The 19 best wireframe tools

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Wireframe tools make the process of knowing how to create an app or website fundamentally easier, by visually stripping the product down and enabling all involved to focus purely on functions and user interactivity.

Clients need to understand how your proposed app or website will work. But simply explaining to them verbally or in writing leaves the vast majority of functions down to their imagination – which isn't helpful for you or your client, and leaves a lot of room of error. Wireframe tools can be extremely helpful in squaring that circle.

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There are more wireframe tools on the market than ever, each offering varying levels of functionality. Some software can be used purely for simple wireframes, while others will allow you to create a working prototype.

Taking advantage of trial downloads or free software and finding the one that fits in with the way you work is the only way of finding out which one is right for you. Here we've selected 20 of the best wireframe tools to get you started. Enjoy...

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Promoted: Justinmind

Justinmind offers a library of UI elements and custom styling for use in your wireframes

• Platform: Web-based
• Price: $19/month

Web-based Justinmind includes a library of UI elements, from buttons and forms to generics shapes and a range of widgets for iOS, SAP and Android. Custom styling is included, so you can add rounded corners, cropped images or colour gradients, or import graphics by dragging them into the browser. Prototypes can be exported as HTML.

01. Wireframe.cc

Wireframe.cc offers a clean, minimal interface

• Platform: Web-based
• Price: Free-$99/month

Wireframe.cc offers a simple interface for sketching your wireframes that eschews the toolbars and icons of a typical drawing app. 

There's a limited colour palette to help you avoid that particular avenue of procrastination, and UI elements are context-sensitive and only appear when you need them. Whether or not you enjoy this is a matter of personal taste. 

02. Moqups

Work collaboratively on wireframes, mockups, prototypes and more

• Platform: Web-based
• Price: Free-€49/month

This tool is designed to take you through the whole process of roughly sketching your wireframes; collaborating on them with others; creating site maps, flowcharts and storyboards; and building functional prototypes. 

03. UXPin

Quick tutorials show you how to build advanced animations in the UXPin editor

• Platform: Web-based
• Price: $19-$99/month

You can put together wireframes in UXPin at top speed by dragging and dropping custom elements. There are regularly updated libraries for Bootstrap, Foundation, iOS and Android, and your wireframes can be quickly converted to high-fidelity mockups. From there you can create fully interactive and animated prototypes of your final product. 

Alternatively, you can also start your designs in Photoshop or Sketch and import into UXPin for prototyping. To support the full UX process, you can then create and pin documentation to your prototypes and auto-generate specs and style guides for developers.

04. Fluid UI

Each project generates a QR code you can scan to get the prototype working on your phone

• Platform: Web-based
• Price: $8.25-$41.58/month

Fluid UI has 16 built-in libraries for iOS, Android, Windows and more, and pages are created by dragging in elements from these libraries. This app provides a great way for you to map out your projects visually by creating links to join screens, forming a diagram of how everything fits together. Hovering over a link gives you the option to change the kind of transition you're using. 

05. Balsamiq Mockups

Balsamiq Mockups aims to replicate the experience of sketching on a whiteboard

• Platform: Mac, Windows, web-based
• Price: Various

Balsamiq Mockups includes several drag-and-drop elements, from buttons to lists, each styled as a hand-drawing. The basic premise behind this wireframing tool is to keep the mock-ups 'intentionally rough and low fidelity', to encourage as much feedback as possible.

06. Axure

Axure lets you create interactive HTML mockups for websites and apps

• Platform: Mac, Windows
• Price: $29-$99/month per user

As well as creating mockups, Axure allows you to add functionality to your layout and create an interactive prototype. Features of this wireframing tool include sitemaps and various widgets in the form of various UI elements. Interactive HTML mockups can be created for both websites and apps, and you can even view your app design on your phone with a built-in share function.

07. Pidoco

Pidoco includes a handy library of drag-and-drop interface elements

• Platform: Web-based
• Price: $12-$175/month

Pidoco is similar to Axure in that it includes library of various drag-and-drop interface elements, as well as the ability to add multiple pages and layers. Your prototypes can be shared online with clients, and includes functions for collaborative feedback and discussion. Viewing your prototypes on your phone is as easy as downloading the Pidoco app.

08. Visio

Viseo's interface will be familiar if you're used to using Microsoft Word or Excel

• Platform: Windows
• Price: £9.80 or £11.70 per month

Viseo's real strength lies in technical diagrams rather than wireframing; however, for those already accustomed with other Microsoft apps such as Word or Excel, the interface will be very familiar. It is quite clunky, Viseo does offer add-on tools such as Swipr, which allows you to create and export a usable HTML prototype.

