Mobile App Prototyping Free Tools

Akira is an open-source, native Linux application designed for UI and UX design. Built using Vala and GTK, Akira offers a modern, responsive design environment for Linux users, making it a unique tool in a space where such options are limited. It's specifically targeted at designers who prefer working on Linux systems, offering essential design and prototyping tools to create wireframes, mockups, and high-fidelity prototypes. Although still under development, Akira aims to become a full-featured alternative to proprietary tools like Sketch and Adobe XD, but optimized for the Linux ecosystem.

Akira’s goal is to provide a free, accessible, and powerful design tool that integrates seamlessly into the Linux workflow. It is still evolving, with a growing community of contributors supporting the platform through GitHub and open repositories.

Pricing Plans:

Akira is entirely free and open-source, with no paid plans or premium features. The project relies on community contributions and open development to continue its growth.

Pros:

• Fully free and open-source
• Specifically built for Linux users
• Active development and community support
• Aiming to be a complete alternative to proprietary design tools

Cons:

• Still in development, with some features in progress
• Limited to Linux platforms
• Fewer integrations compared to more established tools

Contact Information:

• Website: akiraux.org
• Twitter: twitter.com/akiraux
• Email: info@akiraux.org

Inkscape is a free, open-source vector graphics editor designed for a variety of creative projects, including mobile app mockups and user interface design. While primarily known for its vector illustration capabilities, Inkscape can be adapted for UI/UX work, allowing users to design wireframes, layouts, and graphic elements for mobile applications. It supports numerous file formats such as SVG, PDF, and AI, making it versatile for different workflows. Inkscape is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, offering accessibility across platforms.

With its rich set of tools for drawing, object manipulation, and path editing, Inkscape provides the precision and flexibility designers need. Though it doesn’t include built-in prototyping or collaboration features, users can extend its functionality with community-driven plugins.

Pricing Plans:

Inkscape is completely free and open-source, with no premium tiers or paid features.

Pros:

• Fully free and open-source
• Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• Supports a wide range of vector file formats
• Customizable with plugins and extensions

Cons:

• No real-time collaboration or prototyping features
• Learning curve can be steep for new users
• Primarily a vector illustration tool, not focused on UI/UX design

Contact Information:

• Website: inkscape.org

SVG-Edit is a free, web-based vector graphics editor that allows users to create and edit SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) files directly in their browser. The tool is open-source and runs on JavaScript, making it accessible without any downloads or installations. SVG-Edit is designed for fast and easy SVG creation, offering a simple interface with basic drawing tools such as shapes, lines, and text. It's ideal for quick designs, wireframes, or edits to vector-based graphics for mobile app mockups and web designs.

Although SVG-Edit is not a full-fledged prototyping tool, it excels at providing a lightweight solution for creating and editing vector files. Users can easily export their designs in SVG format for use in other design or development workflows.

Pricing Plans:

SVG-Edit is completely free and open-source, with no premium tiers or hidden costs.

Pros:

• Fully free and open-source
• Runs directly in the browser, no installation required
• Fast and easy to use for quick SVG creation
• Compatible with all modern browsers

Cons:

• Limited to basic vector editing features
• No advanced prototyping or animation capabilities
• Lacks collaboration and real-time editing tools

Contact Information:

• Website: svgedit.netlify.app/editor/index.html
• GitHub: github.com/SVG-Edit/svgedit
• Email: svg-edit@googlegroups.com

Wireflow is an open-source tool designed for creating user flow diagrams and wireframes. It provides a simple and intuitive platform for designing and visualizing complex user journeys, making it ideal for both individual designers and teams. Wireflow is focused on helping users map out user experiences without the need for extensive design knowledge, offering a drag-and-drop interface that simplifies the process of creating flowcharts and diagrams for apps and websites.

As an open-source tool, Wireflow is free to use and can be customized by developers to meet specific needs. It is available both as a browser-based tool and through GitHub, allowing users to self-host and modify the software as needed. While it is more specialized for flow diagrams rather than high-fidelity mockups, Wireflow is a great choice for teams who need to visualize user interactions quickly and efficiently.

Pricing Plans:

Wireflow is completely free and open-source. There are no pricing tiers, and all features are available without any cost.

