Best Free UI Design Tools in 2026

7 Best Free UI/UX Design Tools (Prototyping & Wireframing) Compare 7 options including Figma, Sketch, UXPin.

Top Free UI Design Tool Picks

#1. Figma - Best for collaborative UI/UX design, prototyping, and web development handoff.

Freemium (Forever Free Plan) No Credit Card Required 3 Active Projects

What Is It?

Figma is the absolute industry standard for UI/UX design. It is a cloud-based design tool that allows multiple designers to work on the same file in real-time.

Free Tier Breakdown

What you get: The free 'Starter' plan allows you to work on 3 collaborative design files, 3 FigJam boards, and export unlimited assets.

The catch: Version history is limited to 30 days, and advanced team libraries/permissions require a paid plan.
Pros
- Industry standard for modern web design
- Incredible real-time collaboration
- Massive community plugin ecosystem
Cons
- Requires an internet connection to use fully
- Prototyping features can be complex
Design Free with Figma
#2. Sketch - Best for Mac purists who prefer native desktop software over browser-based tools.

30-Day Free Trial (No Credit Card) No Credit Card Required Full Software Access

What Is It?

Sketch was the original pioneer of modern UI design. It is a native Mac application known for its incredible speed, offline capabilities, and pixel-perfect vector editing.

Free Tier Breakdown

What you get: You can download Sketch and use it completely free with no restrictions for 30 days.

The catch: It is Mac only. There is no Windows version, and there is no forever free plan after the trial ends.
Pros
- Native Mac app runs incredibly fast
- Works completely offline
- Excellent vector editing tools
Cons
- Mac only (No Windows support)
- Lost significant market share to Figma
Download Sketch Free Trial
#3. UXPin - Best for advanced designers needing interactive, code-based prototyping.

14-Day Free Trial (No Credit Card) No Credit Card Required Full Feature Access

What Is It?

UXPin bridges the gap between design and development by using actual code (React/HTML) under the hood. You can create prototypes with real logic, states, and variables.

Free Tier Breakdown

What you get: A 14-day free trial allows you to test their advanced Merge technology and interactive state changes.

The catch: There is no free forever plan, and the learning curve is steep because you are essentially manipulating code through a UI.
Pros
- Most realistic prototyping available
- Real logic and interactive states
- Excellent design system management
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- More expensive than basic vector tools
Start UXPin Free Trial
#4. Penpot - Best for developers and designers wanting an open-source alternative to Figma.

100% Free / Open Source No Credit Card Required Unlimited Usage

What Is It?

Penpot is the first open-source design and prototyping platform. It uses SVG natively, meaning developers can perfectly translate designs into code without translation errors.

Free Tier Breakdown

What you get: It is completely free to use via their cloud platform, or you can self-host it on your own servers for absolute privacy.

The catch: It lacks the massive plugin ecosystem and community resources that Figma possesses.
Pros
- 100% Free and open-source
- Uses native SVG rendering
- Incredible CSS Grid layout tools
Cons
- Smaller plugin ecosystem
- Can sometimes suffer performance lags
Try Penpot Open Source
#5. Marvel - Best for rapid wireframing and user testing without complex software.

Freemium (Forever Free Plan) No Credit Card Required 1 Free Project

What Is It?

Marvel is a browser-based design and prototyping tool aimed at speed. You can upload sketches or design directly in-app, link screens together, and send them for user testing.

Free Tier Breakdown

What you get: The free plan allows you to create 1 active project and utilize their basic prototyping and wireframing tools.

The catch: You cannot download your projects offline on the free tier, and 1 project is very restrictive.
Pros
- Incredibly easy to learn
- Great integrated user testing features
- Web-based and highly accessible
Cons
- Free plan is limited to 1 project
- Lacks deep vector editing tools
Prototype Free with Marvel
#6. InVision - Best for legacy design teams needing basic click-through prototyping.

Freemium (Forever Free Plan) No Credit Card Required Up to 3 Active Documents

What Is It?

InVision was a pioneer in design collaboration, allowing designers to upload flat images and link them together to create clickable prototypes.

Free Tier Breakdown

What you get: Their free tier allows for 3 active Freehands (whiteboards) or prototypes.

The catch: InVision has officially announced they are shutting down design services soon, so it is not recommended for new, long-term projects.
Pros
- Great Freehand whiteboarding tool
- Easy flat-image prototyping
- Integrates with Jira and Slack
Cons
- Platform is being sunsetted
- Lost relevance compared to Figma
Try InVision
#7. Framer - Best for designers wanting to design and instantly publish live, high-speed websites.

Freemium (Forever Free Plan) No Credit Card Required Design Unlimited, 1 Free Site

What Is It?

Framer evolved from a prototyping tool into a massively powerful website builder. It feels like Figma but actually outputs production-ready, lightning-fast HTML/CSS.

Free Tier Breakdown

What you get: You can design infinitely for free. You can also publish one site for free on a Framer subdomain with a banner.

The catch: To connect a custom domain or remove the Framer banner, you must pay for a site plan.
Pros
- Incredible design-to-live-site speed
- Advanced, stunning scroll animations
- Familiar Figma-like interface
Cons
- Not ideal for complex web-apps with databases
- Custom domains cost money
Build a Live Site on Framer