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Principle
What it is
Principle is a tool for designing animated, interactive interfaces for web, mobile, and desktop. Its timeline lets designers adjust animation timing and easing, including spring animations, while prototypes can respond to dragging, scrolling, paging, taps, and hover. It also supports multi-screen app flows, with an overview of screens. Designs can be imported from Figma or Sketch, and Principle can merge work when updated designs are imported again. To share a prototype, users can create a private browser link that opens on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Exports include a self-hostable HTML file, video, and animated GIF. Principle is a native macOS app for Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. The maker presents it as a way to review interface ideas before engineering and communicate prototypes to engineering teams. It is paid, with no free plan; the full version can be tried for 14 days of actual use. Pricing is listed from $129. A license covers one computer, and using features released after the first year requires renewal.
For and against
For
- Timeline controls timing, easing, and spring animations
- Prototypes support taps, scrolling, dragging, and hover
- Imports designs from Figma and Sketch
- Exports HTML, video, and animated GIF
Against
- No free plan
- License applies to one computer
- Renewal required for new features after the first year
- Support replies may take at least a week
The verdict
Principle brings animation, interaction, multi-screen flow design, and sharing into one prototyping tool. Check the one-computer license and renewal terms against your workflow before choosing it.
Who it suits
Principle suits designers who want to prototype animated interfaces, map multi-screen flows, and share concepts with engineering teams. It is available as a native macOS app and supports browser-based sharing across several platforms.
Plans and prices
License renewal
Renews an existing license
Read 8 Oct 2026 · principle.app
Principle license
Continued use after one year; renewal required for new features
Read 8 Oct 2026 · principle.app
On the record
- Animation
- Its timeline lets users customize animation timing and easing, including spring animations.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
- Desktop platform
- Principle is a native macOS app that runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
- Export
- Principle can export a design as a single self-hostable HTML file, a video, or an animated GIF.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
- Imports
- Principle can import designs from Figma or Sketch and intelligently merge work when designs are imported again.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The maker describes Principle as a way to evaluate interface ideas before engineering work and communicate prototypes to engineering teams.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
- Interactions
- Prototypes can use interactions such as dragging, scrolling, paging, taps, and hover events.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
- License limit
- A license applies to one computer, and new features released after the first year require renewal to use.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
- Multi-screen flows
- Users can design multi-screen app flows and see an overview of their screens.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Principle is a tool for designing animated and interactive user interfaces for web, mobile, and desktop.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
- Sharing
- Share to Web creates a private shareable link that opens in a browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- The maker says Principle is a one-person company and that replies to messages may take at least a week; help is also available through its community forum and documentation.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
- Trial
- The full version is free to try for 14 days, counting only days the user actually uses it.principle.app · read 8 Oct 2026
