Best Free Web Design Tools

Web design tools are critical to help your site standout in a sea of websites. Remember the average user visits about 10 websites a day, which can seem like a lot, but a mere few seconds are spent on each site. Make a lasting impact with readers by implementing some of these free web design tools.
It isn’t so much about certain colors or patterns to make your website pop. It’s more about graphic and a layout that are cohesive with your brand or message. You also want the site to be incredibly easy for people to navigate, which is the number one thing people look for when cruising around a new site.

AJAXAnimator

Use this software to support Flash on your website. AJAXAnimator works with GIFs, SVGs and SWFs. While the software is based from your browser, it is able to work offline too, which is helpful for seeing how things will appear before going live.

Audacity

If you’re looking to make them hear something when visiting your site, Audacity can help you do it for free. You can edit music or record voiceovers using Audacity, which is great for sites that host classes or tutorials for users.

BrowserLab

This is one of our favorite free web design tools because it allows you to get a look and feel of experimenting with layouts without applying them to your entire site. It is fit for cross-browser testing to see what your audience will see depending on what they’re using and it allows you to work out any kinks you notice along the way.

Cage

Cage wants to help you do more by using less, which means it eliminates all of the ping-pong back and forth of showing co-workers what the design is panning out to be. Cage lets you share graphics and the updated layout of the site with a simple, clean URL. Just click and go!

Colourlovers

If you’re looking to stand out from the crowd, with Colourlovers you can mix and match your own color palette to give your site to customize your site. Available in hex and RGB, Colourlovers is also packed with patterns to add some flair to your site.

Graphics trends change constantly, which is why it’s important to choose graphics and a layout that are first, easy on the eyes and second, in tune with your site’s message or vibe. Many website owners make the mistake of thinking more is more when designing a site. Take your time visiting sites you like and keep a notebook or inspiration book with notes jotted down on the aesthetics of sites you enjoy.

Professional graphic designers usually abide by a less is more philosophy, which is also helpful for novices who aren’t looking to make web designer a huge part of their work in the beginning stages of building a site. Keeping the look clean and minimalistic usually fits most sites. If you must experiment, toy with color and fonts before making any splashy additions.