Sketch is a web design software that is used to create prototypes of web pages and apps. It is used by many designers and developers to create the visual designs for their projects. The software can be used on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems.
Sketch has many features that make it an easy-to-use tool for creating websites. It has vector tools, which allow you to manipulate objects on the screen without any loss in quality. This means that you can scale up or down your designs without any loss in quality.
You can also use Sketch to create interactive prototypes for your website or app by using its animation tools. You can also import Photoshop files into Sketch, so you don’t have to start from scratch if you already have some existing designs.
Sketch Web Design Software
1. Sketch
Sketch is one of the most well-known design tools on the market. It’s known for its minimal yet robust UI that focuses on providing a pixel-perfect (literally!) designing environment.
In recent years, Sketch has expanded its horizons to include third-party integrations and a library of hundreds of community-built plugins. These days, Sketch can handle things like animations, templates, real-time collaboration, and other modern design necessities.
For more, check out 15 Useful Sketch App Resources & Freebies For Designers.
Pricing: $99 per year.
Alternatives: Affinity Designer, Figma, FluidUI.
2. Adobe Illustrator
AI is industry-level vector graphics editing software. It’s a household name that existed long before software like Sketch and Affinity came along. And even though AI is being given a run for its money, the software remains one of the best available for creating stunning vector graphics and illustrations.
One of the advantages of using Adobe’s software is that it integrates seamlessly with other Adobe products—Photoshop, InDesign, and XD are well-known software solutions in web designer circles. Having a way to combine them all can make for a powerful workflow experience. The only caveat: Adobe isn’t the cheapest option on the market.
Pricing: $20.99 per month (paid yearly) for single app.
Alternatives: Inkscape, Pixlr, Gravit, GIMP.
3. Figma
Figma transforms ideas into real products. You can design UX/UI, prototype, wireframe, collect feedback, and brainstorm all from the same dashboard. As browser-based software, Figma enables teams to come together and collaborate on designs in real-time.
It’s arguably the fastest-growing web design tool on the market today, surpassing the likes of Sketch, AI, and other prominent design tools. So if you haven’t yet checked out Figma, give it a go.
Pricing: Free plan available. Premium plans start at $12 per editor per month.
Alternatives: Affinity Designer, Sketch, FluidUI.
4. FluidUI
Products start as ideas. Ideas then turn into visual previews. And so on and on. But, what software do you use when it comes to prototyping an idea into a visual preview? Fluid UI is a reliable prototyping tool that can turn ideas into workable previews within minutes.
The large database of UI kits and design elements, combined with real-time collaboration, makes FluidUI a superb choice for all-things prototype.
Pricing: Starts at $8.25 per month.
Alternatives: Affinity Designer, Figma, Sketch.
5. Affinity Designer
There is always room for more great graphic design tools, and Serif’s Affinity product line is well-known for its impeccable quality. Affinity Designer (for Mac & Windows) is a precision-based vector graphics design software. It’s best known for helping graphic designers to create illustrations, icons, web graphics, UI/UX designs, and more.
Best of all, Affinity Designer is available for use on iPad devices. Now, you have no excuse not to let your inspiration shine when the right moment comes. The iPad version has been optimized to provide a professional-standard graphic design experience through a portable device.
Pricing: One time price of $79.99.
Alternatives: FluidUI, Figma, Sketch.
6. Zeplin
Zeplin helps to ease the pain of having to manually write style specs for your designs. Whether you work with Sketch or Figma, Zeplin lets you important design files from all major graphic design software. Developers can get instant access to pixel-perfect specs for all design assets.
With Zeplin, you can collaborate on design optimization in real-time. So, even when you move something 2px to the side, everyone on the team will instantly know about it. Need specifics? Just click on an element within your design and instantly generate a working code snippet.
Pricing: Free plan available. Premium version starts at $17 per month.
Alternatives: InVision, Figma, Avocode.
7. Framer
Framer acts as a universal framework for designing interactive layouts for your apps and products. You can start each design by drawing an outline, applying style, and optimizing the layout. Further, start adding life to your designs by using pre-existing (React) components. The components can be code written by you, or you can use components provided by others.
For more, check out 17 Rock Solid Website Layout Examples for 2018.
Pricing: Free plan available. Premium version starts at $12 per month.
Alternatives: InVision, AdobeXD, Origami Studio.
8. Laws of UX
It’s quite easy to get caught up with all the tools and apps that make web design so much fun. But, professional web design has always been about the user experience. And when you’re pumping out cool-looking vectors or building the next kick-ass button sets, UX as a whole can slip your mind.
