If you’ve ever vibe-coded an app, you’ve worn the hat of a designer for better or worse. And possibly cringed at how your vibe-coded app looks the same as everyone else’s.
Per a 2025 Figma report, 56% of non-designers are actively performing design-centric tasks[1]. So, as the expectations from designers and engineers overlap further in 2026, vibe designing deserves the same pedestal as vibe coding. In fact, I would go a step further to suggest that ‘do not vibe code before vibe designing’. It will save you time, credits, and can even help your vibe-coded app stand out.
Vibe Designing: Designing with AI
Vibe designing is basically vibe coding for designers. Without any hands-on skills to use design software, just translate your "vibes" into visuals using AI.
The AI for vibe designing are basically AI UI designers that let you use multimodal inputs (text prompts, screenshots, or even rough sketches) to generate real, editable interfaces that are ready for developer handoff.
Vibe Coding vs Vibe Designing
In the context of product development, vibe coding is software engineering, while vibe designing is product design. Both use multimodal AI tools (powered by the same LLMs by OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and similar) to translate your intent into output in the format you need (code or UI, respectively).
Aspect | Vibe Coding | Vibe Designing |
What it generates | Functional apps and features | UI layouts and visual interfaces |
Primary input | Text prompts describing logic | Prompts, screenshots, sketches |
Focus | Code, functionality, integrations | Layout, hierarchy, colors, interactions |
Typical tools | ||
Output | Working app or codebase | High-fidelity UI screens or prototypes |
When to use it | Building product functionality | Designing the polished product |
Vibe Coded Apps have Design Gaps
Vibe coding an app is fast and fun. But it is also frustrating to see them all look the same.
Build a dashboard in Lovable. Give the same prompt to Bolt. And then to Base44. What you’ll get is the same left-rail sidebar, the same rounded card grid, the same bg-indigo-500 purple accent that's become the unofficial flag of AI-generated interfaces. That's not a coincidence. These tools pull from the same pool of Tailwind defaults and shadcn/ui components that dominate their training data[2].
It all looks… fine. Professional, even. But strip the logo, and you couldn't tell one app from another. It may be ok for prototyping. It's not ok for anything a real user is supposed to trust, pay for, or come back to.
So, irrespective of which AI prototyping app you use, vibe coding is going to hit a design ceiling.
Vibe designing can make a hole in that ceiling. By giving the interface a face that doesn't look like it was assembled from the same parts bin as everyone else's.
My AI Vibe Design Workflow
Step 1: Start with the intent
First off, I plan on all the screens, features, and sections I want in my app. It helps to note it on pen & paper, make a rough sketch, or, if working with a team, use Miro AI for brainstorming.
For instance, say I want to build a meditation app UI. Before (vibe) coding, I want to vibe design its three screens (Homepage, About & Pricing) for both desktop and mobile using Banani AI. And, since I am starting with no UI references, I would want to check out variations of an idea, and might also have to refine them before finally exporting for development.
Step 2: Set up the prompt (for web app)
I start with dumping my thoughts for the homescreen. Because once the design elements are set here, they can be carried on to other screens.
My prompt:
“Design a high-fidelity homepage for "Aura," a meditation web app.
The UI should feature a soft Sage Green and Cream color palette to feel organic and breathable. Include a hero section with a large "Start 5-Minute Calm" button.
Below, add a "Daily Rituals" section with three cards for Sleep, Focus, and Anxiety sessions using thin, minimalist line icons. At the bottom, include a "Community Growth" tracker showing how many people are currently meditating.
Use a clean, modern font with generous letter spacing to prioritize a sense of headspace and clarity.”
Note: I have asked to show 3 variants (Banani can create up to 5) of my homepage idea. And set the model to ‘Auto’ for it to pick the best one (among the latest Gemini and GPT versions) per my prompt automatically.
Step 3: Pick a style and add more screens
As asked, it generated 3 variations of the same idea/prompt. It followed the elements, copy, and color I had asked for. (No purple problem, you see!) And it all took ~30 seconds.
Now, I like the last one better. So, for convenience, I delete the first two. And to add more screens, I simply hover over the last design, click on the ‘+’ sign, and it automatically creates a blank canvas, asking for a prompt.
Since I wanted to add two additional screens - About & Pricing - so, I followed this step of vibe coding UI twice.
