# Balsamiq — Design

Balsamiq by Balsamiq Studios, LLC holds a panel rating of 2.5/5 from 6 AI judges (category median 2.5/5), as of 2026-11-04. Provenance: provenance unknown; sovereignty: not determined.

- Vendor: Balsamiq Studios, LLC (https://balsamiq.com)
- Category: [Design](https://whats-best.ai/software/design.md)
- Provenance (editorial classification): provenance unknown
- Canonical page: https://whats-best.ai/software/design/balsamiq
- Alternatives: https://whats-best.ai/software/design/balsamiq/alternatives ([markdown](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/balsamiq/alternatives.md))
- Data as of: 2026-11-04 · evaluated 2026-11-04 · oldest source captured 2026-11-03

**AI-generated.** Every score, rationale and verdict here is written by a panel of AI judges from public evidence — an analysis, not a hands-on test. Every fact quotes the vendor page it was read from. No score can be bought. How scores are made: https://whats-best.ai/methodology

## At a glance

- Vendor: Balsamiq Studios, LLC
- Headquarters: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 3 Nov 2026
- Data hosting: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 3 Nov 2026
- Free plan: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 3 Nov 2026

## The panel's verdict

Balsamiq is an AI-powered wireframing and prototyping tool for product and IT teams, and the scoring follows that shape. Collaboration and handoff, scored 6-7, and file ownership and portability, also 6-7, are its strongest areas: real-time co-editing, a six-role permission model with free staff reviewers, guest reviewers and billing admins, exports to PDF, PNG, raw HTML and a BMPR project file, a desktop edition storing files locally under a perpetual licence, and stated post-cancellation terms — export for 30 days after a Space closes, deletion within 60 days, backups persisting up to 90. Brand asset governance is the floor at 0-1: the only brand assets documented are Balsamiq's own. Design and prototyping sits at 4-5: wireframing and clickable prototypes are documented; shared components and tokens are not. Judges split on sovereignty and AI and content rights, both 4-6, weighing a stated no-training commitment and a named Google Gemini provider against a US sales entity, processing that may run in the US, EU or other locations, and no documented admin-wide switch for AI. No plan prices are published.

**Speaks for it:**
- Real-time co-editing and commenting are documented, in a six-role permission model where staff reviewers, guest reviewers and billing admins are free
- Projects export to PDF, PNG, raw HTML and a BMPR project file, and the desktop edition stores files locally under a perpetual licence
- Post-cancellation terms are written down: export for 30 days after a Space closes, deletion within 60 days, backups persisting up to 90 days
- The privacy policy states that Customer Data is not used to train AI models, with Google Gemini named as the provider on a published subprocessor list
- An MCP server works with Claude and Cursor to generate user stories, QA plans and production code, and prototypes embed in Notion, Jira and Linear

**Held against it:**
- Brand asset governance scores 0-1: the only brand assets documented are Balsamiq's own wordmarks, colours and icons
- Design and prototyping scores 4-5, with no shared component libraries, design tokens or component variants documented on the pages read
- Handoff rides on prototype links, embeds and an MCP server, with no inspect view with measurements, version history with restore or documented API found
- AI features are opt-in per interaction and the stated opt-out is not to use them, with no admin-level organisation-wide switch described
- No commercial-use rights, IP indemnity or content-labelling terms for AI-generated output appear on the pages read

**Best for:**
- You need fast, low-fidelity wireframes and clickable prototypes — AI turns prompts or screenshots into editable wireframes and generates a prototype in about a minute
- Your stakeholders mostly view and comment rather than edit — staff reviewers, guest reviewers and billing admins are free roles that do not consume a paid seat
- You need work you can keep and move — a desktop edition with local storage under a perpetual licence, plus PDF, PNG, raw HTML and BMPR exports
- You work in Notion, Jira or Linear and want tools like Claude or Cursor to read and edit your projects through the MCP server

**Avoid if:**
- You need to govern your own brand assets — a customer brand library, locked templates, rights and expiry metadata — an area the bench scores 0-1
- You need a managed design system rather than a wireframing canvas — judges describe it as a wireframing tool through and through and score design and prototyping 4-5
- Your developers need an inspect view with measurements, version history with restore, branching or a documented API — handoff here runs on prototype links and AI-generated artifacts
- You need EU processing by default — EU data residency is a choice on the Enterprise plan, while the pages say data may be processed in the US, EU, or other locations

