Lists are a fundamental element of UI design. They help users navigate information efficiently, whether it’s browsing a catalog, organizing tasks, or finding friends on social media. Yet, the effectiveness of a list design depends on how well it balances functionality and aesthetics.
When done right, lists not only provide clarity but also enhance user engagement by making complex data approachable. On the flip side, poorly designed lists can overwhelm or frustrate users, leading to a poor experience and potential churn.
This article is here to ensure your lists belong in the first category. We’ve compiled 30+ examples of exceptional list UI designs from apps, websites, and digital tools across various industries. Along the way, you’ll learn practical design principles and expert tips to craft lists that are both intuitive and visually engaging.
So whether you’re designing a to-do app, a shopping site, or a content platform, this guide will provide actionable insights to inspire your next project. Let’s dive in!
What is a list design UI?
In user interface (UI) design, a list is more than just an arrangement of items—it’s a critical structure that organizes information to guide users toward their goals. Lists are widely used across digital interfaces to display options, categorize content, or perform actions like browsing or selecting.
Understanding the basics of a list
A list typically consists of:
- Items: The core elements displayed in a sequence (e.g., product names, tasks, or user profiles).
- Container: A framework that groups items for clarity and order.
- Actions: Additional features like checkboxes, icons, or swipes that enable user interaction.
For instance, the inbox in your email app is a list that displays subject lines, sender names, and timestamps—organized to help you quickly prioritize and act.
The significance of lists in digital interfaces
Lists simplify complex datasets, presenting information in digestible chunks. Their structured design supports scanning and decision-making, which is why lists are essential in:
- E-commerce: Product lists that help users browse and purchase items.
- Task Management: Organizing activities with due dates, priorities, and status updates.
- Social Media: Friend or follower lists that facilitate connections and engagement.
Visualizing a list in action
Imagine a movie streaming app that recommends titles:
- The list design allows users to scroll horizontally or vertically through genres, ratings, or trending films.
- Interactive elements like star ratings or “Add to Watchlist” buttons enhance usability.
This example highlights how well-structured lists enhance user experience by blending functionality with an intuitive design.
Types of list design
Lists are foundational in UI design, but their structure and purpose can vary significantly. Here’s a refined breakdown that incorporates both textual and visual elements, along with interactive and dynamic functionalities.
1. Text lists
Text-based lists focus purely on information displayed in textual form, often enhanced by subtle interactive elements.
Subtypes:
Simple lists: Minimalist, easy-to-read structures for quick information access.
Example: Apple Notes displays a plain, scrollable list of text-based notes for seamless navigation.
Nested lists: Hierarchical structures that organize content into categories and subcategories.
Example: Google Drive organizes files within folders, allowing users to drill down into multiple levels.
Best use case: Ideal for task management, navigation menus, and content-heavy applications requiring clarity and simplicity.
2. Image lists
Image-based lists combine visuals with text to deliver richer, more engaging content. They often include thumbnail previews or inline imagery.
Example: Spotify playlists display album covers alongside song titles to create an intuitive music browsing experience.
Best use case: Media platforms, e-commerce galleries, or any application where visuals enhance information retrieval.
3. Card lists
Card lists present content in visually distinct containers, often featuring both images and text, making them ideal for highlighting individual items.
Subtypes:
- Static card lists: Fixed layouts for structured browsing.
Example: Pinterest showcases images in grid-style cards with titles and descriptions for immersive exploration.
- Dynamic card lists: Adaptive layouts that respond to filters or user inputs.
Example: Airbnb search results dynamically adjust based on filters like location or price, displaying property images and key details.
Best use case: E-commerce, travel platforms, or apps that require a balance of aesthetics and functionality.
4. Interactive and dynamic enhancements
Regardless of type, lists UI often incorporates interactive or dynamic features to elevate usability:
- Interactive lists: Allow user engagement through actions like swiping, tapping, or dragging.
Example: Gmail inbox supports swipe gestures for actions like deleting or archiving emails.
- Dynamic lists: Update in real time, offering sorting, filtering, or infinite scrolling capabilities.
Example: X, BluSky’s feeds refresh dynamically to display the latest posts.
Best practices for designing list UIs
Creating an effective list design requires careful consideration of usability, aesthetics, and functionality. These best practices will help you craft a list UX that is both intuitive and engaging for users.
1. Maintain readability and hierarchy
Users rely on lists for quick access to information. Organize content with clear visual hierarchy:
- Use bold titles or headings to separate sections.
- Incorporate subtext for additional details when necessary (e.g., timestamps in email apps).
