# Design

Grid Systems for Better UX

Red Rocket teamJul 7, 20256 min read

Responsive design is what all owners of websites, online portals, apps, and other products strive for. The positioning of text, images, buttons, and other visual elements has a direct impact on user experience and satisfaction level. These metrics can be key when considering improving conversion rates and profits. One of the important elements that can improve UX is the grid system.

A grid system is a fundamental element in modern web design, and you should learn more about how it works. This article serves as a complete guide for both beginners and experienced web designers. We would like to share with you the basics of grid layout creation, its importance for user experience, real examples, and the best tools.

What Is Grid Design?

The grid system is one framework that assists designers in arranging content in a format that is structured in consistency and balanced graphically. It can split a layout into columns and rows, which it uses to define alignment and spacing rules that dictate the way that text, images, and interactive content are positioned. Here are the basic elements of grid layouts:

Columns;
Gutters;
Margins.

Grids help designers to enhance readability, provide them with responsive design, and create some order with complicated interfaces. Grids will add a sense of rhythm to your product page as well as allow the user to view the information in an easier manner, whether you are designing a mobile application or a website. This way, designers can provide clearer layouts, greater usability, and consistency of the design both between and across screens and platforms.

Why Are Grid Systems Important?

It's no secret that working as a designer is about boundless creativity. Sometimes, set limits and boundaries can make it difficult to create masterpieces. However, grid systems ensure that your product will meet the main principles and have a logical structure. They don't hide your potential or forbid you to be creative. They only help to adhere to the correct arrangement of content on the site, banner, or other material.

So, why is it so important? Imagine that you are creating an online store and you need to make an interface that maximizes sales figures. Limitless creativity can confuse the target audience and ignore the main goal. By having a pre-selected grid design layout, you can channel your creativity to the right place. It's about visual organization that takes into account the logical sequence, appeal, and requirements of the target audience.

6 Examples of Grid Systems

What common type of grid used? In fact, the most popular options are column grid and modular grid. You can often see them mentioned on design forums. However, these are not all available options. In total, experts distinguish six main types of grids. Each of them has a different structure, elements, layout, and purpose. Let's take a look at each of the examples!

Baseline Grid

A baseline grid is a set of regular horizontal structures to accommodate text elements over a design. It makes sure that the text typography is vertical and gives a visual harmony and rhythm. Such a grid is critical in content primarily consisting of text, such as an article, documentation, or an editorial layout, where being easy to read is important. It is used so that designers can keep the line spacing uniform and bring hierarchy to the text.

Column Grid

A column grid design segregates the arrangement vertically into columns of equal width separated by gutters. This system provides support for content alignment, along with step-by-step guidance on placing elements on the page, offering the advantage of being both organized and flexible. Column grids are commonly used in the design of web and magazine layouts, where having an uneven number of elements leads to the imbalance of the design when groups of text, images, and buttons are used. Depending on the hierarchy, designers will be able to span content in one or more columns.

Modular Grid

A modular grid builds on the columns by adding horizontal rows to create a matrix of modules. Each module serves as a container for content, enabling structured yet versatile layouts. This system is ideal for interfaces with repetitive patterns, such as dashboards, galleries, or product grids. It allows designers to organize visual and functional elements cohesively.

Manuscript Grid

The next type of grid system is a manuscript. This is the most basic layout structure. Why is it so? Typically, it comprises only one big block of content. Manuscript grid design layout is most traditionally applied to books, essays, PDFs, or any other long-form type of work where the primary concern is reading flow. Designers can use it to provide the layout of heavy texts with a predictable, steady beat.

Pixel Grid

The pixel grid is a foundational structure in digital design, where each element aligns precisely with individual pixels. It ensures sharp, clean visuals, especially for UI components, icons, and vector illustrations. When elements are off the pixel grid, they can appear blurry or misaligned on screens. Pixel-perfect alignment is essential for creating a high-quality user interface.

Hierarchical Grid

Specialists from the design field call it a universal type of mesh. Why is it so? It can change based on the requirements of the project. This is a great option because it fulfills your needs regardless of the details of the project. A hierarchical grid can look completely different. For example, it can be several different graphics of different sizes or two grids overlaid on top of each other.

The Early History of Grids

Although design grids are actively used today, people started using them many years ago. For example, look at ancient books that have survived into the present day. Each page has clear horizontal rows for logical visual presentation and reading comfort. Each line has its own width, height, and indents. This is how ancient writers first created a grid and then supplemented it with text.

Another example is the Gutenberg Bible. Such a book has two columns on each page. This is an atypical structure that is rarely used even nowadays. Usually, such a grid is used in modern times for dictionaries or other educational products.

Over time, people invented newspapers. The oldest newspaper is «Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien» published in 1605. This is another example of the development of grid systems. Here, a complex structure is already used, as a lot of information, text, and images have to be accommodated on a few pages.

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Best Tools to Build Grid Layouts

The selection of an appropriate design tool can make the work with the grid systems easier, quicker, and pleasurable. Regardless of what you are designing, a website layout, or a presentation, modern tools have the capabilities of a grid that make the alignment, spacing, and responsiveness simpler. Grid layout design top tools are as follows:

Figma. The grid and layout are flexible, allowing both fixed and responsive designs to be used in Figma. Being a real-time collaboration tool, it is a perfect tool to use by groups that develop interfaces;
Canva. Less complicated, Canva has grid templates that assist in aligning content in social media, presentations, and marketing tools. It is user-friendly and is good for quick designs of a balanced nature;
Adobe XD. This tool offers scale grid systems, layout, and repeat grids useful for designing at different levels. It can be particularly helpful when creating intermediate and more concretized wireframes and interface mockups.

Grid construction tools allow the designer to give attention to the clarity, consistency, and user experience without losing track of pixel-perfect changes. The correct instrument helps you to organize the process of imagination as fast and accurately as possible.

Must-Know Tips for Designers

Let us share a few tips with you. At the beginning of a new design project, you can use a simple grid layout to provide a sense of order as soon as possible. Organize elements to achieve a visual balance, thereby enhancing user flow. Also consider the whitespace - it is not the empty space, but a very important component of design which makes reading and concentration easier. Purposely use it to break content and prevent clutter.

What's more? Grids are most particularly pertinent to typography and ensure text can be aligned and rhythmic across devices. However, don't make grids strict rules to follow but rather guides and not cages.

Final Thoughts

As you may have already realized, creating a grid layout is an important step before you start designing an interface, banner, or any other marketing asset. This is a system that was invented thousands of years ago, and today it is used by most advanced designers.

Frequently asked questions

Do grid systems remain useful in 2025?

Yes, the grid system is still an indispensable element in design in 2025. Professional designers still continue to use the approach of designing grid layouts before starting a project. This helps to create a logical and visually appealing structure for a website, an app, or even printed advertising material.

Where can I find free tools or templates for grid layouts?

There are many graphic and web design services where you can find free grid layouts. Canva, Behance, and Nicepage offer a wide range of templates where you can find various design elements, including grid layouts. You can choose a modular grid or other types of popular systems and download them absolutely free.

Is it possible to apply grid systems in both print and digital design?

Sure! Experts use grid systems to ensure that text, images, symbols, and other elements are clearly positioned. This can be applied to just about anything - websites, mobile apps, brochures, and more. For example, magazines use column grids to organize information logically on the page.