## Scores by judge and criterion

Scores out of 5, each judge scoring independently against the published rubric (v2). "n/r" = not rated: the vendor publishes no price, or the judge found no public information on that criterion.

| Criterion | The Product Designer | The Frontend Engineer | The Brand Marketer | The Agency Owner | The Data Protection Officer | The Skeptic |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Design, prototyping & design systems | 2.5/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Collaboration, review & developer handoff | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 |
| Brand assets & governance | 0/5 | 0.5/5 | n/r | n/r | n/r | 0.5/5 |
| Files, formats & portability | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 |
| AI features & rights to the work | 3/5 | 3/5 | 2.5/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| European sovereignty | 2.5/5 | 2.5/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Pricing transparency | n/r | n/r | n/r | n/r | n/r | n/r |
| **Weighted verdict** | **2.5/5** | **2.5/5** | **2.5/5** | **3/5** | **3/5** | **2.5/5** |

### The judges

- **The Product Designer** (v1.0): Owns the design system of a B2B software product. Wants components with variants, tokens with modes, prototypes that test a real flow, and library releases that are versioned and reviewable — a design system is a product, not a page of nicely arranged buttons.
- **The Frontend Engineer** (v1.0): Turns the designs into code and gets the ticket when they disagree. Wants an inspect mode without a paid seat, tokens exported in a documented format, components mapped to the code ones, and an API that reads the whole file rather than a screenshot of it.
- **The Brand Marketer** (v1.0): Keeps the brand consistent across twelve sales offices that make their own flyers. Wants locked templates non-designers can use, guidelines inside the tool, licence and expiry dates on every stock image, and a clear answer on whether a generated image may go on a trade-fair stand.
- **The Agency Owner** (v1.0): Runs a design agency of fifteen and hands every project over to the client at the end. Wants files that export with layers and components intact, guests who are not billed as editors, and terms that say the client owns the work — and what happens to it after a cancellation.
- **The Data Protection Officer** (v1.0): Reviews every tool where unreleased products, customer screenshots and employee photos end up. Wants the contracting entity and hosting region named, the AI providers on the subprocessor list, and training on customer files excluded for the whole organisation in the terms — not behind a toggle each user has to find.
- **The Skeptic** (v1.0): Has read "free for viewers", "commercially safe AI" and "export anytime" on every page in this category. Reads instead for the click that turns a reviewer into a billed editor, the plan the IP indemnity actually covers, and whether the export keeps a single component.

## European sovereignty — proven facts

Built only from facts on the vendor's own pages; a dimension we could not prove is left open, never scored as zero. Headline: not determined.

| Dimension | Finding | Points | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Not determined | — | — |
| Hosting location | Not determined | — | — |
| Hosting options | Not determined | — | — |
| Open source | Not determined | — | — |
| Data processing agreement | Not determined | — | — |
| Transfer impact assessment | Not determined | — | — |

## Key facts

Each fact is the vendor's own statement, cited to the source page it was read from ([S*n*] → Sources).

**Compliance**
- Analytics providers: PostHog · Google Analytics [S2]
- CCPA: no [S2]
- Customer data role: Customer Data · processor [S2]
- Data portability export: product interface · yes [S2]
- Data rights response time: support@balsamiq.com · 30 [S2]
- Dpf certified: Balsamiq Studios, LLC · yes · yes · yes [S2]
- Encryption: yes [S10]
- GDPR: yes [S5]
- GDPR: yes [S6]
- GDPR: yes [S7]
- GDPR CCPA: yes · yes [S10]
- GDPR claim: yes [S8]
- GDPR SOC 2: yes · yes [S3]
- GDPR SOC 2: yes · yes [S9]
- Joint controller: joint controller between Balsamiq Studios, LLC and Balsamiq S.r.l. · 26 [S2]
- No training on data: no [S10]
- Pci dss: yes [S2]
- Security measures: yes · yes · yes · yes · yes [S2]
- SOC 2: yes [S5]
- SOC 2: yes [S6]
- SOC 2: yes [S7]
- SOC 2: SOC 2 Type II [S10]
- SOC 2 claim: yes [S8]
- Transfer mechanisms: yes · https://balsamiq.com/legal/dpa/ · yes [S2]

**Data**
- Account data retention: 60 [S2]
- Backup retention: 7 · yes [S9]
- Customer data retention: 30 · 90 · yes · 60 [S2]
- Usage data retention: 90 [S2]

