Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Zeplin VS WaveMaker

Compare Zeplin VS WaveMaker and see what are their differences

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Zeplin logo Zeplin

Collaboration app for UI designers & frontend developers

WaveMaker logo WaveMaker

A Low-code development platform to build web and mobile applications at a fraction of the time and...
  • Zeplin Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-19
  • WaveMaker Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-05

Zeplin features and specs

  • Ease of Collaboration
    Zeplin facilitates seamless collaboration between designers and developers by providing a shared space where they can access design specifications, assets, and resources.
  • Design Consistency
    By offering detailed design specifications and exportable assets, Zeplin ensures consistency across different development platforms and helps maintain a unified design system.
  • Automated Asset Export
    Zeplin automatically generates assets in various formats and resolutions, which saves time and reduces the likelihood of errors during the handoff process.
  • Integration with Design Tools
    Zeplin integrates seamlessly with popular design tools like Sketch, Adobe XD, Figma, and Photoshop, making it easy for designers to upload and manage their projects.
  • Version Control
    The platform offers version control for design projects, enabling teams to track changes, revert to previous versions, and ensure they're always working with the most up-to-date designs.

Possible disadvantages of Zeplin

  • Pricing
    Zeplin's subscription model can be costly for smaller teams or individual freelancers, especially when compared to other design handoff tools available in the market.
  • Limited Prototyping Features
    Unlike some other design collaboration tools, Zeplin lacks advanced prototyping features, which might necessitate the use of additional tools for complete design validation.
  • Learning Curve
    New users may require some time to learn Zeplinโ€™s interface and features, which could be a challenge for teams that need to quickly onboard and get up to speed.
  • Dependency on Design Tools
    Zeplin relies heavily on imported designs from other tools rather than allowing for direct design creation within its platform. This dependency could be a limitation for teams looking for an all-in-one solution.
  • Limited Free Tier
    The free version of Zeplin is quite limited in terms of the number of projects and collaborators, which might not be sufficient for larger teams or complex projects.

WaveMaker features and specs

  • Rapid Development
    WaveMaker allows for rapid development of applications with a drag-and-drop interface, significantly reducing the time needed to build and deploy apps.
  • Low Code Platform
    Being a low-code platform, WaveMaker enables developers with various levels of coding expertise to build applications efficiently, making it accessible to a wider range of users.
  • Cloud-Native
    WaveMaker is designed to support cloud-native development, simplifying the process of creating applications that can easily be deployed and scaled in cloud environments.
  • Customization Options
    Despite its low-code nature, WaveMaker offers ample customization options through code, allowing developers to fine-tune their applications as needed.
  • Pre-Built Templates
    WaveMaker provides a variety of pre-built templates and widgets, which can accelerate the development process and ensure consistent design patterns.
  • API Integration
    The platform supports easy integration with external APIs and services, allowing for the creation of complex, interconnected applications.

Possible disadvantages of WaveMaker

  • Cost
    WaveMaker can be relatively expensive compared to some other low-code or no-code platforms, especially for smaller businesses or individual developers.
  • Learning Curve
    Although it is a low-code platform, there is still a learning curve associated with mastering all the features and getting the most out of the tool.
  • Limited Offline Capabilities
    WaveMaker primarily supports cloud-centric applications, which may not be ideal for scenarios requiring extensive offline capabilities.
  • Dependency on Platform
    Using WaveMaker ties you to its platform, which may limit flexibility and control over your projects compared to entirely custom-coded solutions.
  • Scalability Issues
    While WaveMaker is designed for cloud-native applications, some users may encounter scalability issues as their applications grow in complexity and usage.
  • Customization Complexity
    While customization is possible, it may become complex and require significant coding for highly specialized needs, somewhat negating the low-code advantage.

Analysis of Zeplin

Overall verdict

  • Zeplin is generally considered a good tool, especially for teams seeking better collaboration between designers and developers. Its features are highly appreciated for accuracy and efficiency in implementing design visions. However, its usefulness might depend on specific team needs and workflows.

Why this product is good

  • Zeplin is a popular tool among designers and developers for its ability to bridge the gap between design and development processes. It excels in organizing design files, annotations, and specifications, making it easier for development teams to implement designs accurately. It integrates seamlessly with design tools like Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD, and provides features like automated design specs, style guides, and assets that streamline the workflow. Its collaborative features allow for efficient communication and feedback loops between team members.

