Balsamiq vs Rive: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of Balsamiq and Rive. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Rive starts at $9/mo, making it $3/mo cheaper than Balsamiq ($12/mo). Rive offers a free plan.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
Balsamiq vs Rive: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | Balsamiq | Rive |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $12/mo | $9/mo |
| Number of Plans | 2 | 4 |
| Free Tier | No | Yes |
| Pricing Model | flat | freemium |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
Rive is the more affordable option, starting at $9/mo compared to Balsamiq's $12/mo. Both are Design Tools with 6 combined pricing plans and 31 features compared.
Rive stands out with a free plan for getting started. Balsamiq uses flat pricing while Rive uses freemium pricing, which may affect your total cost at scale.
Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Design Tools needs.
| Pricing Plans |  Balsamiq Try it free |  Rive Try it free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Business $12/month Includes
| Free $0/monthCheapest Includes
|
| Tier 2 | Enterprise $18/month Includes
| Cadet $9/monthCheapest $9 / year Includes
|
| Tier 3 | — | Voyager $32/monthCheapest $32 / year Includes
|
| Tier 4 | — | Enterprise $120/monthCheapest $120 / year Includes
|
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Rive
Rive offers a free plan, starts at $3/mo lower ($9/mo vs $12/mo), offers 4 tiers vs 2.
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Best value: Rive
Try Rive freeWhich Should You Choose?
Choose Balsamiq if:
- •You prioritize Balsamiq's user experience and interface over price (both tools are similarly priced)
- •Balsamiq's 2-tier flat structure gives clearer cost visibility for budget planning
- •You value Balsamiq's specific feature progression from free to advanced tier levels
Choose Rive if:
- •You want lower per-user costs—Rive starts at $9/mo, saving $3/mo compared to Balsamiq at $12/mo
- •You need a free plan with 3 collaborative files, Build full experiences with State Machines, Data Binding, and Scripting—Rive offers no-cost access with no credit card required
- •You need 4 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
- •You want more features built-in—Rive offers 11 additional features across its plans
Rive is the more affordable choice [1], starting at $9/mo compared to Balsamiq's $12/mo. For a 50-person team on paid plans, this translates to Rive saving approximately $150/month. Rive offers 4 pricing tiers compared to Balsamiq's 2, giving you more granular control over scaling costs as your team grows. Across all tiers, Rive provides 21 total features versus 10 for Balsamiq, offering a richer feature set depending on your specific needs. The pricing math favors Rive for most team sizes. Balsamiq becomes worth the premium only when its differentiating features are central to your workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions: Balsamiq vs Rive
Which is cheaper, Balsamiq or Rive?
How many pricing plans does Balsamiq have vs Rive?
Does Balsamiq or Rive offer a free plan?
Can I save money by paying annually for Balsamiq or Rive?
What pricing models do Balsamiq and Rive use?
How do Balsamiq and Rive compare for Design Tools?
Sources
- Balsamiq Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
- Rive Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
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