Finding a new design tool that can handle prototyping for web, mobile, and TV is becoming increasingly easy. The result is that that marketplace is becoming saturated with tools that do largely the same thing, with many of the same features. Old hands are competing with newer examples, and there is little difference between them.

One example is MarvelApp (sometimes referred to as just "Marvel", but that would be too confusing to use here), a tool that provides a simplistic system for easy prototyping and design. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that with this tool, you can create a single mobile phone prototype screen within 30 seconds.

MarvelApp offers a browser and mobile app interface to its design environment. This tool has been around for a few years now, and is developed by a team with its HQ in London. 

Marvel: Plans and pricing

MarvelApp offers a collection of plans suited for all UX development teams. A Free version is available for single users working on one project, along with Pro, Team, and Enterprise options.

The Pro option is $12 a month when billed annually ($16 with monthly billing) and gives a single user unlimited projects. It also includes three active user tests, prototype downloads, and removes MarvelApp branding.

Teams supports multiple users, and is $42 a month with annual billing ($48 billed monthly). This “small team” option gives you everything in Pro, plus three users, 10 active user tests, and premium support.

If your project demands more users and testing, the Enterprise option offers unlimited everything. You also get invite-only projects, advanced security settings and SSO, and custom billing and invoicing. Prices for this are available on demand.

MarvelApp is a browser-based tool, although apps for iPhone and iPad are available. A link to the Play store is on the MarvelApp website, but it seems the Android version has been discontinued.

MarvelApp: Features

Desktop and web-based design apps like MarvelApp all come with a standard set of tools. These typically include a design space, a collection of assets, and configurable settings for each asset. Some tools offer more than this (e.g. a ruler, larger design space, exporting, etc.) and a handful are even more basic.

MarvelApp features everything you need for wireframing and more developed design. The prototyping feature is conceived to aid you in creating interactive prototypes in just a few minutes, without using code. It also supports designs made in Sketch (a plugin can be downloaded for macOS to enable this).

Transitions, gestures (thumb swipes, and touchscreen motions) can be incorporated into designs, and these can be made suitable for any screen type. 

The handoff feature generates CSS, Swift, and Android XML for designs made in MarvelApp or Sketch. Handoff is a streamlined experience, with a single URL provided for developers to find everything they need. 

For collaboration, users can be assigned, teams specified, comments and annotations made, and feedback centralized.

As a nice bonus, MarvelApp projects remain in your browser if you lose your network connection.

Marvel: Ease of use

Once you have specified the dimensions of your design area (along with a title and background color), you’re ready to use Marvel.

Along with basic shape drawing tools, you can call upon a collection of pre-selected assets for the web and various mobile platforms. MarvelApp includes drag and drop design assets for iPhone, iPad, AppleTV, Apple Watch, and Android devices. You just click the purple Assets button, select the right type of display, then find the asset you need. A search tool is provided to ease this process. 

In addition, icons can be uploaded to Marvel, for reuse across projects.

Assets, icons, and shapes can be effortlessly dragged into place, resized, and arranged as necessary. Grouping and alignment tools are provided to ensure the design appears as intended. 

MarvelApp: Customer support

Various support resources are available to MarvelApp users. A collection of eBooks are available, along with some case studies, that discuss design. Some downloadable templates and CSS files are also available. These can be found, along with information on updates and the MarvelApp blog, in the Resources Hub.

When you run into trouble with MarvelApp , a Help page is provided. This is centered around a searchable knowledge base, with articles covering everything from prototyping and design to testing, handoff, and billing and invoicing.

You can contact support via a dedicated form, and you should get a quick initial response. In-depth issues may take a while to resolve, however. 

Superior, on-demand support is available in the Team and Enterprise versions of Marvel.

MarvelApp: The competition

As a browser-based web and app design tool, it makes sense to compare MarvelApp with other browser-only applications.

Penpot and Balsamiq in particular seem smart alternatives for comparison. Balsamiq is a straightforward wireframing tool with a simple drag-and-drop interface. Meanwhile, Penpot runs from the cloud (or you can self host) and again offers a drag-and-drop design environment. Penpot is more advanced and offers superior collaboration options than Balsamiq.

We think MarvelApp is roughly on par with these tools, offering a more complete design experience than Balsamiq. However, the collaboration options aren’t as advanced as Penpot’s.

On a modern PC, there is virtually no difference between a design app running in the browser or natively. Whether you choose Marvel, or its immediate competitors, or opt for software that needs to be installed, in most cases there will be negligible difference in performance.

MarvelApp: Final verdict

The learning curve for MarvelApp is almost non-existent. It is child’s play to configure a new design window, drag assets into place, and share the prototype. Collaboration is good, although not as developed as some competitors, and MarvelApp is affordable for single users and teams. There is even a free version, which makes it very easy to spend some time learning how to use the tool without spending a dime.

Although this is a browser app for desktop and laptop users, mobile versions of MarvelApp are also available. Sadly, however, this doesn’t currently extend to Android.

With good support options and a collection of helpful design resources, MarvelApp really is a marvel.

