The Great UI Design Template Hunt

It all started with a quest for the perfect template. You know the kind—the one that makes your portfolio shine brighter than your morning coffee.

I opened Google and typed, “UI design templates.” Boom! Pages upon pages of templates appeared, each promising to be “modern,” “user-friendly,” and “easy to customize.” But here’s the kicker: the free ones always seemed just slightly... off.

That’s when I stumbled across Figma templates that seemed crafted by the gods themselves. I felt like a kid in a candy store—except this candy store had gradients, buttons, and perfectly aligned grids.

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The Software Showdown

Once I had my templates, I needed software to bring my vision to life. But oh boy, choosing UI design software is like choosing between pizza toppings—impossible to pick just one. Do you go with Adobe XD for its sleek tools, or do you stick with Sketch, the old reliable? And let’s not forget Figma, the darling of the design world that makes collaboration as easy as stealing fries off your friend’s plate.

After an internal debate longer than a Netflix binge session, I decided to embrace Figma. Why? Because it’s free (to start), it’s online, and it’s perfect for someone like me who forgets to hit “Save.”

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AI: Friend or Foe?

No journey in 2025 is complete without the mention of AI. Did you know AI can now assist in UI design? I tried one of those AI-powered tools that claimed it could design an entire website with “just one click.”

Well, it clicked, alright. The result? A design that looked like it was made by someone who’d just discovered Comic Sans.

But jokes aside, AI has genuinely become a game-changer in UI design. Tools like Uizard and Colormind help generate layouts and color schemes, saving hours of grunt work. The key is to use AI as a helper, not as a replacement—unless you want your designs to have that “robot chic” aesthetic.

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Salary Dreams (and Reality)

As I’m tinkering with my designs, I can’t help but wonder: “How much do UI designers make?” Spoiler alert: it’s enough to afford avocado toast AND coffee.

• In the US: Entry-level designers earn around $55,000-$75,000 annually, while experienced UI designers rake in $100,000 or more.
• In Bangladesh: Salaries range from BDT 35,000 per month for beginners to BDT 150,000+ for senior roles.

I did some quick math (on a calculator, obviously) and realized that with the right skills and portfolio, the future is pretty bright for UI designers.

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Examples: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

To improve my skills, I looked at some UI design examples.

The good ones? Clean, intuitive, and made me want to hug the designer. The bad ones? Let’s just say they had buttons that made me question humanity.

And the ugly? They were so cluttered, it felt like navigating a grocery store on Black Friday. Lesson learned: simplicity is key.

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Taking a Course and Going Online

Feeling inspired, I decided to enroll in a UI design course. There are tons of great options online, from Coursera to Udemy. These courses walk you through everything—from the basics of grids to advanced prototyping.

Plus, I discovered that the world of UI design online is vast. Communities like Dribbble and Behance are goldmines for inspiration and networking. And let’s not forget LinkedIn, where every designer’s profile starts with “Passionate about creating user-centric designs” (because we are).

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What Does UI Design Really Mean?

By the end of my journey, I’d discovered the true meaning of UI design. It’s not just about pretty screens; it’s about creating experiences that make users’ lives easier. It’s about solving problems, one pixel at a time. And yes, it’s also about endlessly debating over fonts.

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Conclusion

So, if you’re considering a career in UI design or just curious about what it entails, take it from me: it’s a journey worth embarking on. Whether you’re diving into templates, exploring AI tools, or dreaming of six-figure salaries, there’s always something new to learn. Just don’t forget to save your work—trust me on that one.

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