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Scott
Scott

Published on Nov 30, 2022, updated on Jan 22, 2024

From user research before ideation to concept development to prototyping and usability testing, product design is crucial in developing the first user experience and product offering. Additionally, it goes well beyond what users see on their screens.

A product design app is a tool that assists teams in creating high-caliber, user-focused products. Whether you're just beginning to understand the demands of your users or are prepared to put excellent ideas into prototypes, they can assist you at every level of the design process.

There are many different apps accessible because numerous stages and revisions are involved in every design process. For instance, they can be connected to understanding users, coming up with ideas with colleagues, building prototypes, trying out fixes, and working with your product team.

product design apps

How to Select a Product Design App

Using the proper tools is the first step in developing fantastic product designs. There are usually preferences for some tools over others, depending on what area of product design you are interested in. When selecting the design app for your project, there are a few things to consider.

what is product design apps

  • Industry: Various industries call for various tools. Your tool options are constrained by the kind of good or service provided. For instance, a web app creator will favor Pixso over OnShape, 2 tools we’ll discuss later.
  • Team size: This is where a tool's collaborative functionality comes into play because a large team will need a platform that facilitates live feedback and accessible communication.
  • Budget: One important factor to consider is any tool's price. Pixso (FREE) and other reasonably priced tools might be an excellent choice if you're on a low budget.
  • Level of expertise: Some tools have a learning curve and could be better for beginners or those with little tech knowledge.

Top 8 Product Design Apps

Many resources are available for product design, but only a select number are user-friendly for specialists and non-experts. Product designs can be created for various objectives, including productivity, drafting, and drawing.

Here is a list of the top 8 apps for product design across all applications:

Pixso

pixso interface

Pixso is a cutting-edge cloud design platform that accelerates the product development process. It is a favorite among designers because it has all the tools required for any product design. It aids designers in creating excellent prototypes that you can use. This enables you to determine whether the product gives you the proper feel. It's a fantastic tool for showing clients what the finished product will look like; you can even show them the prototype on several devices.

Pros
  • Pixso offers a user-friendly modern UI and is suitable for beginners.
  • Pixso is entirely free for starters and is the best budget tool with immense value.
  • Pixso is proud of its extensive UI library, which makes product design simple.
  • Excellent rendering and performance.
  • It is ideal for teams of any size and offers excellent real-time collaboration functionality, particularly for use scenarios in which team members who are dispersed geographically. Teammates can collaborate on the same files, make minor adjustments, and document those adjustments.
Cons
  • Unlike Sketch, it is not vector-based and doesn't produce pixel-perfect designs.
  • Despite the community's rapid growth, it needs to be bigger than other widely used programs.

Pricing: ZERO for starter

Sketch

sketch interface

Because it lacks features for print design, the Mac-based vector graphics editor Sketch is utilized for digital design. The app has a large user base and has been around since 2010.

It's a "design toolkit to help you create your best work – from your earliest ideas through to final artwork," according to the company.

Non-destructive vector editing, pixel-perfect accuracy, syncing with hundreds of plugins, exporting presets and code, prototyping, and collaboration capabilities are some of Sketch's standout features.

Pros
  • Sketch only uses vector, pixel-perfect elements.
  • So many people adore this software mainly because of its regular upgrades, reasonable costs, ease of use, and exceptional intuitiveness.
  • Save your work and various artboards automatically.
  • You may rapidly export code and presets to improve and use your work in other programs.
  • It has easy-to-use measuring tools and built-in grids.
Cons
  • There are no versions for other operating systems, including Windows. It runs on Macs and doesn't have an app or an in-browser version.
  • The prototyping function is a tad dull and unimpressive.
  • There are no in-app live collaboration tools for Sketch.
  • Artboard rendering performance on Sketch Cloud is subpar.
  • To access more responsive design tools, you need a plugin.
  • Despite being a strong tool, Sketch does not have the same ease of sharing (compared to something like Pixso).