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Expressing ideas can be difficult, especially in group situations. This is where mind maps come in particularly useful, but the days of whiteboards and dry wipe markers are behind us thanks to mind mapping software like MindNode.

Published by IdeasOnCanvas GmbH, MindNode is award-winning brainstorming software first released on Mac OS X in 2008. Over the years, the software has been enhanced, remaining Mac-only, although it has spread to iOS and latterly, visionOS. 

Mind map software is widely used, not only in design environments, but also education, training, and troubleshooting teams. We’ve taken a look at MindNode, assessing it based on pricing, features, ease of use, customer support, and how it stacks up against competing mind mapping tools.

MindNode: Plans and pricing

For many users, the free version of MindNode should suffice. This gives you the tools to create and edit mind map nodes, restructure the map, and easily import and export projects.

Advanced features are available with MindNode, however. For $2.99 a month or $24.99 a year, you can subscribe to MindNode Plus, which adds outlining, visual tags, focus mode, quick entry, and a range of further features not available in the free version. Notable among these are the outline view and Apple Watch support.

MindNode can be downloaded for macOS via the Mac App Store, for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch on the App Store, and in the visionOS App Store for augmented reality use with MindNode Next, launching later in 2024.

Payment for MindNode’s premium version is via the App Store. 

MindNode: Features

As with other mind mapping tools, MindNode wants to make brainstorming easy. It does this with a combination of speed, color, and a focus on ease of use (see below). You can create a mind map using an outline tool, tag thoughts for context and categorization, and prioritize new ideas and relationships. Mind maps can be enhanced – or styled – with stickers, and themes applied. The app also has a dark mode, for night-time work.

Specific groups can be zoomed-in on, in MindNode’s Focus Mode, useful for when things get a bit busy. Meanwhile, nodes can be converted into task lists – a shopping list, research work, deadlines, holiday plans, whatever, can be checked off when completed. You can send tasks to Apple Reminders, Things 3, or Omnifocus.

MindNode can be summoned at any time in macOS, thanks to a Quick Entry form in the menu bar. The Today view on iOS offers a similar experience, ensuring you can create a new mind map with minimal effort. iOS devices as external displays are also supported, for all-important extra workspace.

Each node on a MindNode mind map can have notes added, panels can be customized to make favorite commands easy to find, and your mind map is synced to iCloud when you’re done. You can start a project on your iPhone, and finish it on your Mac. 

MindNode projects can be exported in plain text, RTF, DOCX, CSV, OPML, and PDF formats. Image export, markdown, and TaskPaper are also supported.

MindNode: Ease of use

Various styles of mind map can be created with minimum effort in MindNode, which also features a text outline option. This is a common feature of mind maps, but MindNode’s presentation of the outline – with the mind map completely out of sight – recalls older practices, and came as a surprise.

While initial creation of mind maps with this software is pretty effortless, formatting is another matter. There seems to be no obvious way to assign preset formatting to subtopics, or create templates. Instead, you must apply styles manually. 

For example, I expect subtopics to have a display a style subordinate to the main topic. Following subtopics should also be subordinate. This might be by utilizing a smaller font size, or emphasizing text with bold or italic. The branches to subtopics might also be easily formatted with dash or dotted lines. All of these things are possible within MindNode’s formatting and style tools, but none can be preset. There is no option to create and establish a visual style for your mind maps.

MindNode: Customer support

Various support resources are available for MindNode’s Mac and iOS versions.

Support articles have been helpfully collected in a dedicated support section of the MindNode website, with a searchable interface. User guides, release notes, and troubleshooting guides are available, with explanations for specific versions (paid, legacy, free) and problems. Solutions for issues with the software and payment/account matters are covered here.

Should your problem be something that isn’t dealt with in this part of the website, you can send an email. Unfortunately, this is a somewhat basic process, with the “Send an email” link simply launching your default mail client. Without the usual guidance (platform, version, outline of problem, screenshot upload) that tends to accompany support forms, this can slow down finding the right solution.

No chat support is available for MindNode.

MindNode: The competition

MindNode is up against an army of alternative mind mapping tools. Some are available on macOS, others as browser tools. ConceptDraw MINDMAP, Wondershare EdrawMax, and the web-only Ayoa are each strong alternatives to MindNode. 

Of these, Ayoa is perhaps the superior option. While more expensive than MindNode, it offers a free version and an AI quick start tool. 

MindNode nevertheless produces desirable mind maps, but isn’t as all-encompassing as EdrawMax. This is in its favor, however, as it provides a focused mind mapping environment with the tools you need. You won’t see menus for art and icons that you don’t need, and you won’t be lead down a rabbit hole of irrelevance with MindNode.

MindNode: Final verdict

MindNode produces attractive mind maps, but while it gives you the tools you need within a focused environment, its options are somewhat limited.

You’ll find a useful collection of styling and formatting options, but custom styles cannot be applied. On the other hand, the sharing and customization options are strong, and MindNode has strengths that competing apps do not. The price tag is encouraging, but the support tools less so.

