15 Free & Premium Resources & Tools for Designers in 2024
Too many good things may not actually be a good thing. Modern life is already filled with noise, making it challenging to sift through repeated or similar information without feeling overloaded.
This holds true for web design resources as well. The goal here is to cut through the noise, directing your attention towards a curated collection of tools and resources. The big-name options already have plenty of exposure and are easily found, so they were intentionally excluded from this list.
Instead, we focus on showcasing 15 outstanding web design tools and resources that fly under the radar. These free and premium picks are less commonly discussed, offering fresh perspectives and solutions in the already crowded web design landscape.
- Website and page building tools that include a very promising free AI website builder together with some popular free and premium WordPress themes.
- Tools for building high-converting eCommerce stores – Shopify is gaining more followers every day. It made sense to include a first-rate Shopify theme. And you’re in luck if WooCommerce is your thing. We’ve included top WordPress themes in this list that have been developed specifically for WooCommerce and are top sellers.
- Tools for adding animation & special effects – Static and motionless pages are page-loading performance-friendly but seldom do a decent job of engaging visitors. We’ve picked tools that will sacrifice a little performance in exchange for impressing visitors with amazing animations and SFX.
- Tools that add popular website functionalities – One of the most popular post-2020 functionalities is tools that give your website the ability to take bookings, are easy to use, will do an excellent job, and can save time and money. These tools tick all those boxes and have been included.
- Resources for visually improving your website – The best way to differentiate between related products or services is through visual elements. We have included unique illustrations and icons to help you address that issue.
Best of all, at least half of the following 15 web design tools and resources are free for you to use.
Three important things many of these web design tools and resources have in common:
- They are free. Many are either free or have a free version that will help you save money.
- They are of high-quality. Free does not imply substandard quality. They are aesthetically and functionally top tier web design tools and resources.
- Your website projects will look better. These tools and resources will turn a bland website or page into one that is appealing and exciting.
1. Trafft – Booking Solution with White Label Option
In Short: Trafft is a booking software solution with a great white label option.
Click the video above to see Trafft in action.
Trafft can make your day if you own or represent almost any type of service-oriented business and need to upgrade a manual or semi-automated booking operation or one that simply does not get the job done. In addition to booking, Trafft will help you automate requests for appointments, send reminders, and give your clients the option to pay online.
If you are a developer/agency, the Trafft booking software’s White Label Option is one you can use for your clients. In short, the White Label feature will give you the opportunity to sell Trafft to your clients as if it was developed by you, with your own name and branding replacing Trafft’s.
As a user, you will quickly become familiar with Trafft’s ease of navigation, the depth this software solution’s customization options, and its extensive collection of prebuilt booking pages. The Career Mastery Coaching prebuilt booking page, illustrates how to manage bookings for a range of different services and can be put to good use by a wide range of different enterprises.
Client Average Rating: 5 stars on Capterra, 4.7 (Excellent) on Trustpilot.
Client Insight:“I give Trafft a 10/10. It’s so easy to use and customize to your business needs. The best part is Trafft is always adding new features. Don’t walk, RUN!”
Help on the Spot Materials: Support Manual, social networks, and YouTube videos.
2. wpDataTables – Table & Chart Builder & Data Management Plugin
In Short: wpDataTables simplifies your data management tasks including data that is complex or coming from multiple sources.
Click the video above to see wpDataTables in action.
wpDataTables is best known for its ability to enable its users to easily create tables/charts when confronted with vast amounts of data or data from several diverse sources. This plugin’s top feature, Multiple Database Connections, is relatively new and adds a significant amount of data management power to an already powerful plugin. With Multiple Database Connections, any table you create can establish an independent connection to MySQL, MS SQL, or PostgreSQL databases.
Soon after you use wpDataTables you’ll realize how easy it is to work with and how its intuitive user interface serves to streamline your workflow.
Timesaving wpDataTables templates can also be put to effective use. The Responsive and Sortable Cryptocurrencies Rank Table example can easily be applied to a wide range of uses.
Client Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (WordPress.org).
Client Insight: “I don’t write reviews very often but when I do it must be something special. And so it is in this case. The product is perfect for my needs. A lot of interesting solutions that save a lot of time. A very developed plugin and simple, intuitive to use – very helpful.Support should be 6/5 stars.”
Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, YouTube videos, and the Facebook community.
3. Amelia – Automated Booking Solution for Appointments & Events
In Short: Amelia is an automated appointment booking solution for your service-oriented agency or business.
