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Design · head to head

Axure RP vs Proto.io

Axure RP logo

Axure RP

Design

Prototyping and specification tool for conditional, data-driven interfaces

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Proto.io logo

Proto.io

Design

Hosted high-fidelity prototyping with device preview and no code

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Axure RP a large prototype with variables and repeaters is effectively an application, but it has no version control diffing, no tests and no code review, so maintaining one for years is a genuine engineering cost carried by a designer.; Proto.io prototypes live in the vendor cloud and offline export is a higher-tier feature, so the ability to archive completed client work is a plan-level decision rather than a given.
  • They diverge on capability: Axure RP covers Conditional logic, Proto.io covers Event and condition system.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Axure RP and Proto.io actually diverge.

Attributes where Axure RP and Proto.io differ
AttributeAxure RPProto.io
PlatformsWindows, macOS, WebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (Per user per month), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Axure RP

  • Conditional logic
  • Repeaters
  • Generated specifications
  • Axure Cloud
  • Adaptive views
  • Team projects

Only in Proto.io

  • Event and condition system
  • Timeline animation
  • Device preview
  • Component library
  • User testing integration
  • Design import

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Axure RP

  • Specifying an interface precisely enough that an external development contractor can build it without follow-up questionsnot Proto.io
  • Prototyping a data-heavy administrative screen where sorting, filtering and pagination must behave realistically in testingnot Proto.io
  • Working in an environment where prototypes may not be published to a vendor cloudnot Proto.io
  • Documenting conditional business rules in a form both designers and business analysts can reviewnot Proto.io

Proto.io

  • Running usability tests where the prototype must respond to real input rather than replay a fixed click pathnot Axure RP
  • Demonstrating a form-heavy or data-driven flow to stakeholders before any code existsnot Axure RP
  • Testing a mobile interaction on the physical device it is designed for, with correct gesture behaviournot Axure RP
  • Validating a concept for a client who needs to feel the product, not watch a video of itnot Axure RP

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Axure RP

  • A large prototype with variables and repeaters is effectively an application, but it has no version control diffing, no tests and no code review, so maintaining one for years is a genuine engineering cost carried by a designer.
  • The Windows and macOS builds have historically differed in behaviour and file handling, which causes conversion problems in mixed teams.
  • The output is never production code, so every rule you carefully modelled is reimplemented from scratch by engineers, and the two versions then diverge.
  • Subscription replaced the perpetual licence at RP 10, so teams that bought RP 9 outright must now pay annually to receive any new major version.
  • The visual design tooling is dated next to Figma, so most teams design elsewhere and import, which leaves two sources of truth to keep aligned.

Proto.io

  • Prototypes live in the vendor cloud and offline export is a higher-tier feature, so the ability to archive completed client work is a plan-level decision rather than a given.
  • Design is done elsewhere and interaction is rebuilt here, so every change to the visual design has to be reapplied by hand and the two artefacts drift apart.
  • The event and condition model is layer based, so a genuinely complex flow becomes a large tree of triggers that nobody but its author can audit.
  • Editor seats are priced individually and viewer access is limited on lower plans, so opening review to a wide stakeholder group pushes you up a tier for people who never edit anything.
  • The market standardised on Figma, so hiring people who already know Proto.io is progressively harder and every new researcher is a training cost.

Pricing, plan by plan

Axure RP

On request
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Full RP editor
    • Axure Cloud publishing
    • Generated specifications
  • Team$undefined/month
    • Team projects with check-in and check-out
    • Shared workspaces
    • Admin controls
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • SSO
    • Axure Cloud for Business on customer infrastructure
    • Priority support

Proto.io

On request
  • Freelancer$undefined/month
    • Single editor
    • Limited active projects
    • Standard sharing
  • Startup$undefined/month
    • Multiple editors
    • More projects
    • Team library
  • Agency$undefined/month
    • Higher project and storage limits
    • Client sharing controls
  • Corporate$undefined/month
    • Largest quotas
    • Offline export on higher tiers
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Axure RP if

  • You need conditional logic.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Web.
  • You also want repeaters.
Axure RP review

Choose Proto.io if

  • You need event and condition system.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want timeline animation.
Proto.io review

Questions people ask

Is Axure RP or Proto.io better?
Neither clearly leads. Axure RP starts at On request and Proto.io at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Axure RP or Proto.io?
Axure RP starts at On request and Proto.io at On request.
Does Axure RP or Proto.io run on more platforms?
Axure RP runs on Windows, macOS, Web. Proto.io runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Axure RP best used for?
Axure RP is most often used for specifying an interface precisely enough that an external development contractor can build it without follow-up questions, prototyping a data-heavy administrative screen where sorting, filtering and pagination must behave realistically in testing, working in an environment where prototypes may not be published to a vendor cloud, documenting conditional business rules in a form both designers and business analysts can review. Of those, specifying an interface precisely enough that an external development contractor can build it without follow-up questions and prototyping a data-heavy administrative screen where sorting, filtering and pagination must behave realistically in testing are not what Proto.io is typically brought in for.
What can Axure RP do that Proto.io cannot?
Axure RP covers Conditional logic, Repeaters, Generated specifications, Axure Cloud. Proto.io covers Event and condition system, Timeline animation, Device preview, Component library.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Axure RP: Can I still buy a perpetual licence?

No. Axure moved to subscription with RP 10. Existing perpetual licences keep working but do not receive new major versions.

Proto.io: Can it replace Figma?

No. It has no design system or file-handoff role. It sits alongside Figma for the prototypes Figma cannot express.

Axure RP: Can prototypes be hosted on our own servers?

Yes. Prototypes export as a self-contained HTML bundle, and Axure Cloud for Business can be deployed on customer infrastructure.

Proto.io: What happens to prototypes if we stop paying?

They stop being accessible unless you have exported them, and offline export is restricted to higher plans, so plan archiving before you cancel.

Axure RP: Is it worth it if we already use Figma?

Only if you need conditional logic, data-bound components or generated specifications. For click-through review of static screens it adds cost without adding capability.

Proto.io: Is it worth learning now that InVision has gone?

If your work is usability research on conditional flows, yes. If you need click-through demos of static screens, Figma already does that at no extra cost.

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