What is the best prototyping tool?

these days i use Framer mostly, but generally Figma is really easy to work with

my needs are simple; whimsical for wireframes or lo-fi prototypes. i'd try figma if I wanted to create hi-fi prototypes; figma offers extensive prototyping capabilities; nothing like it in the market currently.

The "best" prototyping tool depends on your specific needs, such as the complexity of the project, team collaboration, and platform compatibility. However, here are some of the most popular and widely recommended prototyping tools, each with its own strengths: ### 1. **Figma** - **Best for**: Collaborative design and prototyping - **Strengths**: - Real-time collaboration: Multiple users can design and prototype simultaneously. - Cloud-based: Accessible on any device with an internet connection. - Powerful vector editing tools and plugin ecosystem. - Allows for both design and interactive prototyping within the same platform. - **Why it's great**: Figma is ideal for teams working together in real-time, making it one of the most popular choices for UI/UX designers. It combines design, prototyping, and collaboration in one platform. ### 2. **Adobe XD** - **Best for**: High-fidelity prototypes and integration with Adobe Suite - **Strengths**: - Seamless integration with other Adobe products like Photoshop and Illustrator. - Supports both wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes. - Interactive and dynamic prototyping features. - Voice prototyping and auto-animation features. - **Why it's great**: Adobe XD is a powerful tool for designers who already use Adobe’s ecosystem and need advanced prototyping and design features in one platform. ### 3. **Sketch** - **Best for**: Mac users and designing UI for digital products - **Strengths**: - Intuitive interface and strong focus on UI/UX design. - Vast library of third-party plugins for additional functionality. - Strong support for vector editing and reusable components. - Offers prototyping features for interactive design. - **Why it's great**: Sketch is highly favored for its clean interface and strong design and prototyping capabilities. However, it’s Mac-exclusive, which limits its accessibility for cross-platform teams. ### 4. **InVision** - **Best for**: High-fidelity interactive prototypes and collaboration - **Strengths**: - Easy to create clickable prototypes with no coding. - Great for user feedback and collaboration with built-in commenting tools. - Seamless handoff with detailed design specs for developers. - **Why it's great**: InVision is particularly useful for high-fidelity prototypes and is often used in conjunction with other design tools like Sketch and Photoshop. It’s also excellent for collaboration and feedback gathering. ### 5. **Marvel** - **Best for**: Simple and quick prototyping - **Strengths**: - Easy to use with no steep learning curve. - Great for creating quick prototypes with simple interactive elements. - Supports user testing with built-in feedback collection tools. - **Why it's great**: Marvel is perfect for designers who need to quickly build and test prototypes, especially if you're just getting started or working on smaller projects. ### 6. **Axure RP** - **Best for**: Complex, dynamic, and data-driven prototypes - **Strengths**: - Allows for highly interactive and functional prototypes with conditional logic and variables. - Supports both wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes. - Provides powerful collaboration tools for teams. - **Why it's great**: Axure is best suited for creating detailed, complex prototypes that require dynamic interactions or real-time data. It’s great for UX professionals who need to build more advanced prototypes for user testing. ### 7. **Proto.io** - **Best for**: Building prototypes without coding - **Strengths**: - Drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for non-developers to use. - No coding required to create interactive prototypes. - Supports collaboration and user testing. - **Why it's great**: Proto.io is ideal for creating interactive prototypes quickly without any coding. It’s suitable for teams that want to create prototypes quickly and test them without relying on developers. ### 8. **Balsamiq** - **Best for**: Low-fidelity wireframes and fast prototyping - **Strengths**: - Simple, easy-to-use interface. - Great for sketch-style wireframes. - Excellent for rapid prototyping and brainstorming. - **Why it's great**: Balsamiq is perfect for low-fidelity wireframing, especially in the early stages of design. It allows you to quickly visualize ideas without getting bogged down in detail. ### 9. **Framer** - **Best for**: Advanced, high-fidelity interactive prototypes - **Strengths**: - Offers advanced animation and micro-interactions. - Code-based functionality for developers who want to build complex prototypes. - Real-time collaboration and sharing capabilities. - **Why it's great**: Framer is ideal for high-fidelity, interactive prototypes, particularly if you need to integrate custom code or create more complex animations.

I've used pro versions of Figma, Invision, Sketch, and Adobe XD. Currently using XD and Figma together. But in my experience Figma is amazing!