21 GUI Design Software Tools for UI and Embedded Developers
You’ve just finished the schematic for a new HMI project. The display controller is chosen, the MCU is selected, and the mechanical layout looks workable. Then someone asks which tool you’ll use to design the interface screens. The answer often depends on what type of display you’re working with—a mobile app prototype needs different tools than an industrial touchscreen panel that communicates over UART with an STM32.
Choosing GUI design software isn’t just about icons and color schemes. The tool affects how much code you write, how quickly you can test interface changes, whether your designer can work independently from the firmware engineer, and how easily you can move from prototype screens to production-ready graphics. This article examines 21 tools used for GUI design across web, mobile, and embedded applications, with particular attention to the differences that matter when you’re building interfaces for hardware rather than software alone.
What Is GUI Design Software?
GUI design software is a tool used to create, arrange, and test the visual elements and interaction behavior of a graphical user interface before or during development. These tools range from visual prototyping applications that generate interactive mockups for user testing, to embedded-specific design environments that output graphical assets and configuration data for display hardware.
The term “GUI design software” covers a broad category. Some tools focus on layout, typography, and visual appearance. Others add interaction logic, screen transitions, and clickable prototypes. A smaller subset integrates directly with embedded display hardware, generating initialization code, image data, and control instructions for specific display modules or GUI libraries.
GUI Design Software vs. GUI Development Software
The line between design and development isn’t always clear, but the distinction matters when you’re choosing a tool.
Design tools typically focus on visual layout, screen mockups, and interactive prototypes. A designer creates screens, links them together to simulate navigation, and shares the prototype with stakeholders or test users. Code generation, if present, usually targets web or mobile frameworks. Examples include Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD.
Development tools emphasize code generation, runtime libraries, and integration with a target platform. An embedded GUI development tool might include a visual editor, but its primary output is compiled code or binary image data that runs on specific hardware. Examples include Qt, LVGL, TouchGFX, and Embedded Wizard.
Some tools sit in the middle. They provide visual design features but also generate code or configuration files for a specific runtime environment. The category you need depends on whether you’re building a user-testable prototype, a production-ready mobile interface, or graphics for a microcontroller-driven LCD panel.
Types of GUI Design Tools
GUI design tools generally fall into three categories based on their intended platform and workflow.
UI design and prototyping tools are used primarily for web and mobile applications. They emphasize layout flexibility, collaboration, design systems, and interactive prototypes. These tools rarely target embedded hardware directly. Their output is typically design specifications, image assets, or CSS/HTML code.
Visual design and creative tools focus on vector graphics, layout composition, and presentation. While not purpose-built for interface design, they’re often used for screen mockups, marketing materials, or concept visuals. Their strength is graphical flexibility rather than interaction logic.
Embedded GUI design software is built specifically for hardware-driven displays. These tools integrate with display controllers, generate image data in formats like RGB565 or bitmap arrays, and often include communication or control logic for the target module. They emphasize memory efficiency, initialization sequences, and compatibility with specific MCU platforms or display architectures.
The category you choose should match the platform you’re building for. A tool designed for mobile app prototyping may produce beautiful interactive demos, but it won’t generate the binary image data or UART command structure needed for an industrial HMI screen.
21 GUI Design Software Tools Compared
The tools below represent different approaches to GUI design. Some are widely used for web and mobile work. Others are specialized for embedded or hardware-integrated applications. The list is organized by category to make comparison easier.
UI Design and Prototyping Tools
These tools are primarily used for web and mobile interface design. They emphasize visual layout, collaboration, component libraries, and clickable prototypes. Most do not generate code for embedded systems, but they’re commonly used in the early design phase of any user-facing product.
Figma
Figma is a browser-based design tool with strong collaboration features. Multiple users can edit the same file simultaneously, which reduces version confusion during the design iteration phase. The tool supports vector editing, component libraries, auto-layout, and interactive prototyping.
Figma’s primary output is visual design specifications and exported image assets. It does not generate embedded code, but plugins can export assets in formats compatible with mobile or web frameworks. Teams often use Figma to design screen layouts before moving to a development or embedded-specific tool.
