In just 20-something years, we’ve come a long way in web design. I remember launching the internet as early as six years old and feeling wowed by websites with neon colors, Comic Sans, funky cursors, Flash graphics, and, of course, very slow loading times.
Back then, just being on the internet was an exciting time. But nothing we tolerated in the late ‘90s and early 2000s would fly now: Today’s standards revolve around a positive user experience (UX), which includes clear navigation, a responsive layout, and no Comic Sans.
Even those who aren’t web designers know UX directly translates to good web design. But expectations are also evolving, and what was a standard design five years ago may be outdated today. Whether you’re interested in learning web design or want to improve your site, we’ve got you covered with the 10 best web design blogs of 2024.
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Best for Award-Winning Sites: Awwwards
Awwwards is a platform that showcases exceptional talent in design and development. Visit the Awwwards homepage, and you’ll be met with a Site of the Day, a dedicated showcase of a website chosen by the “jury,” a panel of digital creatives who assess and score submitted web projects. Browse carefully curated collections featuring examples of forms, UX/UI, footers, transitions, and more.
Awwwards also has an Academy and Market. From web design to development virtual courses, you can learn from some of the best-known experts in the industry with the Academy. The Market is a curated marketplace for selling digital and physical products such as premade templates, plugins, and products from trusted creators worldwide.
More About Awwwards
- Founded: 2009 by Sergio Nouvel
- Topics: Website Design, Web Development
- Blog Type: Showcase award-winning websites
Best for Design Showcase: Siteinspire
Siteinspire showcases more than 8,500 of the world’s best web designs, which are divided into style (from retro to animation), type (from annual reports to wineries), and subject matter (from technology to photography). Visit the Site Inspire website anytime, and you’ll see a collection of showcased websites that dare to break the boundaries of typical design with which most of us are familiar.
The site’s selections are curated by Howells Studio, a UK-based digital studio operated by Daniel Howells. New sites are added to the platform daily, and members can submit sites to collections for consideration. Siteinspire is an excellent resource for anyone craving genuine innovation in web design and development. And with its incredible collections, it’s a particularly helpful resource for those searching for web design experts.
More About Siteinspire
- Founded: 2009 by Daniel Howells and Sean Hamlin
- Topics: Website Design, Web Development
- Blog Type: Showcase curated examples of well-designed websites
Best for Opinion Editorials: A List Apart
A List Apart is a simple online publication exploring design, development, and web content trends. A List Apart welcomes contributions that offer valuable insights, provoke thought, and provide practical advice to readers. Submissions should push boundaries, explore industry progress, and adhere to established design standards.
Explore categories, including code, content, design, business, process, and UX with everything from JavaScript to project management tools. I’m partial to content-based articles like “The Wax and the Wane of the Web.” But my interest was also piqued by “Crafting a Design Persona,” which starts with a charming anecdote about a former Weather Underground employee who realized their brand was experiencing some “personality problems.” Overall, A List Apart is a great stop for thought-provoking content on everything web.
More About A List Apart
- Founded: 1997 by Jeffrey Zeldman and Brian M. Platz
- Topics: Web Design, Web Development, UX
- Blog Type: Articles, tutorials, and opinion pieces on web design
Best for Beginners Resources: Vandelay Design
I’m unsure if Vandelay Design is an homage to Art Vandelay — a long-standing joke in the “Seinfeld” community thanks to the one and only George Costanza — but I’m here for it either way. There’s something so charming about Vandelay Design: Right from the get-go, it’s easy to see this blog is a great resource and tutorial platform for everything you’d want to know about the basics of web design and creating a positive UX.
Learn how to make a website, a free design bundle for your own site, and even free contract templates vetted by a lawyer. Since Vandelay Design partners with other brands and companies, you get significant discounts if you decide to work with them — like Rocket for fast WordPress hosting or Envato Elements for access to commercially licensed assets.
More About Vandelay Design
- Founded: 2007 by Steven Snell
- Topics: Web Design, Graphic Design, UX
- Blog Type: Tutorials and resources for designers and developers
Best for UX Beginners: UX Booth
UX Booth is a fantastic blog full of insightful content on everything from the philosophy of web design principles to accessibility standards. UX Booth is a blog that caters to designers who are just starting or have some experience. It also invites submissions from those passionate about enhancing the web experience.
The blog offers a range of topics, including analytics, content strategy, interaction design, philosophy, research, accessibility, and visual design. One beneficial introductory blog I liked was “How Visual Design Makes for Great UX,” which helps lay the foundation of basic design with helpful illustrations and hidden tips and tricks.
