The toolbox
80 tools worth knowing about if you build with AI. No affiliate links, no paid placement, and no prices quoted — tiers change monthly and a stale price helps nobody.
Figma
freemiumCollaborative interface design tool with prototyping, design systems and developer handoff features.
Best for: Interface design and handoff
Penpot
open-sourceOpen-source design and prototyping platform that stores files in open web standards and can be self-hosted.
Best for: Self-hosted design work
Excalidraw
freemiumVirtual whiteboard for hand-drawn style diagrams, useful for sketching architecture before building it.
Best for: Quick architecture sketches
tldraw
freemiumInfinite canvas whiteboard and embeddable SDK for building drawing and diagramming features into apps.
Best for: Embeddable canvas experiences
Midjourney
paidImage generation service used for concept art, illustrations and marketing visuals.
Best for: Generating illustrative imagery
Unsplash
freeLibrary of freely usable photographs, with an API for pulling images into applications and prototypes.
Best for: Free photography for prototypes