Figma offers a free tier with limited features and paid plans for teams. It runs entirely in the browser, so installation and platform compatibility are not concerns.
InVision Studio
InVision Studio is a design and prototyping tool that integrates with the InVision collaboration platform. It supports vector editing, animation timelines, responsive resizing, and interactive transitions. Prototypes can be shared with stakeholders for feedback and user testing.
InVision’s strength is in early-stage design iteration and stakeholder review rather than code generation. The tool is used primarily for mobile and web projects. InVision has undergone significant changes in recent years, and some features have been consolidated or deprecated. Check current product status before committing to a long-term workflow.
UXPin
UXPin combines design and prototyping with an emphasis on design systems and component reusability. The tool supports conditional interactions, variables, and state-based logic, which allows for more complex prototype behavior than many competitors.
UXPin can generate HTML and CSS code for web projects. It does not target embedded systems, but its logic features make it useful for testing interaction flows before implementation. The tool offers both cloud-based and on-premises deployment options, which may matter for teams with strict data security requirements.
Framer
Framer started as a code-based prototyping tool and evolved into a hybrid visual design environment with integrated code editing. Designers can build layouts visually and add custom behavior using React-based components.
Framer is particularly useful when a designer has some programming knowledge or when the prototype needs custom interaction logic that visual tools cannot easily represent. It generates web-based prototypes and can export to production-ready React code. It is not intended for embedded applications.
Framer offers a free plan for personal projects and paid plans for teams. The tool runs in the browser and includes a code editor, animation timeline, and CMS integration.
ProtoPie
ProtoPie focuses on high-fidelity interactive prototyping without requiring code. It supports sensor inputs, conditional logic, variables, and communication between devices, which makes it useful for testing multi-device interactions or hardware-triggered interface behavior.
ProtoPie does not generate production code, but its ability to simulate hardware inputs—such as tilt, proximity, or sound—makes it useful when designing interfaces that respond to physical sensors. Teams working on automotive dashboards, wearable devices, or other sensor-rich products sometimes use ProtoPie to validate interaction concepts before firmware development begins.
The tool offers a free trial and paid licenses for individual and team use.
Axure RP
Axure RP is a prototyping tool with a focus on complex interaction logic, conditional flows, and documentation. It supports variables, dynamic panels, adaptive views, and detailed interaction notes, which makes it common in enterprise software design and projects with extensive business logic.
Axure generates HTML-based prototypes and detailed specification documents. It does not target embedded platforms. The tool is often chosen when the design needs to demonstrate workflow logic or when documentation is required alongside visual mockups.
Axure offers a 30-day trial and paid licenses. It is desktop software available for Windows and macOS.
Justinmind
Justinmind is a prototyping tool that supports web, mobile, and desktop interface design. It includes features for conditional logic, data-driven prototypes, and user testing. The tool can simulate forms, input validation, and variable-based interactions.
Justinmind generates HTML prototypes and exports image assets. It does not produce embedded code. The tool is sometimes used when a project requires interactive wireframes with more logic than static mockups can represent.
Justinmind offers a free tier with limited features and paid plans for advanced functionality.
Balsamiq
Balsamiq is a wireframing tool that deliberately uses a sketchy, low-fidelity visual style. This approach helps focus early-stage discussions on layout and functionality rather than color and typography.
Balsamiq is not a high-fidelity design tool or a code generator. It’s used for rapid wireframing and early concept validation. Teams sometimes use Balsamiq in the planning phase and switch to a different tool for detailed visual design.
Balsamiq offers a 30-day trial and paid licenses for desktop or cloud-based use.
Marvel
Marvel is a web-based design and prototyping tool with a focus on simplicity and collaboration. It supports screen design, clickable prototypes, user testing, and handoff to developers. The interface is less complex than some competitors, which can reduce learning time for small teams.
Marvel generates image assets and basic HTML prototypes. It is primarily used for web and mobile projects. The tool offers a free plan with limited projects and paid plans for teams.
Origami Studio
Origami Studio is a prototyping tool developed by Meta (Facebook). It uses a patch-based visual programming interface similar to node editors used in 3D graphics or audio production. This approach allows designers to build complex interactions without writing code.