Pricing

  • Regular: $9 per month
  • Company: $20 per month

Industrial Design 2016

industrial design 2016

Industrial Design 2016 is an app that is only accessible on Google Play, and it provides product designers with numerous contemporary ideas for inspiration. Industrial design, industrial design drawing, and industrial design engineering are just a few of the categories that designers can use to search the app.

Pros
  • It performs admirably and loads quickly.
  • For an excellent presentation, it offers a slideshow feature.
  • Design sharing and storage are both simple.
Cons
  • It is incompatible with the majority of Operating Systems.
  • It needs a robust library for design.
  • The kinds of designs that can be created are restricted.

Adobe Creative Cloud

adobe creative cloud

A collection of tools from Adobe Creative Cloud are used to create, source, and publish content across platforms for businesses in photography, video, design, and user experience. It covers desktop and cloud software that enables businesses to create and edit pixel art, films, print or digital media, and more. Examples of such software are Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Premiere Rush. In addition, professionals can sync and share colors, graphics, and other design components across different applications and devices with Creative Cloud Libraries.

Pros
  • Everything you need to run a cutting-edge business, from design to publication to real-time video editing on the fly or in real-time, is included in its whole suite of products.
  • The cloud features are excellent.
  • Save your work and various artboards automatically.
Cons
  • Each of its products has a very high learning curve, which is a headache for new users.
  • It is somewhat pricey due to the quality and capability of the applications. The truth is that if you want to use all products of Adobe Creative Cloud, it really costs a lot.
  • It can be annoying at times how inconsistently the app interfaces work.

Pricing

  • Individuals: $52.99 per month 
  • Students and Teachers: $19.99 per month 
  • Teams: $33.99 per month 
  • Business: $79.99 per month 

DesignMind

designmind

DesignMind is more of a team collaboration tool than other products on this list. It's simple to construct user journeys, conduct in-depth user research, and do usability testing with DesignMind.

Pros
  • It is simple to use.
  • It offers excellent teamwork capabilities.
Cons
  • Lacks prototyping capability.
  • Its lack of a web version restricts accessibility.
  • DesignMind does not provide a free plan, and the prices are exorbitant.

Pricing

  • Asynchronous Left Mind at $650.00 per month.  
  • Synchronous Right Mind at $1450.00 per month.  
  • Async & Sync Full Mind at $1950.00 per month.  

Red Dot Design App

red dot design app

Red Dot Design all is one of the best product design apps for product designers. Every product designer would find it desirable because there are more than 1000 designs and items on lifestyle and more than 500 works on communication design.

Pros
  • It has a gallery of more than 1000 designs.
  • There is the ability to search through organized designs much more effectively.
Cons
  • It's more of an educational software than a creative one.
  • It is only genuinely suited for some types of creating, actually it is appropriate for inspiration shows.

123D Design

123d design

This Autodesk application is compatible with both Mac and PC. a simple and practical program for designing products with a simplified model. Both beginners and students highly value it. You can quickly get from a design to a final print with 123D and create 3D designs with accuracy and precision.

Pros
  • Great for designing and sharing.
  • Because it is simple to link one shape to another, intricate designs are possible.
  • Additionally, various 3D printers are supported, allowing designers to witness their designs come to life.
Cons
  • Although it's simple, cost-free, and valuable for everyone, experienced users should refrain from utilizing it.
  • The interface is too old-fashioned.
  • No collaboration features.

Onshape

onshape

With the help of any standard web browser and Onshape, designers have access to a platform where they may design products at any time and from any location. Allowing them to work on the same project enables a team of designers to collaborate. In addition, it features a complete cloud system to store data and synchronize the work of the designers on the same project. Thus, it is constantly updated.

Pros
  • Share documents with others and collaborate on a project.
  • Incredible drawing tools with a variety of shapes and liners.
  • Smooth UI and simple controls.
  • Possibility of collaboration and sharing.
Cons
  • Because it is an iOS-based application, using its full potential requires a Mac and an Apple pencil.
  • Outrageously expensive

Pricing

  • Standard : $1500 per year  
  • Professional : $2500 per year 
  • Entreprise : Custom price
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