Adobe Express is a simplified, beginner-friendly design tool focused on quick templates and social media content, while Figma is a professional-grade collaborative design platform built for complex UI/UX and product design workflows. Figma dominates in team collaboration and design systems, whereas Adobe Express excels in speed and accessibility for non-designers.
Adobe Express vs Figma — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Browser-based design tool for creating social media graphics, presentations, and quick designs with templates.
Cloud-based collaborative design and prototyping platform with real-time multiplayer editing.
Primary Use Case. Team Collaboration Features. Learning Curve. Free Tier Capabilities. Prototyping & Interaction Design. Pricing for Professionals. Design System Management
Choose Adobe Express if you need to create social media posts, marketing graphics, or business documents quickly without design experience—it's the fastest path from idea to polished result. Choose Figma if you're a UX/UI designer, product team, or agency needing professional prototyping, real-time team collaboration, and design system management—it's the industry standard for product design workflows.
Adobe Express: Pro: ~$120/year | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: $8.33/person | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Varies by tier | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Limited integration | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Yes (limited free tier) | Figma: Yes (full collaborative design)
Adobe Express: $14.99/month (Express) or free (web) | Figma: $12/month (Figma Starter) or $80/month (Professional)
Adobe Express: $180 (Express Premium + Cloud storage) | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, web browser | Figma: 3 (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Adobe Express: Slower performance beyond 50 artboards | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: 3 (Generative Fill, Text to Image, Style Transfer) | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Integrated Creative Cloud; limited third-party plugins (50+) | Figma: 2,500+
Adobe Express: Basic (transitions, tap/click, simple overlays) | Figma: N/A
Market Share Among Professional Designers
Adobe Express: ~15-20% (growing in small teams/freelancers) | Figma: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual Plan)
Adobe Express: 500+ free templates | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: 100,000+ Adobe Stock templates | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: 4K (3840×2160) + SVG/PSD | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Generative Fill, Text-to-Image (Firefly) | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: PNG, JPG, PDF, SVG, PSD, MP4 | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Not available | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Adobe Firefly (Text-to-Image, Generative Fill, 550+ AI templates) | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Basic transitions and effects | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Native (Photoshop, Illustrator, Stock, Fonts) | Figma: Limited (API for third-party imports)
Adobe Express: 25+ (via Adobe Stock) | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: 20,000+ Adobe Stock assets | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Premium only ($9.99/mo) | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: 200+ effects | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: $119.88/year | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Full (Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom) | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Minimal community focus | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: 10 GB | Figma: Unlimited (draft-based)
Adobe Express: 2 | Figma: 10+ simultaneous editors with live cursors
Adobe Express: 10,000+ | Figma: Community plugins only
Adobe Express: 3 (basic transitions) | Figma: Interactions, conditional logic, component states, animations, flows
Adobe Express: Basic (no variants or tokens) | Figma: Enterprise-grade (variants, tokens, documentation)
Adobe Express: Yes (web app) | Figma: Yes (100% browser-native)
Adobe Express: Advanced (effects, color grading, keyframes) | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Full (Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom sync) | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Premium tier only | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Web, iOS, macOS, Windows | Figma: Web + macOS + Windows + iPad
Adobe Express: Basic component library | Figma: Full Variables system with token export
Adobe Express: 100+ design categories | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Native; cloud-based sync | Figma: N/A
Adobe Express: Unlimited | Figma: 3 editable files
Adobe Express: 2GB | Figma: 0GB (Figma Projects only)
Adobe Express: $9.99/month | Figma: $12/month (Editor)
Adobe Express: Up to 10 simultaneous users | Figma: 50+ simultaneous users
Adobe Express: 100,000+ templates | Figma: 50,000+ community templates
Estimated Time to First Design (Beginner)
Adobe Express: 5-15 minutes | Figma: 120-480 minutes (2-8 hours)
Adobe Express: Basic animations, transitions, simple interactions | Figma: Advanced: conditional flows, variables, component variants, design tokens
Adobe Express: Basic shared components, limited documentation | Figma: Enterprise-grade: design tokens, branching, versioning, token management
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: $1.36-1.37 billion
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: $10.53-13.8 billion (public)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 9x-35x (varies by metric)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Public (NASDAQ: FIG)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 14-15% (non-GAAP)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Enterprise Design Teams
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Advanced multiplayer editing
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Built-in real-time collaboration
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Sites CMS beta (200 items)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Variables, components, tokens
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Requires external hosting
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Dev Mode with inspection
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Unlimited (per plan)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Cloud-only, no self-hosting
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Voice-to-text, Make controls, question cards, design suggestions
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Closed source
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 5,000+ plugins and integrations
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Unlimited with live cursors
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Web browser + Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Master Variables with full version control
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Limited (separate ecosystem)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Voice-to-text, Make features, automation
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Browser-dependent, can slow with 1000+ frames
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: ~2500+ plugins
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Performance issues above 2GB
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Limited offline, primarily cloud-based
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Advanced design specs, Dev Mode, code generation
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Intermediate (basic flows, transitions)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 500+ (performance degrades)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Generous (3 projects, 2GB)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors
Starter Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Variable by seats
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Custom pricing
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Four-tier with seat types (Full, Dev, Collab)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Industry-leading precision tools
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Excellent for design workflows
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Basic design assistance
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Good team controls
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 15+ concurrent editors (unlimited)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Advanced variables system with 20+ variant combinations per component
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 71% among design teams