Origami Studio is particularly useful for designing micro-interactions, animations, and transitions. It outputs prototypes that run on macOS or iOS devices. The tool is free and integrates with Sketch and Figma for importing screen designs.
Principle
Principle is a macOS application focused on animation and interactive transitions. Designers build screens in other tools, import them into Principle, and define how screens transition when triggered by taps, swipes, or timers.
Principle is used for prototyping animated interfaces rather than static layouts. It does not generate production code. The tool is often used to test animation timing, easing curves, and transition behavior before handing specifications to a developer.
Principle offers a free trial and a one-time purchase license.
Flinto
Flinto is a macOS prototyping tool that supports screen-based and scrollable interface designs. It includes a transition designer for building custom animations between screens and supports gesture-based interactions.
Flinto is used primarily for mobile app prototyping. It does not generate code or target embedded systems. The tool offers a free trial and a paid license for macOS.
Fluid UI
Fluid UI is a browser-based prototyping tool with built-in libraries for iOS, Android, web, and wireframe components. It supports clickable prototypes, video embedding, and team collaboration.
Fluid UI generates interactive HTML prototypes and image assets. It is used primarily for web and mobile design. The tool offers a free trial and paid plans for teams.
MockFlow
MockFlow is a web-based design tool that includes wireframing, UI mockups, and design collaboration features. It supports component libraries, team comments, and project management integrations.
MockFlow generates image exports and interactive prototypes. It is used for web and mobile interface design. The tool offers a free plan with limited features and paid plans for additional storage and collaboration features.
Visual Design and Creative Tools
These tools are not purpose-built for interface design, but they’re often used for screen layouts, concept visuals, or marketing graphics. They emphasize vector editing, typography, and visual composition.
Gravit Designer
Gravit Designer is a vector graphics application available as a web app or desktop software. It supports vector editing, typography, symbols, and design export in multiple formats. While not built specifically for UI design, it’s sometimes used for icon design, screen layouts, or concept visuals.
Gravit Designer offers a free version with limited features and a paid Pro version. The tool runs in the browser or as a desktop application for Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS.
Note: Gravit Designer has undergone ownership and branding changes. Check current product status and support before building a workflow around it.
Keynote
Keynote is Apple’s presentation software, but it’s also used by some designers for rapid screen mockups and clickable prototypes. The tool supports shapes, text, images, and hyperlinks between slides, which allows for basic interactive prototypes without dedicated prototyping software.
Keynote is not a purpose-built design tool, and it lacks features like component libraries, design systems, or code export. However, it’s already installed on most macOS systems, and some designers use it for quick concept visualization or stakeholder demos.
Adobe Comp
Adobe Comp was a mobile app for layout creation using simple gestures. Adobe has since shifted its mobile creative tools, and functionality has been integrated into other Adobe apps or replaced by newer tools.
Check Adobe’s current mobile creative suite for the most relevant tool for layout and design work on mobile devices. Adobe Creative Cloud includes Photoshop, Illustrator, and XD, all of which can be used for interface design depending on project requirements.
Craft
Craft is a plugin suite originally developed for Sketch and later extended to other tools. It provides features for design system integration, content population, prototyping, and design handoff. Craft connects design tools with external data sources and collaboration platforms.
Craft’s usefulness depends on the design tool it’s paired with and the team’s workflow. It is not a standalone design application. The plugin ecosystem around design tools changes frequently, so check current compatibility and support before relying on Craft for critical workflow steps.
Embedded GUI Design Software
Embedded GUI design tools are built specifically for hardware-driven displays. They focus on memory efficiency, compatibility with display controllers, and integration with MCU platforms. These tools often generate image data, initialization code, and configuration files for specific display modules or GUI libraries.
STONE Designer
STONE Designer is the GUI design software provided by STONE Technologies for use with their intelligent TFT LCD display modules. The tool allows engineers and designers to create interface layouts, arrange graphical elements, configure touch regions, and define screen transitions without writing display-related firmware code.
The design workflow in STONE Designer centers on visual layout. The user places graphical elements such as buttons, text fields, icons, images, and data displays onto screen pages, then configures their properties, touch behavior, and data bindings. The software generates configuration files and graphical assets that are loaded onto the display module’s internal memory.
