Axure RP vs. Proto.io

Still the best IMHO for dynamic prototyping. Sometimes you need to wireframe novel on-page widgets, such as draggable search areas (in the context of map-based search), or interactive annotations on diagrams. And sometimes real data values are necessary for test participants to give good feedback. However, this is something of a niche scenario. The majority of uxers prefer xd or Figma and find that static prototypes (screen1->click->screen2) is sufficient.

Proto.io is the perfect solution for UX/UI designers that need to create and share interactive prototypes. Proto excels at the interactive part. There are so many different ways to make elements change or interact, whether you're viewing the prototype on a computer (mouse clicks) or on a phone (screen touches). We could build and prototype our entire mobile app on here if we wanted to because Proto.io has the customization that we need to make the app look and feel like ours. If you're looking for a software to create wireframes and static mockups, Proto.io is probably overkill for you.

Incentivized

• Adaptive views enable us to create truly responsive designs, even when they are very complex.
• The platform’s many available templates and ability to create a library of reusable designs enables us to prototype faster and more efficiently than creating every single design from the ground up.
• The company provides a lot of support options, from training videos to online forums. This is a pretty complex tool, so knowing that we can always look up or ask a question and get a quick answer has helped us immensely.
• Axure’s comprehensive suite of tools to portray interactivity in prototypes has truly helped us show stakeholders and clients what an end product will look like, which has really helped us gain necessary internal and external buy-in.

Incentivized

• Easy to use
• Great interface
• Integrated icons and easy management of images

Incentivized

• The user interface is somewhat old and not always the most intuitive.
• I've been using Axure RP for 5 years and often forget that it has a steep learning curve, which makes it harder to onboard new employees.
• The "teams" functionality, as far as working and sharing the same files, has some room for performance improvements.
• Results of the Preview function varies per browser (although it works best on Chrome).

Incentivized

• complex transition animations
• robust interactions

Incentivized

Axure feels like a tool that started with a simple interface that wasn't redesigned over time. Simple tasks sometimes require clicking through multiple layers. Crucial pieces of functionality are hidden under text links, or just flatly aren't discoverable. Much of the quirks of the interface only come from having screwed up numerous times, and knowing that certain things are just difficult to accomplish.

Incentivized

I've never used the support for Axure but they do have an online community that can be helpful when you're unsure how to accomplish a specific bit of interactivity. Overall the community for Axure is a great benefit for the software. There are also a lot of shared library assets which can help reduce the time you spend on projects.

Incentivized

I never had to use Proto.io support.

Incentivized

I think that the online training videos cover all product features and are a great resource to point people to. The newsletter is also frequent and passes on a range of tips and techniques for users that are eager to learn more, or just want to keep themselves up to date

Since Axure RP is a desktop software that can work without a cloud connection, it is easy to have approved within a highly restricted corporate environment for a low cost with a small team. iRise is a solution that requires greater amounts of management, best service a group of designers in a corporate environment. InVision is cloud-based and, although not impossible, would require a long-term agreement to be made between the corporate and InVision. These could take years. Origami is free and desktop based and has great control of the transitions and data - but is so granular that additional time commitments may have to be made to make a prototype of this fidelity

Incentivized

Proto.io is definitely the premier mockup and wireframe application. Lucidchart shares some of the capability but can be a bit clunky. Proto.io is interactive and smooth and helps you to see exactly how your UI will look and behave before the development stage. Additionally, it's library of native components is robust.

Incentivized

• Axure allows for us to quickly get the entire sales team trained on a specific narrative and gives them a fool proof click path for them to use in the demo.
• Axure is relatively inexpensive and allows for purchasing the software without having to pay a monthly subscription (although they do have that option).
• The Sketch integration has allowed for a 10 fold increase in productivity by taking designs already created in another program and quickly adding them to Axure.

Incentivized

• It helped us rebrand a company to have a better strategy for the target audience
• It helped a small company new to UX and UI understand it a little more
• It was easy to teach new people minimizing on boarding time

Incentivized