More About UX Booth
- Founded: 2009
- Topics: User Experience, UX Design
- Blog Type: Articles, resources, and opinion pieces on UX design
Best for Insights and Articles: UX Planet
UX Planet prides itself on being the one-stop shop for everything UX-related. Its mission is to provide valuable insights, articles, and resources for professionals in the field. One recent piece that caught my attention was “Ethical AI: Shaping the Future,” an op-ed exploring the importance of incorporating ethical considerations into AI (artificial intelligence) development.
UX Planet is dedicated to nurturing a global community of UX professionals through learning and collaboration. It offers a variety of resources, including articles, insights, tutorials, and case studies, all focused on the design and development of digital products. With that said, UX Planet is unique because it’s hosted on Medium — so if you already have a Medium account, you can easily submit a piece to UX Planet.
More About UX Planet
- Founded: ~2017
- Topics: User Experience, UX Design
- Blog Type: Articles, tutorials, and insights on UX design and related topics
Best for Creating Web Tools: Prototypr
Maybe it’s because I’m endlessly fascinated by new tools and products, but Prototypr is so cool. It’s a library to find tools, resources, and lessons for creating web products, whether they’re icons, animation, or AI. Browse through hundreds of its published articles covering everything from UX/UI design to accessibility, interviews, and coding.
And if that’s not enough, Prototypr also has a Toolbox section highlighting some of the week’s most impressive apps. Sign up for the newsletter and get access to the latest vetted tools, news, and design resources for your prototype. Maybe you need hundreds of vector icons and help with project management. Whatever it is, Prototypr offers a comprehensive collection of the latest tools and insightful content for its audience.
More About Prototypr
- Founded: 2015 by John Peele and Alex Muench
- Topics: User Experience Design, Prototyping
- Blog Type: Articles, tutorials, and resources for designers and developers
Best for Font Enthusiasts: Typewolf
I don’t tend to judge books by their covers — instead, I judge based on the typeface. I know I can’t be the only one because of the more than 350,000 monthly visitors to Typewolf. This typography resource provides recommendations, guides, resources, books, and cheat sheets on everything web fonts.
Browse through a typography master course, a type pairing lookbook, an entire guide dedicated to free fonts, some handy lists displaying the Top 10 Sans-Serif fonts to Top 10 Helvetica Alternatives, and even identify unknown fonts or check a font’s popularity. No matter what you’re looking for or curious about, Typewolf is a happy place for any font nerd who knows typography is one of any brand’s most important choices.
More About Typewolf
- Founded: 2013 by Jeremiah Shoaf
- Topics: Typography and Fonts
- Blog Type: Resource and showcase for typography
Best for Web Design Tools: Line25
Line25 is one of those resources everybody wants to have as they start their web design journeys. Line25 is a resource hub for web and graphic designers and developers, offering unrestricted access to various design assets like themes, templates, and fonts. It also provides reviews, showcases, and creative inspiration, including how to make the most out of a dark-themed website.
You can stay up-to-date with the latest trends and releases for everything website-related from using AI to create website content to the best WordPress themes of 2024. You’ll find a ton of collections that are helpful for designers, like the best fonts for food industry websites or the best free eCommerce cart solutions. Basically, there’s really nothing that can’t get you started on the right foot with Line25.
More About Line25
- Founded: 2009 by Chris Spooner
- Topics: Web Design, Graphic Design, UX, Marketing
- Blog Type: Tutorials, design inspiration, and design freebies
Best for Business Success: Boagworld
Paul Boag has been in the industry for more than a quarter century and specializes in digital leadership, UX design, and innovation. Paul’s other website, Boagworks, offers services to clients who want guidance on improving their digital strategies, UX, and online presence. So, his blog, Boagworld, serves as the Best for Business Success recipient.
Boagworld aims to help marketers and digital creators prioritize user-centric experiences that translate into business success via best practices. Boagworld is chock-full of blog posts, podcast episodes, books, and courses to support freelancers, agency owners, and in-house teams looking to improve or gain insight into their UX strategies.
More About Boagworld
- Founded: ~2000 by Paul Boag
- Topics: Digital Marketing, UX Design, Digital Leadership
- Blog Type: Advice and opinion blog
Hone In Your Web Design Expertise
Fonts. Graphic design. User experience. Nav bars. Templates. No matter what piques your interest, web design has developed into its type of art over the past couple of decades. So whether you’re dipping your toes into the pool of UX or are curious about creating your own masterpiece website, any of the resources on our list of the 10 best web design blogs will surely steer you in the right direction. Happy designing!