9 Best Web Design Resources in 2026: Free and Paid

Becoming a web designer is one of the most sought-after careers in today’s digital age. Especially with the growing trend of career transitions into tech, the web designer profession is gaining significant attention. However, many aspiring designers find themselves wondering where to even begin.

In this article, Tonjoo is here to share the best website design resources for 2025. If you’re looking for web design inspiration, read on!

Recommendations for the Best Web Design Resources

a. Where to Find Inspiration

Before you start designing, finding inspiration is a crucial first step. Take some time to browse and see what makes a good web design, and get up to speed with current trends. In addition to sparking ideas, studying the work of other web designers will help sharpen your visual sensibilities. You can also check out our article on the best website design examples in Indonesia to fuel your creativity.

1. Behance and Dribble

These two websites can be described as the “Instagram for designers.” Behance is where designers showcase detailed case studies of their work, while Dribble focuses more on quick, eye-catching visual highlights. From both platforms, you’ll gain a wealth of inspiration for layouts, color palettes, and the latest UI/UX trends.

2. Awwwards

If you want to see designs in their final, live form, Awwwards is the place to go. Awwwards functions much like a gallery, showcasing and rating the best websites from around the globe.

b. Design & Prototyping Software

To turn your ideas into tangible designs, you’ll need capable design software. These tools allow you to present your designs to developers or potential clients.

1. Figma

Figma has arguably become the industry standard for web design. This web-based tool is lightweight and allows you to design and collaborate with your team seamlessly. Its free plan is more than sufficient for learning, building a portfolio, and even tackling your first professional projects.

2. Figma Alternatives

Besides Figma, several other prototyping tools have been widely used over the years. Mac users will be familiar with Sketch, while those in the Adobe ecosystem have long relied on Adobe XD for web design and prototyping. Both are excellent alternatives to Figma.

c. Learning Platforms for Designers

To enhance your web design skills, continuous learning is key. Here are some great places to learn web design:

1. YouTube

YouTube is an incredibly comprehensive and free resource for learning web design. You can find almost anything here. Look for channels that cover:

• Figma tutorials for beginners.
• Videos on design principles (hierarchy, contrast, balance, etc.).
• Redesign case studies from professional designers. Channels like The Futur and Flux Academy are excellent starting points for free design education.

2. Coursera

For those who want to take their web design education a step further, paid platforms like Coursera offer a wide range of in-depth online web design courses.

3. Design Blog: Smashing Magazine

If you prefer reading over watching videos, the Smashing Magazine blog is a fantastic place to learn. It features well-curated, in-depth articles and case studies that will significantly broaden your understanding of web design.

Free and Paid Design Asset Collections for Designers

A website design requires assets like fonts, icons, and images. The internet is filled with providers offering high-quality design assets, many of which are free. Here is a curated list of design assets to consider:

a. Free Fonts

Fonts are a critical element of any website. Here are some font resources to help you find the perfect typeface:

1. Google Fonts

This is a one-stop-shop for all your typography needs. Google Fonts provides hundreds of free font types that are easy to download or link directly to your web design projects. Many developers and designers rely on Google Fonts as their go-to tool for typography.

2. Adobe Fonts

If Google Fonts feels a bit too common, you can explore Adobe Fonts. If you subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud, you automatically get access to thousands of exclusive fonts. The integration is seamless, simply activate the fonts in your Adobe Creative Cloud account, and they will be instantly available in your design applications.

b. Icons & Illustrations

Illustrations are vital in design. They can clearly convey the function of a feature on a website or app. Moreover, illustrations can be used as logos, which are another crucial website component. Here are some websites for icons and illustrations you can use:

1. Font Awesome

For icons, Font Awesome is an extremely popular choice. Its icon library is comprehensive and easy to use. The free version of Font Awesome provides thousands of icons ready to be used as you start learning web design.

2. Flaticon

Flaticon offers a massive icon library. Its premium version provides access to more formats and more flexible licensing.

c. Stock Photos

A website can feel flat without engaging photos. To beautify your site, you need elements that are pleasing to the eye. Here are some stock photo sites you can utilize:

1. Pexels

One of the best websites for free stock photos is Pexels. It offers millions of high-quality, artistic photos from photographers around the world. All are free for both personal and commercial use.

2. Shutterstock

For commercial projects, using premium stock photos is often a necessity. One of the most popular paid stock photo websites is Shutterstock. It has a vast collection that includes editorial, creative, and historical photos you might not find on other platforms.

3. Adobe Stock

Integrated with the Adobe ecosystem, Adobe Stock offers millions of high-quality, royalty-free photos, videos, and templates.

d. Free Illustrations

1. unDraw

Need modern illustrations for your website? Check out unDraw. Its library provides hundreds of SVG illustrations that you can download for free. The most compelling feature is the ability to change the primary color of the illustrations directly on the website to match your site’s color palette.

2. Freepik

Besides unDraw, Freepik is another popular website for designers looking for website illustrations. Freepik offers a vast library of vectors, illustrations, icons, PSDs, and photos for free.

What Are Your Favorite Web Design Resources for 2026?

There you have it, the best web design resources for 2026. Becoming a skilled web designer is not a quick journey; it involves many steps to become an expert.

As a starting point, it’s best to master a few essential tools that are free and have become industry standards, such as the prototyping tool Figma, finding inspiration on Dribbble, and sourcing free assets from Google Fonts, Unsplash, or unDraw.

As you become more proficient and start working on more serious projects, you can subscribe to paid assets. The next crucial step is to create a portfolio website to showcase your work. There are many advantages to having a website that you should know about.

To let you focus more on design, entrust the development and optimization of your portfolio website to Tonjoo’s website development services. With experience serving hundreds of clients like Gadjah Mada University, Jawa Pos, Aqua, and many others, we are ready to create a functional and sophisticated website tailored to your specific needs.

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Read similar articles by Moch. Nasikhun Amin on the Tonjoo blog about WordPress, WooCommerce, plugins, and other web development topics.

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Updated on December 20, 2025 by Moch. Nasikhun Amin