Top 20 Adobe XD Alternatives & Competitors

Overview of Adobe XD for Wireframing and Designing

Adobe XD is a popular wireframing and UI designing software to create realistic designs for websites, mobile applications, etc. With this wireframing software, you can add 3D aspects to designs, collaborate on projects in real time, create voice prototypes, etc. However, users are still looking for Adobe XD alternatives because it does not allow CSS file export, offers limited real-time previewing, has a steep learning curve, and so on.

Why Are Businesses Looking for Alternative to Adobe XD?

Adobe XD is one of the most popular vector-graphic designing tools for designing, prototyping, masking, and exporting your designs. Despite its multiple advantages, designers are shifting to Adobe XD alternatives due to the following reasons-

• No Advanced Customization: It does not allow you to customize different types of shapes and supports only basic shapes.
• No Support for CSS and PSD File Export: With Adobe XD, you cannot export the prototypes into CSS and PSD file format.
• Real-Time Prototype View is Limited: The capability of real-time prototype review is only supported on Mac devices.
• Complex Interface: Designers might take time to get familiar with Adobe XD due to its complicated interface.

Must-Have Features in Any Software Similar to Adobe XD

Here are some features that must be there in any software similar to Adobe XD.

• 3D Transforms: Easily add 3D perspective to your designs in multiple ways through intuitive space controls. It lets you craft designs for an amazing experience with virtual or augmented reality, infotainment systems, etc.
• Collaboration: Ensure that the Adobe XD alternatives support real-time collaboration to edit, share, or create designs with the team together.
• Responsive Resize: This feature will help you to use software across tablets, smartphones, PCs, etc., for prototyping, wireframing, or designing.
• Auto Animate: Any software similar to Adobe XD must provide various tools to infuse motion and micro injections to your static designs. This would help animate all the objects present in your graphic designs.
• Voice Prototyping: The availability of voice prototyping in alternative for Adobe XD would help in creating a complete voice-only user flow with voice commands, speech and audio playback. It will also be used for creating complete audio-based applications.
• Real-Time Preview: By connecting your smartphone through USB with Desktop running Adobe XD, you edit designs on desktop and preview them in real time on your smartphones.
• Wireframing: Any Adobe XD alternatives should offer wireframing tools to create websites mockups and wireframe layouts, develop UI elements, user flowcharts, and more.

What to Consider When Looking for a Software Like Adobe XD

Take into consideration the following factors to buy alternative of Adobe XD

• Free Trial or Demo: Check whether software like Adobe XD provides a free trial or demo to help you decide whether it's worth your money or not.
• Multiple File Format Export: Any alternative of Adobe XD must allow you to export your designs in several formats including PSD, JPG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, SVG, etc.
• Pricing: Check whether its pricing is based on subscription, pay as you go, or one-time payment to help you choose the right one that compliments your business requirements.
• Masking Effect Support: The availability of masking effects in alternative for Adobe XD would help in highlighting a particular section of the design by overlapping or hiding portions.
• Plugins: Make sure the Adobe XD alternatives offer plugins to use stock imagery, icons set, designing templates, etc.

What Type of Businesses are Looking for Alternatives of Adobe XD?

Following type of businesses are looking for Adobe XD alternatives-

• IT Companies: With Adobe XD, users cannot export their prototypes and designs to CSS and PSD format. Moreover, its collaboration function does not work properly as members cannot see each other's cursor in real time even while working on the same file. Also, its real-time prototype reviewing is supported on Mac devices.
• Retail Businesses: They prefer using Adobe XD alternatives for designing and optimizing eCommerce sites because Adobe XD provides updates very frequently. This might slow down the procedure of designing your eCommerce website as after every time, you need to restart your system.
• Designers: The pen tool of Adobe XD does not offer many features as compared to Illustrator and Photoshop for designers. Further, you cannot customize many shapes except for circles, squares, rectangles, etc.