Are you a designer, do you collaborate with designers, and are you trying to work more efficiently with your team?
Design collaboration tools are the solution for that. In fact, using online collaboration tools can drive up to 10% productivity improvements, forever changing the way cross functional teams, such as designers, marketing, sales, and other departments, work together, collaborate in real-time or asynchronously, share feedback, and so on.
Whether you’re a freelancer, a small business, or a large organization, this roundup of the best design collaboration tools will help improve team collaboration, simplify your design workflow, speed up your current processes, and deliver high-quality design work. ???
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Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat is Design Collaboration Software?
Design collaboration software is a powerful tool that allows design teams to work together on projects, share feedback, and efficiently manage design files. It provides a platform where designers, clients, and collaborators can communicate and work together in real-time, regardless of location.
Design collaboration software is becoming increasingly popular in the creative industry because it helps teams manage their work better, communicate efficiently, and know all project details when needed without asking for more clarifications through discussions or meetings.
Summarize this article for me pleaseBenefits of Design Collaboration Software
The most important benefits of design collaboration tools are:
- Improving communication and collaboration
- Sharing ideas, feedback, and comments with ease
- Managing files efficiently
- Saving time and costs
- Increasing productivity
Different types of users benefit from design collaboration software:
- Designers: They can easily collaborate with other designers and clients and improve communication to finish projects faster
- Marketers or other people involved in design projects: A design collaboration tool can give marketers and designers a centralized platform for all their design projects which can lead to better marketing campaign management and keep them aligned on brand guidelines at all times
- Clients: With design collaboration tools, clients can make sure that the final result of the design meets their expectations and give feedback with ease
- Project managers: By using such tools, project managers can assign tasks and track their progress, add deadlines, and give feedback on the same platform
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Makes a Good Design Collaboration Software?
The characteristics that you should consider when looking for the best collaboration software for you or your team are:
- Real-time collaboration
- Accessibility
- Version control
- Feedback and comments
- Security and privacy
- Ease of use
- Integration with other useful tools
Summarize this article for me please10 Best Design Collaboration Software
Here is a list of the 10 best design collaboration software based on their popularity and reviews on different platforms like G2 and Capterra.
1. ClickUp
Best for team collaboration and design project management software
ClickUp is a cloud-based project management and collaboration tool that helps teams and businesses of all sizes manage tasks, documents, goals, and deadlines. It offers a variety of features, including task management, time tracking, calendars, project templates, team collaboration, and reports.
This tool is one of the best design collaboration tools for design teams because the entire platform is fully customizable, which means it can be configured in any way to support current and growing business needs. Additionally, this flexibility makes managing projects easier and allows teams to organize their work according to their preferred workflow: Agile, Scrum, Kanban, or a custom process. It also integrates with other popular tools like Google Drive, Trello, or Slack.
As for features, ClickUp offers hundreds of customizable features, including a digital Whiteboards feature that teams can use for collaboration—different team members can work together in real-time or asynchronously, brainstorm, strategize, map simple to complex design ideas and workflows, and more.
ClickUp also offers a library of templates for design and creative teams to give you the power to create a design workflow that’s perfectly tailored to reflect your ideal design process.
Additionally, design professionals and clients can use ClickUp Docs with collaborative detection for items such as creative brief documents and utilize Proofing for image, video, and PDF annotation or the in app screen recorder, Clip by ClickUp, to relay clear instructions and speed up the design feedback process.