The Laws of UX is a site put together by Jon Yablonski. In his own words, “Laws of UX is a collection of the maxims and principles that designers can consider when building user interfaces.” In total, there are 19 of these “laws,” each complemented with real example, descriptions, and additional reading materials.
Perhaps not something you need to read every day, but helpful to study once a year to refresh your memory on tidbits you might have forgotten about.
Pricing: Free.
9. Marvel
Website, application, or product design — it’s all a process. And Marvel’s goal is to simplify that process by providing a seamless design platform. Choose between prototyping custom screens or importing existing files from Photoshop and Sketch.
Link together different design elements to bootstrap a prototype that feels like a real app does. Marvel adds native support to create prototypes for devices such as Apple Watch, iPhone, Apple TV, iPad, Desktop, and Android.
Pricing: Free plan available. Premium version starts at $12 per month.
Alternatives: InVision, Balsamiq Wireframes, Adobe XD.
10. Avocode
Avocode helps teams to build apps and products that follow the exact timeline of their designs. It’s the perfect solution to bridge the gap between designers and developers who are collaborating. Select your Sketch, Figma, XD or Photoshop design files and have Avocode transform them into meaningful style guides and specs.
As a cloud-based app, Avocode runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac machines.
Pricing: Starts at $14 per month.
Alternatives: Sketch, Marvel, Zeplin.
sketch for windows
Sketch isn’t the only platform that offers advanced vector editing, prototyping, and team collaboration. In fact, it wasn’t even the first to come out with these features. Below, we’ve compiled a list of Sketch alternatives for Windows to help you create high-quality UI designs without needing an Apple device.
- Figma
Sketch alternatives for Windows: figma
Figma is probably the most popular of all the Sketch alternatives on Windows.
This collaborative designing and prototyping tool is browser-based and “platform agnostic” – you can use it on Apple, Windows, Linux, and even Chrome operating systems.
It also incorporates the aspects of Sketch that make it perfect for UI designers, including:
Streamlined designing with frames, overlays, and reusable components
Vector editing with an intuitive pen tool
Interactive prototyping
Team libraries as well as design and prototype sharing
If you’re worried about picking up a new platform, Figma may be able to help ease your anxiety. It’s relatively easy to pick up in comparison to Sketch, so if you’re switching over you shouldn’t have too much trouble. Its most significant usability drawback is that it’s browser-based, limiting offline designing.
The price difference should also provide some peace of mind. Figma offers a free version for individuals – a steal compared to Sketch’s $99 per year personal license price tag. Granted, the free version offers fewer features than the paid version – which starts at $12 per editor, per month – and is quickly out-priced by Sketch’s Volume plan.
👉 If you’re interested in a more in-depth comparison between Sketch vs Figma vs Adobe XD then click here.
- Vectr
Sketch alternatives for Windows: vectr
Offering both web and desktop apps, Vectr achieves cross-platform compatibility without requiring you to rely on an internet connection as strictly browser-based apps do.
It’s primarily used for vector graphic design, and therefore lacks a built-in prototyping function.
However, you can use this platform for some other key UI design tasks, including:
A variety of customizable filters for creating backgrounds, borders, and shadows
Five vector paths – rectangle, rounded rectangle, circle, line, and freehand
Text creation and image uploading
Secure, real-time link sharing for collaboration
Vectr has an easy-to-follow User Guide to help get you started with the platform. It’s known for being an accessible tool for beginners, so it may be a smart starting place for anyone just getting into the UI design industry.
Plus, the platform is completely free to use. Just sign up for a free account and you can get started with your design right away. This low barrier to entry and lack of financial commitment may also make it appealing to newcomers who want to dip their toes in the UI design water.
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- Adobe XD
Sketch alternatives for Windows: adobe xd
When it comes to graphic design, Adobe is the name that comes to mind for most.
Even those who aren’t professionals in the field have likely heard of Photoshop, Lightroom, and Illustrator, too.
For UI design, there’s Adobe XD. Created to be an all-in-one design tool, this platform offers:
Reusable elements and a ‘Repeat Grid’ for fast designing
Optimized built-in vector editing, as well as compatibility with Illustrator for even more complex designs
Advanced prototyping with auto-animation, voice triggers, and high-fidelity gaming experiences
Private invitation sharing options with access control and commenting features
Particularly for those who have a lot of experience with other Adobe Suite platforms, picking up Adobe XD should be a piece of cake. However, its clean interface and straightforward navigation should enable even complete newcomers to get comfortable fairly quickly.
Amazingly, you can get all Adobe XD has to offer for free – if you only have one active project. Professionals will likely need to invest in a paid plan. Pricing starts at $9.99 per user per month. Additionally, if you want access to other Adobe programs, you can purchase a Creative Cloud subscription for $52.99 per month.