2. Use whitespace effectively
Whitespace helps avoid visual clutter, making lists easier to scan and interact with.
- Space between list items improves readability.
- Avoid overpacking lists, especially on mobile screens.
3. Leverage consistent iconography and typography
Visual consistency aids comprehension and reduces cognitive load.
- Use uniform icons for actions like editing, deleting, or checking items.
- Stick to a consistent font hierarchy for headers and descriptions.
4. Prioritize primary actions
Highlight the most common user actions within your list.
- Use buttons, swipes, or hover states to make actions accessible.
- Ensure that secondary actions don’t distract from the primary workflow.
5. Design for accessibility
Ensure that your lists are usable for all audiences, including those with disabilities.
- Provide sufficient color contrast for text and backgrounds.
- Use ARIA labels for screen readers.
- Enable keyboard navigation for interactive lists.
6. Adapt lists for mobile and desktop
Responsive design ensures that lists look and function well on different devices.
- Use compact views for mobile and expand details for desktop.
- Prioritize touch-friendly elements like larger buttons for mobile.
7. Decide between infinite scrolling or pagination
Choose the right method for displaying long lists based on user context:
- Infinite scrolling: Best for continuous exploration, as in social media feeds.
- Pagination: Ideal for structured browsing, like search results.
8. Incorporate filtering and sorting options
Allow users to refine large datasets with intuitive controls.
- Filters should be easy to locate and apply without disrupting the list view.
- Sorting should present options like date, popularity, or relevance.
30 inspiring list UI design examples
Exceptional list designs demonstrate how structure, aesthetics, and functionality combine to create seamless user experiences. Below, we’ve compiled 30 list design ideas grouped by categories, showcasing diverse use cases and inspiring your projects.
E-commerce lists
Here are two classical examples of e-commerce app list UI design.
Aliexpress
A classic vertical text list with product titles, thumbnails, ratings, and pricing details.
What works: Prioritized information hierarchy ensures essential details are visible at a glance.
Etsy
Grid-style image lists with product photos, prices, and seller ratings.
What works: Beautiful visuals drive engagement, making it ideal for artistic items.
Task management lists
Todoist
Clean, simple text lists with nested subtasks.
What works: Natural hierarchy and color-coded labels simplify organization.
Notion
Fully customizable lists that integrate text, images, and links.
What works: Flexibility for creating personal workflows.
Asana
Task lists paired with project progress indicators.
What works: Collaborative elements like tags and status updates streamline teamwork.
Media and content lists
Netflix
Horizontal scrolling lists with bold thumbnails and genres is one of the creative list design examples.
What works: Strong emphasis on personalization with “Continue Watching” and “Top Picks.”
Medium
Vertical text lists with article titles, summaries, and author details.
What works: Balanced typography and whitespace enhance readability.
SaaS product lists
Trello
Drag-and-drop card-based lists for task organization.
What works: Intuitive design makes it easy to create, edit, and move items within projects.
Slack
Compact message lists paired with thread indicators.
What works: Organized structure and color-coded labels simplify communication.
HubSpot
Lead and contact lists with sortable columns and tags.
What works: Customization options enable users to tailor views to their workflow.
Jira
Nested issue lists categorized by status and priority.
What works: Clear labeling and filters streamline task management for teams.
Zendesk
Customer query lists with real-time status updates.
What works: Live updates and sorting features aid fast response management.
Salesforce
Client and deal lists with customizable fields.
What works: Robust filtering and tagging options for high-volume data handling.
ClickUp
A project management tool that allows teams to organize tasks with highly customizable list views.
What works: Features include priority tags, due dates, and collapsible subtasks, making it easy to manage projects of any size.
QuickBooks
An accounting platform for managing transactions, invoices, and expenses.
What works: Clean financial tables with filters for date, status, and client, enabling users to track income and expenses efficiently.
Tableau
A data visualization tool that organizes reports and dashboards in a clear, searchable list format.
What works: Interactive filters and categories let users quickly find and analyze visual data reports.
Zapier
An automation platform that lists workflows (“zaps”) users can create between apps.
What works: The grid-based list design provides an overview of triggers and actions, with detailed options just one click away.
Basecamp
A collaboration tool for managing projects and communication.
What works: Organized task lists grouped by project, with built-in notifications to track deadlines and updates.
Pipedrive
A sales CRM tool with customizable pipelines and deal lists.
What works: List views with drag-and-drop functionality and integrated activity tracking streamline sales workflows.
Airtable
A flexible spreadsheet-database hybrid that organizes projects in list or grid views.