STONE’s display modules include an embedded CPU, memory, and display controller, so the visual interface runs on the module itself rather than being rendered by the host MCU. The host MCU communicates with the display module over a UART serial interface using a command set. This architecture reduces the amount of display-related code the MCU must handle and shifts GUI-related memory and processing requirements to the display module.
STONE Designer is particularly relevant when the host MCU has limited resources or when the development team wants to separate interface design from MCU firmware development. The tool is used with STONE’s hardware products and is not a general-purpose GUI design tool for arbitrary display panels or microcontroller platforms.
For embedded projects where display integration time, MCU workload, or firmware complexity is a concern, evaluating module-integrated architectures alongside bare panel solutions can clarify the trade-offs between hardware cost, development time, and system flexibility.
Additional GUI Design and Prototyping Tools
Inkknife
Inkknife is an open-source vector graphics application built on web technologies. It supports vector drawing, path editing, and export to SVG and other formats. The tool is less mature than commercial alternatives, but it may be useful for teams looking for a free, locally run vector editor without subscription requirements.
Inkknife is not specifically designed for interface work, but it can be used for icon creation, layout mockups, or concept graphics. The project is community-maintained, so feature development and support depend on ongoing contributor involvement.
Lunacy
Lunacy is a desktop design tool developed by Icons8. It supports vector editing, component libraries, prototyping, and design export. Lunacy is notable for its offline operation and its ability to open Sketch files without requiring macOS or a Sketch license.
Lunacy includes built-in access to Icons8’s asset libraries, which can speed up the design process when stock icons, photos, or illustrations are useful. The tool is free for individual use and offers paid plans for teams and advanced features.
Lunacy runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it one of the few cross-platform design tools with strong Sketch compatibility.
Best Free GUI Design Software
Free tools are often the starting point for individual developers, small teams, or early-stage projects. Several tools offer free plans with varying limitations, and a smaller number are fully open-source.
Free and Open-Source Options
Inkscape is a mature open-source vector graphics editor. It supports SVG natively and can be used for icon design, screen mockups, and graphical assets. Inkscape does not include prototyping features or code generation, but it’s a capable tool for static visual design work. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Penpot is an open-source design and prototyping tool with features similar to Figma. It supports vector editing, component libraries, and basic prototyping. Penpot can be self-hosted, which may be important for teams with data security or sovereignty requirements. The tool is actively developed and offers a cloud-hosted version as well.
GIMP is an open-source raster graphics editor. While not designed for interface work, it’s sometimes used for image editing, photo manipulation, or pixel-level graphic creation. GIMP is not suitable for vector-based UI design or prototyping, but it can handle bitmap asset preparation.
Free Plans vs. Fully Free Software
Many commercial tools offer free plans. These typically include core features but restrict the number of projects, team members, or export options. Free plans are useful for learning a tool or working on small projects, but production work often requires a paid plan.
Figma offers a free tier that allows a limited number of files and team members. The free plan includes most design features but restricts version history and advanced prototyping options.
Lunacy is free for individual use with no major feature restrictions. This makes it one of the more capable free design tools available.
Balsamiq offers a free trial, but the tool requires a paid license for continued use.
The distinction between a free plan and fully free software matters when you’re building a long-term workflow. Free plans can be restricted or discontinued at any time. Open-source tools generally do not have licensing restrictions, but they may lack support, documentation, or feature parity with commercial alternatives.
Limitations to Check Before Choosing a Tool
Before committing to a free tool, check the following:
Export and handoff features. Some free plans restrict design export, code generation, or asset download. If your workflow depends on handing off designs to developers or exporting image assets in specific formats, verify that the free plan supports those features.
Project and file limits. Free plans often restrict the number of projects, pages, or saved versions. If your project grows, you may hit limits before the design phase is complete.
Collaboration and team access. Free plans typically limit the number of team members, simultaneous editors, or shared libraries. If your design work involves multiple people, check whether collaboration features are available in the free tier.
Platform and offline access. Some tools require an internet connection or only run in the browser. If you need offline access or prefer desktop software, verify that the tool supports your requirements.