Pros:

• Fully free and open-source
• Focuses on user flow diagrams and wireframes
• Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
• Can be customized and self-hosted via GitHub

Cons:

• Limited to flow diagrams and basic wireframes
• Does not support high-fidelity designs or advanced prototyping features

Contact Information:

• Website: wireflow.co
• GitHub: github.com/vanila-io/wireflow

Origami Studio is a free design and prototyping tool developed by Facebook. It is tailored for high-fidelity mobile app prototypes, offering advanced features like interactive animations and user flows. Originally designed for internal use, Origami Studio now serves designers who need to create complex interactions that mimic real app behavior. It's compatible with macOS, providing robust design capabilities to transform your ideas into interactive prototypes that are closer to real-world app experiences.

Origami Studio integrates seamlessly with Sketch, another design tool, allowing designers to import designs directly for further refinement. Its rich library of components and interaction tools make it a strong choice for prototyping apps that require detailed user experiences. While it may have a learning curve for beginners, its extensive documentation and community support can help users quickly get up to speed.

Pricing Plans:

Origami Studio is completely free to use, with no pricing tiers or premium versions. All features are available at no cost.

Pros:

• Advanced interaction and animation tools
• Free with no paid version required
• Integration with Sketch for importing designs
• Strong support from the community and extensive documentation

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve compared to simpler tools
• Only available for macOS
• Limited to high-fidelity prototypes; less ideal for low-fidelity wireframes

Contact Information:

• Website: origami.design
• Facebook: facebook.com/groups/origami.community
• Facebook: facebook.com/designtools/origami
• Twitter: twitter.com/FacebookOrigami
• YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCfPkdJ6fs46m5JzCR7LEBpA

Quant-UX is a free, open-source prototyping and user experience testing tool that allows designers to create interactive prototypes and gather real-time user feedback. It provides a range of features for wireframing, prototyping, and conducting usability tests, making it especially useful for designers looking to validate their designs with real users. Quant-UX is equipped with tools to track user behavior and collect analytics, enabling designers to refine their app designs based on how users interact with the prototype.

The platform supports various interaction modes and enables designers to create prototypes with dynamic behaviors, such as transitions and animations. It also includes an analytics engine, which provides insights into user behavior, helping design teams identify issues and optimize the user experience.

Pricing Plans:

Quant-UX is fully free and open-source with no premium options or hidden costs.

Pros:

• Free and open-source
• Real-time user testing and behavior tracking
• Supports dynamic prototypes with animations and transitions
• Built-in analytics for user behavior insights

Cons:

• Lacks advanced collaboration tools
• May require a learning curve for beginners
• Primarily focused on user testing rather than full-scale prototyping

Contact Information:

• Website: quant-ux.com
• YouTube: youtube.com/@quant-ux8332

OpenDesign is an open-source design tool that offers a collaborative platform for designers working on UI/UX projects. Its goal is to provide a free alternative to popular proprietary design tools like Figma and Sketch, while ensuring that designers have complete control over their data. OpenDesign allows users to create interactive prototypes and collaborate with team members in real-time. It is designed to be web-based, eliminating the need for installation, and providing an easy-to-use interface that facilitates rapid prototyping and feedback.

The platform focuses on fostering community-driven development, making it an evolving project where designers can contribute and extend its features through plugins and integrations. OpenDesign’s flexibility and customization options make it ideal for design teams who prefer open-source solutions for their projects.

Pricing Plans:

OpenDesign is completely free and open-source, with no premium tiers or paid plans.

Pros:

• Fully free and open-source
• Real-time collaboration features
• Web-based, no installation required
• Community-driven with plugin support for customization

Cons:

• Still in development, with some features evolving
• May lack some advanced design tools compared to paid alternatives
• Limited pre-built design elements

Contact Information:

• Website: opendesigntools.com
• Twitter: twitter.com/XdanielArt

MockFlow is a wireframing and prototyping tool designed to simplify the app and web design process. It provides an easy-to-use interface for creating wireframes, mockups, and user flows, making it suitable for individuals and teams. With its real-time collaboration features, MockFlow allows multiple users to work on a project simultaneously, streamlining the design workflow. The tool also supports integrations with popular project management and design tools, making it adaptable to various workflows.