Click the video to see Amelia in action.
According to 70%+ of Amelia’s users its Multilingual Notifications System is an outstanding feature. Why? The multilingual notifications system keeps all parties up to date on appointments/events status and fosters effective communication between your clients and your employees.
Templates can make it easy for you to set up a booking page with great UX for your clients that will also help you get new ones. Doctors You Can Trust is one of the more frequently used templates as it can be applied to a wide variety of healthcare service types.
Once you start using Amelia, you will appreciate its user friendliness, customization option, clean interface and straightforward pricing plans.
Client Average Rating: 4.8 on Capterra.
Client Insight: “The Amelia plugin is awesome! I have been using it on many of my client’s websites and the experience could not be better. It’s very easy for any customer to book an appointment, pay and have the details of the meeting right on their google calendar. Also, amelia offers a ton of integrations such as with google meets, zoom and WhatsApp. The plugin is incredible and the team behind it is very friendly and always ready to help you out. Thank you!”
Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, Discord Group, and YouTube videos.
4. Mobirise AI Prompt Website Builder
In Short: Use the Mobirise AI website builder to create your pages/websites using prompt commands.
Click the video above to see Mobirise AI in action.
It can be a genuine time saver whenever you are able to accomplish a lot by doing a little. Mobirise AI Website Builder’s top feature is its ability to create anything from a landing page to a simple or one-page website from a single prompt or a series of prompts.
Upload what you want, prompt Mobirise AI, and it will take that prompt and return a content-rich page or website. You will still have to do a little fine tuning to attain perfection.
Customizing a Mobirise AI’s template, through the use of prompts, is another approach. You will appreciate the builder’s ability to respond to prompts typed in any language and to edit content without any need for code.
Client Insight:“WOW, this is not the first AI website builder that I have tried to claim to be AI… It is definitely the best! The others I have tried that I have tried have not seemed like AI at all – and more like the old generic template-building frameworks like Drupal and WordPress – with the same completely irrelevant stock images… and completely unrelated to the topic/input that was given including the completely irrelevant stock images!!Your team has done VERY well here!”
Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, YouTube videos and forums.
Generate & Download Your Website for Free
5. LayerSlider – Versatile WordPress Slider Plugin
In Short: LayerSlider is the ultimate solution for creating beautifully designed and animated web content.
Click the video above to see LayerSlider in action.
What is there to like about LayerSlider? Quite a lot, in fact. You can use this WordPress slider plugin on any website to create richly animated sliders, slideshows, popups, or other engaging content.
The most important of LayerSlider’s features is the way it enables you to seamlessly integrate stunning animations, effects, and graphics into a website to create a strong connection between your page and its visitors.
LayerSlider offers a variety of prebuilt, easily downloadable, and aesthetically pleasing templates. They give you an added website-building advantage in that you can easily customize and fill them with your own content. The DJ Service Hero template illustrates how effortless it can be to engage your website audience with energy-filled immersive visuals.
Is there anything else that you will love? Yes – LayerSlider’s Project Editor. It makes it ever so easy for you to design and create as the mood strikes you, and don’t forget the popups and banners you can use for promotional purposes.
Client Insight:“A fantastic slider plugin with regular updates to make sure compatibility is never a problem. Keep up the amazing work!”
Help on the Spot Materials: Ticket system with direct support, plus built-in help and a walkthrough of the Project Editor.
6. Uncode – Creative & Multipurpose WooCommerce Theme
In Short: Uncode offers you an all-in-one web-building solution.
Click the video above to see Uncode in action.
This multipurpose WooCommerce theme’s users consistently point to its WooCommerce demo library when they are asked what they consider its most important feature to be. They will mention the strict attention to detail that is evident in their designs and the inspirational qualities of the demos as the rationale behind their choice.
Which demo would be the best for you? That will be entirely up to you, as your choice will be dependent on your needs and desires. The Creative Studio demo is one of the five most widely used. Its layout and creative and somewhat unusual scroll effect will give you plenty to love.
As an Uncode buyer, you’ll will enjoy its in-depth customization options, and its clean and modern demos. Finally, outstanding support will be there when you need it.
Client Average Rating: 4.89/5
Client Insight: “We bought the first Uncode license for a customer project in 2016, and since then – we have bought another 20 Uncode licenses. Although we use a few other themes as frameworks for our customers’ web projects, Uncode has become an indispensable multi-tool for solving most types of large and small web projects for our customers”.
Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, Facebook Group, and YouTube videos.
7. Essential Grid – WordPress Gallery Plugin
In Short: Essential Grid is the perfect WordPress Gallery Plugin for creating captivating online galleries.
Click the video to see Essential Grid in action.
Essential Grid’s standout feature is its extensive library of over 50 unique grid skins, which is a key reason for its popularity among WordPress users. These skins are central to the plugin’s purpose, providing a variety of grid formats that are both innovative and beyond what many users have previously encountered.
Exploring this collection, users will discover grid layouts that are new and unexpected, such as the Grant Fuhr Blog Grid. This particular example showcases a minimal, image-focused blog grid layout enhanced by an eye-catching circular mask animation effect. Its simplicity and visual appeal make it versatile for a range of applications.
Beyond its aesthetic capabilities, Essential Grid proves to be a practical tool for efficiently organizing content streams. It is an excellent option for any website project needing a system that allows images or other content to be sorted, filtered, and searched with ease, saving time and enhancing the user experience.
Client Average Rating: 4.7/5 on Trustpilot.
Client Insight:“It’s rare in today’s world to find support that is competent and responsive, but Theme Punch’s Essential Grid support is AMAZING!!! It’s visually flawless and easy to set up. The few times I’ve needed help with the plugin over the last year, I could always count on the prompt service of the support team.”
Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual and YouTube videos.
8. Blocksy – Premium WordPress Theme
In Short: You will find Blocksy’s free WordPress theme ideal for building lightweight websites.
Click the video to see Blocksy in action.
Blocksy’s standout feature is hard to pin down due to its wide array of capabilities that attract a diverse fan base. Key highlights include the Custom Blocks Module, beloved for its versatility; support for Custom Post Types and Dynamic Data, which wins plenty of praise; and its Advanced WooCommerce integration, crucial for online store functionality.
Developers, in particular, may be drawn to Blocksy’s White Label Module, which allows for customization without Blocksy branding.
This theme is appreciated for being fast, easy to use, and offering detailed control over page design, all at no cost. Additionally, Blocksy boasts an impressive collection of demos, including the popular Floreo demo. Designed for eco-friendly online shops, Floreo is easily adaptable for virtually any business, making it one of the top five most utilized demos.
Client Average Rating: 5/5 on WordPress.org
Client Insight:“Blocksy is among the finest themes available. Its support team is exceptional as well: they have been providing us with assistance for many years, consistently demonstrating responsiveness and effectiveness.”
Help on the Spot Materials: Support Manual and detailed documentation.
9. Slider Revolution – a WordPress Slider with a Kick
In Short: Slider Revolution is not your run-of-the-mill slider plugin.
Click the video above to see this dynamic plugin in action.
Slider Revolution stands out for making it simple to design captivating content sections, whether for a homepage, highlighting special products, or other purposes. This tool not only aids in crafting original designs but also allows users to incorporate elements from preferred content sources or inventories.
Gone are the days when Slider Revolution was just a tool for creating basic sliders. It has evolved, offering a broad range of design possibilities that go beyond the conventional, enabling users to create dynamic, engaging content easily. With Slider Revolution you can:
- Build exciting multi-page websites.
- Build portfolios that will get you hired.
- Create page sections that stun.
You don’t have to be in the clothing or suit-selling business to put the Suits Product Showcase slider template to effective use. This and other Slider Revolution demos can easily be customized by individual web designers, web shops, and small agencies.
Client Average Rating: 4.65/5 on Trustpilot.
Client Insight: “The plugin is loaded with features and tools to create captivating content. I’m using it to create a presentation, sort of like PowerPoint. I am finding that every now and then it seems to get bogged down and things go wonky in the editor, but after saving, closing, and reopening the project, everything resets to normal. 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”
Help on the spot materials Support manual and YouTube videos.
10. WhatFontis
In Short: WhatFontis is the most accurate free font identifier on the market.
Click the video above to see WhatFontis in action.
WhatFontis shines as a valuable tool for anyone looking to pinpoint a “must-have” font quickly and easily, making it a standout addition to any design toolkit. Its primary strength lies in its core function: accurately identifying fonts from images submitted by users. For free.
What sets WhatFontis apart is its impressive accuracy rate of over 90% in identifying fonts, regardless of whether they are free or commercial. This high success rate is unmatched, with the few instances of misidentification typically due to the submission of low-quality images.