Long-term support and updates. Open-source tools depend on community maintenance. Check recent activity in the project repository to confirm that the tool is still actively developed. Free commercial plans can be discontinued or converted to paid-only models.
GUI Design Software for Embedded Systems
Designing interfaces for embedded systems introduces constraints that web and mobile tools rarely consider. Memory is limited, the display controller may have specific image format requirements, and the MCU often handles other real-time tasks besides rendering graphics.
Embedded GUI Design vs. Web and Mobile UI Design
Web and mobile GUI design tools assume flexible memory, powerful processors, and standardized rendering engines. An interface designed in Figma might include high-resolution images, smooth animations, and dozens of font weights. Implementing that same design on an STM32 with a 480×272 display and 128 KB of RAM requires stripping out visual details, reducing image resolution, and simplifying transitions.
Embedded GUI tools address these limitations by focusing on resource efficiency. They often include features like image compression, color depth reduction, palette optimization, and memory footprint estimation. The output is not HTML or React code—it’s binary image data, font tables, and initialization sequences tailored to a specific display controller or GUI library.
Some embedded tools generate code for general-purpose GUI frameworks like LVGL, emWin, or TouchGFX. Others are tied to specific display hardware and output configuration files for proprietary modules. The integration path matters as much as the visual design.
MCU and Display Compatibility
Embedded GUI design tools are often specific to a hardware platform or a software framework. Before choosing a tool, confirm that it supports your target MCU architecture, display resolution, color depth, and communication interface.
For example:
TouchGFX is designed for STM32 microcontrollers and integrates with STM32CubeMX. It supports a range of display resolutions and color depths, but it assumes the use of an STM32 as the host controller.
LVGL is a portable GUI library that runs on many MCU platforms. It includes a graphical editor called SquareLine Studio, which generates code compatible with LVGL’s API. LVGL requires more firmware integration work than a hardware-integrated solution, but it offers greater flexibility.
GuiBuilder tools from display module manufacturers often output configuration files for their specific hardware. These tools simplify integration but tie the design to that manufacturer’s products.
If you’re using an intelligent display module with an embedded controller, the module’s design software may handle memory management, image loading, and rendering automatically. This reduces MCU-side workload but limits flexibility compared to a general-purpose GUI library.
Visual Design, Preview, and Code Generation
Embedded GUI tools vary widely in how they handle the design-to-deployment workflow.
Visual editors allow you to arrange graphical elements, define screen layouts, and configure touch regions using a drag-and-drop interface. The output might be C code, binary assets, or proprietary configuration files.
Preview and simulation features let you test the interface on a PC before deploying to hardware. This reduces iteration time, but simulator behavior doesn’t always match real hardware, especially when touch response, update speed, or color rendering differs between the PC and the target display.
Code generation determines how much integration work remains after the visual design is complete. Some tools generate a complete application that compiles and runs immediately. Others generate only graphical assets and expect the developer to integrate them into an existing firmware project. Check the tool’s output format and integration requirements before committing to a workflow.
Hardware Integration and Runtime Testing
Simulating an interface on a PC is useful, but it doesn’t reveal all integration problems. A screen that updates smoothly in simulation might flicker on the actual hardware if the MCU is too slow, the SPI clock rate is incorrect, or the framebuffer configuration doesn’t match the display.
Runtime testing on real hardware should start early. If the design tool does not generate deployable code, expect additional work to integrate the graphical assets with your firmware, configure the display controller, set up memory allocation, and implement touch input handling.
When the display module includes an embedded controller, runtime testing is simpler. The design tool uploads the interface configuration directly to the module, and the MCU communicates with the display using a predefined command set. This shifts the burden of display initialization and rendering to the module itself.
Choosing GUI Software for an HMI Project
For a typical industrial HMI project, the selection process often looks like this:
First, confirm the display architecture. Is the display a bare TFT panel with a separate controller IC, or is it an intelligent module with an embedded processor? This determines whether you need a tool that generates MCU-side rendering code or a tool that configures an embedded GUI engine.
Second, check compatibility. If you’re using a specific MCU family or GUI library, verify that the design tool supports it. If you’re using a display module from a manufacturer like STONE, Nextion, or 4D Systems, use the tool they provide unless you have a strong reason to replace the module with a different architecture.
