Adobe XD vs Dreamweaver: Which Isn't Good for Beginners?

By Ann Young 20 days ago, Apps and Software

Dreamweaver leans heavily towards coding and building websites, which was overwhelming for me as I don’t know coding languages.

I worked on my recent website prototype and decided to try out a new tool in Dreamweaver instead of Adobe XD, which is no longer updated, and now I'm ready to share my findings in this detailed Adobe XD vs. Dreamweaver review.

I'm pretty sure Adobe XD is a great tool for a novice, like a solid base. The program is simple and user-friendly, with an intuitive interface and those tools which are tailored for interface design. Using it, I can do wireframes, mock-ups, and interactive prototypes very fast.

Dreamweaver seemed to tilt more toward coding and structuring of websites, which was all unclear to me, considering my little knowledge of coding languages.

Warning! Right now, Adobe XD is in maintenance mode that means that Adobe is not actively working on developing or adding new features to the program. On the other hand, they promise to help users in maintenance, fix the bugs, and also serve the security and privacy requirements.

Final Verdict:

Adobe XD is a more suitable option for beginners, who want to create comprehensive design. Using this software, I managed to make so many attractive website prototypes for photographers. Besides, thanks to its integration with other Adobe apps, I can design logos and banners for these projects at a reduced cost.

Head To Head Comparison

adobe xd vs dreamweaver battle
adobe xd logo
Adobe XD

dreamweaver logo
Dreamweaver

Rating

★★★★☆ 4.5/5

★★★★☆ 4/5

Best For:

Designers who prioritize collaboration and seamless workflows with developers

Web developers who have advanced coding skills

Free Trial

✔️

✔️

Price

$9.99/mo

$22.99/mo

Easy of Use

Suitable for beginners

Suitable for more experienced users

Quality of Support

Only for existing users

Full-featured support

Features

  • Repeat grid
  • Prototype and animation
  • Voice design
  • Components
  • Responsive resize
  • Plugins
  • Code hints
  • Starter templates
  • Seamless Live View editing
  • Multi-monitor support
  • Git support
  • Code and Design view modes

Main Focus

adobe xd interface

Adobe XD is my go-to tool for designing and prototyping user interfaces. Due to its visual-centric approach, it is easy to create interactive prototypes and animations even if you don’t know how to code. I frequently use such features as artboards, symbols, and responsive resizing in Adobe XD to make dynamic and interactive designs.

dreamweaver interface

Dreamweaver, in its turn, is geared towards HTML, CSS, and JavaScript coding, so it can satisfy the needs of web developers. In general, Dreamweaver works perfectly for web development, while Adobe XD comes out on top for making comprehensive design solutions.

Learning Curve

Getting the hang of Adobe XD is much easier than learning Dreamweaver. I downloaded Adobe XD for free a few years ago, and I'm still using it to create prototypes. What I love most is that I can tweak the website's appearance without knowing any programming languages.

Mastering Adobe Dreamweaver can be a bit challenging for those who aren't familiar with web development and coding. I used Adobe Dreamweaver for free to construct my website using HTML and CSS and to check them in real time. I worked on the site together with a developer who knew the basics of programming. However, I'm not sure that I could build the site from scratch in this program all by myself without taking any courses.

Collaboration

adobe xd collaboration

I've discovered that both programs offer great collaboration capabilities. Adobe XD brags about live editing, document tracking, and smooth integration with other web design software simplifying joint work with my colleagues and clients on design tasks. Sharing prototypes and getting instant feedback had a positive effect on my workflow, as I was able to complete tasks faster.

dreamweaver collaboration

Dreamweaver offers some collaboration options, but it doesn't match the extensive functionality and integration with design workflows available in Adobe XD.

Price

adobe xd logo
Adobe XD

dreamweaver logo
Dreamweaver

Free Trial

✔️

✔️

Paid Plan

$9.99/mo

$22.99/mo

Best Offer 

Creative Cloud All Apps

Over 20 applications included

$59.99/month

Creative Cloud All Apps

Over 20 applications included

$59.99/month

Integration

adobe xd logo
Adobe XD

dreamweaver logo
Dreamweaver

Photoshop

✔️

✔️

Illustrator

✔️

✔️

Adobe Stock

✔️

✔️

Premiere Pro

✔️

✔️

Compatibility

adobe xd logo
Adobe XD

dreamweaver logo
Dreamweaver

Windows

✔️

✔️

Mac

✔️

✔️

Linux

Web

Alternatives

  • figma logo
    Figma
    Free
  • wix logo
    Wix
    Free
  • invision logo
    InVision
    Free
  • webflow logo
    Webflow
    Free
  • mockplus logo
    Mockplus
    Free

Final Thoughts: Overall Winner

It was very interesting to compare Adobe Dreamweaver vs XD. After evaluating various characteristics, I'd recommend going for Adobe XD instead of Dreamweaver, especially, for rookie users.

Adobe XD is specifically built for making layouts. With this prototyping tool, I could easily make a prototype without getting into the programming basics. Plus, it offers more visual design tools compared to Dreamweaver. XD has a user-friendly interface, strong collaboration features, and smooth integration with other Adobe products.

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