Best features
- Fully customizable platform: Customize every part of ClickUp to fit your team and business needs
- 15+ custom views: Choose from over 15 ways to view your work, including Chat view
- Chat view: Send instant messages to your team and keep conversations alongside your work
- Email in ClickUp: Manage all your email communications in one place without the need for extra programs and software. Send company news, assignments, tasks, information, and critical messages in ClickUp without needing to change tabs
- Whiteboards: Create visual aids for virtual meetings, and map out projects and ideas to communicate plans with your teams
- Watchers: When someone is assigned as a watcher, they will automatically get notifications when updates are made on a task—eliminating the need to follow up manually
- Assigned comments and mentions: Create action items within a task and assign them to others or even yourself, and use the mentions feature to bring their attention to items within tasks or Chat view
- Task management: ClickUp provides a powerful task management system that allows users to create and allocate tasks to team members, track progress, set deadlines, and add attachments and checklists
- Collaboration tools: ClickUp offers many collaboration tools, including real-time commenting, file sharing, and integration with other tools like Slack and Google Drive
- Design-specific features: ClickUp has design-specific features, such as an online proofing tool and visual feedback tool, which are useful for designing visual projects
Limitations
- Learning curve: Since ClickUp offers a wide range of features and customization options, learning how to use the platform to collaborate effectively can take some time. This address is especially for new users, but after they start working on the platform together with their team and read Help Center instructions, they can easily overcome this
Pricing
- Free Forever: Feature-rich free plan
- Unlimited: $7 per month/user
- Business: $12 per month/user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Customer ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7 out of 5 (2,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 (3,519+ reviews)
2. Flipsnack
Best for online design and interactive content creation
Flipsnack is an interactive design software that allows users to create and publish interactive content, including magazines, brochures, and catalogs as flipbooks. Flipsnack is part of this list of the best design collaboration tools because, with the easy-to-use editor and a variety of templates and customization options, Flipsnack makes it simple for anyone to create interactive designs.
Best features
- Online proofing and commenting: Collaborators can review and comment on designs online, making it easy for any design team to gather feedback and make revisions in real time
- Collaborative workspace with version history: Multiple teams can work on the same project at the same time, having a record of all changes and versions
- Customizable templates: Flipsnack offers a variety of graphic design templates for different needs, making it easy to create professional-looking designs quickly
- Embeddable publications and flipbooks: Designed projects and interactive portfolios can be embedded on websites or shared through social media
- Integration with popular cloud storage services: Integrates with popular cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox, making it easy to import and export design files
Limitations
- Limited flipbook pages and storage for smaller plans: As a free user, you only get 30 pages/flipbook and a total size of 100MB/flipbook. Especially when you are a publisher or working for a company, you will need other plans
Pricing
- Free (14 days free trial)
- Starter: $14 per month
- Professional: $35 per month
- Business: $79 per month
- Business Plus: $207.50 per month
- Enterprise: $355 per month
- Custom: Contact for pricing
Customer ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5 out of 5 (104 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 (241 reviews)
3. Marvel
Best for prototyping and testing
Marvel is a web-based design platform that allows users to create interactive prototypes and wireframes for websites and mobile apps. With a user-friendly interface and intuitive drag-and-drop tools, Marvel makes creating and sharing prototypes with colleagues, the design team, and collaborators easy.
Best features
- Interactive design prototyping with animations and transitions: Creative teams can give clients and colleagues a more accurate representation of the final product
- Collaboration tools for feedback and commenting: The team can give feedback and comments directly on design prototypes, making it easy to gather and organize feedback
- Easy design organization with developer-friendly features: Marvel offers developer-friendly features like code export, making it easy to send designs to developers
- Integration with other popular design tools like Sketch and Figma: Marvel integrates with popular design tools, making it easy to import and export files
- User testing and analytics: Marvel offers user testing and analytics features, making it easy to optimize designs based on user feedback and behavior
Limitations
- Limited version control: Because of this, it could make it difficult to manage changes and revisions to designs
Pricing
- Free: $0
- Pro: $12 per month
- Team: $42 per month
- Company: $84 per month
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Customer ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4 out of 5 (224 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 (86 reviews)
Learn about the best CRMs for graphic designers!
4. Figma
Best for creating designs
Figma is a cloud-based design tool that allows users to create and collaborate on digital designs, including user interfaces, wireframes, and graphics. With a wide range of features and a powerful collaboration system, Figma is a popular choice for creative teams working on complex projects.
