Opinion: Is Behance Losing Its Value?

Behance once inspired, but now feels empty—a sea of corporate monotony lacking real-world design relevance

Opinion: Is Behance Losing Its Value?
For the uninspired?

Anyone else feeling like Behance is just falling flat lately?

Maybe I've just been in the game too long, but I can't help but look at showcased worked through a lens of cynicism.

It used to be a hub of creativity and a platform for real talent, but has slowly turned into a sea of shiny monotony, where finding any inspiration feels impossible.

Everything looks the same. Everything is the same if you're doing any user experience or user interface work like me.

That could explain why my own work there is barely getting a look in. The digital space has become one identical UI pattern after another.

After hours of organising projects and crafting a thumbnail, it’s a downer when those projects barely crack 20 views.

And let’s not even get started on the search function—it’s like the keywords go in one end and out the other, leaving you with bland projects that feel devoid of any real character.

The homepage, once buzzing with fresh ideas, now feels empty. An advertisment for Adobe, who own Behance. For me, the reality hit when I left university and got my first job.

Suddenly, I could see how little of Behance was about real-world design. Most projects on the platform are self-motivated—a lot of cool concepts but without a true client brief.

It’s underwhelming and has gotten worse with time.

Sure, a lot of the work on Behance looks impressive, but barely any of it reflects real client-driven design. It feels more like a "Look what we can do with Adobe" gallery than a portfolio of practical, paid projects.

Logos that look clever in theory but would rarely fly in actual practice.

User interfaces with unwieldy animations that would make even the strongest willed feel motion sick.

Why can't we make accessibility sexy, rather than the multiple transitions that no one asked for.

Imagine presenting that work to someone at your agency or in-house? It would be met with distain immediately.

It simply doesn't represent what working in design is all about.

Same goes for Dribbble, which turned from a portfolio showcase into a job board stuffed with projects aiming to game the system rather than showcase meaningful work. And maybe that’s okay if you’re aware of it.

Just don’t depend on these platforms too much. They’re good for giving you potentially another perspective but not for grounding your work in what real design looks like.

Bottom line: If you’re looking to make an impression or just create an online space that’s genuinely yours, make your own website.

Don’t worry about views or engagement; focus on good work. Inspiration should come from the brief, the deadline, and your creative process—not from a grid of shiny, fabricated projects built around a clever concept.