TL;DR
Banani is the go-to tool if you want a fresh, modern product design tool. Figma covers just about everything with its versatility, while Tldraw keeps things simple for quick wireframes. Depending on how your team works, other tools like Visily AI and even Lovable can also be a strong fit. Let’s take a closer look at each.
Banani: Best Overall
Banani is built for startups that want high-fidelity UI designs or wireframes without the pain of pixel pushing and learning how to design.
It puts AI at the center, so you interact mainly by typing what you want to see. Just describe a screen or flow, and it quickly creates them for you.
All your work stays on a shared canvas, making it easy to compare ideas and see a full user journey.
Aside from this, Banani matches your product's style (if you have an existing product already). It does not feel like a tool, but like having a middle designer who already understands your brand.
Pros
Doesn’t require you to have any design skills
Utilizes AI to save you time and money on designers
Adapts to your design system or styles if you have them
Easy export and sharing
Cons
You need some experience in prompting
Figma: Most Versatile
Figma is a flexible tool for product design. It's an OG design editor made specifically for professional designers, so it has a pretty advanced set of features to create something from scratch or edit existing designs.
Your team can work on the same file at once, leave feedback, or even run remote design workshops. Figma's plugins add an extra layer of advanced or basic features, like stock photos, accessibility tools, and more.
Pros
Advanced editing features
Library of plugins and templates
Real-time collaboration with stakeholders
Cons
Steep learning curve
Costly pricing for teams
Visily AI: All-in-one
Visily AI is a simple all-in-one design tool. It utilizes AI to simplify design for product managers, founders, or anyone who doesn't use design tools on a daily basis.
You can start with templates, drag-and-drop components, or describe screens in plain text. Similar to Banani, it generates layouts and content automatically, giving you something that looks clean enough to use in early pitch decks or MVP discussions.
Pros
Easy for non-designers to get started
Good template selection for common app flows
Cons
Design AI is lagging behind other AI design tools
Less flexible than Figma for precise editing
Tldraw: Simple Wireframing
Sometimes you just need to sketch out ideas with simple shapes. Tldraw is a great choice for that. It's a lightweight, open-source whiteboard tool for mind-mapping and sketching.
While it's not a traditional design editor, but it can be used for this use case.
Startups use Tldraw for brainstorming or planning out product flows. There's no need to set up frames or worry about details. It's quick, lets everyone join in, and is great for early planning before using more advanced tools.
Pros
Super lightweight and fast
Great for brainstorming and flows
Free and open source
Cons
Not suitable for polished UI mockups
Limited export and handoff options
Lovable: From Idea to App
Lovable isn't a typical design tool, but it's great for making prototypes. You can build a basic app structure and then adjust both the design and code as you go.
It's super useful if your startup is testing out MVPs. You don't need to hire a designer + developer right away. You can quickly make a working prototype for user tests, sales, and investor calls.
Pros
Generates full apps from text prompts
Ideal for fast MVPs
Cons
Limited control over final design quality
Works better for web apps than mobile
How to Pick the Right Tool
Start with your stage, skillset, and what you need from the tool. Most actually use a mix of these products. You might start brainstorming in Tldraw, create screens with Banani, refine them in Figma, and test how they work with Lovable.
Here's a quick glance at the ones we picked, so you can decide on the right one:
Tool | Best for | Why |
High-fidelity designs, prototypes, and early and mid-stage startups |
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Pro designers and startups that are scaling |
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Visily AI | Non-designers, small teams, quick mockups |
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Tldraw | Startups of all stages, great for the brainstorming stage |
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Solo teams designing MVPs |
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