Building your own web platform in 2019 is no longer any great challenge. But designing a site that is beautiful, attractive, and keeps visitors engaged for longer is an accomplishment to be proud of.

If you want to create a free blog that generates more traffic and drives a higher conversion rate, choosing the right software that enables design features to be created, edited, and uploaded quickly and easily is an absolute essential.

Software for web design may include image or template editors, web hosting, or it may also be a website builder or content management system (CMS).

Sketch

Sketch has been enabling web design since 2009, and it has developed a large following.

It allows for the easy conversion of designs into CSS, and assets can be created easily and exported into different formats and sizes. Users can edit elements easily and preview websites on mobile devices. There is an automatic slicing tool, so users are not required to manually slice designs. Sketch is intuitive and easy to use, but unfortunately, there is no PC version. There is a one-off fee of $99.

Google Web Designer

Google Web Designer is a free tool for creating animations, motion graphics, and HTML5 designs, and can be easily integrated with other Google products. It requires a basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. There is a range of useful features, such as easy toggling between code and design view and pre-programmed components, such as iFrames, maps, image galleries, and YouTube. Tools such as pen, shape, tag, and gradient are available, and there is support for Google Fonts and clickTag.

Webflow

Webflow is a fully responsive web design tool with an intuitive interface, and it is easy to use for beginners and experienced web designers alike. Not only is it user-friendly, but the platform doesn’t require any coding skills, so it is accessible for the beginner or those choosing to focus on design. Webflow is a CMS, web design tool, and web hosting platform, which removes the need to move sites between different providers. A free plan is available, while paid plans start from $16 per month.

WordPress

A full CMS service is offered by WordPress, aimed at building blogs or websites with regular posts or updates. A web hosting account is required for the installation of the software, but this is usually an easy option through most web hosts. There is the chance to customize by uploading themes, and there is a large community of developers creating themes and custom plugins for purchase. While WordPress.com is free and open-source, WordPress.com has paid plans, and no access to code is required.

Photoshop

For graphic design, photo editing, and digital image creation, Photoshop is a versatile and powerful software. It features layer-based editing, enabling users to apply filters to different layers and images sections and add masks, filters, and shadows. Colors, hues, saturation, tones, and contrast can be adjusted in different areas, and designs can be exported to other programs or made into web templates. Graphics can also be created without base images. Photoshop is a market leader that takes image editing to the highest level. Plans start from $19.99 per month.

Pictaculous

Pictaculous is a free online color tool that can be used for choosing color palettes for the various pages and sections of a website or blog. Particular colors can be matched to images used on a website, and complete color values are provided for every color. The tool can be used offline, and there is also the option to download Adobe’s color swatch.

Dreamweaver

With years in the field, Dreamweaver was created in 1997 by Macromedia and later acquired by Adobe. It is a comprehensive web design tool that supports a range of languages, including HTML, CSS, PHP, HTML, and XML. It is straightforward and user-friendly, with a drag-and-drop editor and a realistic view of the page under construction. It Integrates with other Adobe products and is compatible with all web browsers. Dreamweaver is priced at $19.99 per month, with a free 7-day trial available.

Mobirise

A great option for beginners, Mobirise doesn’t require technical skills, though fast prototyping will be appreciated by more advanced developers. It is intuitive and easy to use, with an intuitive drag-and-drop tool. It has website blocks in various themes, and templates are based on the Bootstrap mobile-friendly framework, so they are fully responsive. Unlike many other similar programs, Mobirise is only available offline, but it is completely free for all uses.

There is a wide variety of online and offline tools and programs currently available to assist in web design. Many of these are free, while extra features and functionality come at an extra price. Learning the uses and capabilities of different software will undoubtedly be beneficial to web designers of all levels.