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Mock-ups are a visual representation of a web page or a website. Once you have created the wireframe, you can test out your ideas with the help of a mock-up. Mock-ups are usually not as detailed as the final website. These are usually a static visual and should not be confused with a prototype. Mock-ups help you experiment with various design ideas. It also makes anyone collaborating on the project to understand how a proposed website would look like?
There are a lot of different kinds of mock-up tools in the market. How do you find the best one that fits the need of your project? It is important to pay attention to the following criteria when choosing one.
- It should be able to convert a static mock-up into an interactive prototype
- The tool should make it easy for you to collaborate with your team-mates — to leave feedback and design ideas.
Let us review some of the best mock-up tools that will help you showcase the design of the webpage, its functionality and layout.
1. Balsamiq
This web UI mock-up tool can be installed on the PC and later can be used as a web application. It is designed to look and feel like you are sketching on a whiteboard. The idea was to keep the wireframing tools intentionally rough and low fidelity. It comes with a set of pre-built drag and drop elements that can be used to create the low fidelity mock-up. Balsamiq is an easy to use mock-up tool. You can either use the trial version to test out the app before purchasing the full version.
2. Wireframe CC
Wireframe CC is a free minimalistic prototyping tool. This simple interface has the toolbars and icons of a typical sketching app. The elements appear only when you need them. The color palette is limited, there is a drawing area and buttons for formatting drawing elements. The memory function can be accessed in both trial and full versions.
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3. Moqups
Moqups is another popular tool for creating website mockups. It is free and easy to use. There is a collection of pre-made templates that can be dragged and dropped into the drawing area. Although the free version doesn’t come with a full range of functions.
4. Mock Plus
Mock plus is an all in one web UI mockup tool that allows you to create mockups in minutes. It comes with an intuitive drag and drop editor that allows you to create mockups with the help of their pre-built templates. This is a great tool for beginners as well as experts. It comes with about 3000 icons and 200+ components. The most interesting feature of this tool is that it allows you to scan the QR code of your project. This makes your project accessible on different devices. They also make it easy to collaborate and work on the project as a team. It is incredibly easy to use and can be downloaded for free here.
5. Mock Flow
This tool lets you create working prototypes. Once you have created a proto, you can easily share it and start collaborating on projects with people. It comes with a set of incredible features. Besides providing solutions to all your UX needs, it also has prebuilt wireframes and style guides. It is often used to visualize concepts, plan document styles and approve designs.
6. Omnigraffle
Omnigraffle lets your construct bold graphics, wireframes, page layouts and charts with ease. You can move the sidebar anywhere on the workspace. You can navigate layer types, group hierarchies. It has all the controls you need to adjust the finer details of your diagram.
7. Pencil Project
Pencil is a free wireframing tool that features multipage documents, object import, alignment, z-ordering, and scaling. It also comes with a set of pre-built templates and can be exported to PNG, PDF and word documents.
8. Penultimate
This is a digital handwriting app that can easily be downloaded onto your iPad. You can sketch out your ideas directly onto the device and it automatically ensures that you are working to the right ratio. Saved files can easily be sent to clients for approval.
9. Frame Box
Frame box is a simple wireframing tool that lets you create Wireframes by simply dragging and dropping pre-built elements. Once you have created one, you can share it as a link/URL. This web application is easy to use and can help create a web page mockups in three easy steps.
10. Just in mind
Just in mind comes with a full library of UI elements. Users are able to experiment with different buttons, form generates shapes and a range of widgets. By creating a free account, you are able to style your elements exactly the way you want to. Prototypes can also be exported to HTML.
11. Adobe XD
Use Adobe XD to create wireframes, collaborate with your team; creating sitemaps, flowcharts, and storyboards and build interactive prototypes. You can download the full version or try the trial version for free. Either way, you would need to have Adobe Cloud subscription to take advantage of all its features.
12. UX Pin
UX Pin allows you to create wireframes by dragging and dropping custom elements from their custom library. You are able to convert your wireframes into high fidelity mockups. From here you can create interactive prototypes of your final product. You can also import a photoshop document or sketch document into UX pin and auto-generate specs and style guides with the help of this tool.
While some of these UI mockup tools are free while others aren’t, mockups are an essential part of the design process, so finding the right tool that works for you is essential. Do you have more UI mockup tools to add to the list?
