Design Smarter, Not Harder: Must-Know UI/UX Tools for 2025

In this post, we’re going to talk about the top UI/UX design tools that you need to focus on in 2025 in order to stay competitive and on the cutting edge of this industry.

If you’ve been searching for the best UI design application, the best user interface design software, or even wondering what the best web UI design tools are right now, this post will give you the clarity you need.

Let’s dive right in.

Figma: The Industry Standard

Of course, this one had to make the list, and it’s Figma.

I actually received a question the other day from a subscriber asking if Figma is still going to be relevant in the next year or if he should focus on other tools like Sketch. The short answer is: absolutely—stick with Figma.

It’s the best UI design application on the market today, and I don’t think Sketch is going to catch up anytime soon. Figma definitely has a great advantage. I use Figma every single day, and all the UI designers I know use it as well.

So, definitely focus on Figma—not only learn it but master it. Expectations these days are quite high, especially when it comes to design systems and all of the use cases.

ChatGPT: The AI You Can’t Ignore

There are so many AI tools nowadays, and it’s really hard to keep up with them. But I strongly believe that the basics are always going to be the most important elements to master.

In this case, when it comes to AI, ChatGPT—and OpenAI specifically—is the framework that most of the other AI tools utilise.

Most of the time, these other AI tools are simply glamorised prompts, essentially following exactly the same OpenAI infrastructure. So they’re simply leveraging ChatGPT.

Go to the root source, master it, and stay on the cutting edge. Each and every month, new features and capabilities are being released.

This is a very interesting moment because now you can not only add images, videos, and documents with ChatGPT, but it can also browse the web.

So really, the limitations are up to your creativity these days.

👉 I’ve already shot several videos on ChatGPT, but I’m planning to create more—especially when it comes to UX design. Some of the workflows I’m now using haven’t been covered in my previous videos, so stay tuned.

Notion: Your Organisational Powerhouse

I use Notion every single day, both at work and to organise my personal life. I believe it’s the best user interface design software for managing and structuring ideas in a way that’s not overwhelming.

It’s the perfect place to create notes, brainstorm, and organise complex things, whether it’s a design project or your personal life (like I do).

So definitely, Notion is another tool you have to keep in mind. It’s probably not going to be the number one tool for a UX designer, but it makes a strong case for being in your toolkit.

Framer: A Game-Changer for Designers

This tool has been absolutely mind-blowing recently.

I wouldn’t say it’s the best web UI design platform overall—because it does have some limitations—but for designers, it’s hands down the best solution that lets us avoid dealing with code.

I strongly believe Framer is going to release a lot of new, interesting updates in 2025. They’ve been working really hard, and I’m genuinely excited about the software overall.

In fact, I’m in the process of switching from Webflow to Framer for my own design projects. The redesign is coming up soon, so stay tuned.

Overall, Framer makes it really easy to create websites without touching code. Also, the websites built with Framer are very fast, which is a huge boost for usability and SEO. Generally speaking, I’m a big fan.

Webflow: Still a Major Player

That being said, Webflow is still a major player.

Webflow definitely offers a more comprehensive package than Framer in terms of features and capabilities. The real question is: for your specific project, do you actually need all of those features?

For example, in my case with GE Designs, I didn’t need all the features Webflow provides, so I was fine using Framer.

But if I were working on a corporate website or a project for a large company, I’d lean towards Webflow. It’s one of the best web UI design platforms for complex builds, and at the very least, you should understand the basics.

Canva: Simple but Powerful

Last but not least, I want to include Canva on this list.

The reason I’m adding Canva is simple—the learning curve is short, and it’s flexible in very specific use cases.

Why Canva?

Most designers use Figma, which allows you to create far more accurate and detailed designs. But Canva is still useful, especially when working with marketing teams.

For example, marketing teams often need templates for social posts or slide presentations. With Canva, they can easily reuse templates without having to ping a designer every time they need to change a colour or a line of text.

Personally, I use Canva these days specifically for slide presentations. In the past, I’ve also worked with marketing teams who asked me to create templates in Figma, which they could then adjust in Canva for quick edits.

It just makes things easier. I wouldn’t use it for everything, but it’s efficient for those specific scenarios. That’s why I think it deserves a spot in your toolkit.

Final Thoughts

I hope this post was helpful.

If you want to learn more about UX design, Feel free to check them out, and I’ll see you in the next one.

Whether you’re searching for the best UI design application, the best user interface design software, or the best web UI design platform, the tools I’ve listed here will give you a strong edge in 2025.