Design Tools · head to head
Zeplin 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 Zeplin has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Zeplin the free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace; 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 Zeplin and Balsamiq Wireframes actually diverge.
| Attribute | Zeplin | Balsamiq Wireframes |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Desktop, Mobile | Web |
| Founded | 2014 | 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 Zeplin
- Design specs
- Asset export
- Code snippets
- Design tokens
- Comments
- Version control
- Handoff workflow
- Accessibility checks
Only in Balsamiq Wireframes
Nothing recorded that Zeplin does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Zeplin
- Handing off design specs from Figma or Sketch to developersnot Balsamiq Wireframes
- Sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering teamnot Balsamiq Wireframes
- Reviewing and commenting on design versionsnot 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.
Zeplin
- The free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
- Free plan AI reviews are capped at 3 per week
- Role based permissions require the Advanced plan or higher
- Single sign on, multi factor authentication, activity logs and invoiced billing are Enterprise only
- Priority 24 hour support is Enterprise only
- Basic plan caps screens at 1,000 per project and is priced per project rather than per seat
- Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate
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
Zeplin
Free- FreeFree
- 1 project
- 1 workspace
- Basic specs
- Starter$19/month
- Unlimited projects
- Multiple workspaces
- Advanced specs
- Professional$49/month
- Everything in Starter
- Team collaboration
- Admin controls
Balsamiq Wireframes
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Balsamiq Wireframes review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Zeplin if
- You need design specs.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want asset export.
Choose Balsamiq Wireframes if
Nothing in the data separates Balsamiq Wireframes from Zeplin on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Zeplin or Balsamiq Wireframes better?
- Neither clearly leads. Zeplin 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, Zeplin or Balsamiq Wireframes?
- Zeplin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Zeplin and On request for Balsamiq Wireframes.
- Does Zeplin or Balsamiq Wireframes run on more platforms?
- Zeplin runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Balsamiq Wireframes runs on Web.
- Can I use Zeplin for free?
- Yes. Zeplin has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Balsamiq Wireframes starts at On request.
- What is Zeplin best used for?
- Zeplin is most often used for handing off design specs from figma or sketch to developers, sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering team, reviewing and commenting on design versions. Of those, handing off design specs from figma or sketch to developers and sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering team are not what Balsamiq Wireframes is typically brought in for.
- What can Zeplin do that Balsamiq Wireframes cannot?
- Zeplin covers Design specs, Asset export, Code snippets, Design tokens.