Are you more than a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of available web design resources and tools? We are not surprised. We are too.
It seems that we read or hear about the same web design tools & resources over and over again. Eventually, it becomes more and more difficult to tell them apart.
This list was built as an alternative to that. We picked a selection of some of the best web design tools and resources on the market, tools and resources you rarely hear about.
Our list of 15 best web design tools & resources can be divided into 5 categories:
- Tools for building websites and pages that include a promising free AI website builder together with several top-of-the-line free and premium WordPress themes.
- Tools for building ecommerce stores that includes a first-rate Shopify theme. You will also find some popular WordPress themes that have been developed for WooCommerce only.
- Tools for adding animations & special effects to help your website charm its visitors into buying whatever you are selling.
- Tools that add popular website functionalities. One of the most popular of which is booking. We have included two tools that are easy to use and will do an excellent job together with a tool for complex data management.
- Resources for visually improving your website. We have included a well-liked illustrations and icons resource. As well as a free font identifier you can use to identify whatever cool font you come across.
At least 50% of these awesome web design resources and tools are free for you to try or use.
- Trafft
- WpDataTables
- Amelia
- Mobirise AI
- LayerSlider
- Uncode
- Slider Revolution
- WhatFontIs
- Essential Grid
- Blocksy
- GetIllustrations
- XStore
- Woodmart
- Hongo Shopify
- Litho
What do these Web Design Tools & Resources tend to have in common?
- They are of high quality. They are aesthetically and functionally top tier web design tools and resources.
- Most of them are free or have a free version. So, they will help you save money.
- They can improve the appearance of your website projects. These web design tools and resources can turn a so-so website or page into a genuine attention grabber.
1. Trafft – White Label Booking Software
The product in 15 words or less: The Trafft White Label option is perfect when your clients need a powerful booking system.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of Trafft’s most popular usage.
Trafft enables you to effectively manage online appointment bookings, accept payments, organize team schedules, send reminders, and more. Are you a developer? If so, Trafft’s White Label Option allows you to rebrand and sell Trafft‘s booking solution as your own.
Whether you use the While Label option or not, there are many things about Trafft you will like, including:
- the remarkable depth of customization you can achieve.
- Trafft’s ease of navigation
- the ease with which you can schedule virtual meetings.
- the library of fully customizable prebuilt websites.
With respect to the latter, the Divine Beauty and Spa pre-built website shows how to manage bookings for a range of beauty services, but it can easily be customized to fit almost any range of services.
Rating (average): 5 /5 on Capterra, 4.7/5 on Trustpilot.
User experience: “Trafft has been a great addition to my consulting business. Using Trafft, I was able to easily set up a booking website, where clients could come, and book 1:1 coaching session with me. Since it already has calendar integration and payment gateway built-in, it saves a lot of back and forth on getting confirmed bookings. Love the product!”
Self-support materials: YouTube videos, support manual and social networks.
View it here
2. wpDataTables – The Best Tables & Charts WordPress Table Plugin
The product in 15 words or less: wpDataTables makes table and chart building and data management tasks easier for multiple data sources.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one wpDataTables’s most popular usage.
wpDataTables is well known for enabling its users to create tables/charts with ease when tasked with managing massive amounts of data, or data from diverse sources.
Multiple Database Connections, wpDataTable’s top feature, adds significant data management power to this already power-packed plugin. With this top feature at your disposal, each of your tables can establish an independent connection to MS SQL, MySQL, or PostgreSQL databases.
When you first begin to use wpDataTables, you’ll quickly observe how exceptionally user friendly it is and how it can streamline your workflow.
There are also opportunities to put wpDataTables’ time-saving templates to effective use. The Responsive Premier League Table template could be applied to any number of uses.
Rating (average): 4.5/5 on WordPress.org
User experience: “I love wpDataTables plugin, this is the best in the game and it makes my job easy. The support is the best and they don’t descriminate between free and premium users.”
Self-support materials: the support manual, YouTube videos, and the Facebook community.
View it here
3. Amelia – WordPress Booking Plugin for Appointments and Events
The product in 15 words or less: Amelia’s comprehensive easy-to-use plugin helps you manage bookings and events.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of Amelia’s most popular usage.
