In search of the best free mockup tool, we tried out several solutions. Some are online tools, and some are offline tools. Here are the results we found:
1- Online Mockup and Wireframing Tools:
- Mockingbird: Looks ok, slightly dated or limited graphically. No mobile phone stencils. Can export as png or pdf. Can share online also for interactive demo. Wireframing only, no commenting. Free version limited to one project.
- Proto.io: Free version limited to 5 screens and no exporting.
- Mockflow: Free version limited to 4 pages.
- Fluid UI: Looks great. Very easy to use. Has good graphics and UI elements. Free version limited to 10 screens and no exporting.
- Balsamiq: Has a free web demo that can be used to create static wireframes. Free version is limited: no pages and can’t save.
- Alouka: Looks like sketches. No phone placeholders. Limited. Can export to pdf. Can be added as a chrome extension. No collaboration. Free.
- Cacoo: Website colors are annoying and hurt the eyes. Has UI graphics but they’re very small and hard to find making it not practical. Also, it doesn’t have pages or interactivity. Free plan limited to 25 sheets and only exports as png.
- Jumpchart: Free plan limited to 10 pages. Hard and complex to use. Has limited functionality, mostly for website wireframing, but doesn’t have much options. It’s a bit too technical. Has a mockup feedback feature but it’s not too useful because you can just approve or add general comments about the whole design (not on specific elements).
Preliminary Verdict: None of them is perfect… it would be a tie between Mockingbird and Fluid UI. If you don’t care about the having the wireframes contained in a mobile phone image, go for Mockingbird. If you don’t have many screens, use Fluid. If you want a more comprehensive solution, use one of the offline wireframing tools below because they have better options and less limitations.
2- Offline Mockup and Wireframing Tools:
- JustinMind Prototyper: Offline. Looks great, very easy to use. Has everything you need. Only paid version has online feedback options.
- Mockup Builder: Offline. Looks good but too complex. Elements look like sketches. Exports to png. Free version has some limitations.
- Serena Prototype Composer: Offline. Too Complex. Free version limited to one project.
- Pencil Project: Offline. No limitations (open source). Looks good.
Final Verdict: The best free mockup tool would be JustinMind Prototyper. The runner up would be Evolus Pencil Project.
Let us know what you think the best free mockup tool is.
You might also be interested in our other article about the best free mockup presentation tool or online feedback tool.