**Hosting**
- Data residency option: Enterprise · US · EU · yes [S2]
- Server status page: Public server status page listed in footer [S10]
- Storage provider: US · EU · other · AWS [S2]

**Integrations**
- Atlassian temporary copy: 30 [S2]
- Available integrations: Balsamiq Trello Power-Up · Balsamiq Slack integration · Balsamiq MCP server [S2]
- Handoff tools: Notion · Jira · Linear [S3]
- Mcp capabilities: improve wireframes · generate user stories · write a QA plan · surface missing edge cases · generate production code [S3]
- Mcp server: yes · Claude · ChatGPT · Cursor [S3]
- Mcp server: yes · Claude · Cursor · other MCP-compatible tools [S10]
- Platforms: Confluence · Jira · Desktop [S8]

**Legal**
- Brand usage license requirement: yes [S7]
- Copyright years: © 2008-2026 Balsamiq [S7]
- Corporate structure: GJMG Holdings S.r.l. (Italy) · Balsamiq S.r.l. (Italy) · Balsamiq Studios, LLC (USA) [S2]
- Data sale: no [S2]
- Entity name: Balsamiq Studios, LLC [S2]
- Payment stored card: Stripe · no · Atlassian Marketplace [S2]
- Policy last updated: 2026-10-24 [S2]
- Trademark registration: yes · yes [S7]

**Pricing**
- Trial no card: 14 · no [S10]

**Product**
- Admin tools: yes [S10]
- AI: yes [S5]
- AI availability: AI credits included on every plan · all Cloud-based plans [S10]
- AI editing: yes [S10]
- AI feature: yes [S8]
- AI jira confluence: Balsamiq for Jira Cloud · Balsamiq for Confluence Cloud [S10]
- AI location: AI in left panel of any Balsamiq Cloud project [S10]
- AI no automated decisions: no [S2]
- AI opt in: yes [S2]
- AI prototype generation: AI generates clickable prototype from selected wireframe screens [S3]
- AI provider: Google Gemini [S2]
- AI trial: 14 [S10]
- AI wireframe generation: yes [S3]
- Automatic backup: Desktop app automatically backs up every local file opened and saves every change to those files [S9]
- Backup filenames: Backup project files use long randomized internal names [S9]
- Billing admin capabilities: Billing Settings only · Subscribe to a plan · Change plans and billing info · Purchase AI Credit top-ups · Cancel a subscription [S6]
- Billing admin external: myself · member of this Space · external email address [S6]
- Billing admin role plans: Teams · Enterprise · legacy per-project [S6]
- Brand assets available: yes [S7]
- Brand colors: #F7F2EA · #FFD19D · #AE1C59 · #311C3B · #D1C0FF [S7]
- Cloud edit permissions required: yes · no · yes [S5]
- Collaborative editing: Balsamiq supports collaborative editing with a team [S5]
- Commenting: yes [S5]
- Credit optimization: Prompts optimized in background to maximize AI credit usage [S10]
- Customer data AI training: no [S2]
- Description: AI-powered wireframing and prototyping tool for product and IT teams [S7]
- Desktop data local: local_on_device [S2]
- Desktop end of sale: 2026-12-31 · 2027-12-31 · yes [S2]
- Do not move files: Do not move files out of Support Folder; copy and paste instead [S9]
- Export access: Project > Share/Export or File menu in Desktop, or sharing settings [S8]
- Export formats: PDF · PNG · BMPR · CTRL/⌘+E [S8]
- Export html: yes · yes · mobile · tablet · desktop · yes [S3]
- Export pdf: yes [S8]
- Export png: yes [S8]
- Export project file: yes [S8]
- Export to project: yes [S8]
- File format: .BMPR [S9]
- Generation time: about a minute [S3]
- Guest editor seat: yes · yes [S6]
- Guest reviewer free: yes · view and comment on invited projects [S6]
- Icon assets: yes [S7]
- Import feature: yes [S8]
- Interactive prototypes: yes [S10]
- Interactivity: yes [S3]
- Invitation link expiry: 7 [S6]
- Iteration workflow: yes · yes [S3]
- Licensed products: Balsamiq for Desktop · Balsamiq for Confluence Data Center · Balsamiq for Jira Data Center · yes [S2]
- Localfiles folder: projects saved at least once · 7 [S9]
- Logomark assets: yes [S7]
- Mcp server: yes [S5]
- Mcp server: yes [S8]
- Minimum age: 16 [S2]
- Naming: Balsamiq Cloud · Balsamiq for Jira · Balsamiq for Confluence · Balsamiq for Desktop [S7]
- No design skills required: no [S3]
- No sensitive data: no · yes [S2]
- Permission roles: 6 · Space owners · Staff editors · Staff reviewers (free) · Guest editors · Guest reviewers (free) · Billing Admins (free) [S6]
- Platforms: Desktop · Confluence · Jira [S3]
- Product screen assets: yes [S7]
- Prompt to wireframe: yes [S10]
- Public reviews: yes · no · Project Owner · Space Owner [S6]
- Realtime collaboration: yes [S5]
- Restore procedure: Restore by copying .BMPR files from LocalFiles and UnsavedFiles to a temporary folder, opening to identify the right one, then File > Save As... [S9]
- Reviewer no seat: no [S6]
- SAML enterprise: Enterprise [S6]
- Screenshot conversion: Convert screenshots/images and hand-drawn UIs into editable wireframes [S10]
- Second space owner: yes [S6]
- Sharing: yes [S3]
- Sketch image generation: yes [S10]
- Space owner capabilities: Space Owners can access any project, create new projects, add/remove editor seats, add Staff and Guest Members, and manage all Space Settings [S6]
- Staff editor seat: yes [S6]
- Staff reviewer free: yes · view and comment on Staff projects [S6]
- Support folder locations: <your user>/Library/Application Support/Balsamiq · <user folder>\AppData\Roaming\Balsamiq\Balsamiq Wireframes\ [S9]
- Trial: 14 [S3]
- Unsavedfiles folder: projects not yet saved by the user [S9]