Best features
- Real-time collaborative design workspace: Teams can collaborate in real-time on the same design, making it easy to work together and make changes quickly
- Design systems for consistent and efficient design: This allows teams to create consistent designs more efficiently
- Auto-layout for responsive design: This makes it easy to design responsive layouts for different screen sizes
- Prototyping and animation tools: These allows teams to create interactive prototypes
- Plugins and integrations with popular design tools: Figma offers a wide range of plugins and integrations with popular design tools, making it easy to extend the platform’s functionality
Limitations
- Limited offline access: Because Figma is a cloud-based tool, it may not be the best fit for users who need to work offline or in areas with limited internet connectivity
Pricing
- Starter: $0
- Figma Professional : $12 per month
- Figma Organization: $45 per month
- Figma Enterprise: $75 per month
Customer ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7 out of 5 (809 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 (617 reviews)
5. Adobe Creative Cloud Libraries
Best for designing systems and libraries
Adobe Creative Cloud Libraries is a digital asset management platform that is integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud. This platform allows users to store, organize, and share creative assets such as graphics, colors, character styles, and logos across different Adobe apps and projects. With Creative Cloud Libraries, designers can access and use their assets seamlessly across multiple projects, saving time and streamlining their workflows.
Best features
- Centralized design assets for easy collaboration: Teams can store and share design assets like colors, typography, and graphics in a centralized library
- Shared libraries: Libraries can be shared across teams, making it easy to access and use design assets in different projects
- Integration with other popular design tools like Photoshop and Illustrator: Libraries can be integrated with popular Adobe design tools, making it easy to import and export files
- Customizable access and permissions for different users: Libraries can be customized to give different users varying levels of access and permissions
- Automatic syncing across devices and platforms: This makes it easy to work on designs from anywhere
Limitations
- Limited version control: The version control system is somewhat limited, which could make it difficult to manage changes and revisions to designs
Pricing
- Free trial: 7-day trial
- Individuals: $52.99 per month
- Students and Teachers:$19.99 per month
- Business: $33.99 per month
Customer ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6 out of 5 (34,906 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 (7090 reviews)
Bonus: Try out AI Art Generator Software!
6. Miro
Best for brainstorming and visualizing design ideas
Miro is an online whiteboard platform that allows teams to work remotely on various tasks, including brainstorming, ideation, and project management.
Best features
- Real-time collaborative whiteboard for brainstorming and ideation: This design thinking tool has an online whiteboard that makes it easy for teams to brainstorm ideas and collaborate in real-time
- Customizable templates: Miro offers a variety of templates for different design tasks, making it easy to get started on a project quickly
- Integration with popular design tools like Figma and Sketch: Miro integrates with popular design tools, making it easy to import and export files
- Easy sharing and commenting for feedback and collaboration: Any team member can gather feedback and make revisions with ease
- Video and audio: It offers the possibility to add interactive media
Limitations
- Limited customization options for objects and elements: This may restrict the creativity of designers and collaborators
Pricing
- Free version: Available
- Team: $10 per member/month
- Business: $20 per member/month
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Customer ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.8 out of 5 (4448 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 (1194 reviews)
7. InVision
Best for commenting and markup
InVision is a digital design and collaboration platform that allows teams to create and share prototypes, animations, and designs for web and mobile applications. With features like real-time commenting and collaboration, InVision makes working together on projects from anywhere easy.
Best features
- Real-time design collaboration with commenting and feedback: This allows teams to add comments and feedback on projects
- Design prototyping and animation tools: This allows teams to create interactive prototypes.
- Design system management: This helps in creating a consistent design
- Integration with popular design tools: It can be integrated with Sketch and Photoshop
- User testing and analytics for design optimization: This makes it easy to optimize designs based on user feedback and behavior
Limitations
- Limited capabilities for version control and file management, which can make it challenging for designers to keep track of changes and updates
Pricing
- Free version: Available
- Starter: $15 per month
- Professional: $25 per month
- Team: $99 per month
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Customer ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4 out of 5 (671 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 (722 reviews)
8. Frame.io
Best for feedback and reviews from team members and clients
Frame.io is a video collaboration platform that allows teams to collaborate on video projects in real time. With features like version control, annotations, and secure sharing, it’s a great tool for reviews and feedback.
