Have you ever wondered what the best web design tools are? Building a user-friendly website needs specific platforms to improve the user interface (UI). Knowing the necessary tools is a must if you are new to web development and passionate about web design. For this reason, we have picked out the best design tools for web development. So, let’s dive into what exactly they are.

What is web design and development?

Before heading into our lists, we explain the difference between the two terms. They are used interchangeably. However, there are subtle differences between them. Simply put, web design is the process of creating web pages. It consists of web page layout (how a website looks like), UX design, elements of a web page, etc. Overall, it is the aesthetics of a website.

Web development, on the other hand, is how a website functions. For instance, you can transfer or store website data on a server. Also, web development refers to technical-related issues to a website such as hosting, security, database, and libraries (jQuery, D3.js, React, etc.).

What are the best web design tools?

1. Wix

The number one contender to well-known web design tools such as WordPress and Weebly is Wix. The main feature of this web app is that it requires no code to build a decent web app. It also provides you with a large stock of various templates. It is a perfect tool for beginners to launch their first web app.

2. WordPress

WordPress is a solid CMS (content management system) and web design tool with easy installation. Similar to Wix, there is no need for prior knowledge of coding. You place elements just with a simple drag and drop. Also, you can add some features with WordPress plugins to boost website performance.

3. Weebly

Though coming with some limited features, as compared to its competitors, Weebly can create an SEO-friendly web app. It also has built-in SEO analytics to help your website reach the top SERPs. One more exclusive feature that Weebly has is its e-commerce functionality. You can run online shopping with Weebly’s superb category pages and budget-friendly premium plan pricing.

4. Webflow

If you are looking for a visual no-code developing web design tool, Webflow is the top choice. Even if you don’t have any coding experience, Webflow does the coding job for you! It is a cross-platform designer that creates responsive web apps running on all browsers. Moreover, you can use the Start plan to test whether it is right for you or not.

5. Figma

Figma is a powerful graphical web design app with a host of astonishing modern UX and UI templates. It has a cloud-based approach that facilitates team working. It also provides a great WYSIWYG experience for novice designers. In addition, it has necessary graphical tools such as vectors and pen tools to design a user-friendly web app.

6. Squarespace

One of the E-commerce platforms that you can launch your website with is Squarespace. There are many first-class templates in this web design tool that you can pick up. It offers well-prepared templates that you can find appealing. More fascinating, if your template is not in the category list, you can find it by answering a few questions.

7. Bootstrap Studio

Built on the bootstrap framework, Bootstrap Studio is firmly compatible with HTML and CSS. An easy user interface and diverse UI components are just a few pros it can offer. It also has HTML, CSS, and JavaScript editors for designers with a little coding knowledge. Don’t fret. Bootstrap Studio provides drag-and-drop features to create your responsive web pages if you can’t do some coding.

8. Google Web Designer

Suppose you are into an easy-to-use platform to make HTML5 ads, visually-appealing content and responsive webpages to attract users. In that case, Google Web Designer (GWD) is a fantabulous choice for you. Happily, it is a completely free web application with no subscription fee. It’s all out there. You can build your XML, CSS and JavaScript files with the GWD autocompletion feature. Welcome to the world of creative and innovative designers.

9. Mobirise

Mobirise is one of the no-code revolutions in web design to make apps with its easy-to-use interface. So, it is an ideal platform for non-tech-savvy people to build their unique web apps. With more than 5500 website blocks and 400 templates, Mobirise gives the user a huge diversity. The app is free for both commercial and personal users. However, to access additional features and advanced development tools, you can choose the premium blocks that cost 149$.

10. Affinity Designer

Affinity Designer is a powerful web design app with awesome graphical stuff. Notably, It’s somewhat a mixture of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe illustrator. It is recommended for newbie UX designers. What makes it outstanding is its silky-smooth vectors and raster design tools.

11. Balsamiq

One of the go-to applications for low-fidelity prototyping is Balsamiq. It is a cloud-based application where you can turn your concepts into compelling user experiences. You may come up with many ideas before writing any code. So, if you want to catch the ideas instantly and operationalize them, you need a mockup service. Balsamiq allows you to create digital sketches and perform various graphical tasks with various mockups.

12. Sketch

Last but not least, Sketch is an “all-in-one designer’s toolkit”. It comes with diverse real-time collaboration resources. Recently, it has introduced Sketch Workspace, where you can manage teamwork and facilitate your projects. Also, you can download your projects from Library. Sketch uses an incredible prototyping process to see your website demo. However, being macOS only is the downside of this web design tool.

Which tool is best for web design?

Choosing the best tool for web design depends on many factors, such as how much budget you can allocate to your project. For instance, you can register for free platforms such as Google Web Designer or WordPress if you are on a tight budget. Also, it depends on your taste and expertise level. If you are a newbie web designer, based on our list, you may go for WordPress or Sketch because of their easy-to-use environments. On the other hand, if you are looking for more complex textures and templates, you might opt for Webflow.

Conclusion

There are plenty of web design tools for every tech-savvy who wants to build stellar websites. When selecting the best web design tools, whether as a passion or a career, you should take some factors such as budget, taste and your level of expertise into account.