About page:
My prompt:
"Design a high-fidelity pricing page for Aura. Maintain the Sage Green and Cream palette. Feature two clean cards: a 'Monthly' plan and a 'Yearly' plan with a 'Most Popular' tag. List 4–5 benefits per plan using the same minimalist line icons from the homepage. Ensure the primary CTA buttons are prominent and consistent with the 'Start 5-Minute Calm' style."
Pricing page:
My prompt:
“Design a high-fidelity About page. Use a large, airy hero section with a 'Our Mission' headline and a placeholder for an organic-shaped nature image. Below, add a 'Meet the Guides' section with three circular profile placeholders and short bios. Keep the layout loose and breathable, using the same clean font and generous letter spacing.”
Step 4: Edit and refine UI
I like the vibe designed Pricing page, but I want to add a card for ‘Free tier’ and make some copy changes as well. So, I simply select this canvas, write a prompt for what I want exactly.
My prompt:
“Modify this pricing page to include a third card for a 'Free Tier' on the far left. Ensure it has a subtler design than the paid plans to maintain visual hierarchy. Also, change the copy on the header to say 'Start My Zen Journey'. Keep all colors and icons consistent with the current theme.”
And if I were unhappy with a screen altogether, I could also redo the whole design with the built-in option of ‘Try different layout’. See what it looks like for the About page below.
Note: I still like the first one as it's minimal per my desire, so I deleted it.
Step 5: Build the mobile version
Once I am happy with the vibe-coded UI screens for my app, I create their mobile versions. In Banani, you have a button for it. Just select the screen, and click on ‘Generate Mobile’. (If you had first designed a mobile version, it would show ‘Generate Desktop’.)
Notice how the vibe design system maintained hierarchy intelligently, especially the header tabs of the desktop became the bottom tabs in the mobile.
Step 6: Prepare design for vibe coding
Once done with the vibe coding UI design, the handoff for the vibe coding itself is quite smooth. Again, just select the desired screen, and on top, I get the option to ‘Export via MCP’ or ‘Copy HTML/CSS’ code. If one works in the Figma design system, there’s a direct ‘Figma Export’ as well.
Vibe Design Prompt Template
Your vibe design build is only as fast and good as your prompt (rings a bell with vibe coding?). Although in my example above, I took some shortcuts to show various aspects of vibe design AI software, in general, I tend to be specific about my requirements right from the first prompt. You can follow the template below for reference:
## Goal
Design a <screen/feature name> for <app name> that helps users <primary action>.
## Target User
<Describe the user's persona and their emotional state (e.g., "A stressed parent looking for quick help")>.
## Key Requirements
Must include: <Feature 1>, <Feature 2>, and <Feature 3>.
Must avoid: <Specific UI patterns or clutter you hate>.
## Design Intent
Feel: <e.g., Editorial, Organic, High-tech, or Playful>.
Prioritize: <e.g., Negative space, bold typography, or high-contrast density>.
## Visual References
Palette: <Primary color> and <Secondary color>.
Inspiration: Follow the <layout/style> of <Competitor Name> but make it <how you want to differ>.
Start Vibe Designing with AI
Vibe designing is more than making vibe-coded apps pretty. It’s about making them more intentional by shifting from logic-first to intent-first. Because when you’re building for others, you have to prioritize how they interact with the app, and everything in the backend should support it seamlessly. And there are several AI apps for vibe designing, including Visily and Figma AI.
If you’re looking for one that can generate hi-fi wireframes and is compatible with the Figma environment as well, go for Banani.
Start vibe designing for free >
FAQs on Vibe Designing UI
What is vibe designing?
Vibe designing is the process of generating and refining UI layouts using AI prompts instead of traditional design tools.
Is vibe designing the same as vibe coding?
No. Vibe coding focuses on generating functionality and code, while vibe designing focuses on generating and refining the visual interface.
Can ChatGPT create UI design?
No, ChatGPT cannot create UI design. At least not directly. But it can help generate UI ideas, layout suggestions, and even frontend code.
Which is the best AI tool for vibe design?
The best vibe design AI platform depends on your workflow. Many prefer Banani for one-shotting designs and fast developer handoff.
References
[1] https://www.figma.com/blog/2025-shifting-roles-report/?fuid=619944597395242401
[2] https://dev.to/jaainil/ai-purple-problem-make-your-ui-unmistakable-3ono