What works: Users can switch between list, Kanban, and calendar views, making it adaptable for various use cases.
Calendly
A scheduling platform with a streamlined list of available time slots for booking.
What works: The simple and minimal list layout design provides clarity and eliminates scheduling conflicts for users.
Notability
A note-taking app that displays text and multimedia notes in a scrollable list.
What works: Highlights and thumbnails in the list allow users to easily find and organize their content.
GitHub Issues
A project management tool for software teams to track bugs and feature requests.
What works: Filters, labels, and milestones are combined in a list format to give teams clarity on development priorities.
Canva Teams
A design platform with a dedicated area for team-created templates and designs.
What works: The grid-style list combines visuals with team member names and timestamps, promoting efficient collaboration and version tracking.
SaaS Design by Eleken
Process Enablement Platform
A B2B SaaS app designed to help companies manage and document their operational workflows. It categorizes processes into clear hierarchies, aiding teams in collaboration and compliance.
What works: Intuitive filters, progress indicators, and a clean sidebar layout simplify navigation and make it easy to track and manage multiple processes efficiently.
Ricochet360
A cloud phone system and CRM platform designed to help sales teams manage leads, telemarketing, text, and email marketing in one place. Eleken redesigned the interface to shorten the learning curve for sales managers, enabling smoother onboarding and efficient scaling.
What works: Clean lead management lists with sortable columns, color-coded statuses, and improved button visibility enhance usability and help users quickly access key functions like creating or assigning leads.
HealthStream
A reporting tool for healthcare organizations, designed to streamline report generation on employee training, certifications, and performance. Eleken’s redesign grouped reports into categories for clarity and introduced features like templates, filters, and scheduling to enhance usability.
What works: The first screen provides a clear overview of report categories with concise descriptions, while the second screen offers detailed lists with customizable filters and sortable columns, ensuring users can efficiently locate and organize data.
Floret
A platform designed to help foodtech companies streamline the management of promotions, transactions, and payments in the food and beverage industry. Eleken created an MVP that organizes complex data into intuitive views, making it easier for small and medium-sized companies to operate efficiently.
What works: The promotional calendar screen uses Kanban and standard views, displaying key details such as promotion budgets, dates, and progress stages. Clear categorization and filters reduce cognitive load and enable users to manage promotions effortlessly.
Highpoint
A white-label campus management solution for universities, designed to streamline student and staff workflows while allowing customization to fit individual institution branding. Highpoint incorporates tools for enrollment, scheduling, financial aid, and more into a modular system.
What works: The dashboard combines multiple types of lists, including to-do lists for student tasks, adviser lists with quick contact options, and "shopping cart" lists for course selection. Clear categorization and card-based design make navigation intuitive and visually cohesive, reducing cognitive overload.
Here you can learn more about dashboard anatomy.
Nworx
A B2B corporate learning management platform designed to integrate professional development into employees' daily workflows. The platform allows managers to create custom learning programs, assign goals, and track team progress seamlessly.
What works: The leaderboard screen uses a card-based layout for the top performers and a scrollable list for others, providing clear rankings and point-based performance insights. Filters for goals and milestones make navigation and customization intuitive, catering to managers and team members alike.
Order Desk
A robust e-commerce order management system with over 300 integrations, designed to streamline vendor workflows. Eleken’s redesign focused on simplifying complex processes, introducing better organization for folders, and enhancing filters and labeling systems.
What works: The "All Orders" screen features a structured table layout with sortable columns, color-coded tags for quick identification, and advanced filtering options. These improvements provide users with a clear and intuitive way to manage high volumes of data effectively.
IDCore
A compliance verification platform designed to simplify the management of real estate contractor requirements. It serves vendors by allowing them to submit necessary compliance documents and helps property managers find and track compliant contractors efficiently.
What works:
- The first screen organizes vendor data in a table format with color-coded status labels like "Compliant," "Expired," and "Pending," allowing managers to quickly assess compliance at a glance.
- The second screen simplifies finding and adding vendors with intuitive filters and a card-based list displaying contact details, services, and locations, enhancing usability for both vendors and managers.
Great list design is the backbone of intuitive and efficient user experiences, whether you’re managing workflows, tracking orders, or browsing content. The examples above demonstrate how thoughtful design transforms lists into powerful tools that engage users and simplify complex tasks.
Looking to create a clean and effective list design for your product? At Eleken, we specialize in designing functional, user-friendly interfaces that deliver results. Let’s bring your vision to life – get in touch with us today!
