Hot Gloo – The Online Wireframe App The first thing you need to know about Hot Gloo is that it is in Beta, the second thing you need to know is that it is currently free, but with plans to charge a fee later on this year, so, grab your chance now while its free, its worth it. Wireframing free download - Quill - Collaborative Drawing and Wireframing for Teams, Mockup Builder, Graphite, and many more programs. Axure RP is the standard in interactive Mac wireframe software and empowers you to quickly and easily deliver much more than typical wireframing tools. This wireframing program covers sitemaps and various UI elements. Interactive HTML mockups would be designed for both websites and apps.
Gone are the times when you need to create website wireframes manually without any tool as this may be quite time-consuming and hectic process. Various wireframe software has rocked the wireframe creation process as these offer a simple yet effective way to create a wireframe.
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Some of the software even come with drag and drop boxes that you will find quite simple to work with. This software lets you create a fantastic design and mockup work in a convenient way. Let's explore top wireframe software online that you can try to create a wireframe efficiently.
ProtoShare
ProtoShare is an advanced and functional wireframe creation software that lets you create intuitive designs of websites, mobile apps, wireframes and other applications while saving your tremendous amount of time. It is quite easy to use and effective prototyping software that you can utilize to visualize requirements by creating amazing wireframes.
Visio
Visio is another wireframe software tool that helps you communicate and simplify complex data with data-linked diagrams. You can create these diagrams in just a few seconds using Visio's advanced functionality. This software lets you create professional diagrams conveniently and add life to them with effective data linking. Try this software program and enhance your overall wireframe creation work.
iPlotz
iPlotz is a wireframe software utility that allows you to create navigable and clickable wireframes for websites. You can simply create wireframe pages and design various components using library consisting of so many icons and tools. Mockups created through this software can be navigated and viewed by any user whether it's a desktop user or a mobile user.
Pidoco
Free Mac Wireframe Software
Axure
Balsamiq
FrameBox
MockFlow
OmniFocus
Other Wireframe Software for Different Platforms
As you might need to create a wireframe on a device based on a particular platform. So there are other wireframe software tools as well designed for your wireframe building needs with a particular operating system. Have a look at below mentioned wireframe software programs for windows, android and Mac systems and try on your device.
Best Wireframe Software for Windows – Photoshop CC
Photoshop CC is a windows wireframe software that comes with a huge library of interface elements and tools helpful in creating comprehensive diagrams and shapes to make you create innovative wireframes. This software makes sketching quick ideas, grouping elements and creating layers quite simple and faster. Try this amazing wireframe software and give your ideas a platform.
Best Wireframe Software for Android – Framer
Framer is a functional and powerful wireframe software for android devices that help you to create amazing and innovative layouts with greater ease. It comes with a transition and functional effects that help you build real and innovative interfaces along with customizable components. This lets you easily drag and drop, scroll or move with just a gesture or touch through your android device.
Best Wireframe Software for Mac – InDesign CC
InDesign CC is a powerful Mac wireframe software that allows you to craft outstanding layout quickly and simply. InDesign lets you create an interactive mockup of an application or website in a PDF form using various images, videos, animations and other objects. It also allows you to create libraries of page elements so that you can utilize them for further use as well.
Additional Wireframe Software for All Platforms
In addition to above-mentioned wireframe utilities for windows, android and mac, there are more such applications that are usable on various platforms including Ubuntu, Linux and more. Some of these wireframe software include Balsamiq Mockups, Axure, Pidoco, Fireworks CS6, Penultimate, OmniGraffle, Gliffy and Framebox. You can try any of this software for your system.
Best Wireframe Software for 2016 – Indigo Studio
Indigo Studio is one of the most popular wireframe software that comes with a set of features to help you create wireframes most elegantly. It allows you to build code free and responsive prototyping. This comes with a reusable library that helps you create reusable diagrams, buttons, navigation toolbars, dialogs and more. Try this amazing wireframe tool and enhance your prototyping experience.
What is Wireframe Software?
A wireframe creation is a basic step while creating a website structure. It is just like a skeletal of a website or application that represents an idea about how your website or application will work like. Creative wireframes or preparing mockups might be a time-consuming and thoughtful process.
But this thoughtful process can be made more interesting, creative and simpler with various wireframe software programs available online. This software come with various functionalities and tools that let you come up with an innovative idea instantly. The various tools carried by this software allow you to create even tedious diagrams in just a few clicks thus making your task much simpler and convenient.
How to Install Wireframe Software?
Installation of a wireframing software is quite simple. It involves the same procedure as that of installing an ordinary software. Download wireframe software that you like and open for installation. The installation wizard will ask you to agree to the terms and conditions. After that, you can follow the guided procedure and complete the installation process.
