The trends in web design change constantly—nowadays, it is also essential for web designers to think about a website’s graphical user interface (GUI), which contributes to the overall user experience (UX). Now, the question is, which design is better for websites—adaptive or responsive?

1. Adaptive is Good For All Devices
 
One of the most significant reasons people opt for adaptive websites is that it works on all devices—from handheld screens to desktop screens. Unlike responsive web design, it is not compatible with some old browsers.

However, there are some limitations to adaptive web design. Designers have to think about many different layouts for each device. Therefore, designers recommend others to create an excellent mobile web application for your website.

With an adaptive design in place, the page's layout automatically adjusts according to the device used. The advantages of this design include unrestricted creativity and no limitations when designing an adaptive site. It also ensures that the layout fits any device and is not limited by the screen size.
 
2. Responsive Looks Good on All Devices
 
Responsive design is in high demand these days because of its inherent adaptability. What’s more, with responsive web designing, the website's content is automatically reordered or even hidden to accommodate the size of the screen.

However, responsive design is not necessarily the best way to go if you want to create a unique design to cater to a specific device. In this case, you might want to opt for adaptive design.

3. Responsive is Better For Touch Screens
 
Websites designed for desktops and laptops can be challenging for users to access, as the menus are often difficult to reach on the touch screen. However, responsive design is recommended for touchscreen devices.

Touchscreens are used for many smartphones today. With the evolution of technology, people use touchscreens to operate phone icons and launch apps. It is why responsive design, which allows mobile browsers to respond to touchscreen interaction, is better than adaptive design.

However, on the other hand, adaptive design works best for tablets because the user has to navigate through buttons and menus to access the content.

4. Adaptive is Bigger
 
If you think of the design, adaptive design is generally more prominent than responsive design because it involves more work. Some people consider this as a disadvantage. However, the increased size of adaptive design is beneficial when you want to format much content in different fonts and styles. In this case, every device used in a particular plan will also have the same access to the same contents. It is a plus point for adaptive design.
 
5. Adaptive Renders the Best Experience
 
Designing a website with limited features is unnecessary, and a basic layout is not required. However, adaptive design has some limitations, so it works best with simple websites in features and design. Responsive design offers a better experience than adaptive design.

A responsive design is also perfect for websites with lots of functionality in a limited space. As a website’s elements are optional, it is a better option for websites that provide users with many options to choose from.

Conclusion
 
Adaptive and responsive designs are trendy in web design today. It is up to you to choose which design is better for your website. Each design has its benefits and disadvantages. What’s important is to keep up with the latest web design trends and find the best solution for your website.

Brikwoo is a design agency based in Chattanooga. We offer web design services to businesses, helping them reach their goals for their companies. Our high standards allow us to propel our services to greater heights. Check out our services today and schedule a free discovery call right away.