Best features
- Real-time commenting and feedback: It allows team members to leave comments and feedback on specific parts of a video or image
- Version control: This helps the team easily compare different versions of a video or image, being able to view changes and revert to earlier versions if necessary
- Collaboration workflows: This software makes it easy to allocate tasks, track progress, and help the approval process go smoother
- Secure sharing: It makes it easy to share video and image assets with clients and other team members, while also ensuring that they remain private and secure
- Integration with other tools: Frame.io can integrate with a wide range of other tools and platforms, including Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and Slack
Limitations
- Reliance on high-speed internet connectivity: This can make it challenging for remote collaborators with slower internet speeds to collaborate effectively
Pricing
- Free version: Available
- Pro: $15 per month
- Team: $25 per month
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Customer ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5 out of 5 (60 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 (73 reviews)
9. Milanote
Best for researching projects and creating mood boards
Milanote is a platform that allows teams to collaborate on a range of tasks, including brainstorming, note-taking, and project management, and also creating mood boards and doing research for their projects.
Best features
- Visual collaboration tools: It makes it easy for design teams to collaborate on ideas and concepts, with the ability to add notes, images, links, and more to a shared board
- Real-time collaboration: It allows the entire team to work together in real-time on the same board, with the ability to see changes and updates
- Easy file sharing: It makes it easy to share files and collaborate on designs, with the ability to upload and share files directly on the board
- Integrations: This software can integrate with a range of tools and platforms, including Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, and Sketch
- Templates: It offers a range of customizable templates for any design project, including wireframes, mood boards, and design briefs, making collaboration more efficient
Limitations
- Limited export options for designs may restrict the ability to share or present work done on the platform outside of the tool
Pricing
- Free version: Available
- Pay per person: $12.50 per month
- Upgrade your team: $49 per month for up to 10 people
Customer ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5 out of 5 (40 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 (52 reviews)
10. Notion
Best for gathering references
Notion is software that allows teams to collaborate on different tasks. It is also a project management tool and can be used for note-taking and knowledge sharing.
Best features
- Powerful database functionality: Notion’s database functionality allows teams to track and manage design assets, feedback, and progress all in one place
- Real-time collaboration: Allows the entire team to work together in real-time on the same document, which makes it easy to get feedback and make changes quickly
- Customizable workspace: Add tasks, pages, notes, and more
- Embedded multimedia: Notion allows users to embed multimedia files, such as images, videos, and audio, directly into their projects
- Integration with other tools: Integrate Notion with Figma, Sketch, and Adobe Creative Cloud
Limitations
- Limited capabilities for design-specific tasks can make it difficult to use the platform for more complex design projects
Pricing
- Free version: Available
- Plus: $10 per month
- Business: $18 per month
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Customer ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7 out of 5 (2,097 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7 out of 5 (1542 reviews)
Summarize this article for me pleaseDeliver Successful Projects with Design Collaboration Software
Modern design collaboration tools with team collaboration features enable multiple teams to work together seamlessly on complex design projects. They improve team communication, increase productivity, boost creativity, make information more accessible, and, most importantly, keep all your teams on the same page.
Tools like ClickUp, Flipsnack, Marvel, Figma, and other design collaboration software can be used to give your design team the necessary tools to deliver successful projects on time. And with tools like ClickUp, you can manage your entire product design workflow to simplify your design process and use the advanced collaboration features to keep your teams connected, aligned, and in the loop at all times.
Guest Writer:
Isabela Boncila is a marketing specialist at Flipsnack, a software that transforms PDFs into interactive flipbooks. She is passionate about Marketing, writing, and technology.
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