If you want a mind mapping tool for macOS with good export options, and good integration with iOS, MindNode could be just what you’re looking for.

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DreamHost is another email provider that is really marketed as a web hosting service but also functions as a cloud hosting provider, website builder, marketing services, and more.    

This review will focus primarily on how DreamHost functions as an email provider, however, and we’re happy to confirm that DreamHost’s email hosting services work really well. The main downside is that the cheapest shared hosting plan doesn’t come with an email account included. You can purchase one as an add-on, but that still compares poorly against most other hosting providers.

If you do sign up for DreamHost email though, you’ll find a service that functions incredibly well. The platform is intuitive and offers good support, available through multiple channels. You can set up a professional account for your business, sync your messages between your mobile and desktop devices, and protect yourself against malware, spam, and phishing.

The fact that DreamHost also lets you use its email hosting even if your domain is with another web hosting provider is another nice touch. It means users can access DreamHost’s email features without the need to change their current hosting plan.  

DreamHost: Plans and pricing

DreamHost offers a single plan purely for email hosting on either monthly or annual contract terms. The monthly plan will set subscribers back $1.99 per mailbox per month and comes with 25GB of cloud storage per mailbox, ad-free webmail, and mobile and desktop syncing. The annual plan saves customers 16%, coming out at $1.67 per mailbox per month. It also comes with the same features provided by the monthly plan. 

Of course, you might only be looking for email hosting as part of a broader web hosting offering If that’s the case, you may be disappointed to discover that DreamHost’s cheapest offering, its Shared Starter plan, doesn't come with email hosting as standard. This plan costs $2.95 per month for a single website, but to add an email account, you’ll need to pay an extra $1.67 per month for an add-on. 

Email is included with DreamHost’s two other more expensive hosting plans, however, DreamPress and VPS. These plans cost $16.95 and $13.75 respectively and come with several other features, including functionality that may boost your employees’ productivity, like an AI business advisor. 

Features

The features that come with DreamHost’s email hosting are impressive and should do more than simply let you give your business a more professional-sounding email address that would be available through a personal Gmail account. 

For example, customers are able to drag and drop messages between folders in webmail and set up automatic delivery filters to make the process of organizing messages much quicker. They can also route messages using custom aliases to further streamline the management of your messages. 

DreamHost’s email interface is also worth mentioning. This is highly intuitive, so accessing all the common features that you’d expect from an email platform, including marking messages as read, spam, or simply deleting them is straightforward. 

And with the ubiquity of hybrid work meaning that employees are just as likely to respond to messages via their smartphone as their desk, DreamHost’s promise to sync emails between devices is hugely important. You can also manage your storage via any device you choose as well. 

Support

Although DreamHost may not offer telephone support, the assistance it provides via email and live chat are both reliable and effective, in our experience. The chat support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, so you should always be able to get in contact with someone to assist you.

DreamHost also has an extensive knowledge base if you’d rather take a stab at resolving your issue yourself. This is broken down by product so you’ll find resources for shared hosting, WordPress, SQL databases, and the various other tools that DreamHost offers. 

Regarding its email hosting, specifically, the DreamHost knowledge base has guides on setting up your email account, configuration, backing up messages, troubleshooting, and more. There’s also an email FAQ webpage for additional information.

Security

DreamHost boasts some strong security credentials, with all the company’s pricing tiers coming with SSL certificates, firewalls, daily cloud backups, and domain privacy. The SSL certificates provide encryption for your web traffic and DreamHost’s servers are monitored at all times to guard against cyberattacks.The antispam feature included for all email accounts is another welcome safeguard. 

It’s something of a shame, however, that if customers want the most robust security from DreamHost, they’ll have to pay for the privilege. This is because its malware removal tool, DreamShield Malware Remover, has to be purchased as an add-on for $29.99 per year or $3 a month. It would have been a bonus if DreamShield had been included with some of DreamHost’s premium pricing tiers, but that doesn't take away from this platform’s robust security posture.

The competition

DreamHost is going up against some impressive names in the world of email hosting but holds its own. Although some, like IONOS, might represent a better choice for larger corporates  that are more focused on web hosting than email, DreamHost delivers a reliable email service. It’s also appreciated that DreamHost users can sign up for its email hosting even if their web domain is with a different platform. 

Interesting, when it comes to Google Workspace, it seems like DreamHost has decided that if you can’t beat them, it’s better to join them. This is because DreamHost offers a service where Google Workspace is provided in parallel. This option gives customer a stress-free way of connecting their domain with Google Workspace, with DreamHost taking care of the set-up. Customers will be put on a single payment plan for DreamHost hosting plans, domains, and Google Workspace so they have streamline billing for receiving all these services.

DreamHost: Final verdict

Purely as an email provider, DreamHost is a decent option for businesses. It boasts good security and support and all the core features you’d expect are included. It’s disappointing that there’s no email with its cheapest hosting plan and malware removal costs extra, but the close Google Workspace integration is an interesting addition. There’s plenty to praise here. 

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