Third, evaluate the workflow. If your firmware engineer and your visual designer are the same person, a single integrated tool might be efficient. If they’re different people, check whether the tool supports exporting assets or configuration files that can be handed off between team members without requiring both to learn the same software.
Fourth, test on hardware early. Don’t wait until the design is finished to deploy it to the target system. Load a simple test screen onto the hardware within the first few days to confirm that the toolchain, communication interface, and display initialization work correctly.
GUI Design Software vs. GUI Development Tools
The terms “design” and “development” are often used interchangeably, but they describe different activities and toolsets. Understanding the difference helps clarify which tool to choose for a specific project phase.
Visual Design and Prototyping
Design tools focus on layout, typography, color, and interaction flow. They’re used to create mockups, test concepts with users, and communicate visual intent to stakeholders. The output is typically image assets, interactive prototypes, or design specifications.
Design tools are useful in the early stages of a project when the interface structure is still being validated. They allow rapid iteration without writing code. However, they rarely produce deployable software on their own.
Code-Based Development
Development tools emphasize code generation, runtime performance, and integration with a target platform. They include compilers, debuggers, GUI libraries, and platform-specific APIs. The output is executable code that runs on real hardware or in a production environment.
Development tools are used after the design is validated and when the focus shifts to implementation, optimization, and testing. They require more technical knowledge than design tools and are typically used by firmware engineers or software developers rather than visual designers.
Hardware Integration and Deployment
The transition from design to deployment is where many embedded projects encounter problems. A visually polished prototype in Figma doesn’t directly translate to code that runs on an STM32. The designer’s expectations for animation smoothness, image quality, and responsiveness may not match what the hardware can deliver.
Embedded-specific tools try to bridge this gap by combining visual design with code generation and hardware constraints. They make trade-offs explicit—showing memory usage, estimating rendering speed, or warning when an image format is incompatible with the target controller.
When the project uses an intelligent display module, the design-to-deployment path is shorter. The design tool outputs configuration data that the module interprets directly. The MCU firmware doesn’t need to handle display rendering, which reduces the gap between design intent and runtime behavior.
How to Choose the Right GUI Design Software
Choosing the right tool depends on the platform you’re building for, the skills available on your team, and the complexity of the interface you’re designing.
Project Type and Target Platform
Web and mobile applications generally use tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD. These tools support responsive layouts, design systems, and collaboration workflows. They integrate with web and mobile development frameworks through plugins, asset export, or design handoff features.
Embedded HMI systems require tools that respect hardware constraints. If you’re using a general-purpose MCU and a bare display panel, you’ll likely need a GUI library like LVGL or TouchGFX and a visual editor that generates compatible code. If you’re using an intelligent display module, use the manufacturer’s design tool unless there’s a compelling reason to change the hardware architecture.
Desktop applications may use code-based frameworks like Qt, Electron, or native platform SDKs. Design tools can generate assets and mockups, but the implementation typically happens in an IDE with direct access to the platform’s GUI framework.
Programming and Code Generation Requirements
If your team includes a firmware engineer comfortable with C or C++, a code-based GUI library may offer more flexibility than a visual design tool. The engineer can optimize rendering performance, implement custom widgets, and integrate the interface tightly with the rest of the firmware.
If the team does not include firmware expertise or if display-related development is consuming too much schedule time, a hardware-integrated approach may reduce risk. Tools that generate configuration files for intelligent display modules allow visual designers to work independently from firmware engineers and shift display-related processing off the MCU.
Code generation quality varies widely. Some tools generate clean, readable code that can be edited and maintained. Others generate opaque output that breaks if modified. Before committing to a tool, examine a sample of the generated code to confirm that it matches your team’s development standards.
Collaboration and Workflow
If multiple people work on the interface design, collaboration features become important. Cloud-based tools like Figma, UXPin, and Marvel support simultaneous editing, commenting, and version history. Desktop tools like Sketch or Principle require manual file sharing and version control.
Embedded design tools are often single-user applications with limited collaboration features. If your designer and your firmware engineer need to work on the same interface concurrently, consider separating design and development phases or using a version control system to manage project files.
