Hire the Best
Freelance UI designers

A skilled user interface designer (UI designer) can be the secret ingredient to taking your app or website to the next level. A skilled UI designer can help make sure that your user interface provides the best possible user experience while aligning with your brand style and vision.

Understanding UI design

Think of a UI designer as a digital interior designer for apps or websites. While they don't build the platforms, they have the expertise to enhance their appearance and functionality. UI designers focus on the visual elements that users interact with, such as color schemes, typography, icons, buttons, and interactive elements, ensuring the interface is responsive and adaptive to various screen sizes.

What is the difference between UX design and UI design?

UI and UX designers both aim to enhance user experience but from different angles. UI designers are like interior designers who focus on the visual aspects of the room, whereas UX designers are more like architects, focusing on structural configuration. UI designers make sure the interface is visually appealing, while UX designers ensure the product is functional and easy to navigate.

Roles of UI and UX Designers

UX designers

• Collaborate with product managers and other stakeholders on the overall structure of an app or website
• Conduct UX research into the project’s target audience and user needs
• Craft personas that reflect the real-world needs and preferences of the target audience based on user research insights
• Create wireframe mockups that outline the product’s task and user flows
• Use the principles of interaction design to ensure the product offers an intuitive, user-friendly experience
• Conduct usability testing to ensure accessibility and functionality

UI designers

• Turn wireframe mockups into high-fidelity product design prototypes
• Use color theory, typography, visual hierarchy, and graphic design principles to make informed design decisions
• Create buttons, icons, animations, and other app or web design elements in adherence with the client’s style guide and brand identity
• Arrange visual elements in a layout designed to create a frictionless user journey
• Conduct usability testing to ensure responsive design functionality
• Collaborate with UX designers, web development professionals, and other key stakeholders

How much does it cost to hire a UI designer?

On Upwork, UI designers tend to charge median hourly rates between $20 to $40. However, the cost of hiring a UI design professional can vary widely based on several different factors, including:

• Designer experience and location. Beginning and intermediate designers often charge lower rates than those with more experience or expertise. Location can also affect pricing, as even senior UI designers who live in areas with lower costs of living may be able to charge more competitive rates.
• Project complexity. Designers may charge higher rates for projects with a higher number of user flows, interactive elements, or complex visual elements.
• Scope of work. An individual designer may charge different rates based on the extra tasks or deliverables they’ll be expected to complete. Additional services such as user research, brand identity development, and multiple rounds of usability testing could raise rates.

Preparing to hire a UI designer

A high-quality UI designer job description can go a long way toward finding the right talent for your needs. Let’s review what to include.

Title

To attract the right talent, specify the project type in your job title, such as “Experienced UI Designer for iOS Financial App.” Describe the project and the role of the UI designer in your team. Include job specifics like contract type, project duration, expected hours, and compensation.

Project or job description

Briefly summarize the job or project and how your ideal UI designer will fit into the design team. You can also include a few major qualifications here, though you’ll go deeper into specifics in a later section.

Include additional specifications, such as:

• Job or project role (freelance, contract-to-hire, etc.)
• Length of the project
• Average hourly commitment required
• Proposed pricing and pay type (hourly vs. fixed rate)

Responsibilities and qualifications

These last two sections should each be presented in the form of easily scannable bullet point lists. The responsibilities section should include a complete breakdown of any deliverables or tasks that your candidate will be expected to complete, such as:

• Update the existing user interface in line with the recent rebrand
• Create and iterate high-fidelity prototypes based on user research
• Collaborate with UX designers and engineers to create an intuitive user experience

Your qualifications section should present your ideal candidate’s design skill level, experience, and knowledge. Examples might include things like:

• 5+ years of experience in UI digital design
• Strong portfolio of design work
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills
• Proficiency in prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD

Essential skills and qualifications

Skills and qualifications a UI designers should have:

• Mastery of Visual Design Principles: Strong grounding in color theory, typography, and layout to create aesthetically pleasing interfaces.
• Proficiency in UI Design Tools: Skilled in tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD.
• Understanding of User-Centered Design: Ability to organize digital elements effectively to make user navigation intuitive.
• Soft Skills: Excellent communication for collaborating with various stakeholders and problem-solving skills to address design challenges.

Consider candidates with additional skills like basic HTML and CSS knowledge, especially if they need to work closely with front-end developers.

Finding the right UI designer

Platforms like Upwork simplify the process of finding qualified UI designers. Here’s how you can use Upwork:

• Create a free Upwork client account.
• Post a job description to start receiving proposals from UI designers who meet your qualifications.
• Alternatively, browse qualified candidates using the Upwork search feature and invite those you like to submit proposals.
• Evaluate candidate proposals, portfolios, and reviews to select your top choices.
• Use Upwork’s messaging features for chat, phone, or video interviews.

• Once you’ve selected a candidate you want to hire, solidify the terms of your agreement with Upwork’s customizable contracts.
• Fund your project with payments that will be held in escrow until you release them.

The hiring process

Finding the right UI designer for your project largely comes down to understanding what to look for and asking the right questions. After narrowing your shortlist down to a few top choices, you can begin sending candidates interview invites, where you can ask additional questions.

What should I look for in a UI designer’s portfolio?

• Does the portfolio include a well-rounded variety of samples demonstrating the designer’s ability to tackle projects of varying levels of complexity?
• Does the designer consistently demonstrate the ability to create visually appealing interfaces with a strong focus on user-centered design (UCD)?
• Do the designer’s samples and overall presentation demonstrate consistent attention to detail and logical user flows?
• How do various project samples demonstrate the ability to incorporate each client’s brand identity?
• Do the designer’s user interfaces incorporate user research and successfully address pain points?
• Do samples include project descriptions that highlight the project’s goals and demonstrate the problem-solving abilities the designer used to achieve them?
• Does the designer’s work history include quality reviews and testimonials from previous clients?

Potential questions for UI design interviews

• Describe your typical design process.
• How do you find a balance between user-friendly functionality and visual appeal?
• Describe a project where you used feedback to iterate on your initial design choices.
• What are your favorite UI design tools, and why?
• What was your biggest challenge on a project, and how did you overcome it?
• How do you bridge the gap when collaborating with developers or communicating with non-designer stakeholders?

These are just a few examples of the questions you might ask a UI designer.

FAQs when hiring a UI designer

A great deal of consideration goes into finding the right UI designer for your project. Here are the answers to questions commonly asked by first-time clients.

How can I ensure the UI design aligns with my brand?

Provide a comprehensive brand style guide to ensure the UI design aligns with your brand identity, including details on typography, logos, and color codes.

What are the best practices for collaborating with a UI designer?

Establish clear communication channels, set expectations early, and schedule regular updates to maintain alignment and track progress effectively.