The Amelia WordPress booking plugin provides timely, accurate, and hassle-free management of appointments and events. Its most notable feature, the automated multilingual notifications system, is a favorite of more than 70% of its users. The notifications system keeps you updated about the status of appointments or events and at the same time fosters efficient communication between customers and among employees. The system also offers custom notifications that allow you to tailor alerts for specific services or events.
You can use a template to help you customize your website in a way that will make booking easier for your clients and also serve to attract potential clients. The Home Spa template is one example.
You will quickly come to love Amelia’s simple navigation and depth of customization opportunities.
Rating (average): 4.8/5 on Capterra.
User experience: “Amelia Booking is a standout choice for anyone in need of a booking solution on their WordPress website. After some initial use, I’ve been thoroughly impressed with its rich array of features that cater to a wide variety of booking needs. The interface is intuitively designed, making navigation and configuration a breeze, even for those who might not be tech-savvy.”
Self-support materials: Support Manual, YouTube Videos, Discord Group, and Amelia’s detailed documentation on plugin functionalities.
View it here
4. Mobirise Free AI Website Builder
The product in 15 words or less: Mobirise AI is a free, easy–to-use AI-powered website builder,
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of Mobirise AI’s most popular usage.
Whenever you are able to accomplish a lot by doing very little, it can’t help but leave you with a good feeling. The Mobirise AI Website Builder’s top feature will do exactly that for you because of its ability to create a page or a small website through use of a single prompt.
You can’t start out by giving Mobirise AI a prompt and expect something good to happen. You first have to tell the builder what you want your website to do and how you want it to do it .You can do so in any language.
Upload a description of your website, follow with a prompt and let the AI engine do its thing, which will be to download a content-rich website.
As you might expect, the initial result will not be exactly what you want; but it should be a reasonably good start; maybe even close. In reality, you should expect to make some additions or adjustments, which you can do with the Mobirise AI website builder app.
Mobirise AI will definitely save you time, it is optimized for SEO, and it will produce engaging content tailored to your site’s overall message.
Self-support materials: Support manual, YouTube Videos, and the User Forum.
5. LayerSlider – Top Selling WordPress Slider Plugin
The product in 15 words or less: LayerSlideris your ultimate WordPress plugin for creating visually stunning animated web content.
Click on the video for a firsthand look at one of LayerSlider’s most popular usage.
LayerSlider gives you the opportunity to take your web content to the next level.
LayerSlider is much more than a basic slider builder. It has some truly remarkable web design features, the most important of which is a wide range of connected online services that give you the ability to seamlessly integrate spectacular animations, graphics, and special effects, into your websites, and in doing so, takes your web content to the next level.
It is important to note that incorporating jaw-dropping animations into a website that visitors can’t help but notice is great for marketing purposes or for promoting your brand online. Additionally, you can make excellent use of the pre-made, downloadable, and exquisitely designed professional LayerSlider templates. You can simply customize them by adding your own content while taking full advantage of impressive features like scroll effects.
Wow! That’s what you’re likely to say when you first see what happens when you check out LayerSlider’s Four Seasons website template. One more thing. Integrating compelling animations into a website significantly enhances its ability to captivate visitors, making it an invaluable tool for online business promotion and marketing strategies.
User experience: “It’s unbelievable how easy to create stunning scrolling effects!”
Self-support materials: Support Ticket System, built-in help in the Project Editor, and answers to pre-purchase questions.
View it here
6. Uncode – Creative Multipurpose WooCommerce WordPress Theme
The product in 15 words or less: Uncode provides web designers and developers with a quick solution to their website-building challenges.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of Uncode’s most popular template.
Userswill consistently point to the WooCommerce demo library when asked what Uncode’s most important feature is. They would mention the strict attention to detail evident in the designs, or the demos’ inspirational qualities. You will most likely come to the same conclusion. they found when searching among them.
Whatever demo you end up selecting will naturally depend on your particular needs. Uncode’s Retail Shop demo is one of the five most widely used, and has what could be thought of as a “one size fits all” layout with some surprising special effects.