MockFlow offers both free and premium plans, catering to different user needs. The free version provides access to core features and allows for the creation of basic wireframes, while premium options unlock advanced tools, more storage, and extended collaboration features. MockFlow’s cloud-based platform ensures that designs can be accessed and edited from anywhere, providing flexibility for remote teams.

Pricing Plans:

• Free ($0 per month): The free plan includes basic wireframing tools, one project with 3 pages, and essential features like revision history and commenting.
• Starter ($14 per month, billed annually): Offers unlimited projects, 3 exports per month, and additional collaboration tools, including page reviews and version history.
• TeamPack ($27 per month, billed annually): This plan offers everything in Starter plus 10 design reviews per project, priority support, and team management tools.
• Enterprise (Custom pricing): Tailored for larger organizations, this plan offers everything in TeamPack, with additional security and enterprise-level support.

Pros:

• Intuitive and easy-to-use interface for quick wireframing
• Free plan available with core features
• Real-time collaboration and team sharing
• Integrates with project management tools

Cons:

• Advanced features like exports and team management are limited to paid plans
• Free plan is restrictive in terms of project scope and size

Contact Information:

• Website: mockflow.com
• Email: support@mockflow.com
• Twitter: twitter.com/mockflowapp
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/products/produle-mockflow
• Instagram: instagram.com/mockflowapp

Figma is a collaborative interface design tool that enables teams to create, share, and iterate on designs in real time. It is a cloud-based platform, meaning that users can access their projects from anywhere and collaborate with other team members seamlessly. Figma supports a variety of design needs, from wireframes to high-fidelity prototypes, making it a versatile tool for designers, product teams, and developers. It offers integration with third-party tools, providing a complete workflow for creating, testing, and launching digital products.

Figma offers a range of pricing plans, from a free tier for small teams and individuals to more advanced plans tailored for professional teams and enterprises. With real-time collaboration, design libraries, and powerful prototyping tools, Figma has become one of the most popular design tools in the industry.

Figma Pricing Plans:

• Free ($0 per month): The free plan offers unlimited personal files, 3 Figma files for collaboration, and allows unlimited collaborators. It’s great for individuals or small teams just starting out. Features include design libraries and limited version history, making it ideal for small-scale projects.
• Professional ($15 per editor/month, billed annually; $18/month billed monthly): Includes unlimited projects and version history, team libraries, and the ability to create and manage shared design systems. It also adds more control with sharing permissions, and is suited for freelance designers or small teams regularly collaborating on multiple projects.
• Organization ($45 per editor/month, billed annually): Designed for larger teams, this plan includes everything in the Professional tier, with additional features like shared organization-wide design libraries, single sign-on (SSO) for secure access, and enhanced collaboration tools. It’s ideal for organizations that need centralized control over their design systems and stronger security measures.
• Enterprise ($75 per editor/month, billed annually): The Enterprise plan offers all Organization features plus enterprise-grade security, advanced admin controls, activity logs, and priority support. It’s tailored for large corporations requiring compliance, advanced security features, and administrative control across teams.

FigJam Pricing Plans:

• Free ($0 per month): Ideal for simple brainstorming and collaboration sessions, the FigJam free plan offers unlimited personal files, access to core diagramming tools, and basic collaboration features. It is perfect for teams getting started with visual brainstorming.
• Professional ($5 per seat/month, billed annually): Provides additional features like audio conversations, voting, and engagement tools, along with custom templates. It is designed for teams that frequently use FigJam for collaborative sessions and require additional interaction features.
• Organization ($5 per seat/month, billed annually): Includes all the features of the Professional plan but also adds advanced collaboration controls, domain capture, and centralized content management for organizations needing tighter administrative control.
• Enterprise ($5 per seat/month, billed annually): Enterprise users get all the advanced admin and security controls, including single sign-on (SSO), idle session timeouts, EU data hosting, and expiring public links. This plan is intended for large organizations with high security and compliance needs.

