Create Stunning Mockups for Your Products with These Top Tools

Are you a designer working on the next big product? As you refine ideas and concepts, mockups are invaluable for bringing your vision to life before development begins.

But what exactly are mockups, and why are they an essential part of the design process?

What Are Mockups and Why Are They Important?

A mockup is a realistic model that replicates the appearance and intended functionality of a product. Mockups can range from simple wireframes and prototypes to highly detailed, visually polished demonstrations.

Here are three key reasons mockups matter:

1. Visualize concepts: Mockups let you see how a product will look far better than a written description or a wireframe alone. The old adage rings true – a picture is worth a thousand words.

2. Test usability: By simulating interfaces and user flows in a mockup, you can identify pain points and improve UX before any coding happens.

3. Gather feedback: Share mockups with stakeholders, developers and users to collect feedback and refine the product design.

In short, mockups bring your ideas to reality…without the need to first build a finished product in code.

But not all mockups are created equal. To unlock their true superpowers, you‘ll need the right tools.

9 Best Mockup Tools on the Market

The good news is there are more great options than ever when it comes to mockup software. I‘ve rounded up the top 9 mockup tools available today based on capabilities, visual quality, ease of use and value:

1. Mockplus

Mockplus is an all-in-one tool for both mockup design and prototyping. With 3000+ components and a drag-and-drop editor, you can quickly create fully interactive prototypes without coding.

Some standout features include:

  • 200+ templates for common devices and apps
  • Animated interactions and transitions
  • Built-in data libraries for realistic content
  • One-click preview on device frames

Simple pricing starts at $15/month. Mockplus is beginner-friendly but scales to meet the needs of experts.

Mockup of travel app designed with Mockplus

Example mockup of a travel app for iOS/Android phones designed with Mockplus

2. Adobe XD

As part of Adobe‘s leading creative suite, Adobe XD has emerged as a top choice for UI/UX design. The vector-based tool allows you to wireframe, design and prototype mocked-up interfaces.

Key Adobe XD features:

  • Drag-and-drop components and layout grids
  • Design systems for reusable elements
  • Voice prototyping for simulated conversations
  • Real-time collaboration with team members

Adobe XD pricing starts at $9.99/month for individuals as part of Creative Cloud. It‘s a great fit for professional designers.

3. InVision Studio

InVision Studio describes itself as the "all-in-one product design platform". It brings together capabilities for mockups, prototypes and design systems.

Why users love InVision Studio:

  • Huge library of device/UI kits and templates
  • Animated transitions between artboards
  • Developer hand-off and version control
  • Integrates with wider InVision ecosystem

InVision Studio pricing is $15/month for individuals. Teams can access additional collaboration functionality.

4. Marvel

Prefer to design your mockups in other apps, then link them together for an interactive prototypes? Marvel is for you.

Marvel lets you import screens from Sketch, Photoshop, Adobe XD and more. You can then connect these to create a seamless prototype flow.

Awesome features include:

  • Easy linking of screens with hotspot or tap events
  • Transitions, overlays and animations
  • Commenting tools for feedback
  • Free and paid plans available

Pricing starts at free for 1 active prototype, up to $12/month for unlimited team usage.

5. Figma

A relative newcomer, Figma has taken the design world by storm. This collaborative browser-based app is ideal for mocked-up wireframes as well as high-fidelity visual designs.

Notable aspects of Figma:

  • Multiplayer mode for real-time co-designing
  • Design libraries to manage reusable elements
  • Prototyping tools to preview interactions
  • Generous free tier with 3 projects

Figma pricing begins at free and goes up to $12/month per editor on a team. With its web-based ease of use plus deep capabilities, Figma is a rising star.

6. Mockflow

Mockflow brings all aspects of UX design together in one platform. You can create sitemaps, user flows, wireframes and interactive prototypes.

Why use Mockflow for mockups?

  • 200+ material design components
  • 3000+ responsive web elements
  • Clickable hotspots to simulate interactions
  • Integrates with JIRA, Slack and Drive

Pricing starts at free for solo designers. Team pricing is available custom quotes.

7. Balsamiq

With its hand-drawn sketch aesthetic, Balsamiq focuses on low-fidelity mockup wireframes. But don‘t let its informal appearance fool you…Balsamiq provides a quick way to map out structure and flow.

Notable features include:

  • Drag and drop placement of icons
  • Styles and skin customization
  • Links between pages to visualize journeys
  • Plug-ins for Gmail, Confluence and more

Pricing starts at $12/month for individuals. Enterprise quoting is available.

8. Moqups

Another browser-based option, Moqups simplifies mockup creation with handy templates and widgets for common UI elements.

Benefits of using Moqups:

  • 1800+ responsive component library
  • Mockup templates for web, iOS, Android
  • Team collaboration with comments/exports
  • Affordable pricing starts at $15/month

While less advanced than leading platforms, Moqups provides solid mocking capabilities.

9. Wireframe.cc

As the name indicates, Wireframe.cc focuses on fast and easy low-fidelity wireframes. Starting from a blank canvas or wireframing templates, you can map out website structure with standard elements.

Key features:

  • Drag and drop placement
  • Responsive breakpoints
  • Export wireframes to PDFs
  • Generous free version

Pricing begins at free for solo designers and goes up to $16/month per seat. The simplicity and speed make Wireframe.cc ideal for early concept maps.


While this list provides a look at the top mockup tools overall, you‘ll want to carefully evaluate your unique needs. Factors like learning curves, collaboration requirements, design fidelity and budget can help narrow your choice. Take advantage of free trials to experience tools firsthand.

The hands-on practice with these mockup applications provides the ultimate test. Find the one that fits best into your workflow so you can start simulating your next genius product idea in style!

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