UX vs UI: Which is Better?

Ok, ok, so the title is click bait, BUT the topic is near and dear to my heart. UX and UI are often talked about, as if they’re interchangeable, and that is very annoying as a UXer. They’re lumped together in job titles, mashed into one acronym, and treated like synonyms. While they’re closely connected, UX and UI solve two different problems; misunderstanding that difference is one of the fastest ways to end up with a product that looks good, but doesn’t work well. The TLDR is that UI is cute, and UX is useful, and you need BOTH! You will infuriate your end user, trying to choose one over the other. Both are important, neither UX nor UI is inherently better than the other, lets take a deeper dive into understanding both and how they work together.

UX and UI Solve Different Problems

UX is Everywhere

UX exists even when there’s no interface. One of the biggest misconceptions about UX is that it only exists in pixels. In reality, UX shows up everywhere. Remember, UX is about the experience.

• Error messages that explain what went wrong (and how to fix it)

• Loading states that set expectations of wait times

• Empty states that guide next steps for users

• Confirmation messages

You can have UX in an automated phone system, a PDF form, or a checkout process that never changes visually. UI only exists when there’s something to look at. UX exists anytime someone is trying to get something done.

UI Gets Immediate Feedback — UX Gets Long-Term Feedback

UI is judged instantly. Users know right away if something looks modern, clean, cluttered, or dated. UX, on the other hand, reveals itself over time. It shows up in whether users return, whether they complete tasks, whether they trust the product enough to rely on it, and how long they spend completing the task at hand. Good UX often goes unnoticed — and that’s the goal. When an experience works well, users don’t think about it. They just move forward. When it doesn’t, they feel friction, frustration, and fatigue.

The Best Products Don’t Separate UX and UI

The strongest products don’t treat UX and UI as separate disciplines operating in silos. They allow them to inform each other. UX decisions shape the workflow, and UI choices reinforce clarity, hierarchy, and user confidence. When UX and UI are siloed, you end up with products that are either pretty but confusing, or functional but outdated... and frankly, ugly. The real magic happens when both are aligned around the same goal: helping users succeed with as little friction as possible.

My Perspective

I don’t see UX and UI as competing skills — I see them as responsibilities. UX is about respecting the user’s time, attention, and emotional state. UI is about communicating clearly and reducing cognitive load. When either one is treated as an afterthought, the user pays the price.

For me, great design isn’t about choosing UX or UI. It’s about knowing when to zoom out and question the experience, and when to zoom in and refine the details. The products I admire most aren’t just beautiful — they’re useful, and that usefulness starts with UX, is then expressed through the UI, and finally is felt by the user, long after the task is completed.