Pros:

• Real-time collaboration across teams
• Extensive design and prototyping tools
• Robust security features for enterprise teams
• Customizable design libraries and systems
• Cloud-based, accessible from anywhere

Cons:

• Higher-tier pricing plans may be expensive for large teams
• Advanced features are locked behind paid tiers

Contact Information:

• Website: figma.com
• YouTube: youtube.com/figmadesign
• Instagram: instagram.com/figma
• Facebook: facebook.com/figmadesign

Kactus is an open-source design version control tool designed to work with Sketch. It helps designers and teams manage design files across multiple versions using Git, allowing for seamless collaboration and version tracking. Kactus enables users to work with public and private repositories, making it a useful tool for both individual designers and larger teams working on complex projects. Although it's not a full-fledged prototyping tool, Kactus offers a valuable solution for maintaining version control and collaboration within design workflows.

Kactus integrates well with GitHub and other Git-based platforms such as GitLab and Bitbucket. This makes it a suitable choice for design teams who rely on version control and need to manage Sketch files alongside code repositories.

Pricing Plans:

• Basic Plan: Free forever Includes unlimited public repositories and the ability to switch back to Sketch files without any commitment.
• Premium Plan: $4.99/month per user Includes all features from the Basic plan, plus unlimited private repositories.
• Enterprise Plan: $11.99/month per user Includes all Premium features, along with support for single sign-on, on-premises deployment, and compatibility with any Git server, including GitHub Enterprise, BitBucket, GitLab, and self-hosted options.

Pros:

• Free plan available for public repositories and open-source projects
• Supports integration with multiple Git servers
• Facilitates version control for Sketch files
• Flexible and scalable for different team sizes

Cons:

• Not a full prototyping tool, focused primarily on version control
• Requires integration with Sketch for design management
• Limited to macOS users

Contact Information:

• Website: kactus.io

Marvel App is a user-friendly design and prototyping tool that helps individuals and teams bring their ideas to life with ease. It allows you to create interactive prototypes for mobile apps and websites without any coding skills. Whether you’re working solo or in a team, Marvel supports a range of features like real-time collaboration, user testing, and integration with popular design tools like Sketch. The tool is perfect for turning static designs into fully interactive, clickable prototypes.

Marvel offers various pricing plans depending on your needs, ranging from a free option for beginners to more advanced plans for teams and enterprises. It’s a great solution for designers looking to streamline their workflow, collaborate efficiently, and test user experiences before full development.

Pricing Plans:

• Free: $0/month, 1 user, 1 project
• Pro: $12/month (billed yearly), 1 user, unlimited projects, 3 active user tests, download prototypes, remove Marvel branding
• Team: $42/month (billed yearly), starts at 3 users, unlimited projects, 10 active user tests, premium support, download prototypes, remove branding
• Enterprise: Custom pricing, unlimited users, advanced security, Single Sign-On (SSO), dedicated support

Pros:

• Free plan available
• Real-time collaboration
• Easy integration with tools like Sketch
• Great for both individuals and teams

Cons:

• Free plan is limited to 1 project
• Some advanced features require a paid subscription

Contact Information:

• Website: marvelapp.com
• GitHub: github.com/marvelapp
• Twitter: twitter.com/marvelapp
• Facebook: facebook.com/marvelapp
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/marvel-app
• Address: 7-10 Bateman's Row, London, EC2A 3HH, United Kingdom

Justinmind is a comprehensive prototyping tool designed for creating interactive wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes for mobile apps and websites. It offers a range of features, from basic UI design to advanced interaction design, making it suitable for both beginners and professionals. The tool allows designers to simulate complex user flows, create data-driven interfaces, and test prototypes directly on mobile devices. Justinmind also integrates with various third-party tools like JIRA and AzureDevOps, streamlining project management and collaboration workflows.

Justinmind provides several pricing options, including a free version for individual users. The paid plans cater to teams and businesses, offering advanced collaboration, data simulation, and enterprise-level security features. With its versatile range of tools and flexible pricing structure, Justinmind is ideal for teams of all sizes looking to improve their prototyping and design processes.

Pricing Plans:

• Free ($0 per month): Includes essential features like UI design, wireframing, vector design, unlimited screens, local projects, and exporting to PNG, JPG, and SVG formats.
• Standard ($9 per editor per month, billed annually or $19 month-to-month): Offers advanced interaction design, team collaboration, mobile testing, and shared UI libraries.
• Professional ($19 per editor per month, billed annually or $29 month-to-month): Includes all Standard features plus data simulation, user flows, export to HTML, and custom branding.
• Enterprise ($39 per editor per month, billed annually or $59 month-to-month): Offers advanced features like SAML Single Sign-On, JIRA integration, collaboration on internal servers, and requirements management.