09. InDesign CC

InDesign lets you use animations and videos in your wireframes

• Platform: Mac, Windows
• Price: From $16.44/month as part of Adobe Creative Cloud

By including animations, video and object states, InDesign can be used to create an interactive PDF that acts as a wireframe for your website or app. The software also includes the ability to create libraries of page elements, so you can create collections of various reusable interface graphics.

10. Photoshop CC

Never thought of Photoshop as a wireframing tool? Think again!

• Platform: Mac, Windows
• Price: From $16.44/month as part of Adobe Creative Cloud

Photoshop doesn’t offer libraries of interface elements, but for straightforward, fast wireframing, it is a very easy choice for designers. If you're familiar with Adobe products, it's simple to sketch out quick ideas, group various elements and layers, and build an effective wireframe.

Next page: 10 more top wireframe tools to explore

11. Protoshare

Protoshare puts the emphasis on online collaboration

• Platform: Web-based
• Price: $29-$59/month

Protoshare is an online tool with a focus on collaboration and sharing. It includes a library of drag-and-drop elements, a sitemap, and the ability to use custom CSS and insert your own elements. Due to the emphasis on online collaboration, unlike some other tools, it can't export as a PDF, however it is worth considering for its prototyping features.

12. Penultimate

Wireframing for an iPad app? Then use an iPad tool!

• Platform: iPad
• Price: Free

If you're working purely for iPad design, sketching out ideas directly within the device itself is the perfect way to ensure you’re working to the right ratio and with well-sized active areas. With Penultimate from Evernote, sketches and ideas can be easily saved and sent to clients for approval.

13. Pencil Project

Pencil is free, open source and comes with a variety of templates

• Platform: Windows, Linux, Mac
• Price: Free

Pencil is a free, open source wireframing tool available for Windows, Linux and Mac. Features include multi-page documents, external object import, as well as aligning, z-ordering, scaling and rotation. Various templates are included as well as the ability to export to HTML, PNG, Openoffice.org document, Word document, and PDF.

14. OmniGraffle

OmniGraffle has made a seamless transition from Mac to iPad

• Platform: Mac, iPad, iPhone
• Price: From $49.99 (standard iOS version)

OmniGraffle is effectively an ideas tool that enables you to quickly bash together website wireframes, diagrams, process charts or page layouts. You select a document type, and OmniGraffle makes context-sensitive joins between separate elements, automatically linking lines in diagrams and aligning shapes and elements in wireframes or page layouts.

15. Gliffy

Gliffy aims to 'make diagramming a team sport'

• Platform: Web-based
• Price: $4.99-$7.99/month per user

Gliffy is a tool that enables you to collaborate with other team members on flowcharts, network diagrams and more. It includes drag and drop components, online collaboration, image export and version tracking. 

16. MockFlow

MockFlow is another great wireframe tool

• Platform: Web-based
• Price: Free-$39/month

Mockflow enables you to create working prototypes, and has an emphasis on collaboration and sharing. It includes features such as a sitemap creator for pages and folders, version tracking, image and component collections, chat, and HTML5 export.

17. Frame Box

Frame Box is a good free solution for simple wireframes

• Platform: Online
• Price: Free

Frame Box is a free online tool for very simple wireframing. It includes a few drag and drop elements and allows you to share the web page as a unique URL. You can also give your elements titles and descriptions to help explain their function.

18. FlairBuilder

FlairBuilder lets you choose between ‘high-fidelity’ and ‘low-fidelity’ style graphics

• Platform: Mac, Windows
• Price: $99

Flairbuilder features multi-page projects, site map and comments. Like the rest, components are placed using a drag-and-drop interface and a clickable prototypes can be exported as HTML or shared online. You can also choose between 'high-fidelity' and 'low-fidelity' style graphics.

19. HotGloo

Wireframing tool HotGloo offers a rich range of features

• Platform: Web-based
• Price: $13-$54/month

HotGloo's prototyping alone offers a rich range of features that goes far beyond simple clickable buttons. For example, users can change displayed elements depending on whether or not a user is logged in. 

And don't forget... pen and paper

There's nothing quicker than grabbing a pen and paper

Yes. An actual pen. And some real made-from-wood paper. OK, so these don’t allow you to make a prototype, and there are no built-in elements. But, if you feel more comfortable using a more traditional approach, why not get your ideas down on paper first and refine them in software later?

Related articles:

• Photoshop for web design: 20 pro tips
• 10 top prototyping tools
• Rapid prototyping using Photoshop CC

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