# Design apps & sites

> “Design an app prototype with AI”. Ranked by expert consensus and what people use now; affiliate links never change the order.

The right prototyping tool depends on what happens after the mockup. Uizard turns a prompt, screenshot or paper sketch into clickable screens, good for testing an idea before you pay a designer. v0 generates a working React and Next.js app whose code you keep. Figma stays the shared file for designers and developers, with a free plan and Dev Mode for handoff, and Framer AI builds and hosts a marketing site from the same canvas.

Last checked: 2026-10-06

## Ranking

1. **[Figma](https://suiteintent.com/t/figma?m=GB)**: Collaborative interface design in the browser. · Best for: Designers and developers sharing one file · Free plan · Free for students ([Deals](https://suiteintent.com/deals/figma))
2. **[Framer AI](https://suiteintent.com/t/framer?m=GB)**: Website builder for designers and startups. · Best for: Marketing sites built by the designer · Free plan · Free for startups ([Deals](https://suiteintent.com/deals/framer))
3. **[Uizard](https://suiteintent.com/t/uizard?m=GB)**: AI wireframes and clickable app prototypes. · Best for: Testing an app idea before hiring a designer · Free plan
4. **[v0](https://suiteintent.com/t/v0?m=GB)**: Vercel's AI builder for React and Next.js apps. · Best for: Prototypes you can ship as real code · Free plan

## Side by side

| Tool | Price | Ease of use (1-5) | Team size |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Figma | Pricing on request, Free for students and teachers | 3 | solo, small team, growing team |
| Framer AI | Pricing on request, First year free for startups | 4 | solo, small team, growing team |
| Uizard | Pricing on request | 4 | solo, small team, growing team |
| v0 | Pricing on request | 4 | solo, small team |

## Why these picks

- Prices last checked: 2026-10-06
- Ranked by expert consensus and what people use now; affiliate links never change the order.

## Head to head

- [Figma vs Framer: design a product or ship a site](https://suiteintent.com/compare/figma-vs-framer)
- [v0 vs Lovable: building an app with AI](https://suiteintent.com/compare/v0-vs-lovable)

## MCP setups

- [Turn Figma designs into code in Cursor](https://suiteintent.com/mcp/figma-to-code-cursor)

## Questions

### I have an app idea and no designer. Where do I start?

Uizard is built for founders and product managers without design training. Describe the app, upload a screenshot of something similar or photograph a paper sketch, and it produces screens you can click through. Share the prototype for feedback before spending on design or development. If testers like it, a designer can take it further in Figma.

### Can I prototype an app for free?

Figma and v0 can each be used free. Figma's free plan covers designing and prototyping interfaces with your team. v0's free plan lets you generate and refine a React app by chatting. Uizard and Framer AI both let you start on a free plan, then charge for full use.

### Do I still need Figma if AI can generate the screens?

AI tools give you a fast first version, while Figma is where a team refines it. Designers, developers and marketers work in the same Figma file, and Dev Mode gives developers the specs. For a quick test of an idea you can skip it. Once a product has several people working on it, a shared design file saves arguments.

### Can an AI prototype become the real product?

v0 is the closest: it outputs React and Next.js code that is yours to keep, edit and deploy to Vercel. Uizard prototypes are for testing and feedback, so a developer rebuilds them. Framer publishes live websites with hosting, a CMS and SEO settings built in, so a marketing site can go straight to production. Plan for a developer to review generated code before real users depend on it.

### Framer or v0 for a startup website?

Framer suits a marketing site that a designer builds and edits without code, with animations, a CMS and localisation built in. v0 suits a site or app that developers will extend in React. If the site is mostly pages and content, pick Framer. If it needs logins, dashboards or custom features, v0 gives you code to build on.