--- title: "UI/UX vs Graphic Design" description: "UI/UX design focuses on usability and user experience. Graphic design focuses on visual communication. Learn the key differences, when to hire each, and how they overlap." url: "https://donux.com/blog/ui-ux-vs-graphic-design" language: "en" authors: ["Giustino"] published: "2026-03-10T00:00:00.000Z" updated: "2026-03-10T00:00:00.000Z" --- Product Design # UI/UX Design vs Graphic Design: What's the Difference and Which Do You Need? The roles overlap more than you think, but the wrong hire can set your product back months ![Flag on a target illustrating the distinction and choice between UI/UX design and graphic design](https://images.app.donux.com/unsafe/blog/ui-ux-vs-graphic-design/3PCefTSQlzPOfDETR2TD0V6mVU.png) UI/UX design solves user problems through research, prototyping, and iterative testing. Graphic design communicates ideas visually through typography, color, and layout. You need a UI/UX designer when building digital products and a graphic designer when creating visual assets like brand materials, marketing collateral, or illustrations. Most SaaS companies need both, but knowing which to hire first saves time and money. 94% of first impressions on websites are design-related. Getting the type of design right matters just as much as getting the quality right. Design is a broad field. UI, UX, and graphic design are three distinct disciplines that overlap in some areas but differ fundamentally in others. Hiring the wrong type of designer, or expecting one person to cover all three, is one of the most common mistakes we see at Donux after working with 80+ SaaS companies. Here's how they actually differ, where they overlap, and how to decide which you need. **94% of first impressions in business are related to design**, so it’s crucial to get them right. Design is a complex field with a range of different sub-divisions, so how do you know which type of designer(s) you need in your project? Today we’ll look at three different types of design (UI, UX and graphic), investigate what they are, as well as how they overlap and differ. **What is UI/UX design?** The terms UX and UI are often used interchangeably making them seem identical, so what is the difference between them? - **UX** stands for **U**ser e**X**perience: UX design involves designing the entire user experience: how it feels to enter the product, navigate through it and use it day after day. Some key tasks include finding solutions to pain points, mapping out the information architecture and building wireframes & prototypes. - **UI** stands for **U**ser **I**nterfaces: UI design deals specifically with the interface a user will see and interact with. This includes font, colors and images, as well as the balance between the various elements on the page to make sure the product is easy to use and impactful. Another way to see the difference in the roles is to think about building a house (instead of digital products): - a UX designer is like the architect of a design project who decides the layout of the house and each room, - a UI designer is more like the interior designer who decides how each room will look and feel. The two roles can be carried out by a specialised designer in a single job, however, you need to take the time to find someone who has experience in both UX and UI design. **What is graphic design?** Graphic design is the process of communicating an idea in a visual way. There are many tools that can be used to do this, including the use of words, colors, shapes, illustrations, etc. Graphic design’s aim is to convey information and meaning visually, which overlaps at points with UI design. For example, the creation of visual interfaces intersects both graphic and UI design. - we want to present information in a visual way, - that is easy to understand, - and subtly communicates messages about the product and brand. **How does graphic design differ to UI/UX?** The guiding principles between the two forms of design are very different. Graphic design aims to present an idea in a visual way and keeps the expression of this idea at its core. On the other hand, UI/UX design aims to build an experience around its users. This means that users are kept at the heart of the design experience. **Why does this difference matter?** With different core values and drivers, the processes, and therefore the results, usually differ greatly. On occasion, the two design styles can end with similar results. When this happens, it usually means that the information/message at the core of the graphic design process is very user-centric, creating a similar result to the UX approach. Imagine a museum is preparing for a new exhibition. There are many design decisions that need to be made: - how to layout the exhibition, - how to publicise the event, - how to express the information within the exhibit to the public. While some definitely need to take the users (aka visitors) into account, UI or UX design might not be the guiding light while taking decisions. For instance, the key focus of the advertising campaign might be to launch the museum’s new branding. Or perhaps the exhibit needs to describe the effects of an event in a way that a description alone cannot. In these cases, the visual language could become more important to the museum’s design project and graphic design would be the guiding design process. **When should I look for a graphic designer instead of a UI/UX designer?** This ultimately depends on your current project and your business goals/needs. In general: - look for a graphic designer when you have a message or information to express is the most important factor, - and look for a UI/UX designer when you need help constructing a product that is reliant on your users’ experience. Every project is unique and must be analysed to understand what kind of design is required before starting. No design project is successful without careful planning and research to understand your users and their needs. **“Failing To Prepare Is Preparing To Fail”** — Benjamin Franklin ## Questions, answered. ### Is graphic design the same as UI/UX design? No. Graphic design focuses on visual communication, creating assets like logos, marketing materials, and illustrations. UI/UX design focuses on making digital products usable and effective. They share visual skills like typography and color theory, but the goals, processes, and outputs are different. ### Can a graphic designer become a UX designer? Yes, and many do. Graphic designers already have strong visual skills, which transfer to UI design. The gap is usually in user research, prototyping, information architecture, and usability testing. Courses from organizations like the Interaction Design Foundation or Google's UX Design Certificate can bridge that gap. ### Do UX designers earn more than graphic designers? Generally, yes. UX designers in the US earn a median salary around $95,000-$115,000, while graphic designers earn around $50,000-$65,000. The difference reflects the higher demand for digital product design skills, especially in the tech and SaaS sectors. ### What tools do UI/UX designers use vs graphic designers? UI/UX designers primarily use Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, and prototyping tools like Maze or InVision. Graphic designers use Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and sometimes Canva or Procreate. There's overlap with Figma, which graphic designers increasingly use for digital work. ### Should I hire a graphic designer or a UX designer for my SaaS product? If you're building or improving a digital product, hire a UI/UX designer first. Graphic designers create great visual assets, but they're not trained to solve usability problems, run user research, or design complex interaction flows. You'll likely need a graphic designer too, for your marketing site, pitch deck, and brand materials, but the product comes first. ### Is graphic design dying because of UI/UX? No. Graphic design has evolved, but it's far from dying. Brand identity, marketing, packaging, editorial, and advertising all still need graphic designers. What's changed is that many "web designer" roles have shifted toward UI/UX, and AI tools like Canva are automating some of the simpler graphic design tasks. The specialist, strategic side of graphic design remains in high demand. ## Put it into practice. [Talk to Donux](https://donux.com/contact-us) [5 Things a founder should know about UX](https://donux.com/blog/5-things-founders-should-know-about-ux) [7 Steps to Master User Interviews for Better Products](https://donux.com/blog/7-steps-to-master-user-interviews) [Product Design Services for B2B SaaS: What Smart Teams Really Need](https://donux.com/blog/b2b-saas-product-design-services-guide)