11 Great Cloud Based Apps for Web Designers

Today, the creation of amazing websites does not rely on the development of dedicated development suites. Long gone are the days when designers turned to expensive development tools. They are now relying on light and open source solutions that are found in the cloud.

Cloud-based storage, computer and collaboration applications make the life of a web designer very easy. These applications are beneficial in designing, debugging and modifying layouts. When it comes to improving productivity and efficiency for web workers, cloud applications are also very useful.

Slowly but surely, cloud computing is becoming the go-to standard that enables the easy access of designing applications. Here are 11 great cloud based apps for web designers:

1. Office 365

The use of Office 365 is beneficial for a web designer’s planning and deploying of components. This cloud service application has a number of integrated web design tools that will make a designer’s work easier. With a full suite of drag and drop tools, a designer can easily create and launch their own websites within the Office 365 platform. It does not matter what you want to include on your website, the cloud-based application is flexible and with it, you can migrate public folders to Office 365 with a Public Folder Migrator like ExchangeSavvy.

Through Office 365, designers can provide business owners with a great website that will enable them to grow their business online.

2. Forrst

The best web designers are known to draw inspiration from others. Only a few designers work in a vacuum. Forrst is an interactive platform where web designers come together to swap ideas, network, post markup snippets and polish their design skills. It is one of the best cloud-based applications that a designer can sign up to and immensely better themselves.

3. Typetester

Just like the name suggests, Typetester is an application that enables designers to compare three different fonts simultaneously by putting them side by side. This way, they can determine what will work best for the website. For many designers, choosing a font is a delicate process. The most subtle change can have a big impact on the overall look of a website. This application does not require the installation of any software as it runs independently in your web browser.

4. Adobe Animate CC

Every web designer knows the importance of a good Adobe Animate application. Featuring the ability to convert Flash ads to HTML5 Canvas, the application also lets designers modify and rescale drawings without losing their quality. This application is part of a Creative Cloud Single App plan. This makes it highly affordable to many designers who may not want to incur expenses during their design project.

5. Adobe Kuler

Adobe has certainly revolutionized the field of web design with its cutting-edge cloud-based apps for web designers. Adobe Kuler has the ability to manipulate graphics. It is lightweight and effective and is perfect for concocting different types of color schemes for a number of web projects. It can quickly whip up stunning palettes that are highly appealing to the eyes.

6. MockFlow

Every serious designer begins their web design project by wireframing their vision. Without a doubt, MockFlow is a highly versatile cloud-based tool that works well on mobile or desktop platforms. It delivers offline functionality, collaboration tools, and online cloud storage. It also comes with cross-browser layouts and a wireframe component library.

7. Dropbox

Dropbox is a go-to cloud application for many and is particularly popular amongst web designers. It is one of those cloud applications that you will find anywhere on the web. But what truly separates Dropbox from other cloud storage solutions when it comes to web design is that designers can take advantage of this application in order to complete their web development and design toolkit. The basic file sharing app offers free storage space (up to 2-18GB). It boasts of the best file sharing and sync capabilities. Web designers can also maximize the advanced collaboration and sharing features that Dropbox offers.

8. Evernote

Evernote is a web designer’s ultimate digital scrapbook that allows for the saving of resources that designers stumble across online. When researching on a particular design technique, Evernote comes in handy in regards to saving websites pictures and video files. This cloud based application has a free limited space of about 60MB on a monthly basis. Designers can easily bookmark their browser bars and organize their research. Evernote encourages designers to remember the important things they come across during their research process.

9. CodeAnywhere

Web designers who want to work from a variety of locations will get to make the most of a cloud cross-platform integrated development application through CodeAnywhere. Whether they are using a web browser or a mobile device, they are able to use the application flawlessly. CodeAnywhere includes a Dropbox integration, sandbox with MYSQL and supports various programming languages,

10. CSS Desk

CSS Desk is a cloud based application that allows designers to create gorgeous graphics and layouts without having to rely on cumbersome image files. It is also a responsive playground that will enable a designer to test their markup before implementing it in a given project. It takes presentation design to another level.

11. GridFox

GridFox is an application that serves all web designers. As one of the most popular plugins currently in use, it superimposes a semi-transparent grid and layout on any given page. It also allows designers to play around with a number of designs before making a final decision. GridFox is reliable for everyday design needs.

Conclusion

The amazing thing about these cloud-based applications is the fact that they continue to grow and better every designer’s skills. They are the best tools that any designer can work with. The diversity of these apps allows the designer to work only with what they are comfortable with. And what’s most exciting about these applications is that they have barely stretched the surface of what is possible with cloud based workflow and web design applications.