- WhatFontis searches your font through its approx. one million free or commercial fonts (that’s five times more fonts than the database of its competitors).
- You will get a rapid answer, thanks to is AI-powered search engine.
- And you will get 50+ close alternatives for the font you identified.
Client Insight: “I came across this website courtesy Google search, used their services successfully; and today I found out it’s on product hunt! If you are ‘driven’ by the need to discover what font ‘that person/ company’ uses, then this should be your go-to solution site. For most of us it would be a once in a blue moon need, except for the professionals.”
WhatFontIs – Identify Any Font for Free
11. XStore – Best WordPress Theme for WooCommerce
In Short: XStore is the best WooCommerce theme for building attractive and engaging online stores.
Click the video above to see XStore in action.
XStore is well known for its classic selection of pre-built online stores. However, a relatively new feature, a selection of Sales Booster Features, has replaced the impressive online store selection as XStore’s favorite feature.
The booster features are designed to make shopping quicker and easier for customers and consequently increase a store’s conversion rate. They include Frequently Bought Together, a Free Shipping progress bar, a sticky ad-to-cart bar, cross-sells after “Add to Cart,” and more.
XStore also features a Single Product Builder, an Archive Products Builder, a Checkout Builder, and a Cart Builder for shop owners.
The online stores (demos) are designed to get your project off to a rapid start. The XStore Elementor Yoga Accessories pre-built store is one of the most widely used, and one of the most effective at engaging visitors with its attractive layout.
Client Average Rating: 4.88/5
Client Insight:“I have been using the XStore theme from ThemeForest for a while now, and this is my third purchase of the same theme. XStore has been extremely helpful in customizing websites for my clients, saving me a lot of time and effort that would have gone into coding. The built-in plugins also help in reducing costs for developers like me. I must say the team behind XStore has done a great job, and I hope they will continue to do so.”
Help on the Spot Materials: YouTube videos and support manual.
12. WoodMart – WordPress WooCommerce Theme with a Message
In Short: WoodMart should be your WooCommerce theme of choice for engaging niche eCommerce website designs.
Click the video above to see WoodMart in action.
The moment you see the WoodMart website, the unique custom layouts instantly stand out. With WoodMart’s standout feature, the Custom Layouts Builder, your online store can achieve the same striking appearance. The ease of customizing layouts is just the beginning; you’ll also appreciate WoodMart’s customer-focused features, like “Frequently Bought Together” and “Dynamic Discounts.”
Additional notable features include the Theme Settings’ Search and Performance Optimization. These tools not only enhance the shopping experience for customers with sales-boosting options like “Frequently Bought Together” and “Dynamic Discounts” but also provide benefits for store owners. For developers, WoodMart’s White Label option offers the chance to customize the theme for client projects.
No matter what your business niche may be, WoodMart provides a demo to kick-start your project. If setting up an electronics store is your goal, the Electronics 2 demo is worth exploring for a comprehensive look at what WoodMart can do for your online presence.
Client Average Rating: 4.93/5.
Client Insight: “This theme has a variety of customization options and the support is just amazing – they have wonderful people to support you. Really happy and satisfied choosing woodmart.”
Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual and YouTube videos.
13. Hongo – Multipurpose Shopify Theme
In Short: Hongo is an optimized Shopify theme with unique customer-friendly demos.
Click the video above to see the Hongo Shopify theme in action.
Hongo stands out for its exceptional design quality, which shines through in the Shopify-like websites you can create with it. This high level of design not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of your site but also saves you money. By utilizing Hongo’s custom eCommerce features, you can avoid the extra costs of Shopify apps. Additionally, Hongo offers extensive customization options for building your store, providing both financial and creative benefits.
The development team behind Hongo has focused on optimizing for speed, ensuring fast loading times on both desktops and mobile devices, enhancing user experience, and potentially boosting your site’s search engine rankings.
With Hongo, you have access to 19 pre-built eStores, covering a wide range of popular eCommerce niches. These are supported by over 150 sections and 100 pre-built pages, offering a robust foundation for your site. Hongo’s Modern Furniture Shopify theme is an excellent starting point for those looking to launch a new site. Plus, you have the flexibility to mix and match demos to create a unique online store that meets your specific needs.
Client Average Rating: 4.87/5.
Client Insight: “In my honest opinion from the quality of the theme to the customer support that stands behind Hongo this is a steal. You will not go wrong when purchasing any theme from them and I would strongly suggest purchasing the extension support because its beyond worth it.”
Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, 150+ online articles, and YouTube videos.
14. Litho Elementor WordPress Theme
In Short: Litho enables you to take full advantage of Elementor’s popular page building features.
Click the video above to see the Litho Elementor theme in action.
Litho’s standout feature is its strong integration with Elementor, which enhances its page-building options and capabilities. It attracts a wide audience, including freelancers, artists, shop owners, digital agencies, bloggers, and writers, and is likely to impress you, too.
For startup companies, using Litho can be beneficial. You can take advantage of its importable demos, which can be used individually or collectively, allowing for a variety of combinations. The SEO Agency layout, one of its most popular, is particularly suited for startup company websites.
Furthermore, with Elementor, you can customize various page elements, including the header, footer, mini header, archive pages or post templates, page titles, and promo popups, allowing for a tailored user experience.
Client Average Rating: 4.94/5.
Client Insight:“Customer support for the Litho theme has been fantastic. Very helpful, friendly and fast. The theme is full of features and design options that are modern, setting the look and feel of this theme apart from many of the older & more established themes. The design has a fresh and professional look.”
Help on the Spot Materials: Support manual, support portal, and YouTube videos.
15. Get Illustrations – Creative Stock Illustrations Collections
In Short: The number one resource for top-quality stock illustrations.
Click the video to see these illustrations in action.
GetIllustrations stocks a library of more than 21,000 ready-to-use illustrations in various categories. This resource’s top feature consists of:
- 21,500+ vector illustrations to download.
- Free updates for one year.
- New illustrations added every week.
These illustrations offer entertainment, knowledge, engagement, and much more. With over 40 carefully organized categories to choose from, many have hundreds of illustrations, while some boast over 1,000. Exclusive to Getillustrations, these illustrations give you an advantage over users of other stock illustration sources.
The Leap Illustrations pack includes 70 dual-toned illustrations tailored to complement your brand’s unique personality and style, helping you stand out from competitors. This pack is ideal for organizational employees, educational materials, and similar needs.
Client Insight:“Great product and I like the alternative as opposed to just using adobe stock for illustrations for my app. Really like the illustrations you have to offer!”
Help on the Spot Materials: Vector stock illustrations are in AI, SVG, PNG, and Figma formats.
With this collection of lesser-known but high-quality web design resources and tools, you will be able to use them to better deliver:
- Website projects that persuade visitors through aesthetically better designs and visuals.
- High-converting eCommerce stores that utilize back-end theme features developed specifically for that purpose.
- High-demand website functionalities, such as booking forms.
Below, you will find the key information for each resource, which will help you make an informed decision about whether to try them or skip them.
The following brief recap will tell you what each tool or resource excels in and highlights their standout features:
| WordPress Plugin | Summary | Standout Feature |
| Trafft | The best white label booking software for agencies and developers. | Trafft’s white label |
| WpDataTables | The best WordPress plugin for creating tables and charts. | Multiple database connections. |
| Amelia | The best WordPress plugin for beautiful and intuitive booking websites. | Multilingual notifications system. |
| Mobirise AI Website Builder | Generate full-page websites using prompt commands only. | Prompt command. |
| LayerSlider | The best WordPress plugin for making simple sliders. | Seamless integration of spectacular animations. |
| Uncode | The best multiuse WordPress and WooCommerce theme. A go-to solution for any project. | The design of demos. |
| Essential Grid | The best WordPress gallery plugin for businesses. | 50+ unique grid skins. |
| Blocksy | The best free WordPress theme in 2024 for building beautiful, lightweight websites. | |
| Slider Revolution | The best WordPress plugin for creating jaw-dropping animated sliders. | WOW-effects for WordPress. |
| WhatFontIs | The best free font identifier. | Identify any font from any image. |
| XStore | The best WooCommerce theme for building high-converting online stores. | Sales booster. |
| Woodmart | The best WooCommerce theme for niche eCommerce design. | Custom layouts builder. |
| Hongo Shopify | A conversion-optimized Shopify theme with customer-centric demos. | Great design quality. |
| Litho | Creative, modern, highly customizable, responsive, and multi-purpose Elementor WordPress theme. | Elementor. |
| GetIllustrations | The #1 resource for top-quality stock illustrations. | 21,000 ready-to-use illustrations. |
The post 15 Free & Premium Resources & Tools for Designers in 2024 appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.