Top 10 Free Alternatives to Adobe XD in 2025

Designers looking for free alternatives to Adobe XD in 2025 have a wide range of powerful tools to choose from. Each of these design tools offers unique features catering to various aspects of UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaboration. This article explores the top 10 free Adobe XD alternatives, detailing their key features, pricing options, and platform availability.

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1. Figma

Description: Figma is a web-based collaborative design tool focused on UI/UX design, prototyping, and design handoff.
Key Features:
Real-time collaboration allowing multiple users to work on the same file simultaneously.
Vector-based design tools for scalable and precise visuals.
Interactive prototyping capabilities to simulate user flows.
Extensive plugin ecosystem to extend its functionalities.
Cloud-based, accessible from any device with an internet connection.
Pricing: Free plan available, with paid plans starting at $12 per editor/month (billed annually) for more features and unlimited projects.
Platforms: Web-based, macOS, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS, iOS and Android apps.
Learn more about Figma

2. Sketch

Description: Sketch is a Mac-based design tool focused on UI and UX design with a large component library and a user-friendly interface.
Key Features:
Focused design tools with an intuitive interface.
Smart components for creating interactive elements.
Cloud-based sync to keep work accessible on any device.
Offline work capability.
Prototyping features for animation and transitions.
Pricing: Free for students; Paid plans start at $9/month.
Platforms: macOS
Learn more about Sketch

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3. InVision

Description: InVision is a platform offering both online and desktop tools for prototyping, collaboration, and design handoff.
Key Features:
Cloud-based platform.
Prototyping focus for existing designs, with its Studio avatar offering more in-depth software.
Offers features for vector drawing, animations, and shared libraries.
Inspect tool for guiding from design to coding, with dev-ready specs.
Free plan includes up to three documents and ten active users.
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $4/month.
Platforms: Web-based, macOS, Windows.
Learn more about InVision

4. Marvel

Description: Marvel focuses on quick prototyping from mockups to interactive online prototypes.
Key Features:
Easy-to-use interface for quick mockup transformation.
Collaborative features for sharing designs.
Custom animation and transition options.
No-code prototyping.
Integration with other design tools.
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $12/month.
Platforms: Web-based
Learn more about Marvel

5. Miro

Description: Miro is a collaborative online whiteboard platform that is helpful for visual ideation, mapping user flows, and UI design.
Key Features:
Visual interface for understanding relationships between tasks.
Good for brainstorming, prototyping, and getting feedback.
Offers a variety of templates and frameworks.
Real-time collaboration and communication.
Integrates with many other tools.
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $8/user/month (billed annually).
Platforms: Web-based
Learn more about Miro

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6. Balsamiq

Description: Balsamiq is a wireframing tool focused on creating quick, low-fidelity prototypes.
Key Features:
Quick and easy to use with a hand-drawn aesthetic.
Focuses on brainstorming and visualizing ideas.
Great for creating flowcharts and simple mockups.
Good for teams that want to focus on structure without visual details.
Helps in quick UI visualization.
Pricing: 30-day free trial; Paid plans start at $9/user/month (billed annually).
Platforms: Desktop application (macOS, Windows), Web-based.
Learn more about Balsamiq

7. Pencil Project

Description: Pencil Project is an open-source tool for creating high-quality UI prototypes.
Key Features:
Open-source and free for everyone.
Multi-platform support.
Extensive library of shapes for creating interfaces.
Ability to link pages for simulating navigation flows.
Export to popular formats like PDF and SVG.
Pricing: Free
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Learn more about Pencil Project

8. Mockplus

Description: Mockplus offers a simple drag-and-drop interface to turn static designs into interactive prototypes.
Key Features:
Simple drag-and-drop interface.
Focuses on collaborative UX design.
Interactive prototyping.
Team collaboration features.
Helps users easily transition from design to prototype.
Pricing: Free plan available; Paid plans start at $24.99/user/month (billed annually).
Platforms: Desktop application (macOS, Windows).
Learn more about Mockplus

9. WordPress

Description: WordPress is an open-source content management system that can be used for UI design, offering vast customization and plugin options.
Key Features:
Thousands of themes and plugins to choose from.
Built-in SEO tools.
Mobile compatible designs.
Scalable for small and large websites.
Easy to use even for beginners.
Pricing: Free, with paid options for premium themes and plugins.
Platforms: Web-based
Learn more about WordPress

10. Axure RP

Description: Axure RP is a prototyping tool focused on high-fidelity solutions, with animation and interactive capabilities.
Key Features:
Creates interactive prototypes with adaptive designs that work across devices.
Offers pre-built widgets for working forms and dynamic interfaces.
Supports advanced interactions and dynamic content.
Integrates with collaboration tools like Jira and Slack.
Focuses on providing more in-depth software.
Pricing: Free trial available; Paid plans start at $25/month.
Platforms: Windows, macOS.
Learn more about Axure RP

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FAQ

1. What are some free alternatives to Adobe XD?

There are several free alternatives to Adobe XD, including Figma, Sketch, InVision, Marvel, Miro, Balsamiq, Pencil Project, Mockplus, WordPress, and Axure RP. Each of these offers various free tiers or trials. Explore Figma | Discover Sketch | Check out Marvel

2. Is Figma completely free to use?

Figma offers a free plan, which includes real-time collaboration, vector-based design tools, and interactive prototyping with some limitations. For more features and unlimited projects, paid plans start at $12 per editor/month. Learn more about Figma's pricing

3. Can I use Sketch on Windows?

No, Sketch is specifically designed for macOS users. It offers focused design tools and smart components exclusively for macOS. Discover Sketch

4. What makes InVision unique among the Adobe XD alternatives?

InVision is known for its robust prototyping focus, ability to guide from design to coding with its Inspect tool, and the capability to work seamlessly on macOS and Windows platforms. Learn more about InVision

5. Is Marvel a good tool for quick prototyping?

Yes, Marvel is designed for transforming mockups into interactive prototypes quickly and easily, with features for custom animations, transitions, and no-code prototyping. Explore Marvel

6. How do Miro's collaborative features benefit UI/UX designers?

Miro offers a collaborative online whiteboard, perfect for brainstorming, visual ideation, and mapping user flows in real time, facilitating seamless team collaboration. Discover Miro

7. What is the focus of Balsamiq in terms of UI/UX design?

Balsamiq is focused on creating quick, low-fidelity prototypes with a hand-drawn aesthetic, making it ideal for brainstorming and visualizing ideas. Learn about Balsamiq

8. Is Pencil Project an open-source tool?

Yes, Pencil Project is an open-source tool that provides high-quality UI prototypes and is available for free across multiple platforms. Check out Pencil Project

9. What are Mockplus's strengths for UI/UX design?

Mockplus offers a simple drag-and-drop interface for interactive prototyping, focusing on collaborative UX design with team collaboration features. Learn more about Mockplus

10. Can WordPress be used for UI design?

Yes, WordPress is a versatile content management system that can be customized extensively for UI design, with thousands of themes and plugins available. Explore WordPress

References

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.

Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).

She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.

For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

Mission and Purpose

Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

Key Features

The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:

Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:

3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
100+ startup tools built
5,000+ pieces of articles and news written

Partnerships

Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.

Recognition

Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.