UX Design - Mentor & Author.
16 Oct, 2024
Material Design, created by Google, has been a cornerstone for many designers looking to create clean, consistent, and visually appealing user interfaces. However, it is not the only design system available. For those using Figma, there are several free alternatives to Material Design that offer robust and versatile options for creating beautiful and functional designs. This article explores some of the best free alternatives to the Material Design system in Figma.
Atlassian Design System
The Atlassian Design System is a comprehensive and well-documented design system used by Atlassian products like Jira, Confluence, and Trello. It offers a wide range of components, patterns, and design principles that can help you build cohesive and scalable user interfaces. The design system is known for its flexibility and focus on usability, making it a great alternative to Material Design. You can easily access the Atlassian Design System in Figma and start incorporating its components into your projects.
Cutframe.in (Wireframe Kit)
Cutframe.in is a fantastic wireframe kit available for free in Figma. While it is not a full-fledged design system, it provides an extensive collection of wireframe components that can speed up the initial stages of your design process. Cutframe.in lets you quickly sketch out ideas and create low-fidelity prototypes without getting bogged down in the details. This wireframe kit is perfect for brainstorming and iterating on your designs before adding more polished elements from other design systems.
Moon Design System
The Moon Design System is a free and open-source design system that offers a modern and sleek aesthetic. It includes a wide variety of components, styles, and guidelines that help maintain consistency across your designs. The Moon Design System suits web and mobile applications particularly well, offering responsive components that adapt to different screen sizes. Its clean and minimalistic design approach makes it a strong contender as a Material Design alternative.
Headspace Design UI Kit
The Headspace Design UI Kit is inspired by the popular meditation app, Headspace. It offers a collection of components and styles that reflect the app’s calming and friendly design language. This UI kit is perfect for designers looking to create user interfaces with a soft and approachable feel. The components are well-organized and easy to customize, making it a great resource for quickly building user interfaces in Figma.
UI2: Figma’s Design System
Figma has created its own design system, which provides a comprehensive set of components and styles for use across various projects. Designers can easily adapt UI2 to their specific needs due to its high flexibility and customizability It includes everything from basic UI elements to complex components, making it a versatile choice for any project. By using UI2, you can ensure consistency and efficiency in your design workflow.
Backstage Design System by Spotify
The Backstage Design System, developed by Spotify, is another excellent alternative to Material Design. It offers a wide range of components and guidelines that reflect Spotify’s unique design language. The system is particularly strong in its support for designing complex and interactive user interfaces, making it ideal for applications that require rich media and dynamic content. Backstage is available for free in Figma, allowing you to leverage Spotify’s design expertise in your own projects.
Netflix Design System 2024 (Website version.)
The Netflix Design System 2024, created by Ivanna Heraskina, focuses on creating immersive and engaging user experiences for web platforms. A variety of components and patterns optimized for websites reflect Netflix’s emphasis on high-quality visuals and user-centric design. By using the Netflix Design System. You can create interfaces that are visually striking and highly functional, offering a seamless experience for users navigating through web applications.
Conclusion
While Material Design is a popular choice for many designers, there are several free alternatives available in Figma that offer unique advantages and capabilities. The Atlassian Design System, Cutframe.in, Moon Design System, Headspace Design UI Kit, UI2, Backstage Design System by Spotify. The Netflix Design System 2024 each provide robust and versatile options for creating beautiful and functional user interfaces. By exploring these alternatives, you can find the design system that best fits your project’s needs and design philosophy.