Benefits of Using Wireframe Software
- Wireframe software utilities help you to create even complicated diagrams quickly using their functional tools. Some of the software carry pre-crafted diagrams that you can utilize by just a single click.
- The various smart and innovative shapes carried by this software allow you to boost productivity, disclose new themes and add enhanced customizations to your websites or applications.
- As this software come with pre-built diagrams and structures so this help to save your time amazingly by eliminating the need to creating diagrams and shapes individually.
- The drag and drop interface offered by these programs also help you to complete your wireframe conveniently and professionally.
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A website wireframe is also known as screen blueprint or a page schematic. It is a visual guide for getting a gist of the skeletal framework of a website. It helps to arrange elements in the best manner possible for achieving the desired purpose. The purpose is often ruled by the business objective or a creative idea. It involves every aspect of website design from the website's content, to navigational systems and how they would work together. Generally, not much attention is given to colors, graphics or styles during wireframe creation, as the primary purpose of a wireframe is to understand the functionality aspect. Many free website wireframe tool are readily available on the market.
Wireframes are essential for website design as opposed to directly designing a website as it gives an architectural hierarchy and visualization of how the site would look like. Wireframes can bridge the gap between technical terms and clients who don't know much about them. Having a visual reference point for hero images or Google map integration would help them understand what you're talking about much better than verbal communication.
Creating a wireframe also allows prioritizing usability on the front. It helps accommodate for future changes in the website design by carefully planning the entire website design. Though using wireframes might look like added time and step to creating a website, overall, it saves on the time in the later stages. Once you have the basic skeleton ready, you'd be able to make modifications around it with more ease as you'd have planned alternatives to use.
Before we get started with the best free website wireframe tools, let's quickly understand the criteria one should check for judging software upon:
1. User Interface:
You need to see how well the tool's user interface is. How easy it is to navigate. The display should be clear and precise.
2. Features and functionality:
There are crucial specific website and app design functions and features that a good website wireframe tool must provide. Certain elements that add credibility to such tools are:
1. Drag and Drop:
There should be ease of adding and moving design elements with simplicity using Drag and Drop feature.
2. Interactive Elements:
This element ensures that the tool you're using has the capability of letting you make an interactive wireframe. This is essential to check the clickable prototypes for their functionality and efficiency.
3. Revision History:
This is very crucial. You should be able to access your revision history in case you need to go back and use some edit you did back in time. This helps you have an option to revert to some edit if the current edit goes out of hand. This also saves time and effort of having to repeat the same job as it gets saved real-time over time.
4. Presentation Tools:
Wireframes are essential in the initial phase of the business. Hence you need to be able to convert the wireframes to beautifully designed presentation quickly and with ease.
5. Feedback and collaboration tools:
Feedbacks are crucial on wireframes for effective communication. Hence leaving comments, attaching files and other such features should be in-built to any efficient wireframe tool.
3. Usability:
Generally, wireframe tools should be such that they are easy to use. However, if the software is complicated, but worth the effort of learning, there should be efficient and enough tutorials to learn it.
4. Integrations:
The wireframe software should have support for integrations with popular website platforms or other plug-ins to increase its efficiency and functioning.
Best Tools for Creating Website Wireframes
And here are the 9 best tools for creating website wireframes to ease the process and complete it as efficiently as possible:
1. Pencil Project:
Pencil Project is a great free website wireframe tool. It is available as an extension on Firefox; however, it can also be used as a standalone application in multiple platforms such as Windows and Linux. There is support for sketching; hence you would be able to feature hand-drawings as mockups as well.
The process:
Firstly the connector of the Pencil Project is capable of quickly linking all shapes of a picture together. It can also work with a flow chart. Secondly, it also supports diagrams and allows the user to add links to the graphic elements. It allows you to quickly design a layout of your website, moreover also test its functionality in terms of UI. Pencil Project allows you to create sprites by modifying existing projects. The main advantage of this free website wireframe tool is that it is available as an add-on on Firefox. That eliminates the need of having to download and install it as separate software on your desktop.
2. Mockplus:
Mockplus comes with two variants: iDoc and RP. iDoc is for collaborative team effort whereas RP is a more general take on the same software:
1. iDoc:
iDoc has some powerful features for a free website wireframe tool. It has two variants, one is free, and the other is Pro that comes for $9/month. It can be used for creating a great website or app design effortlessly and collaboratively with other developers and designers. You can import designs, make interactions, download and handoff designs as well as comment on the wireframes created efficiently.
Free Mac Wireframe Software Download
The process:
iDoc allows you to import designs from software and formats like XD, PS and sketch. For this iDoc has special plug-ins. This allows the user to sync design details accurately, including asset and spec information. It also features an easy to use drag and drop interface that allows to test, share and demonstrate the wireframe designs more clearly and vividly. Many interaction commands help improve your design. The software makes it easy for various designers working on a project to comment, discuss, test and share designs in real-time.