Once you become an Uncode user, you’ll like the many customization options that are open to you, the value of the wireframes and demos, and of course Uncode’s exceptional level of customer support. If you are creating a shop, there is a wealth of advanced WooCommerce features open to you. If you are in the freelancing business, you’ll find you have lots of company within Uncode’s worldwide user base.
Rating (average): 4.89/ 5
User experience: “Working in this theme has been an extraordinary experience, daunting at times but a beautiful experience nonetheless. I started using WordPress back in 2005 (WordPress 1.5), and using Undsgn in 2024 for my new portfolio website is the cutting edge of what personal websites have become in this current iteration of the internet experience. Their customer service is unmatched.”
Self-support materials: the support manual, YouTube videos, and the Facebook Group
View it here
7. Slider Revolution – Not Your Typical WordPress Slider
The product in 15 words or less: You can use Slider Revolution to build hero sections, responsive sliders, and even complete websites.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of Slider Revolution’s most popular usage.
Slider Revolution’s visual no-code WOW effects, its top feature, makes it easy to design stunning website content sections, home pages, and more. You can either create a design from scratch or borrow content from other sources.
The Slider Revolution plugin was once limited to the creation of simplistic sliders and people were happy with that. Today, when you have Slider Revolution in your design toolkit, you can create:
- a home page that is guaranteed to grab and hold a client’s attention.
- an eye-catching portfolio that refuses to be unseen.
- design a jaw-dropping section anywhere on a website.
Slider Revolution’s Food Presentation template with its vibrant hues can easily be customized to fit your needs. Slider Revolution is well tailored for use in web stores, small agencies, and for individual web designers as well.
Rating (average): 4.65/5 on Trustpilot
User experience: “The plugin is loaded with features and tools to create captivating content. I’m using it to create a presentation, sort of like PowerPoint…….It takes a while to learn how to use it, but worth the effort. There are lots of tutorials, including videos, to help you if you get stuck. I really like this plugin.”
Self-support materials: Support Manual &YouTube Videos
View it here
8. WhatFontis – Fast, Accurate, Free, and User-Friendly Font Identifier
The product in 15 words or less: WhatFontis is the top-performing free font identifier on the market.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of WhatFontis’ most popular usage.
Any product that will help you find that “must have” font and do so with an accuracy of 90+% in identifying fonts regardless of the license (free or commercial) is certainly one you should have in your design toolkit. If you ask what WhatFontis’ top feature is, it is simply that it does exactly what it was designed to do, and to near perfection.
WhatFontis is the only font identification system that can claim 90+%accuracy. When it does fail to identify a font, it can usually be attributed to an uploaded image of inferior quality.
How does WhatFontis work?
- Upload a clean text image that contains the font you need (Note that for cursive text the letters need to be separated).
- WhatFontis has a database which includes 990K+ free and commercially licensed fonts, a database that has nearly 5 times greater capacity than its nearest competitors.
- An AI-powered search engine quickly identifies the uploaded font along with up to 60 close matches.
You can use WhatFontis regardless of a font’s publisher, producer, or foundry. You are requested to respect the work of the font makers and you are also expected to use the font in accordance with the terms of its license.
Self-support materials: Forum.
Start identifying fonts for free
9. Essential Grid – WordPress Gallery Plugin
The product in 15 words or less: Essential Grid enables you to easily create any gallery layout you can envision.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of Essential Grid’s most popular usage.
Essential Grid’s top feature is its library of 50+ unique grid skins, which should not come as a surprise because that is exactly what this gallery-building plugin is all about.
Check out Essential Grid’s gallery skins and you’ll probably come across a few formats you never knew existed (i.e., unique). If you don’t find exactly the layout you want, you can rely on the visual skin editor and other customizing options can take get the layout you want.
Scroll through the Leon Draisaiti WooCommerce Grid for WordPress template and you’ll find a somewhat different take on what a shop grid might look like. It may not be quite what you need, or it could be exactly what you wanted but did not have in mind.
Essential Grid can be a real time saver, especially in the way it can effectively help you organize your content streams, together with the possible use of a template.
