A mockup design is a visual representation of a product or design that is used to showcase how the final product will look and function. It is a simulation of the final product, usually used for presentation, testing and evaluation purposes.
Mockup designs are typically used in graphic design, industrial design, packaging design, and architectural design. They can be used to showcase a product design to potential investors, clients, or customers, or to test the design with a focus group before finalizing it.
Mockups can be created for a variety of products, including websites, apps, packaging, products, brochures, and more. They can be created using a variety of tools and methods, such as photography, 3D modeling, or digital design software.
There are two types of mockups:
- Static mockup: A static mockup is a visual representation of a product or design that does not include any interactive elements. It is a single image that captures the look and feel of the final product, but it doesn’t have any functionalities.
- Interactive mockup: An interactive mockup, on the other hand, includes interactive elements, such as buttons, links, or animations that allow the user to interact with the design. It is more detailed than the static mockup, which enables the user to test the product’s features and functions.
Mockup designs are an essential tool for designers, product managers, and marketers to visualize the final product and make changes before it’s finalized and released to the market, also a great way to get feedback and make sure the final product will meet the needs and wants of the customer.
Best free mockup tools
There are several free mockup tools available that can be used to create high-quality mockups for various design projects. Here are some of the best free mockup tools:
- Adobe XD: Adobe XD is a user experience design software developed and published by Adobe Systems. It offers both wireframing and prototyping features, and it’s completely free to use for both Windows and Mac.
- Figma: Figma is a web-based design tool that allows for the creation of wireframes, prototypes, and mockups. It offers a free plan that allows for an unlimited number of projects and it can be used in any browser and any operating system.
- Sketch: Sketch is a vector graphics editor and digital design tool. It offers a variety of features, including prototyping and a wide range of plugins, it’s only available for Mac.
- InVision Studio: InVision Studio is a powerful digital design and prototyping tool that offers a free plan and it’s available for Windows and Mac.
- Axure: Axure is a wireframing, prototyping, and documentation tool that offers a free trial plan, available for Windows and Mac.
- Canva: Canva is a graphic-design tool website. It offers an extensive library of templates, including brochures, posters, social media graphics and more. There are multiple free elements and a very affordable pricing plan.
- Adobe Spark: Adobe Spark is a free graphic design software, it offers a variety of design templates and tools for creating social media graphics, posters, and more.
- Gravit Designer: Gravit Designer is a free vector design software that offers a variety of features, including mockup design, it’s available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
- Balsamiq: Balsamiq is a rapid wireframing tool that offers a free trial plan and it’s available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
- Moqups: Moqups is a web-based design and collaboration tool that offers a free plan and it’s available on any browser and any operating system.
These are some of the best free mockup tools available, each one of them has different features and it’s good to test them and see which one fits your needs the most. Always make sure to check the pricing plans and features offered by each tool before committing to a particular one.
