Creating UI Mockups allows you to present the design idea to the client in a better way and one thing you should know is that is different than Wireframing. Wireframing is like creating a blueprint for your house or engineering project whereas creating a Mockup is coming up with the actual creative design (final looks) of the house for the clients.

How can a mockup help me?

Having access to a great mockup software for Windows helps you in the UI designing phase and also speeds up the whole process. There is no dearth of UI Mockup tools; however, with so many options to choose from, it can get confusing as to which is the one you should start using first. Whether you are a professional looking to add more powerful tools to your current arsenal or a beginner trying his hands at Mockup designing for the first time. This guide will introduce you to some of the best tools to create UI Mockups today.

What are the best tools to create UI mockups?

The best part is that it’s absolutely free of charge and suitable for professionals as well as novices: you can craft interactive prototypes without writing a single line of code. This prototyping tool will allow you to streamline your design process by validating usability, simulating user flows, and obtaining feedback quickly. Taking input from your users into account, XD lets you set triggers for each interaction such as tap, drag, voice commands, keyboard shortcuts, or even onboarding flows and loading screens. XD goes beyond transitions and overlays allowing you to create slick menus with toggle, navigation, scrolling, and sliding interactions. This app provides strong prototyping tools and features for UI designs and interactive prototypes. It also offers full support for Mac and Windows. Collaboration and sharing features (wide range of triggers to simulate user flow and easily publish your prototypes to the web) You’ll definitely enjoy the Auto-Animate feature that will help you create complex animations with transition effects and more. With this app you have previews available on desktop, iOS, and Android and you can also record MP4 files in order to share them. You have the possibility to export to After Effects in order to further refine your animations. This tool is optimized for quick feedback it can generate shareable links and get feedback from reviewers in real-time through comments that are made directly on your prototypes. Let’s review its most important features:

Auto-Animate feature Previews available on Windows, iOS, and Android Great integration with other Adobe products Strong prototyping toolset Tap, dragging and voice commands

It is an offline application and is available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. MockPlus is known to be used by the giant Microsoft as a mockup tool, but also by other names in the industry such as IBM. There is a 15-days free trial to try the tool before making a purchase. The user interface of MockPlus is well laid out and looks modern. It offers a good amount of space and does not clutter the workspace with unnecessary tools. It also has a multi-window option to use the software in multiple windows for better productivity. You can easily build interactive prototypes by simply dragging and dropping pre-designed components into the editor. The library comes equipped with over 3000 icons and nearly 200 pre-designed components to get you started all supporting drag-and-drop functionality. The prototypes can be tested instantly using the QR code generated by the app. In addition, the projects can be published on the web to get comments from clients and team members by sharing a web link to the prototype. MockPlus excels at what it does, and the features and functions of this prototyping software make it an ideal tool for UI and UX designers irrespective of their expertise. Let’s look at its key features:

Impressive library of graphical elements Available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS Mockup testing feature Multi-window option Great suit of templates

It comes in both free and premium plans and can be used on your PC as well. The pricing is divided between yearly and monthly plans. When compared to yearly plans, the monthly plans are not only expensive but also miss out on some features. On annual plans, you not only get a fair discount but also get a 3-month free service, offline access, and power-ups. To use the tool, you need to signup with a free account. The free accounts allow you to create one project in each app, two reviewers per project, a limited selection of apps, and no support. However, the free account gives a fair idea about the usability of MockFlow. MockFlow offers offline access on Windows and Mac OS running computers. The MockFlow extensions allow you to use the tool with apps like Microsoft Office, Google Chrome, Google Docs, Slack, JIRA, and more. MockFlow has six basic functions namely WireFrame and UI Mockups, Sitemap, StyleGuide, DesignCollab, Annotate Pro, and Website Pro. To create UI Mockups use the first WireFrame option from the dashboard and click on the + icon. Begin with selecting the platform you want to create the mockup for like iOS devices, smart watches, websites, Microsoft apps, etc. The editing dashboard is divided between 6 tabs as well. From the Element tab, you can drag and drop pre-designed objects like Mobile frame, icons, background images, menu tabs, checkout options, and more or you can simply start from a blank page if you want to. The objects are further customizable with a simple double-click. You can group multiple elements together for easier movement and scaling of UI. Other tabs in the editor are Pages, to create multiple pages for the same app, Images tab, Flow tab to add and check the status of the projects, Store and Power-UP tab to add more apps and templates. MockFlow is an excellent multipurpose tool to create UI Mockups and more. However, the premium plans mean it is for serious users who can make use of at least half the feature it has on offer. SPONSORED Take a look at its key features:

