Playbook by MediaBistro | Tools & Software for Creative Professionals
Placeit and Haikei serve completely different design needs despite both living in the graphic design space. Placeit delivers ready-made templates for mockups, logos, and marketing materials through a subscription model. Haikei provides a free generator for creating unique SVG backgrounds and abstract shapes.
Placeit positions itself as a comprehensive template library for creators who need professional mockups without photography skills or expensive equipment. The platform houses thousands of device mockups, apparel templates, logo designs, and video intros that users can customize with their own content. The service integrates directly with Envato Elements, making it particularly valuable for subscribers who already access that ecosystem.
The tool shines in speed and variety. Users can generate product shots, social media graphics, and branding materials in minutes rather than hours. Placeit's templates cover everything from iPhone screens to t-shirt designs to YouTube thumbnails. The quality remains consistently high across categories, with realistic lighting and professional styling baked into each template.
Haikei takes a fundamentally different approach by generating abstract design elements rather than complete compositions. The web-based tool creates SVG assets like organic blobs, layered waves, gradient meshes, and geometric patterns through an intuitive interface. Users adjust parameters like color, complexity, and randomness until they land on something that fits their project. Every generation produces unique results.
The tool addresses a specific pain point in web design: creating distinctive backgrounds and decorative elements without illustration skills. Haikei exports clean SVG code or PNG files that designers can drop directly into websites, presentations, or larger compositions. The generators include stacked waves, low poly grids, and blob scenes among others. Since everything outputs as vector, the assets scale perfectly and maintain small file sizes.
15,000+ templates across mockups, logos, videos, and designs
No templates; generates unique assets on demand
Limited to swapping images, text, and colors within template constraints
Full control over shape parameters, colors, layers, and complexity
PNG and video files at fixed resolutions
SVG (vector) and PNG with infinite scalability
Product mockups, apparel, logos, social media, videos, print materials
Backgrounds, decorative elements, abstract shapes, web graphics
Immediate results with minimal design knowledge required
Simple interface but requires aesthetic judgment for good results
Full commercial use included with subscription
Free for commercial and personal projects
The pricing comparison reveals completely different business models. Placeit requires ongoing payment but delivers thousands of ready-made templates that would cost significant time to create independently. Haikei removes all financial barriers but serves a narrower purpose. For designers who regularly need mockups and branding templates, Placeit's subscription pays for itself quickly. For those who occasionally need abstract backgrounds or decorative elements, Haikei's free model makes it a no-risk addition to any toolkit.
These tools occupy separate corners of the graphic design world and rarely compete directly. Placeit excels when you need recognizable formats like device mockups, apparel shots, or logo templates. It trades customization freedom for speed and polish. Haikei wins when you need original abstract elements that add visual interest without dominating a composition. The free pricing makes it useful even for designers who only need backgrounds occasionally.
Most working designers will find room for both tools in different situations. Use Placeit when client deliverables require professional product presentations or when building brand assets from scratch feels inefficient. Turn to Haikei when your layouts need organic shapes or gradient backgrounds that feel fresh rather than stock. The combination costs less than $15 monthly and covers both template-driven work and generative design elements.
