Top Fluid UI Alternatives for Seamless Prototyping
Fluid UI is celebrated as a go-to tool for rapid mobile app prototyping, enabling users to design and test low and high-fidelity mockups with remarkable ease. Its focus on simplicity and user experience has made it invaluable for unlocking creativity and streamlining the app requirements gathering process. However, the diverse needs of designers and developers often lead to a search for a Fluid UI alternative that might offer different features, pricing models, or integrations. This post explores some of the best alternatives available to help you find the perfect fit for your next project.
Best Fluid UI Alternatives
Whether you're seeking a free, open-source solution, a powerful enterprise-grade tool, or something specifically tailored for wireframing, this list of Fluid UI alternatives has you covered. Dive in to discover tools that can elevate your prototyping workflow.
diagrams.net
diagrams.net (previously draw.io) is a free and open-source online diagram drawing application that serves as an excellent Fluid UI alternative for those needing versatile diagramming capabilities. It's a web-based tool with self-hosting options, offering features like export to PDF, SVG export, Visio stencils, and integration with Google Drive and Dropbox. While not solely a UI prototyping tool, its strong diagramming and flowchart features make it suitable for initial wireframing and workflow visualization.
Lucidchart
Lucidchart is a powerful online diagram and flowchart software that offers a compelling Fluid UI alternative, especially for teams. Available on web, Android, iPhone, and Chrome OS, it supports Microsoft Visio import and boasts robust real-time collaboration features. Its capabilities include general-purpose diagramming, UI design, prototyping, and wireframing, making it a comprehensive solution for visual project planning and design.
Adobe XD
Adobe XD (Experience Design) is a vector-based tool developed by Adobe Inc. and stands as a strong Fluid UI alternative for professional UI/UX designers. Available for Mac, Windows, Android, and iPhone, it excels in designing and prototyping user experiences for web and mobile apps. Key features include interactive mockups, responsive design, animation, live preview, and a repeat grid function, offering a comprehensive suite for high-fidelity prototyping.
InVision
InVision is a leading collaborative design platform and a powerful Fluid UI alternative, particularly for teams focused on delivering exceptional digital product experiences. Available on web, Android, iPhone, and iPad, it offers robust prototyping capabilities, seamless integration with tools like Sketch, Jira, and Slack, and real-time collaboration features, making design handoffs and feedback loops incredibly efficient.
Balsamiq Wireframes
Balsamiq Wireframes is a rapid low-fidelity UI wireframing tool that closely reproduces the experience of sketching on a notepad or whiteboard, making it a distinct Fluid UI alternative for quick concept visualization. Available for Mac, Windows, and web, its primary features are drawing and real-time collaboration, focusing on speed and simplicity to get ideas down quickly before moving to higher fidelity designs.
OmniGraffle
OmniGraffle is a powerful graphic documentation tool available for Mac and iPad, serving as a comprehensive Fluid UI alternative for creating eye-popping graphic documents. It excels in flowcharts, ER diagrams, and general graphs, providing powerful styling tools and smart connectors. While not exclusively for UI, its robust diagramming features make it suitable for detailed design planning and workflow visualization.
Apache OpenOffice Draw
Apache OpenOffice Draw, part of the Apache OpenOffice suite, is a free and open-source graphics editor for Mac, Windows, and Linux. It offers tools for communicating with visuals and diagrams, making it a basic but functional Fluid UI alternative for users seeking a no-cost desktop solution. Its capabilities include desktop publishing and vector drawing.
Edraw Max
Edraw Max is a commercial software available for Mac, Windows, and Linux, providing a robust Fluid UI alternative for creating a wide variety of diagrams. It excels in flowcharts, organizational charts, business diagrams, mind maps, and even floor plans. With features like real-time collaboration and export to PDF, it's a versatile tool for comprehensive visual documentation.
Marvel
Marvel is a collaborative design platform that serves as an excellent Fluid UI alternative, allowing users to wireframe, prototype, design online, and create design specs all in one place. Available across multiple platforms including Android, iPhone, and web (SaaS), it focuses on streamlining the design workflow with features like anonymous and built-in commenting systems, and robust prototyping capabilities.
Origami Studio
Origami Studio is a free design tool built by Facebook designers for creating interactive UI prototypes, making it a compelling Fluid UI alternative for those seeking advanced animation and interactivity. Available for Mac, Android, and iPhone, its elegant, layer-based interface allows designers to rapidly create complex prototypes, focusing specifically on UI design and high-fidelity prototyping.
Choosing the right Fluid UI alternative depends heavily on your specific project needs, budget, and desired feature set. Whether you prioritize collaboration, advanced animation, low-fidelity sketching, or extensive diagramming, there's a tool out there to enhance your design workflow. Explore these options to find the best fit for your team and unlock new levels of creativity and efficiency.