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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: July 2, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated July 2, 2026
Try Balsamiq freeTry Rive freeUpdated this monthUpdated this month

Balsamiq vs Rive: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureBalsamiqRive
Starting Price$12/mo$9/mo
Number of Plans24
Free TierNoYes
Pricing Modelflatfreemium
Annual DiscountN/AN/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 35 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
Balsamiq
Try free
Rive
Tier 1
Business
$12/month
Includes
  • Up to 2 projects
  • Unlimited users (& permissions)
  • Drag-and-drop wireframing
  • AI wireframing and prototyping NEW
  • 1,000 AI credits/mo
  • Integrations (Slack, MCP server) NEW
  • Share, comment, export
Start with Business
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • 3 collaborative files
  • Build full experiences with State Machines, Data Binding, and Scripting
Start with Free
Tier 2
Enterprise
$18/month
Includes
  • SSO with SAML
  • 5,000 AI credits/mo 5x more
  • On-demand AI credit top-ups
  • Enterprise SLAs
  • Data storage in the US or EU
  • Security forms assistance
  • Priority customer support
Start with Enterprise
Cadet
$9/monthCheapest
$9 / year
Includes
  • Exports
  • Unlimited files
  • $5/seat monthly agent credits
Start with Cadet
Tier 3
-
Voyager
$32/monthCheapest
$32 / year
Includes
  • Libraries
  • CDN asset hosting
  • $16/seat monthly agent credits
  • Embed link hosting
  • Rive support
Start with Voyager
Tier 4
-
Enterprise
$120/monthCheapest
$120 / year
Includes
  • Subteam workspaces
  • Custom S3 bucket
  • $40/seat monthly agent credits
  • Org-wide permissions
  • Rive dedicated support
  • Dedicated Slack channel
  • Onboarding and training
  • Custom runtime
  • Centralized billing
  • SSO
  • SOC2 Type II
Start with Enterprise

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Balsamiq

Rapid low-fidelity wireframing tool for UI mockups

View all Balsamiq plans

Rive

Interactive animation tool with runtime support for apps and web

View all Rive plans

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Balsamiq if:

  • •You need low-fidelity wireframes for product planning and early UI feedback
  • •Balsamiq's rough aesthetic keeps discussions focused on flow and structure
  • •Quick, affordable wireframing at $9/month

Choose Rive if:

  • •You need real-time interactive animations for apps and websites
  • •Rive creates state machine animations that respond to user interaction natively
  • •Interactive motion design that runs in the app, not just plays back

Balsamiq creates static wireframes. Rive creates interactive animations. No competition.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Balsamiq vs Rive

Which is cheaper, Balsamiq or Rive?
As of July 2026, Rive starts at a lower price point. Balsamiq starts at $12/mo while Rive starts at $9/mo. However, the best value depends on the features you need at each tier.
How many pricing plans does Balsamiq have vs Rive?
Balsamiq offers 2 pricing plans, while Rive offers 4 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Balsamiq or Rive offer a free plan?
Rive offers a free plan, while Balsamiq does not. If budget is a concern, Rive lets you get started at no cost.
Can I save money by paying annually for Balsamiq or Rive?
Both Balsamiq and Rive offer annual billing options. Check each plan's yearly pricing for potential savings compared to monthly billing.
What pricing models do Balsamiq and Rive use?
Balsamiq uses a flat pricing model, while Rive uses freemium pricing. The right model depends on your team size and usage patterns.
How do Balsamiq and Rive compare for Design Tools?
Both Balsamiq and Rive are Design Tools. Balsamiq offers 2 plans starting at $12/mo, while Rive offers 4 plans starting at $9/mo. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your Design Tools needs.
AI Recommendations

Sources

  1. Balsamiq Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
  2. Rive Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page

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