Uncovering the Best Concept.ly Alternatives for Your Prototyping Needs
Concept.ly is a popular free web and mobile mockup tool, ideal for transforming designs into clickable interactive applications and validating ideas quickly with lean startup principles. While its free plan offering two projects is a great starting point for quick prototyping, users often seek more robust features, broader platform support, or different pricing structures as their projects scale or their specific needs evolve. This guide explores the top Concept.ly alternative options available, helping you find the perfect fit for your design workflow.
Top Concept.ly Alternatives
Whether you're looking for enhanced collaboration, specific diagramming capabilities, or a different approach to low-fidelity wireframing, these alternatives offer compelling features to meet diverse prototyping and design requirements.
Lucidchart
Lucidchart is an excellent Concept.ly alternative, offering online diagram and flowchart software with extensive platform support including Web, Android, iPhone, Chrome OS, and Microsoft Office integration. It's a freemium tool that stands out with features like real-time collaboration, various chart types, UI design, prototyping, and export to PDF, making it a versatile choice for general-purpose diagramming and interactive design.
Balsamiq Wireframes
For those prioritizing rapid low-fidelity UI wireframing, Balsamiq Wireframes is a strong Concept.ly alternative. This commercial tool, available on Mac, Windows, and Web, excels at reproducing the experience of sketching on a notepad or whiteboard. Its focus on drawing and real-time collaboration makes it ideal for quickly iterating on UI concepts.
InVision
InVision provides a comprehensive design platform and is a top-tier Concept.ly alternative for collaborative product development. Available on Web, Android, and iPhone, it's a freemium solution offering robust prototyping capabilities, import from Sketch, design handoff features, and integrations with popular tools like Basecamp, GitHub, Jira, and Slack. Its focus on delivering the best possible digital product experience makes it a powerful choice.
Marvel
Marvel is a collaborative design platform that serves as an excellent Concept.ly alternative for wireframing, prototyping, and online design. As a freemium service accessible on Android, iPhone, and Web, it simplifies the creation of design specs and offers a built-in commenting system for streamlined feedback. Its focus on an all-in-one collaborative environment makes it a great choice for design teams.
Origami Studio
Developed by Facebook designers, Origami Studio is a free Concept.ly alternative primarily for Mac users, with companion apps for Android and iPhone. It focuses on creating interactive UI prototypes with an elegant, layer-based interface, enabling designers to rapidly build and iterate on complex interactions. Its free nature and advanced UI design features make it a compelling option for those on a budget or seeking high-fidelity results.
Axure RP
Axure RP is a powerful commercial Concept.ly alternative for comprehensive planning, prototyping, and developer handoff, all without writing code. Available on Mac and Windows, it offers advanced prototyping features, making it ideal for complex projects requiring detailed interactions and comprehensive documentation. It's a top choice for professionals needing robust control over their prototypes.
Principle
Principle offers a streamlined approach to creating animated and interactive user interface designs, serving as a focused Concept.ly alternative. This commercial Mac application, with features for iPhone and iPad, excels in prototyping and utilizing a timeline to easily animate interactions. It's perfect for designers who need to quickly bring their UI designs to life with fluid animations.
Diagramo
Diagramo is a free and open-source Concept.ly alternative focused on online flowchart software, supporting the creation, editing, and sharing of diagrams, organization charts, and network diagrams. As a web-based tool, it offers features like export to PNG, making it a simple yet effective solution for basic diagramming needs.
STUDIO
STUDIO is a freemium web-based platform that allows users to design and publish websites from scratch without writing any code, making it a unique Concept.ly alternative for those looking to build interactive web experiences directly. It offers features like responsive design, web development tools, web hosting, and WYSIWYG support, ideal for turning prototypes into live sites.
MockFlow
MockFlow is a web-based freemium Concept.ly alternative that requires no downloads or installations, allowing users to create and access mockups from anywhere. It supports creating clickable prototypes with internal links and offers real-time collaboration and export to HTML, making it a versatile tool for quick and shareable wireframing.
Choosing the best Concept.ly alternative depends on your specific project requirements, team size, and budget. Each tool offers a unique blend of features and platform support, so take the time to explore which one aligns perfectly with your design and prototyping workflow.