Drag and drop pre-designed objects Extensive library of graphical elements Neatly organized interface Design collaboration features Easy to use

⇒ Get MockFlow It is a lifesaver if you’re looking to easily create high-quality images without the need for pricey outsourcing.  Glorify makes design accessible to all. Entrepreneurs, marketers, agency owners, designers, and just about any busy professional can use this tool to create aesthetic images that convert.  It is also super useful to Ecommerce enthusiasts who need a simple, quick solution to make their products stand out in a saturated market. With simple tools for beginners and advanced features for designers, Glorify provides a great alternative to other design tools out there.  Glorify offers a free plan for those just getting started. Monthly subscriptions to their Pro and Business plans cost $39.99 and $99.99 respectively. However, if you choose either plan as a yearly subscription, you will get a 25% discount. Let’s review some of its best features:

Has thousands of fully customizable ready-made templates Offers fully customizable 3D mockups and mockup scenes  Has branding tools such as a logo maker, brand kits, and template bundles Collaborative features and workspaces make it ideal for teams Has an ambitious roadmap with several future features lined up Has amazing customer support 

⇒ Get Glorify Balsamiq offers two versions of the tool, online and offline desktop app for Mac and Windows computers. The offline version is a one-time purchase that costs $89 for a single user. The online version starts at $9 per month per user with space for two projects. Fortunately, you can sign up for free and use the web app for 30 days free of charge with unlimited wireframes and unlimited users on offer. Signing up for the free trial account is easy but requires the users to validate the email. Once done, begin by creating your space and give it a name. Then proceed with creating your first project. The project editor has a very simple and user-friendly interface. All the properties are nicely spread on the toolbar. The pages or Wireframes are displayed on the left side and you can add multiple pages by clicking on the + icon on top. You can begin by dragging and dropping a template to the editor or start from scratch using basic editing tools. Use the More Controls option to search for more templates and icons from the library. From desktop applications and diagrams to hardware and layout UIs, Balsamiq library has everything you need to create a Mockup and Wireframes with ease. To change the object properties, select the object, and the applicable options will be displayed on the right-side pane. The developers can invite clients to make a presentation by sending a link through email. You can also add your team members to the project and assign a role to each team member. In addition, Balsamiq also offers integration with business apps such as Google Drive, Confluence, and Jira. The UI design resources on the website are helpful for the experienced as well as newbie users. Balsamiq is an excellent tool and with its offline and online software suite it is undoubtedly one of the best in the business. Combine that with free 30 days free trial, and you get enough time to assess the tool before making a purchase. Here are some of its key features:

Drag & drop functionality Cloud-based dashboard Business app integrations Simple to use

⇒ Get Balsamiq It is a premium mockup Windows application with personal and team accounts. The free trial requires you to register an account and offers 5MB of storage with one project limited to 300 objects. The user interface is similar to MockFlow, but the tools and layout are different. After creating a new project, you can drag and drop elements from the Stencil tab. You can add more pages to the project, customize outlines, create templates, upload and add images, browse from the vast library of icons, and add comments to the project. The objects can be edited to resize, rotate, align, and style. The grouping feature makes it easy to group together multiple objects for easier movement. Once the Mockup is ready, you can export it to Google Drive, Dropbox, or your computer’s local drive-in PNG, PDF, or HTML format. Moqups is an easy-to-use tool for wireframing and creating diagrams and mockups in no time. Signup for the free account and take the tool for a spin to see if it is something that meets your requirement. Let’s see some of its best features:

Cloud storage support Diagram and mockup creation Object grouping for fast editing Drag & drop functionality

⇒ Get Moqups Whether you are a professional UI designer or just a beginner, knowing what tools to use to create UI Mockups is important. If you’re a UX/UI designer looking for feature-rich Mockup tools should try all of the above-recommended tools since they all offer a free trial or basic free account without any limitations to get you started. You can spend some time with each of these tools before deciding on the one that checks the most boxes in your must-have list. Do let us know your favorite mockup software for Windows or if you think we have excluded a worthy alternative in this list. You might also be interested in our selection of the best web design software for WordPress in you want to change its appearance. We’d like to hear from you so feel free to share your thought with us in the comments section below. SPONSORED Name * Email * Commenting as . Not you? Save information for future comments
Comment

Δ