Design Tools · head to head
ProtoPie vs Balsamiq Wireframes
Balsamiq Wireframes
Design Tools
Low-fidelity wireframing that keeps focus on structure and content
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only ProtoPie has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: ProtoPie the free plan allows 2 prototypes, 8 scenes per prototype and 50MB of cloud storage; Balsamiq Wireframes starter plan is capped at 10 projects and costs $16 per editor per month ($192/year)
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which ProtoPie and Balsamiq Wireframes actually diverge.
| Attribute | ProtoPie | Balsamiq Wireframes |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android | Web |
| Founded | 2013 | Unknown |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design Tools).
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 ProtoPie
- Interactive prototyping
- Data binding
- Advanced interactions
- Animation
- Collaboration
- Cloud sharing
- Device testing
- Code export
Only in Balsamiq Wireframes
Nothing recorded that ProtoPie does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
ProtoPie
- Building high fidelity interactive prototypes without codenot Balsamiq Wireframes
- Prototyping multi device and hardware interactionsnot Balsamiq Wireframes
- Sharing prototypes with stakeholders for testingnot Balsamiq Wireframes
Balsamiq Wireframes
No use cases recorded yet. See the Balsamiq Wireframes review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
ProtoPie
- The free plan allows 2 prototypes, 8 scenes per prototype and 50MB of cloud storage
- Free prototypes carry a watermark and shareable links require the Basic plan
- Saving prototypes locally requires the Pro plan
- Team libraries and handoff recordings require the Pro plan
- Basic caps storage at 500MB and prototypes at 20
- Single sign on, private servers, custom fonts and custom hardware integrations are Enterprise only
- Enterprise requires a minimum of 3 seats and is priced by quote
- Connect Core is a paid add on at $20 per user per month
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
Pricing, plan by plan
ProtoPie
Free- FreeFree
- Limited prototypes
- Cloud storage
- Basic sharing
- Professional$25/month
- Unlimited prototypes
- Advanced interactions
- Collaboration
- Enterprise$75/month
- Everything in Professional
- Team features
- Advanced security
Balsamiq Wireframes
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Balsamiq Wireframes review.
Which should you pick?
Choose ProtoPie if
- You need interactive prototyping.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want data binding.
Choose Balsamiq Wireframes if
Nothing in the data separates Balsamiq Wireframes from ProtoPie on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is ProtoPie or Balsamiq Wireframes better?
- Neither clearly leads. ProtoPie starts at Free and Balsamiq Wireframes at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, ProtoPie or Balsamiq Wireframes?
- ProtoPie has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ProtoPie and On request for Balsamiq Wireframes.
- Does ProtoPie or Balsamiq Wireframes run on more platforms?
- ProtoPie runs on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android. Balsamiq Wireframes runs on Web.
- Can I use ProtoPie for free?
- Yes. ProtoPie has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Balsamiq Wireframes starts at On request.
- What is ProtoPie best used for?
- ProtoPie is most often used for building high fidelity interactive prototypes without code, prototyping multi device and hardware interactions, sharing prototypes with stakeholders for testing. Of those, building high fidelity interactive prototypes without code and prototyping multi device and hardware interactions are not what Balsamiq Wireframes is typically brought in for.
- What can ProtoPie do that Balsamiq Wireframes cannot?
- ProtoPie covers Interactive prototyping, Data binding, Advanced interactions, Animation.
Related pages
More on Balsamiq Wireframes
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