Client feedback can be a bitter pill to swallow, but let’s face it—without it, we risk creating something that misses the mark.
Prototyping, or creating high-fidelity designs that resemble your intended final work, ensures you get critical feedback at the right stage of the web design process so that you, your client and your collaborators are on the same page as you work toward a live digital product.
There’s no shortage of prototyping tools on the market, but choosing the right one that suits your needs and reduces the chance of unexpected last-minute changes can be challenging.
This article helps you cut through the noise, exploring the benefits of prototyping tools, outlining what to look for when choosing yours and highlighting some of the top tools (including Wix Studio) for web designers.
I get the prototyping thing. But what are prototyping tools?
Prototyping tools are software applications and platforms that help web designers create interactive mockups of their design ideas.
These tools let you simulate the features, layout and functionalities of a digital product, such as a website, app or software interface, without fully developing it, making it easier to visualize design concepts and test usability. They play a crucial role in web design, enabling rapid UX, functionality and design iterations based on feedback before going live.
The benefits of prototyping tools
Let’s look at what prototyping tools bring to the web design table.
They help clients visualize your ideas
Web design is a ‘show, don’t tell’ business. Prototyping tools help designers translate their visual ideas into tangible elements to validate concepts and ensure the product meets stakeholder needs before investing in the design. Visualizing ideas is particularly important if you’re creating interactive websites heavy on animations and dynamic content.
They enhance communication and collaboration
The best prototyping tools get people communicating. Some come with advanced design collaboration tools such as concurrent editing and custom roles and permissions that help clients and team members give feedback and work together in real-time. A collaborative approach to design not only boosts team morale but also leads to a much more inclusive and effective outcome.
They help you identify errors
A web designer’s worst nightmare is going live with a client site only to discover it’s not functioning properly. Prototyping tools allow for practice runs that help identify errors well before you hit publish. Catching problems at a pre-launch stage prevents them from escalating into bigger problems later and leads to higher quality in the final design.
They support user testing
The best way to ensure you're building something valuable for your client’s target audience is to show your creation to someone who’ll use it. With prototyping tools, you can gather direct feedback from users through usability testing. This feedback helps identify pain points and improve the overall user experience. While not every client will look for user testing on a prototype website, it’s an attractive add-on service for agencies to offer.
They enable quick iteration of designs
Straightforward changes shouldn’t slow down any web design workflow. Prototyping tools accelerate the feedback loop and enable a more iterative design process, allowing for quick website changes with features like live editing and commenting. The flexibility of the iterative process allows teams to ideate along the way and improve their solution during design iterations.
They help save on costs and keep morale high
Prototyping tools can reduce design and development time and costs associated with late-stage changes or redesigns by identifying design and functionality issues early on. Keeping projects on track using one unified tool also keeps team spirits high and helps avoid scope creep.
They spark creativity and foster innovation
Many prototyping tools and platforms come with libraries of pre-made components and templates (like Wix Studio templates) that designers can use to experiment with different layouts and interactions. These assets give web designers an effective headstart, inspire design ideas and spark innovation and creativity in the design process.
What to look for in a prototyping tool
When choosing a prototyping tool, there are several factors you should consider to ensure it aligns with your project scope and requirements. A few here:
Learning curve
It will depend on who on your team will use the prototyping tool, but you want one that’s intuitive enough that newcomers can get up to speed fast and accessible enough not to disrupt your workflows. Also, keep in mind your clients’ technical capabilities and how they might benefit from your tool of choice.
Fidelity level
Choose a tool that matches the fidelity required for different stages of your design process. Low-fidelity solutions are useful for your initial concept testing like sketches and wireframing, while high-fidelity involves more detailed visual design and interactivity suitable for near-ready web design products.
Integration
Most top prototyping tools can be integrated with other design applications like Figma or Sketch, making it easier to jump from design to prototyping without switching platforms. Find out which ones your tool can connect with.
Collaboration features
Collaborative design is key to successful prototyping, so check the range of collaboration features that come baked in. Look for capabilities like custom roles and permissions, concurrent editing and live commenting that make for a smoother team experience.
Interactive design
For those focused on medium- and high-fidelity designs, look for prototyping tools that offer advanced capabilities to create interactive prototypes that go big on animations and dynamic content.
Sharing capabilities
You can keep workflows tight and collaboration smooth with simple sharing methods. Look for straightforward export options, seamless integrations, link sharing and presentation modes that keep stakeholder feedback coming. Also, check if the tool is available as an app so that you can share and prototype while on the go.
Templates and reusable assets
Many prototyping tools now come with pre-built components and templates that give designers a strong headstart with mockups and prototypes. If you’re keen on using templates to kickstart your projects, make sure your prototyping tool has these assets covered.
Testing capabilities
Some of the most valuable insights generated during the prototyping stage comes from testing. Scope out whether your prototyping tool allows for testing properties like usability, functionality and aesthetics early in the design phase.
Cost
Check both upfront costs and longer-term expenses associated with your prototyping tool. Some require subscriptions or have hidden costs related to additional features or user licenses, so dig into the finer details. Most are available as a free trial, so sign up and get a feel for them before going for your credit card.
Discover how to export your Figma designs to Wix Studio today.
The best 17 prototyping tools for web designers
Like selecting the best wireframing tools, choosing the right tool for prototyping will most likely depend on your project goals, who will be using it and how the tool integrates into your workflow. Here are our top picks for 2025.