👉 If you’re interested in a more in-depth comparison between Sketch vs Figma vs Adobe XD then click here.
- Moqups
Sketch alternatives for Windows: moqups
When it comes to Sketch alternatives for Windows, choosing a platform that enables you to walk through the entire design process without having to bounce between programs is key.
Moqups is just the ticket. This browser-based platform has several core UI design features, such as:
Drag-and-drop page management that enables you to organize pages into folders and create hierarchies
Dynamic object editing tools including rulers, grids, and quick-alignment
Functional, interactive prototypes created from your designs or wireframes
Cloud-based team collaboration and sharing
Though it works well for small or simple projects, Moqups can cause issues for more complex designs. Albeit the interface is fairly intuitive, it’s not as easy to save and reuse design elements. Plus, larger projects tend to experience more lag time than is ideal. Since this app is browser-based, you’ll also have limited on-the-go usability.
You can work on one active project for free, or invest in a personal Moqups account for $19 per month. Team plans start at $10 per user per month. If you have a small team that needs to collaborate on a simple app, Moqups could be a more cost-efficient option than, say, Figma.
- FluidUI
Sketch alternatives for Windows: FluidUI
Created for mobile prototyping, FluidUI is a solid choice for app developers who want to focus on smartphone and tablet users.
Though it lacks a built-in vector editing function, you can easily upload graphics created in other platforms.
Otherwise, this tool provides some handy features:
Over 2,000 pre-built components for speedy prototyping
Interactive prototyping via the browser-based or desktop version of the app
Real-time team collaboration with page lock and video calling capabilities
For prototyping purposes, FluidUI is pretty user-friendly. It has a drag-and-drop interface that most will pick up quickly and access to several UI component libraries to make up for its lack of vector editing tools. However, some may find its free version limiting and therefore difficult to use.
The FluidUI Free Forever plan provides users with one free, ten-page project. A Solo plan will grant you access to five projects for $8.25 per month, but you’ll need to shell out at least $19.08 per month to gain access to all the available libraries. If you’re working with a team, you’ll have to pay even more to add more users to your account.
How to decide which Sketch alternative for Windows is right for you
With so many options available, determining which Sketch alternative you actually want to use could be a struggle. Here’s a summary of our findings to help clear things up for you:
Features Ease of Use Price Best For
Figma Matches Sketch with regard to vector editing, prototyping, and collaboration options. A small learning curve, but doesn’t offer an offline mode. Free or $15 per editor per month. Experienced individuals or small professional teams.
Vectr Lacks native prototyping tools, but provides extensive graphic editing and sharing. Beginner-friendly. Free Those just getting started with UI design.
Adobe XD Keeps up with Sketch on its own – exceeds Sketch when used alongside other Adobe programs. Uses the familiar Adobe interface, but may require some learning for those unfamiliar with other Adobe products. Free or $52.99 per month (as part of a Creative Cloud package). Current Adobe users, especially those who have a Creative Cloud subscription.
Moqups Includes all key features – vector editing, prototyping, and collaboration. Easy to pick up, but has performance problems when used to create complex designs and can’t be used offline. Free or $10 per user per month. Teams working on small apps or other simple projects.
FluidUI Designed for mobile prototyping and sharing, but lacks vector editing capabilities. User-friendly interface, but free version limitations make it difficult to create complex designs. Free or $41.58 per month for five users. Individuals and mobile designers.
As you may have noticed, every platform we’ve discussed in this post has a free version available. If you’re torn between two or more, consider giving those free versions a test run in order to choose the right piece of software, risk-free.
Conclusion on the best Sketch alternatives for Windows
When it comes to UI design platforms, Sketch takes the biscuit. Its advanced vector editing, prototyping, and collaboration features make it highly desirable for industry professionals. However, its lack of compatibility with the Windows operating system causes trouble for those who aren’t fans of Apple.
In this post, we pointed you in the direction of five high-quality Sketch alternatives for Windows.
In summary:
Figma. The most similar to Sketch in terms of functionality. However, its Professional and Organization pricing options could make it an expensive choice for teams.
Vectr. Easy and free to use, this tool is ideal for those new to UI design. Unfortunately, its lack of native prototyping functionality makes it a poor substitute for more advanced users.
Adobe XD. Perfect for those who are familiar with Adobe platforms and already have a Creative Cloud subscription.
Moqups. A low-cost alternative to Figma. This platform is best for smaller or simple projects and teams on a budget.
FluidUI. A solid choice for individual mobile designers. Teams will do best to look into a more cost-effective option.
Conclusion
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