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Design · head to head

Balsamiq Wireframes vs Subframe

Balsamiq Wireframes logo

Balsamiq Wireframes

Design

Low-fidelity wireframing that keeps focus on structure and content

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Subframe logo

Subframe

Design

The AI-native design tool built for code

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Balsamiq Wireframes starter plan is capped at 10 projects and costs $16 per editor per month ($192/year); Subframe free plan limited to 1 project and 10 pages
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Balsamiq Wireframes and Subframe actually diverge.

Attributes where Balsamiq Wireframes and Subframe differ
AttributeBalsamiq WireframesSubframe
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).

What people use each for

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

Balsamiq Wireframes

  • Creating wireframes for idea communicationnot Subframe
  • Prototyping interfaces faster than design toolsnot Subframe
  • Collaborating on wireframes with unlimited reviewersnot Subframe
  • Exporting designs to PDF and imagesnot Subframe

Subframe

  • Creating production-ready interfaces without static mockupsnot Balsamiq Wireframes
  • Syncing design components with code as single source of truthnot Balsamiq Wireframes
  • Building responsive designs with auto layoutnot Balsamiq Wireframes
  • Real-time multiplayer collaboration with layer commentingnot Balsamiq Wireframes
  • Exporting Radix UI and Tailwind CSS code via CLInot Balsamiq Wireframes

Where each one falls short

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

Balsamiq Wireframes

  • Starter plan is capped at 10 projects and costs $16 per editor per month ($192/year)
  • Teams plan raises the cap to only 100 projects at $24 per editor per month; even Enterprise tops out at 400 projects
  • AI credits are metered per editor per month (500 on Starter, 1,000 on Teams, 2,500 on Enterprise), so AI features have a hard usage ceiling beyond the base seat price

Subframe

  • Free plan limited to 1 project and 10 pages
  • Free plan includes limited AI features compared to Pro
  • Pro plan billed per editor, not per team

Pricing, plan by plan

Balsamiq Wireframes

Free
  • Starter$16/month
    • Up to 10 projects
    • Unlimited reviewers
    • 500 monthly AI credits per editor
  • Teams$24/month
    • Up to 100 projects
    • Unlimited reviewers
    • 1000 monthly AI credits per editor
  • Enterprise$35/month
    • Up to 400 projects
    • 2500 monthly AI credits per editor
    • SSO with SAML

Subframe

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 project
    • Up to 10 pages
    • 2 prototypes
  • Pro$29/month
    • Unlimited projects
    • Unlimited pages
    • Unlimited prototypes

Which should you pick?

Choose Balsamiq Wireframes if

  • You want to start without paying.
Balsamiq Wireframes review

Choose Subframe if

  • You want to start without paying.
Subframe review

Questions people ask

Is Balsamiq Wireframes or Subframe better?
Neither clearly leads. Balsamiq Wireframes starts at Free and Subframe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Balsamiq Wireframes or Subframe?
Balsamiq Wireframes starts at Free and Subframe at Free.
Does Balsamiq Wireframes or Subframe run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Balsamiq Wireframes for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Balsamiq Wireframes best used for?
Balsamiq Wireframes is most often used for creating wireframes for idea communication, prototyping interfaces faster than design tools, collaborating on wireframes with unlimited reviewers, exporting designs to pdf and images. Of those, creating wireframes for idea communication and prototyping interfaces faster than design tools are not what Subframe is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Balsamiq Wireframes: How much does Balsamiq Wireframes cost per editor?

Balsamiq charges $16/month (Starter), $24/month (Teams), or $35/month (Enterprise) per editor when billed annually. Monthly billing costs $192/year, $288/year, or $420/year respectively. Only editors who actively make changes are counted, not viewers or stakeholders.

Source
Subframe: Is there a free version of Subframe?

Yes, Subframe offers a free plan with 1 project, up to 10 pages, 2 prototypes, unlimited team members, and limited AI features.

Source
Balsamiq Wireframes: What AI credit limits does Balsamiq provide by plan?

Starter includes 500 monthly AI credits per editor, Teams includes 1000 monthly credits per editor, and Enterprise includes 2500 monthly credits per editor. Additional on-demand credits can be purchased at $15 per 500 credits across all tiers.

Source
Subframe: How is the Pro plan priced?

Subframe Pro costs $29 per editor per month, with unlimited projects, pages, prototypes, and AI usage.

Source
Balsamiq Wireframes: What are the project limits across Balsamiq plans?

Starter allows up to 10 projects, Teams allows up to 100 projects, and Enterprise allows up to 400 projects per workspace. All tiers support unlimited boards within each project.

Source
Subframe: Are viewer seats free?

Yes, Subframe offers free viewer seats across all pricing plans, allowing team members to view without an editor license.

Source
Balsamiq Wireframes: Is there a free trial for Balsamiq Wireframes?

Balsamiq offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required for new users to evaluate the platform before committing to a paid plan.

Source
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