Pricing, Licensing, and Long-Term Support
Free tools are appealing, but they may not be the lowest-cost option in the long term. If a tool requires manual workarounds, lacks critical features, or forces you to rebuild workflows when the free plan changes, the hidden cost can exceed a paid license.
When evaluating pricing, consider:
Subscription vs. perpetual license. Subscription tools provide regular updates but require ongoing payment. Perpetual licenses allow indefinite use of a specific version but may require a separate payment for major updates.
Per-user vs. per-project licensing. Some tools charge per user. Others charge per project or per deployed application. Confirm which model applies before committing.
Support and documentation. Free and open-source tools often rely on community support. Paid tools typically include customer support, training materials, and bug fixes. If your team is unfamiliar with the tool, good documentation can reduce learning time and troubleshooting frustration.
Vendor stability. Design tools are sometimes acquired, discontinued, or converted to subscription-only models. Check the vendor’s history and user base to estimate long-term availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Best GUI Design Software?
The best GUI design software depends on the platform you’re building for. Figma is widely used for web and mobile design due to its collaboration features and browser-based access. For embedded systems, tools like TouchGFX, LVGL with SquareLine Studio, or manufacturer-specific software like STONE Designer are more appropriate because they generate code or configuration data compatible with resource-constrained hardware. There is no universally best tool—choose based on your target platform, team skills, and project requirements.
What Is the Best Free GUI Design Software?
Figma offers a capable free tier for web and mobile design, with most core features available at no cost. For open-source options, Penpot provides a similar feature set to Figma and can be self-hosted. Lunacy is free for individual use and supports Sketch file compatibility. For embedded systems, check whether your display module manufacturer provides free design software, as many do. The best free tool depends on whether you need collaboration features, offline access, or embedded hardware integration.
What Is the Difference Between GUI Design and GUI Development?
GUI design focuses on layout, visual appearance, and user interaction flow. Designers use prototyping tools to create mockups and test concepts before implementation. GUI development involves writing or generating code that renders the interface on the target platform, integrating it with backend logic, and optimizing performance. Design is typically done by visual designers, while development is handled by firmware or software engineers. In embedded systems, the gap between design and development is often larger than in web or mobile projects due to hardware constraints and resource limitations.
Which GUI Software Is Suitable for Embedded Systems?
Embedded systems require GUI software that accounts for limited memory, specific display controller requirements, and MCU processing constraints. Code-based frameworks like LVGL (with SquareLine Studio), TouchGFX, and emWin are used when the interface runs on the host MCU. Intelligent display modules from manufacturers like STONE use their own design tools, such as STONE Designer, which generate configuration files for the module’s embedded controller. Choose a tool that matches your hardware architecture, MCU platform, and team’s development workflow.
Can GUI Design Software Generate Code?
Some GUI design software can generate code, but the type and quality vary widely. Tools like Framer and UXPin generate HTML, CSS, or React code for web applications. Embedded tools like TouchGFX and SquareLine Studio generate C or C++ code for microcontroller-based systems. Other tools, like Figma, export image assets and design specifications but not executable code. When using an intelligent display module, the design software typically generates configuration files rather than MCU code, since the interface runs on the module’s embedded controller rather than the host MCU.
Conclusion
Choosing the right GUI design software depends more on your hardware architecture and team workflow than on the number of features listed on a tool’s website. A tool designed for mobile app prototyping won’t help when you need to generate binary image data for a 480×272 display running on an STM32. Similarly, a tool that outputs perfect C code for a bare LCD panel won’t reduce development time if your project would benefit from a display module with an embedded controller.
Start by clarifying the display architecture and target platform. Then evaluate tools based on their output format, compatibility with your MCU or GUI library, and how they fit into your team’s workflow. Test on real hardware early to confirm that the design tool’s output behaves as expected in the actual system.
If you’re still evaluating tools and iterating on screen layouts, continue testing with the tools that match your platform. If the project has reached repeated integration problems, schedule pressure, or confusion about the best path from visual design to working firmware, consider stepping back to evaluate whether the hardware architecture itself is creating unnecessary development overhead.