Mockup Plus

Even if you have great ideas, building a website from the ground up would be pointless if the client won't like it. Drawing a sketch before anything else is always a good idea and if you don't want to waste any time with this stage, then you should try Mockup Plus. This simple utility gives you the possibility of creating interface mockups for websites, mobile applications and other projects. Simplicity, easy to understand functions and an intuitive user interface are the software's key features, so you may create a preview of your design without encountering any kind of difficulties.

Mockup Plus is free to try for 15 days, without any kind of restrictions. It can be installed in just a few seconds, by following a wizard's simple instructions. The application works on Windows XP, Vista and Win 7 and you can also run it on Windows 8, in compatibility mode. What's more, Mockup Plus is available for Mac OS X as well. The application doesn't use too many resources, but it requires Adobe Air.

The user interface is clean and simple and its controls are very easy to understand. The application places over 100 interface components at your disposal, which are neatly categorized on the left side of the window. All you have to do is click and drag the items you need to the main editing area. Once inserted, each component can be resized and moved anywhere in the editing area, by clicking and dragging. It is also possible to move objects forwards and backwards, which is particularly useful if you overlay them.

A grid can be displayed in the editing area, which can help you move and manipulate objects more precisely. Also, the software displays guide lines, when you move elements, to help you align them. Inserted elements can be manipulated in other ways as well. When you select one, a properties panel will show up on the same interface, on which you can make various fine adjustments, depending on the selected element.

Mockup Plus allows you to choose between two skins for your designs. You can apply a wireframe skin, with straight and precise edges and you can also make them look like a hand-drawn sketch. When your work is complete, you may export your mockups in PNG format, send them to the clipboard, so you can paste them in an image editor or export a XML to the clipboard. Printing the mockups is another possibility.