improved collaboration
Cons
- FigJam comes at an extra cost
FluidUI
Best for prototyping and sharing wireframes fast
FluidUI is a cloud-based platform for creating web app and mobile design prototypes.
Why I picked FluidUI: Multiple designers and stakeholders can review and annotate wireframes, then provide their feedback through comments. Animations and interactive gestures can be added to demonstrate features. Later, these animations can be used as a screenflow map to show how navigation occurs within your prototype.
Another feature I like is the remote testing that you can do with the user. This makes it easier to receive feedback based on your latest development. The software allows wireframes to be created with a short learning curve. Pre-built UI kits are offered for material design, iOS, and wireframing. Designs can then be shared instantly with others on the team.
FluidUI Standout Features & Integrations
Features include personal graphic asset libraries, 2000+ built-in components, interactive prototype animations, video calls within the platform, and reviewer mode.
Integrations are not disclosed.
FluidUI Plans & Pricing
Pricing starts at $15/user/month, and a free trial is available.
Pros
- Unlimited users and prototypes
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Installable desktop client
Cons
- 5 user limit in top plan
Mockplus
Best for turning low-fidelity designs into interactive wireframes
Mockplus is a cloud-based design platform for rapid prototyping and wireframing that focuses on team collaboration and an intuitive design experience.
Why I picked Mockplus: You can use the pre-built components, icons, and drag-and-drop functions to implement realistic screen designs. Team members can test the website design in eight different ways, then provide their feedback through the commenting feature.
This tool aims to help you turn low-fidelity UI design into interactive wireframes. These act like fully-functional prototypes, giving stakeholders an understanding of the concepts in action. You can also select from a library of over 3000 built-in icons, components, and templates.
Mockplus Standout Features & Integrations
Features include vector tools to customize graphics, templates, a vast collection of icons and UI elements, instant review and commenting, and animation.
Integrations are available for Adobe Photoshop, Figma, Axure, Adobe XD and Sketch.
Mockplus Plans & Pricing
Pricing starts at $12.95/user/month, and a free version of the software is available.
Pros
- Components can be shared across wireframes
- Co-wireframing in real time
- Easy to create popups, modals, alerts and other dynamic content
Cons
- Proper prototyping requires extra cost
The 10 Best Wireframing Software Solutions Summary
| Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lucidchart Best for combining diagramming, data visualization, and collaboration | Free trial available | From $7.95/user/month | Visit Website |
| 2 |  Invision Best for cross-collaborative teams needing infinite whiteboard spaces | Free version available | From $4.95/user/month | Visit Website |
| 3 |  Justinmind Best for turning clickable wireframes to functional simulations, fast | Free version available | From $19/user/month | Visit Website |
| 4 |  Sketch Best for wireframe kits and resources | 30-day free trial | From $9/user/month | Visit Website |
| 5 |  Adobe XD Best wireframe tool with templates optimized for user experience design | 7-day free trial | From $9.99/user/month | Visit Website |
| 6 |  Framer Best for an interactive-by-default wireframing workflow | Not available | From $20/editor/month | Visit Website |
| 7 |  Pencil Project Best for free, open-source wireframing | Not available | Free | Visit Website |
| 8 |  Figma Best for drag-and-drop wireframe kits | Free version available | From $15/user/month | Visit Website |
| 9 |  FluidUI Best for prototyping and sharing wireframes fast | Free Trial | From $15/user/month | Visit Website |
| 10 |  Mockplus Best for turning low-fidelity designs into interactive wireframes | Freemium version available | From $12.95/user/month | Visit Website |
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Other Options
Here are a few more that didn’t make the top list.
- UXPin - Best for real-time collaboration
- Axure RP - Best for realistic usability testing
- Balsamiq Wireframes - Great for low-fidelity wireframing
- Photoshop - Wireframing in the Adobe ecosystem
- InDesign - For high-level design quality
- Wireframe.cc - Best for simple wireframing with no distractions
- MockFlow - Optimized for rapidly sketching interface layouts
- Moqups - Best for wireframe and template mockups
- Miro - Wireframing on a collaborative online whiteboard platform
- NinjaMock - Helps you create wireframes in minutes
- Cacoo - Best for collaborative wireframing in the cloud
Related Read: 10 Best ALM Software For Managing Digital Product Life Cycles [2023]
What are Wireframing tools in product management?
Wireframes are the first step in the process of designing digital assets such as apps or websites. They offer a bare-bones visualization of how the product will look. User interface and user interface engineers use them to translate product ideas into visual representations that can be discussed and improved.
Wireframes are used extensively in developing all kinds of wares. Even if the item is a ‘real world’ product, there will probably be associated digital components, such as an online store or membership rewards app. This makes wireframing an essential step in product design today.
What features should I look for when evaluating wireframing tools?
Here are the features you should look for when evaluating wireframing tools.
- Drag & drop: the ability to add or move user interface elements easily so that designers can easily create and modify wireframes
- Interactive elements: allowing users to create interactive prototypes where colleagues can click and test aspects of the design
- Feedback & collaboration tools: features allowing team members to add comments, attach files, and mark up designs
- Fidelity levels: the option to create a range of different wireframe types, from low fidelity to high fidelity
- Revision history: easy access to previous design versions, plus the ability to revert to them if necessary
- Presentation tools: converting basic wireframes into professional presentations for client presentations
- Templates: standard components and symbols that can be reused to speed up the wireframing and design process
- Add-ons: the ability to add additional functionality by installing software plugins, widgets and extensions
What's Next?
You can also check out our articles on how product managers should use wireframes and the difference between prototyping and wireframing. We’re always adding new content, so check back often!
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