Principle

principle.app
Design & Prototyping
Weekend Project

Design interactive prototypes with motion and logic

How to Replace Principle

Overview

Principle is a macOS application for designing interactive digital products with motion, interaction, and logic. Create prototypes that feel like real apps without writing code.

Features

42 features across 9 categories

Animation(5)

Custom Easing

Create custom animation curves with bezier easing controls.

Motion Design

Create smooth animations and transitions with keyframe-based timeline editing.

Parallax Effects

Create depth with multi-layer parallax scrolling animations.

Smart AnimateAIPremium

Automatically create animations between similar layers on different artboards.

Timeline Animation

Frame-by-frame animation control with easing functions and playback options.

Collaboration(3)

Collaborative Sharing

Share interactive prototypes with stakeholders via sharable links.

Comments & AnnotationsPremium

Add comments to designs for team feedback and collaboration.

Version HistoryPremium

Track changes and revert to previous versions of your designs.

Also in: Notion, Airtable, Obsidian

Core(1)

Interactive Prototyping

Build fully interactive prototypes with touch, scroll, and gesture interactions.

Design(15)

Artboard Support

Create multiple artboards for different screens, flows, or breakpoints.

Blend Modes

Apply Photoshop-style blend modes for advanced visual effects.

Color Picker

Advanced color selection with palette management and accessibility checking.

Component Library

Reusable components with master-instance relationships for consistent design systems.

Dark Mode Support

Design and preview prototypes in both light and dark themes.

Grid System

Set up guides and grids for precise alignment and consistent spacing.

Group Management

Group and ungroup layers for better organization and batch operations.

Layer Management

Organize complex designs with hierarchical layer panels and smart naming.

Mask & Clipping

Use masks and clipping paths for complex layering and reveal effects.

Pixel Perfect Design

Work at pixel-level precision with zoom controls and alignment tools.

Responsive Layouts

Design for multiple screen sizes with adaptive layout constraints.

Shadow & Effects

Apply drop shadows, inner shadows, and blur effects to design elements.

Snap to Grid

Automatic alignment snapping for precise object placement.

Typography Controls

Full text styling with font families, sizes, weights, and line heights.

Vector Editing

Draw and edit vector shapes with bezier curve support.

Also in: Squarespace, InVision, WordPress.com

Export(3)

Asset Export

Export designs and assets in multiple formats including PNG, SVG, PDF.

Documentation ExportPremium

Generate design documentation with specifications and interaction details.

Export to Video

Export animations and interactions as video files for presentations.

Also in: Looker, Hunter, MLflow

Integration(2)

Figma ImportPremium

Import designs from Figma to extend with advanced interactions.

Sketch ImportPremium

Import Sketch files directly into Principle for prototyping.

Also in: monday.com, Notion, Airtable

Interaction(6)

Conditional LogicPremium

Add logic flows to trigger different interactions based on user actions.

Data BindingPremium

Connect variables and data sources to dynamic prototype elements.

Drag & Drop

Drag and drop interactions for intuitive mobile and touch designs.

Gesture Recognition

Support for swipe, tap, long-press, and pan interactions in prototypes.

Page Transitions

Design smooth transitions between multiple pages in prototype flows.

Scroll Interactions

Create scroll-triggered animations and parallax effects.

Productivity(3)

Keyboard Shortcuts

Customizable keyboard shortcuts for faster workflow and productivity.

Search & ReplacePremium

Search and replace text, colors, or font properties across designs.

Undo/Redo

Unlimited undo and redo functionality with edit history.

Also in: Insightly, Dashlane, Obsidian

Testing(4)

Device Preview

Preview prototypes on real iOS or Android devices via companion app.

Interaction Inspector

Visual inspector showing all interactions and logic flows in your prototype.

Mobile Companion App

iOS app for previewing and testing prototypes on real devices.

Performance MonitoringPremium

Monitor frame rates and performance metrics during prototype playback.

Pricing

Principle

Popular
Free
  • Full desktop application with all features

Cost Calculator

Pricing data not available for Principle. Check their website for current pricing.

Build vs Buy

Should you build a Principle alternative or buy the subscription? Estimate based on 42 features.

Buy Principle

Better Value
Monthly costContact Sales
3-year totalVaries
Time to deployDays

Build Your Own

Development cost$24,000
Maintenance$360/mo
3-year total$36,960
Dev time~2 months

Buying Principle saves ~$36,960 over 3 years vs building.

Estimates based on 42 features and a BuildScore of 5/5. Actual costs vary.

Integrations

25 known integrations