Rating (average): 7/5 on Trustpilot
User experience: “Essential grid is a powerful if sometimes opaque to tweak. However, if you need help, the additional support in the paid version is excellent and well worth it.“
Self-support materials: Support Manual, YouTube Videos
View it here
10. Blocksy – Free WordPress Theme
The product in 15 words or less: Make Blocksy’s free WordPress theme your choice for building a lightweight website.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of Blocksy’s most popular template.
What is Blocksy’s top feature? Its users came upwith 7. You might pick the onethat’s most important to you. Or you might simply choose them all.
The Custom Blocks Module has a vibrant fan base, andthe way in which Blocksymanages Dynamic Data and Custom Post Typesreceives more than a fair share of votes.If you are a developer, Blocksy’s White Label Module would likely get your vote.
It’s obvious that there are many thingsyou would like about Blocksy. The theme is fast and easy to work with and its granular controls give you precise control over every aspect of your design.
One more thing.Blocksy is free!
Blocksy’s superb demo collection might also be one of your favorites. While the Petsy example is perfect for dog lovers, it can easily be customized to serve as a starter site for almost any business niche.
Rating (average): 5/5 on WordPress.org
User experience: “Blocksy is fast and light, responsive and beautiful. Blocksy has nothing superfluous and has everything you need. I love Blocksy, and Blocksy loves me.”
Self-support materials: the Support Manual and the documentation section.
11. GetIllustrations – Vector Illustrations Stock Library
The product in 15 words or less: GetIllustrations.com is a vast library of over 23,000 premium illustrations and icons for designers.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of GetIllustration’s most popular icon packs.
GetIllustrations’ top feature is threefold: (1) 23,000+ vector human-drawn illustrations, (2) free updates for 1 year, and (3)new illustration packs are added every week.
Every illustration carries a message. They are not random designs, but reflect what systems analysts, corporations, and UI designers use. Essential illustrations is a pack of 1,200 minimal outline, one color illustrations that are very easy to integrate in any project. Included in this pack are the source files in Adobe illustrator format, Optimized SVG for web, PNG, Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD and Iconjar library.
The beauty of these illustrations is that they are minimal and light, and you can use them to present ideas without distracting your visitors with a lot of colors and elements. A standard commercial license is included with every purchase. Once you buy an illustration it’s yours to keep.
User experience: “Have used illustrations from this team before this launch and they really took our content to the next level. This is beyond worth it and can take anything you have and make it exceptional. I’m just annoyed that the world is seeing it because it’s been my secret weapon all this time!”
Self-support materials: twitter.com/RamyWaffa, designer and curator
View it here
12. XStore – Popular WooCommerce WordPress Theme
The product in 15 words or less: Use XStore’s online stores and product booster features to build an online store that rocks!
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of XStore’s most popular template.
XStore is best known for its sizable selection of pre-built online stores. Anew XStorefeature,itsselection of Sales Booster Features, has taken over asits top feature however.
That is certainly not a problem with XStore users since they have the highest number of these sales boosting featureson the WordPress market at their disposal. Cross sells after “Add to Cart”,Frequently Bought Together, a sticky ad to cart bar, and aFree Shipping progress bar are several of about a dozen sales boosters.
The Single Product Builder, a Cart Builder, and a Checkout Builder for shop owners are other widely used and highly popular XStore features.
You will find XStore’s Control Panel and Builders Panel easy to work with along with the online stores (demos) that can be a real help in getting a project off to a quick start. XStore’s Elementor Animals (Pet Store) demo is widely used, features a pleasant, easy to navigate layout, is easily customizable, and can be put to a variety of uses.
Rating (average): 4.87/5
User experience: “Fantastic customer support and amazing theme.”
Self-support materials: Support Manual, YouTube Videos
View it here
13. WoodMart – Popular Niche WooCommerce Design Theme
The product in 15 words or less: You can use WoodMart to create any fast and responsive WooCommerce store you want.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one WoodMart’s most popular template.
One thing that will jump out at you when you first visit WoodMart’s website is the feeling it gives you start shopping as you scroll down the page. The layout of this website is realistic, and it’s that design realism that is WoodMart’s top feature. With its incredibly configurable product page layouts, this premium WooCommerce theme has a lot to offer you.