Pros:

• Free version available with essential features
• Supports advanced interaction design and prototyping
• Integrates with project management tools like JIRA
• Ideal for both individual users and large teams

Cons:

• Some advanced features are limited to higher-tier plans
• More expensive for larger teams requiring enterprise-level features

Contact Information:

• Website: justinmind.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/justinmindprototypingtool
• Twitter: twitter.com/just_in_mind
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/justinmind

Mockplus is a rapid prototyping tool that allows designers to create interactive wireframes and prototypes for mobile and web applications. It offers a wide range of pre-built UI components and templates that make designing fast and easy, especially for mobile app prototyping. With a drag-and-drop interface, designers can quickly build prototypes without coding knowledge. Mockplus supports real-time collaboration, allowing team members to work together and share feedback directly within the platform.

The tool is available on macOS, Windows, and web browsers, and it provides an option for testing prototypes on actual mobile devices. The free plan makes it accessible for individuals or small teams looking for a cost-effective solution to bring their app ideas to life.

Pricing Plans:

• Free Plan: $0/month This plan allows up to 10 users and includes 3 prototypes with a maximum of 10 pages per prototype. It offers essential prototyping features like real-time collaboration, shared asset libraries, and built-in UI components.
• Ultimate Plan: $24.9/user/month (billed annually) The Ultimate Plan provides unlimited prototypes and pages, along with advanced features such as exporting to RP files, PDFs, and images. It includes enhanced collaboration tools, auto-generated specs and assets, role-based access control, and more.
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing Designed for large organizations, this plan includes everything in the Ultimate Plan, plus custom features, dedicated support, Single Sign-On (SSO), internal server hosting, and exclusive team and account management tools.

Pros:

• Free plan available
• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface
• Pre-built UI components and templates
• Supports real-time collaboration
• Cross-platform (macOS, Windows, and web)

Cons:

• Free plan is limited in terms of the number of projects and features
• Advanced features require a paid plan

Contact Information:

• Website: mockplus.com
• Email: support@mockplusapp.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/Mockplus
• Twitter: twitter.com/Mockplus
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/mockplus
• Instagram: instagram.com/mockplus_official

Whimsical is a visual workspace designed for creating wireframes, flowcharts, mind maps, and other diagrams that help teams collaborate effectively. It offers an intuitive interface, allowing users to easily create visually appealing layouts and diagrams without the need for advanced design skills. Whimsical supports real-time collaboration, enabling teams to work together on wireframes and workflows seamlessly. This makes it a versatile tool not only for app and web designers but also for project managers and teams needing to visualize ideas quickly.

Whimsical provides a free plan with essential features, along with several premium options for those looking for more advanced functionality. The tool is browser-based, meaning no software download is required, and teams can access their designs from anywhere. Its simplicity, combined with a wide range of features like templates and integrations, makes Whimsical a powerful tool for quick prototyping and collaboration.

Pricing Plans:

• Free ($0 per month): The free plan is best for individual users and offers unlimited personal files, unlimited shared docs, 3 team boards for collaboration, 100 AI actions, and unlimited guests who can view and comment.
• Pro ($10 per editor per month, billed annually): This plan is suitable for teams and offers unlimited shared files, 2000 AI actions per editor/month, 10 guests per file or folder, premium support, and everything included in the Starter plan.
• Org ($20 per editor per month, billed annually): Designed for larger teams with security needs, this plan includes SAML SSO, user provisioning (SCIM), private teams, 4000 AI actions per editor/month, and everything in Pro. It is ideal for organizations needing additional security and administrative controls.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use interface for quick wireframes and diagrams
• Real-time collaboration for teams
• Free plan available with essential features
• Supports various diagram types like flowcharts and mind maps

Cons:

• Free plan is limited to 3 team boards
• Advanced features and higher AI actions require paid subscriptions

Contact Information:

• Website: whimsical.com
• Email: hello@whimsical.com
• Twitter: twitter.com/whimsical
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/whimsical