01. Wix Studio
Known as the web creation platform for agencies and enterprises, Wix Studio offers advanced design capabilities and smart management tools (including a collaboration suite and extensive reusable assets) that make web design prototyping smooth and seamless. If you’re a fan of Figma, you can access 100+ components, sections and wireframes that are fully optimized for Studio from the popular web-based design tool. From there, seamlessly export your designs to Studio with the Figma to Wix Studio plugin.
02. Figma
Figma is a powerful prototyping tool in its own right. With a strong focus on teamwork, it facilitates real-time collaboration and easy sharing through live URLs for stakeholder feedback. Figma’s extensive library of plugins and components allows for rapid design iterations and user feedback integration, helping users streamline the prototyping process.
03. Adobe XD
Most will know Adobe for its graphic design tools like Illustrator or Photoshop, but its UX design software XD is just as impressive. Its vector-based drawing and interactive capabilities suit professionals who want detailed wireframing and prototyping options, whether for an app or a website. Adobe XD supports creator kits and has a curated collection of wireframes on its website.
04. Sketch
Another favorite web design tool, Sketch offers robust prototyping capabilities that allow designers to create life-like interactive and animated designs. The platform has a shallow learning curve and doesn’t require additional plugins or third-party apps, so there are few adoption barriers. Its intuitive interface means you don’t have to switch between your design and prototype when adding comments, notes and feedback.
05. Proto.io
Proto.io markets itself as the prototyping tool for all—or “anyone with a great idea.” With its intuitive drag and drop interface, UX designers, product managers and marketers can jump right in and create high-fidelity interactive prototypes in quick turnaround times. Proto.io comes complete with over 250 UI components, 1,000 templates and 6,000 digital assets.
06. Justinmind
Justinmind is an all-in-one UI/UX design platform designed to create prototypes and simulations for web and mobile apps. Web professionals of all levels can use the tool as it covers the entire product design cycle—from design conceptualization with low-fidelity wireframes right through to iteration and validation with high-fidelity prototypes that include advanced interactions, animations, transitions and interactive UI elements.
07. Flinto
Designed for Mac users, Flinto lets you create high-fidelity prototypes with custom animated transitions, direct manipulation gestures and flexible scrolling options for mobile, desktop and web. Known for its ease of use, the app lets you see a live view of your prototypes while you work on them.
08. Balsamiq
Balsamiq isn’t a tool for getting your digital products publish-ready, but it offers plenty of low-fidelity design and wireframing capabilities that get you close. The app takes a straightforward approach to creation with a user-friendly interface that helps transform product ideas into meaningful mockups without the complexities that often come with other prototyping tools.
09. ProtoPie
At the other end of the web design spectrum is ProtoPie, an advanced prototyping tool focused on high-fidelity designs and dynamic interactions. It comes with plugins for design tools like Figma, Adobe XD and Sketch, which gives designers extra flexibility. Listing Microsoft, Google and Meta among its clients gives Protopie a strong vote of confidence.
10. Fluid UI
Fluid UI is a prototyping tool for low- and high-fidelity designs that provides a fast, easy and fun way to present your ideas to your team and clients. Users get access to over 2,000 built-in components and can choose from Material Design, iOS, Windows and wireframe libraries, giving them plenty of assets to bring their prototypes to life.
11. Mockplus
Mockplus makes creating visual designs and prototypes simple and fast. Covering everything from basic sketches, flowcharts, and wireframes to fully interactive prototypes, users can get a headstart with out-of-box UI/UX widget libraries or start from scratch with their own asset libraries. Mockplus prides itself on collaboration, enabling entire teams to co-edit projects in real-time.
12. Origami Studio
Origami Studio 3 is the latest version of Meta’s free design prototyping tool that makes designing user interfaces and interactions straightforward and intuitive. The all-in-one design, animation and prototyping tool includes new layout and compatibility features that enable smooth design transitions from other tools like Figma and Sketch.
13. Axure RP
Axure RP is a prototyping tool with a strong focus on high-fidelity solutions that include animations, interactions, UX documentation and dynamic content. It comes with various pre-built widgets to create working forms, sortable grids and dynamic interfaces. You can integrate Axure RP with a range of collaboration tools like Jira and Slack, as well as design applications like Figma and Adobe XD.
14. Principle
Whether designing a multi-screen app’s flow or slick interactions and animations, Principle helps you create stunning designs and eye-catching prototypes. Among its highlights is a super intuitive timeline for building animations that will look familiar to anyone who’s ever edited video. Users can also import designs from Figma or Sketch.
15. Indigo.Design
Indigo.Design by Infragistics is a digital product design platform that integrates UI prototyping, design systems and user testing to help reduce costly iterations. Its single working environment allows managers, designers and developers to easily collaborate with stakeholders and test prototypes in an iterative design process. Designers big on interactive websites will enjoy the robust interactive capabilities of this tool.
16. Marvel
Not to be confused with the entertainment company specializing in superheroes, this Marvel focuses on super prototyping tools. Its big promise to users is allowing them to transform design mockups into interactive, online prototypes in less than five minutes without writing a single line of code. Marvel also offers compelling collaborative features that make sharing designs a breeze and testing tools for invaluable user feedback.
17. Excalidraw
Focused more on low-fidelity design and wireframing, Excalidraw is a simple online tool for sketching and prototyping. You can hand-draw diagrams, flowcharts and UML diagrams right in your browser. Excalidraw is free to use and doesn’t require an account to get started, making it an ideal introductory tool for prototyping and wireframing.
Build your next (and best) client site on Wix Studio.
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