**Subprocessors**
- List URL: https://balsamiq.com/legal/subprocessors/ [S2]

**Support**
- AI docs: yes [S10]
- Help center: Help Center available [S3]
- Privacy contacts: privacy@balsamiq.com · support@balsamiq.com [S2]

## Questions

### Is Balsamiq European?

Not determined: the vendor’s pages as captured do not say where Balsamiq is based.

### Where does Balsamiq store data?

Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 3 Nov 2026.

### Does Balsamiq have a free plan?

Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 3 Nov 2026.

### What are the best alternatives to Balsamiq?

As of 4 Nov 2026, the panel rates [Penpot (3.5/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/penpot), [Sketch (3/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/sketch) and [Collaboard (3/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/collaboard) highest among the other 21 Design products evaluated. Ratings that look equal are rounded to half stars; the order uses the unrounded rating, then the name. The highest-rated European alternative is [Penpot](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/penpot) (EU-Made). Ratings are the AI panel’s opinion, formed from public evidence: [how scores are made](https://whats-best.ai/methodology#ordering). The full list, with European products first: [Balsamiq alternatives](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/balsamiq/alternatives).

## What this page leaves out

- 17 product facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 5 compliance facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 1 integrations fact could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and was left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 1 pricing fact could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and was left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 1 support fact could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and was left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 3 sovereignty dimensions could not be confirmed on the vendor’s own pages and are shown as unknown.

## Sources

- [S1] Vendor page: https://balsamiq.com (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S2] Legal notice — found from the homepage: https://balsamiq.com/legal/privacy/ (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S3] Design, prototyping & design systems — found from sitemap: https://balsamiq.com/product/prototypes/ (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S4] Design, prototyping & design systems — found from sitemap: https://balsamiq.com/support/creating-and-editing/prototyping/ (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S5] Collaboration, review & developer handoff — found from sitemap: https://balsamiq.com/support/sharing/collaborating/ (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S6] Collaboration, review & developer handoff — found from sitemap: https://balsamiq.com/support/account-management/cloud/people-and-permissions/ (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S7] Brand assets & governance — found from sitemap: https://balsamiq.com/brand/ (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S8] Files, formats & portability — found from sitemap: https://balsamiq.com/support/sharing/exporting/ (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S9] Files, formats & portability — found from sitemap: https://balsamiq.com/support/account-management/desktop/backups/ (checked 2026-11-03)
- [S10] AI features & rights to the work — found from sitemap: https://balsamiq.com/product/ai/ (checked 2026-11-03)

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Cite as: whats-best.ai, "Balsamiq — Design", AI panel analysis, as of 2026-11-04. https://whats-best.ai/software/design/balsamiq

Corrections: https://whats-best.ai/correct/1401?target=page