Recommended for

    Zeplin is best suited for designers and developers working in teams where clear design specifications and organized collaboration are critical. It's particularly beneficial for teams using Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD who want to ensure precise design implementation and reduce misunderstandings between design and development departments.

Analysis of WaveMaker

Overall verdict

  • WaveMaker is a solid choice for businesses seeking a low-code development platform that is both powerful and user-friendly. It is especially beneficial for organizations aiming to expedite their application development processes while maintaining a high level of customization. However, like any tool, it may not be suitable for every scenario, particularly those requiring highly specialized or deeply technical configurations beyond what low-code solutions typically offer.

Why this product is good

  • WaveMaker is a versatile platform known for its rapid application development capabilities, specifically focused on low-code solutions. It allows developers to create responsive web and mobile applications with minimal coding. The platform offers a wide array of widgets, templates, and integrations, making it suitable for a variety of use cases ranging from enterprise-grade applications to small business solutions. Its user-friendly interface and support for a full stack development process simplify complex application architectures, improving efficiency and reducing development time. Additionally, WaveMaker offers good scalability and customization, allowing organizations to tailor their applications to specific business needs.

Recommended for

  • Businesses looking for rapid application development without extensive coding.
  • Enterprises in need of scalable, customizable solutions for web and mobile applications.
  • Development teams aiming to streamline application delivery and reduce time-to-market.
  • Organizations seeking to minimize developer workload while still producing high-quality applications.

Zeplin videos

Zeplin Basics: Design Systems

More videos:

  • Demo - Zeplin Demo: What is Zeplin? (Video)

WaveMaker videos

Novel Writing Software: Wavemaker

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Zeplin and WaveMaker)
Design Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Data Integration
0 0%
100% 100
Prototyping
100 100%
0% 0
Low Code
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Zeplin and WaveMaker

Zeplin Reviews

Top 5 Zeplin Alternative
As aforementioned, Zeplin suffers some inherent drawbacks that may dent designersโ€™ hopes for faster, easy, and reliable UI design. To avert such scenarios, you donโ€™t have to get stuck with Zeplin as there are numerous other top-notch Zeplin alternatives. The following are some of the top 5 Zeplin alternatives.
Top 6 Figma Alternatives: Prototyping and UI/UX Tools
Zeplin is super affordable. It offers 2 plans: Team, which costs $8.00 per user per month, and Establishment, which costs $16.00 monthly. Zeplin also provides a feature-limited Free Plan and Enterprise Plan.
Source: fronty.com
9 Best InVision Alternatives to Switch to in 2024
Zeplin is a workspace collaboration tool to document what to build and how designs should behave in a central collaborative place for the entire dev team.
Source: designmodo.com
10 Best Adobe XD Alternatives (Free & Paid)
Zeplin is a smart Adobe XD alternative for code lovers. It is a code-based design app where you can source all your components from Storybook, Github, Bitbucket, SourceForge, and other repositories, so they are always code-ready. The app also integrates seamlessly with team collaboration and project management tools like Trello, Proofhub, Monday, Jira, and Slack, offering...
Top 10 Free Adobe XD Alternatives in 2021
One of the top alternatives to Adobe XD is Zeplin, a code-based design tool where your components can be sourced from GitHub, Storybook, and other repositories so they're always code-ready. You can view summaries of your components within your designs and easily see code snippets for how to initialize them. There are also extensive integrations with project management and...

WaveMaker Reviews

Best Google App Maker alternatives in 2020
WaveMaker has a built in IDE for more extensive customization. This allows users to work as simple or advanced as they are comfortable with. Unlike most low-code app development platforms, if there is not a premade widget that fits your needs, youโ€™re able to write your own and seamlessly integrate it into your app. WaveMaker also includes a built in version control system...
Source: retool.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Zeplin seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 23 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Zeplin mentions (23)

View more

WaveMaker mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of WaveMaker yet. Tracking of WaveMaker recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Zeplin and WaveMaker, you can also consider the following products

Invision - Prototyping and collaboration for design teams

Neuron ESB - Neuron ESB is an enterprise service bus making application integration easy.

Axure - The most powerful way to plan, prototype and hand off to developers, all without code. Download a free trial and see why professionals choose Axure RP 9.

Scribe Online - Cloud-based Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) and On-premise Data Integration Platforms.

Balsamiq - Balsamiq. Rapid, effective and fun wireframing software.

K3 - K3 is a powerful data-integration solution for use with both clouds and on-premise applications such as CRM, general ledgers, trading systems, order management, and operating systems, etc.