Top 15 Best Web Design Tools of 2024 You Need to Know

Nowadays, having an attractive and functional website is essential for any business. The right web design tools can streamline the process and help you create a professional site without needing advanced coding knowledge. This article highlights the top 15 best web design tools of 2024, discussing their features, pros, and cons to help you select the right one for your needs.

What are Web Design Tools?

Web design tools are software applications or platforms that help designers and developers create websites, web pages, and web applications. With many functions, these tools can range from drag-and-drop builders to more advanced coding platforms. Their primary goal is to simplify the web design process, whether you’re building a site from scratch or working on the user interface of a web app.

There are many types of web design software available today, including ones that focus on HTML design tools, responsive design, or tools that offer an all-in-one solution. They cater to both beginners and professionals, providing flexibility and customization.

Top 15 Best Web Design Tools of 2024

1. Adobe XD

Adobe XD is a popular choice among professional web designers for designing and prototyping websites and mobile apps. It offers intuitive UI/UX design tools and integrates seamlessly with other Adobe products like Photoshop and Illustrator.

• Key Features: Vector design tools, responsive resizing, and interactive prototypes.
• Pros: Easy integration with Adobe Suite, flexible design options.
• Cons: Steep learning curve for beginners.
• Facts: According to a survey by UX Tools, Adobe XD is used by 62% of professional designers.

2. Figma

Figma has become the go-to design tool for teams due to its cloud-based collaboration features. It allows multiple designers to work on the same project in real-time, making it ideal for team-oriented projects.

• Key Features: Real-time collaboration, vector networks, prototyping tools.
• Pros: Collaboration features, browser-based, powerful prototyping.
• Cons: Some advanced features are locked behind the paid version.
• Facts: Figma is used by 77% of teams for collaborative design projects.

3. Google Web Designer

Google Web Designer is a free web design tool from Google, focusing on creating engaging, responsive HTML5-based designs. It’s a great choice for beginners looking to build interactive websites or ads.

• Key Features: Responsive design support, 3D animations, drag-and-drop interface.
• Pros: Free, great for interactive ads, easy to use for beginners.
• Cons: Limited features compared to paid tools.
• Facts: Google Web Designer is the best for creating engaging videos and HTML 5-based designs. It has been downloaded over 1 million times from the Google Play Store.

4. Sketch

Sketch is another excellent tool for UI/UX design, especially for Mac users. It’s widely used in the industry for creating prototypes, wireframes, and user interfaces.

• Key Features: Artboards, vector editing, collaborative cloud services.
• Pros: Fast, efficient UI design tools.
• Cons: Available only on macOS, lacks advanced prototyping features compared to Figma.
• Facts: For Mac users, Sketch remains a go-to choice for UI/UX design and wireframing. Sketch is used by 56% of UI/UX designers.

5. Wix

Wix is one of the most user-friendly drag-and-drop web design free tools, ideal for beginners who want to create a website quickly. With a wide range of templates and an intuitive editor, it’s perfect for personal blogs or small business websites.

• Key Features: Drag-and-drop editor, templates, SEO tools.
• Pros: No coding required, excellent templates, easy setup.
• Cons: Limited customization for advanced users.
• Facts: Wix accounted for nearly half (45%) of the overall website builder market share in 2024, with around 8 million live sites built on the platform.

6. Webflow

Webflow is a powerful tool that bridges the gap between design and development. It offers a visual interface for designing websites but also outputs clean HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, making it perfect for more experienced web designers.

• Key Features: Visual interface, full control over code, hosting services.
• Pros: Advanced design options, full control over the final code.
• Cons: Steep learning curve for beginners.
• Facts: Webflow is used by 0.7% of all websites globally as of April 2024.

7. Canva

Canva is a versatile tool that isn’t traditionally a web design tool, but its easy-to-use interface and wide range of templates make it perfect for designing web assets like banners, buttons, and social media graphics.

• Key Features: Templates, easy drag-and-drop editor, extensive media library.
• Pros: Simple to use, excellent for creating visual assets.
• Cons: Limited for complex web design.
• Facts: Canva has more than 185 million monthly active users worldwide as of 2024

8. WordPress with Elementor

WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) globally, and with the Elementor plugin, it becomes a web design tool with powerful drag-and-drop features. It offers extensive customization without needing coding expertise.

• Key Features: Drag-and-drop editor, live design, large template library.
• Pros: Free and open-source, customizable, no coding required.
• Cons: Requires some setup, plugin-dependent for advanced features.
• Facts: WordPress powers 43.4% of all websites on the internet, and Elementor is used by 16.1% of all websites whose CMS is known.

