UI/UX design is at the heart of every great digital experience, and you don't need to spend a fortune on software to create professional-grade designs.
1. Figma (Free Tier)
The industry standard. Free tier includes unlimited personal projects, real-time collaboration, and thousands of community templates. For most freelancers, the free plan is more than sufficient.
2. Penpot
The only fully open-source design tool. Browser-based, no limits on projects or team members, native SVG support.
3. Lunacy by Icons8
Free, offline-capable design tool. Fully compatible with Sketch files, includes a built-in icon library with thousands of assets.
4. Adobe XD (Starter Plan)
Free starter plan allows one active project. Access to Adobe's UI kit, prototyping features, and sharing capabilities.
5. Whimsical
Excellent for wireframing, mind mapping, and flowcharts. Free tier includes 4 workspaces — perfect for early-stage UX work.
Recommendation
For most designers starting out: Figma. Master it and you'll be employable at any design agency in the world.