2. Mockplus RP:
Mockplus is a simple tool that allows the user to focus more on design without having to learn it from scratch. It is created to speed up the design process and make it smarter and more comfortable. This software is a quick free website wireframe tool. It allows you to do prototype and interactive wireframe in the least possible time. It allows you to create mockups for desktop and mobile platforms as well. Since it has automatically generated specifications, designers and developers can save half of the work time.
The process:
It has over 200 components and 3000 SVG icons to make use of. Some pre-installed templates and demos allow the user to make use of massive resources. It also has support for exporting an MP file directly from Sketch. Mockplus is excellent for interactive design as the layout is entirely visualized. You don't need to know coding, have the training and know about parameters. Using drag and drop, you can create fantastic mockup wireframes. It comes with Auto recovery, which can be crucial at times of emergencies.
3. Wireframe CC:
Wireframe CC is an online, free website wireframe tool. It has a simple UI that allows you to sketch all your wireframes quickly. Wireframe can also reduce the general toolbars and icons of any drawing app. The software has a minimal interface and easy click and drag process to draw. It intentionally limits the color palette, so you don't deviate much from your exact color schematics; hence this works as an advantage. The best part is you can see and set your website layout for three templates; browser, mobile phone and tablets.
The process:
Use the mouse to build what you want. It is as close to how you'd sketch with a pen on paper. There is no limitation or hindrance. It can be shared using a simple URL. It only focuses on the bare basics, hence doesn't come with any interactions or animations. This makes the software very responsive but at times, limited by its features.
4. Framebox:
Framebox is an entirely free website wireframe tool which works great for people who are on minimal budgets. Though it is an essential tool, it has many functionality options to get decent work done. It has a straightforward and minimal UI. Framebox has the feature to drag and drop and resizing the canvas. It comes with three modes; edit, preview and comment. You can add title and description of the project as well.
The Process:
It follows an easy three-step process where first you sketch the frame using UI units. Second, you save it and get a link for the created frame. Lastly, you can share it with your partner or client. It might not be the best go-to software for extensive websites, but it is ideal for smaller projects as well for those who are getting introduced to website wireframes for the first time.
5. Wirefy:
Unlike most software on this list, Wirefy is a free website wireframe tool that needs to be installed on the desktop. It is not web-hosted. The software has been built by developers and designers and is a bit complex to comprehend. Though it is a bit more complicated to understand, once you do, it is also much more customizable and flexible than most tools in terms of functionality. You can control much more elements more freely using Wirefy.
The process:
Install the software and run through the installation process and download the software. Make use of the software by understanding its functionality by taking the aid of tutorial videos readily available on the net.
6. inVision Freehand:
It is one of the essential free website wireframe tools in the market. However, it has excellent functionality. inVision is especially great for creating a wireframe where you want every member to contribute and revise the layout. The software allows you to draw some basic shapes or even draw the wireframe using your mouse cursor. It has cloud storage capabilities which makes real-time viewing and editing easy.
The process:
It is a simple wireframe tool like any whiteboard app. In addition to this, it allows real-time syncing with Sketch and Photoshop. This allows you to draw directly on polished prototypes. This makes the design process much more comfortable. The sketches and working prototypes are stored alongside mood boards for quick referencing. It works best for designers who are seeking collaborative efforts, on a predesigned wireframe sketch.
7. Pidoco:
Pidoco is a free website wireframe tool that has a library of drag and drop interface elements. It also allows you to add multiple pages and layers. It allows you to share your prototypes with clients online and also has all features for collaboration and feedback. There is a mobile app for this too that makes viewing all content on phone easy.
The process:
It is an interactive tool that allows you to use clicks, touch gestures, keyboard entries and much more triggers to configure reactions in the prototype. It allows real-time editing and allows you to check comment history and issue tracking as well.
8. Canva:
Canva makes generating a useful web wireframe easy. It has powerful tools for development and also an extensive collection of drag and drop widgets. Canva allows you to put together an impressive web wireframe as quickly as possible. This is available in free and pro version both.
The process:
It allows you to create flat designs in no time. It saves time as the user interface is fairly simple to use. You can also share and allow others to edit and comment on the wireframe with ease.
9. Figma:
Figma is an easy to use free website wireframe tool. It makes communicating ideas and getting feedback easy. It is a browser-based software. Figma works across Mac, Window and Linux. The software allows real-time editing and saving. Hence you need not worry about overriding any one's work.
The process:
It allows you to transform your workflow. It is pretty simple to use and learn and generally is pushed for beginners. You don't need any coding knowledge, and everything can be edited visually.
These are the 9 best tools for creating website wireframes you should use today. Make the best use of the software that suit your needs and create powerful wireframes in no time.