9. Bootstrap Studio

Bootstrap Studio is a desktop application designed for building responsive websites using the Bootstrap framework. It’s ideal for developers who want to prototype quickly and export clean, semantic HTML.

• Key Features: Bootstrap framework, drag-and-drop interface, responsive design.
• Pros: Fast prototyping, produces clean code.
• Cons: Limited customization for those unfamiliar with Bootstrap.
• Facts: Statistics: Bootstrap is used by nearly 27% of all websites.

10. Affinity Designer

Affinity Designer is a cost-effective alternative to Adobe Illustrator, perfect for creating UI assets, icons, and graphics for websites. It’s suitable for both vector and raster design, making it versatile for designers.

• Key Features: Vector and raster design, grid systems, and snapping options.
• Pros: Affordable, powerful design tools.
• Cons: Limited to graphic design, not a complete web design software.
• Facts: Affinity Designer has over 3 million users worldwide.

11. InVision Studio

InVision Studio is an all-in-one design and prototyping tool aimed at creating sophisticated UI/UX designs. Its focus on interactive prototyping makes it perfect for web designers focused on user experience.

• Key Features: Advanced animation, responsive design, collaboration tools.
• Pros: Powerful animations, good for interactive prototypes.
• Cons: Lacks advanced coding features.
• Facts: InVision Studio will be discontinued by the end of 2024.

12. GIMP

GIMP is a free, open-source alternative to Photoshop. While it’s primarily used for photo editing, it can also be a great tool for creating web graphics or designing simple web layouts.

• Key Features: Advanced image manipulation, customizable interface.
• Pros: Free, powerful features for photo editing.
• Cons: Less intuitive than paid alternatives.
• Facts: GIMP has been downloaded over 40 million times.

13. Framer

Framer combines design and code to create interactive and responsive designs. It’s ideal for web designers who want more control over their design’s functionality and are comfortable working with code.

• Key Features: Interactive prototyping, responsive design, code export.
• Pros: High level of control, clean code output.
• Cons: Requires coding knowledge for advanced use.
• Facts: Framer is used by over 1 million designers worldwide.

14. Adobe Dreamweaver

Dreamweaver is a well-known HTML design tool that allows users to design, code, and manage websites. It’s great for developers who prefer to have both visual and coding options.

• Key Features: Visual and code editor, Git support, responsive design.
• Pros: Powerful coding tools, built-in preview.
• Cons: High cost, requires coding knowledge for full use.
• Facts: Adobe Dreamweaver is used by 0.4% of all websites whose content management system is known.

15. Squarespace

Squarespace offers a simple and elegant web design software platform with many pre-designed templates. It’s an all-in-one solution for building websites, e-commerce stores, and blogs.

• Key Features: Templates, drag-and-drop editor, e-commerce capabilities.
• Pros: Elegant templates, easy to use.
• Cons: Less customization flexibility than other platforms.
• Facts: Squarespace has over 4.91 million unique subscriptions and generated $1.01 billion in revenue in 2023.

Criteria for Choosing the Best Web Design Tools for Businesses

When choosing the best web design tools for your business, several factors should be considered:

• Ease of Use: Beginners should look for tools with drag-and-drop features, while professionals may prioritize code customization.
• Features and Functionality: Consider whether the tool supports responsive design, SEO features, and has built-in analytics.
• Cost: Some tools are free, while others require a subscription. Assess your budget and the value each tool offers.
• Customization: Does the tool allow for flexibility and control over design elements?
• Integration: Look for tools that can integrate with other software or services like analytics, CRM systems, or social media platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best web design tool for beginners?

For beginners, Wix and Google Web Designer are great choices due to their easy-to-use interfaces and free options.

2. What is the most professional web design tool?

For professional web designers, Adobe XD and Figma offer comprehensive design and prototyping features that meet industry standards.

3. Are there any free web design tools?

Yes, tools like Google Web Designer, Canva, and GIMP offer free versions with sufficient functionality for basic web design needs.

4. What is the difference between web design and web development tools?

Web design tools focus on the aesthetics and user interface of a website, while development tools handle the back-end coding and functionality.

Conclusion

Selecting the right web design tool can make a significant difference in how efficiently and effectively you can build your website. From free options like Google Web Designer to professional tools like Adobe XD, there are plenty of choices to suit every skill level and project need. If you need help deciding on the best tools or creating a professional website for your business, Vinova offers expert web development services tailored to meet your specific needs. Let us help you bring your vision to life!