This page provides details about Zeplin (product) which was ranked #50 out of 130 in the list of brands (6 mentions (0.8% share)) in answers from AI models (Anthropic Claude Sonnet (latest), OpenAI ChatGPT Latest) when they were asked the following 3 questions: "What are the best Design Tools options available today? Please provide a comprehensive overview including: the leading brands and products, top companies and service providers, recognized experts and thought leaders, promising startups and new market entrants, major industry events and conferences, active communities and forums, and influential publications and media covering this space.", "What does the Design Tools industry look like right now? Identify the dominant market leaders and brands, best products and services, key companies and providers, influential figures and thought leaders, emerging startups and trends, major conferences and events, active professional communities, and the top publications and media that cover this industry.", "If I'm looking to get into Design Tools, who and what should I know about? Include the most trusted brands, recommended products and services, reputable companies and providers, influential experts and reviewers to follow, helpful communities and resources, important events and conferences, notable startups disrupting the space, and key publications and media channels to stay informed." on Dec 30, 2025 by AI Chat Watch.
What are the best Design Tools options available today? Please provide a comprehensive overview including: the leading brands and products, top companies and service providers, recognized experts and thought leaders, promising startups and new market entrants, major industry events and conferences, active communities and forums, and influential publications and media covering this space.
[...] s software
2. **[Principle](https://principleformac.com)** - Mac app for animated design prototypes
3. **[Rive](https://rive.app)** - Interactive animation tool for apps and games
4. **[LottieFiles](https://lottiefiles.com)** - Platform for lightweight animations
### Collaboration & Handoff
1. **[Zeplin](https://zeplin.io)** - Design collaboration and handoff tool
2. **[Avocode](https://avocode.com)** - Design handoff and version control
3. **[Abstract](https://www.abstract.com)** - Version control for design files
## Top Companies & Service Providers
### Major Software Companies
1. **[Adobe](h [...]
December 30, 2025
What does the Design Tools industry look like right now? Identify the dominant market leaders and brands, best products and services, key companies and providers, influential figures and thought leaders, emerging startups and trends, major conferences and events, active professional communities, and the top publications and media that cover this industry.
[...] Animation and interaction design
- **[ProtoPie](https://www.protopie.io)** - Advanced prototyping for complex interactions
### Design Systems & Handoff
- **[Zeroheight](https://zeroheight.com)** - Design system documentation
- **[Supernova](https://www.supernova.io)** - Design system platform
- **[Zeplin](https://zeplin.io)** - Design handoff and collaboration
## **Emerging Startups & Trends**
### AI-Powered Design Tools
- **[Galileo AI](https://www.usegalileo.ai)** - AI-generated UI designs from text prompts
- **[Uizard](https://uizard.io)** - AI-powered design tool for rapid prototyping
- **[Ma [...]
December 30, 2025
What are the best Design Tools options available today? Please provide a comprehensive overview including: the leading brands and products, top companies and service providers, recognized experts and thought leaders, promising startups and new market entrants, major industry events and conferences, active communities and forums, and influential publications and media covering this space.
[...] efaults)
- **Most teams (UI + collaboration):** [Figma](https://www.figma.com/) + [FigJam](https://www.figma.com/figjam/) + (optional) [Zeroheight](https://zeroheight.com/) or [Storybook](https://storybook.js.org/)
- **Mac-first UI teams:** [Sketch](https://www.sketch.com/) + (handoff as needed) [Zeplin](https://zeplin.io/)
- **Brand/print heavy:** [Adobe Creative Cloud](https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud.html) or [Affinity](https://affinity.serif.com/) suite
- **Motion-first product UI:** [Adobe After Effects](https://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html) + [Rive](https://rive.app/) + [L [...]
December 30, 2025
If I'm looking to get into Design Tools, who and what should I know about? Include the most trusted brands, recommended products and services, reputable companies and providers, influential experts and reviewers to follow, helpful communities and resources, important events and conferences, notable startups disrupting the space, and key publications and media channels to stay informed.
[...] ctive prototypes and design-to-web publishing workflows.
### Whiteboarding + workshops
- [Miro](https://miro.com/) — workshops, journey maps, brainstorming, facilitation.
- [FigJam](https://www.figma.com/figjam/) — Figma’s whiteboarding/workshop tool.
### Developer handoff / specs / design ops
- [Zeplin](https://zeplin.io/) — handoff specs and collaboration (often used alongside Sketch/Figma in some workflows).
### Design systems + UI components
- [Storybook](https://storybook.js.org/) — component workbench used heavily for design systems in front-end teams.
---
## 2) Adjacent tools you’ll ofte [...]
December 30, 2025
What does the Design Tools industry look like right now? Identify the dominant market leaders and brands, best products and services, key companies and providers, influential figures and thought leaders, emerging startups and trends, major conferences and events, active professional communities, and the top publications and media that cover this industry.
[...] tation)
- [Storybook](https://storybook.js.org/) (developer-centric component workbench; often paired with design systems)
- [Chromatic](https://www.chromatic.com/) (Storybook publishing + visual testing workflow)
### E) Dev handoff / inspection (historically separate, now often integrated)
- [Zeplin](https://zeplin.io/)
- [Avocode](https://avocode.com/) (handoff/inspection legacy vendor; check current status on their site)
### F) User research + testing (often bundled into “design tooling” stacks)
- [Maze](https://maze.co/) (prototype testing, surveys, product research workflows)
- [UserT [...]