You can take full advantage of WoodMart’s Elementor and WPBakery page-building support as you build your content. Then, it is simply a matter of prototyping your website in a few clicks using a demo or combining different demos from the pre-made templates library to create your pages. Demo Shoes with its straightforward and easily customizable layout, is one of the most popular demos.
Other features that will work in your favor when creating your site include:
- the Theme Settings performance optimization and Theme Settings Search capability features.
- the social integrations options for marketers.
- or if you are a developer, you will be happy to discover that WoodMart has a White Label option.
Your finished product will be beautiful, fast, and SEO optimized.
Rating (average): 4.93/5
User experience: “Great theme, flexible and a lot of features. Also, very helpful support.”
Self-support materials: The Support Manual and YouTube videos
View it here
14. Hongo – Customer-Centric Enhanced Shopify Theme
The product in 15 words or less: Hongo is a uniquely enhanced Shopify theme with customer-friendly features and demos.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of Hongo’s most popular template.
Hongo will tell you that the quality of its overall design is its top feature. The truth of that claim will become obvious to you once you see how that design quality is embedded into the Shopify-type websites you can create. Another rather nice feature is the option you are given to use Hongo’s custom eCommerce features rather than Shopify apps, an option that will save you money.
You will also appreciate the wealthof customization options Hongo offers, the fact that this theme is built for speed and will give you excellent performance on any device of your choosing, and the time you can save by taking advantage of Hongo’s carefully crafted demo stores.
There are currently 19 demos stores with more to come, they cover an array of popular eCommerce niches, and they can be mixed and matched. To help you with your design activities you also have instant access to more than 100 pre-built pages and more than 150 pre-built page sections. Hongo’s Fashion Store Shopify theme can get any project that use its layout off to a great start.
Rating (average): 4.87/5
User experience: “Great theme and great, fast support! 100% recommendation.”
Self-support materials: 150+ online articles, & YouTube videos
View it here.
15. Litho Elementor WordPress Theme
The product in 15 words or less: The Litho Elementor WordPress theme offers a remarkable selection of page and website building options.
Click on the video for a firsthand look of one of Litho Elementor’s most popular template.
Litho’s top feature is its closeintegration with Elementor, an assimilation that accounts for the remarkable page building capabilities and options you have access to.Litho users range from freelancers and artists to shop owners and digital agencies.
You will ever have a problem when putting Litho’s capabilities to use. You can customize most page items using Elementor-like header, footer, mini header, archive page / post template, page title and promo popups.
Litho’s demos can be imported either individually or en masse and can be mixed and matched. Litho’s Discover Tour demo is a user favorite and could be exactly what you want if you or a client of yours have a travel agency. The visual search and hover features are impressive, and the overall layout can be used for many different business niches as you can customize this demo to meet almost any need.
Rating (average): 4.94/5
User experience: “Every element is designed beautifully and picture perfect, so it is really a modern theme. The support team is very kind.”
Self-support materials: Support manual, YouTube videos, and the Litho support portal.
View it here
******
We decided to make a list of lesser-known web design tools and resources of top quality that canhelp you to deliver websites that would engage visitors and nurture high conversion rates with the use of aesthetically superior designs and visuals that include:
- high demand and potentially game-changing website functionalities,
- Ecommerce site layouts that can convert visitors into clients.
We believe we have succeeded inproviding you with the information you need to make informed decisionsas to whether to try atool or resource or pass it by.
You will find in the above listing:
- tools for creating eCommerce stores, including a selection of WooCommerce-oriented themes and a Shopify theme.
- a promising free AI page and website builder
- a plugin that significantly aids in themanagement of complex data while building tables or charts.
- best in class free and premium WordPress themes.
- a pair ofeasy to work with appointment booking plugins that do an excellent job.
- dynamic animation tools that can help you create websitesthat will charm their visitors socks offand are fun to work with.
Many of these awesome web design tools and resources are free or have a free version, all are of high quality, and several can be used to spice up a so-so website, home page, or landing page.