When it comes to building and designing websites. A popular platform to use is Sketch which is a good for collaborative prototyping and vector editing adventures. Sadly, Sketch is only available for macOS. And as such, some UI designers will require to look for Sketch alternatives for Windows.
And at the very beginning, you will be pleased to hear that there surely are numerous similar platforms available for Windows. So you can stick with the operating system of your choice. While still, having access to some of the best UI design features.
So within today’s post, I share the 6 best alternatives to help provide these features to Windows users. So let’s get started!
1. Figma
It’s quite ironic that the first one on this list is a browser-based tool. So you can choose Figma as it brings a robust and powerful UI/UX designing tool. While this browser-based does have its advantages and disadvantages.
One advantage is it’s a browser-based tool so you can use it on any operating system. Also, you don’t need to patch or update it as everything happens in the background. But a disadvantage is that you’ll need a constant internet connection. However, I did mention that it’s a browser-based tool, they do however have native apps for both Windows and Mac platforms.
The UI of Figma is much like Sketch. So you’ll find yourself right at home. Figma brings a feature-rich prototyping tool. Which allows you to quickly create beautiful prototypes and allows you to share them.
The pen tool is powerful and uses vector networks. Also, Figma supports 60 FPS interactive editing with pixel-perfect previews and export. All your work is automatically synced to the cloud with specific version history.
If you are a solo user or work in a team Figma works for both. There is a shared team library, where all the assets are shared across the team.
2. InVision Studio
InVision Studio is another great graphic design software. That gets huge praise from the designer community. So it’s an alternative to Sketch. Due to its powerful layout engine.
It’s available for Windows but also for Mac. It’s compatible with .sketch files. With Invision you get an infinite canvas with vector-based tools. That can help you create stunning icons, graphic designs, and more. It’s easily adjustable and scalable.
So, the experience of designing is top-notch, just like how you feel while working on Sketch on macOS. This alternative is completely free to use and prototype your design.
3. Adobe XD
From creative giant Adobe comes Adobe XD which is a powerful tool that can easily replace the Sketch app for Windows users.
It offers powerful UI and UX designing tools that can help you go from wireframing to prototyping. It brings a familiar user interface, and if you have ever used Sketch in the past, you’ll find Adobe XD quite easy to get used to.
Adobe XD brings plenty of features. Including fast and ready artboards, modern and contextual layers panels. It supports Illustrator and PSD files, interactive transitions. Drag and drop controls, zero lag time. While interacting with the canvas, and more. One of the benefits of Adobe XD is that it also comes with mobile apps which allows you to preview files on your mobile.
Other features with Adobe XD include voice prototyping, responsive resizing, auto-animate, and more.
4. Lunacy
A one of a kind software, Lunacy is exclusive to Windows (but also available for Mac and Linux). It works on the same principle. A great design tool is a great result. And it is free graphic design software.
Lunacy offers you built-in assets including icons, photos, vector illustrations, and more. It is fully compatible with .sketch files. And it can even process older .sketch files without any issue.
It’s very performative and light on resources. And in comparison to Sketch, it’s 2X faster and uses way less memory. Another feature is that it fully takes advantage of GPU acceleration.
5. Gravit Designer
Gravit Designer has emerged a lot over the past years. And it has become one of the best free but also open-source alternatives for both Windows and Linux users. But also have native applications for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
The features of Gravit not only includes tools for screen design, interface design, vector graphics, and logo creation but also allows users to create high-quality icons, presentation, and illustrations.
Loaded with preset canvas sizes, thousands of icons, more than 1,000 stock photos, and a curated list of Google web fonts plus a community marketplace where you can purchase assets for your projects.
Also if you use Gravit Designer it keeps everything in sync with the cloud.
The app brings a clean UI that adjusts itself according to your needs. Overall, it’s an excellent tool and is more useful than some of the paid apps out there.
6. Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is undoubtedly the most well-known and feature-rich vector graphics editor. From logos, icons, mobile and web design to sketching, print design and typography you can do with Illustrator. Like other Adobe software, there’s a community for guides, tutorials and resources.
Features you find in Illustrator include dynamic symbols, smart guides, multiple artboards, perspective drawing tools, shaper tools, live gradient editing and more.
Illustrator is through the Creative Cloud which also brings additional features such as cloud syncing. Which lets you access your designs from anywhere. Companion apps for Android and iOS. And you also get access to a collection of millions of royalty-free images, graphics and videos.
It is great for digital illustrations, and general-purpose vector design. Also only it doesn’t have a workflow for product and interface / UX design.