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Read-only after 30 days; requires internet for editing
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Advanced auto-animate, conditional logic, 35+ interaction types
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 30 days of version history
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: ~2,000 plugins
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Mac, Windows, Linux, Web
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Yes; built-in with live cursors, comments, and activity tracking
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Limited (browser-dependent)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Yes, full features for 1 file
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 300-400 before lag
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Shared libraries with variants
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Advanced with variables
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: $12 per editor
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Basic preset animations without timeline
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Unlimited on paid plans
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Dev Mode with code snippets and specs
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Component versioning in main product
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: $12 per editor/month
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Unlimited on any plan
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Full (interactions, animations, variants)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Optimal up to 5,000 artboards
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 61% of design professionals
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 70% of professional design teams
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: No built-in hosting
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 2000+ official plugins and integrations
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: $12/month (billed annually)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 500+ simultaneous users
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 40-60% (design to code via plugins)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Basic interactions, limited keyframe animation
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Variables, tokens, component library, extensive version control
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 4+ million users
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Unlimited, all editor tiers
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Basic interactions (6/10)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Good with plugins (7/10)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Web-based only
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 3 files maximum, unlimited pages per file, basic prototyping, browser-based
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 0 (third-party integrations available)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Components, variables, tokens, auto-layout, design tokens management
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Limited AI—mostly design optimization and naming suggestions
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: $0 (Free) / $12 (Pro)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Good prototyping animations; not production-ready
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 1.5-2.5 hours (beginner-friendly)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Unlimited (Team plan)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Any browser (Windows, macOS, Linux, iPad, web)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: $12 (Professional)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: $60 (all share one license)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Basic interactions (tap, hover, drag)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 4 (Web, Mac, Windows, iPad)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Public/password-protected with comment threads
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Not available
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: N/A (proprietary)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 5,000 (community)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Professional (boolean ops, advanced paths)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: None (external sources required)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 1,200+ community plugins
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 500 MB (optimal)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Unlimited viewers + 1 editor
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 1,000+ plugins via Figma API
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: No (design tool only)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors per team
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Figma native format, exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, CSS, JSON
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 2-3 seconds (cloud-based, depends on internet)
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 3/10 - basic selection and fill tools; not optimized for photo work
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 9/10 - native component systems, design tokens, auto-layout, prototyping
Team Collaboration - Simultaneous Editors
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 50+ simultaneous editors
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: No - requires external services
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Advanced with tokens, variables, and nested components
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: Limited to Dev Mode specs; no automated code generation
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 5,000+ plugins available
Adobe Express: N/A | Figma: 30,000+ frames per file
How to choose between Adobe Express and Figma
Adobe Express vs Figma — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Adobe Express vs Figma. Contains 222 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Adobe Express vs Figma — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Adobe Express vs Figma.
Can I use Adobe Express for professional UI/UX design?
Adobe Express is not designed for professional product design. It lacks essential features like advanced prototyping, design tokens, and design system management. For professional UI/UX work, Figma is the industry standard. Adobe Express works well for marketing materials, social media, and quick graphics.
Is Figma free for students and startups?
Yes. Figma offers a Free plan with up to 3 drafts, full design tools, and unlimited viewers—sufficient for learning and small projects. Startups can also apply for Figma's startup program offering discounted team pricing. Adobe Express also offers a free tier with 10GB storage and basic features.
Can both tools export to development-ready code?
Figma has native code generation (HTML/CSS, React) and a developer inspection mode showing exact measurements and assets. Adobe Express exports static files (PNG, PDF, SVG) without code generation. For design-to-dev workflows, Figma is significantly more efficient.
Which tool is better for remote team collaboration?
Figma is purpose-built for distributed teams with unlimited simultaneous editors, live cursors, comments, and version history. Adobe Express supports basic sharing and commenting but is designed for individual creators. For teams, Figma has a clear advantage.
Do I need design experience to use these tools?
Adobe Express requires no design experience—templates and AI guidance make it accessible to everyone. Figma has a moderate learning curve; while it's intuitive for designers, non-designers may struggle without prior design knowledge. For absolute beginners, Adobe Express is the easier choice.
How to Choose Between Adobe Express and Figma
Primary Use Case: Adobe Express has Social media, quick graphics, templates, while Figma has UI/UX design, prototyping, design systems.
Team Collaboration Features: Adobe Express has Basic cloud sharing, limited real-time co-editing, while Figma has Advanced real-time multiplayer editing, design handoff, version control.
Learning Curve: Adobe Express has Very low - template-based, no experience needed, while Figma has Moderate - requires design knowledge but intuitive UI.
Free Tier Capabilities: Adobe Express has 10GB cloud storage, limited templates, 1 premium font, while Figma has 3 drafts, full design tools, unlimited viewers.
Consider: Prototyping & Interaction Design
Prototyping & Interaction Design: Adobe Express has Basic transitions only, no interactive components, while Figma has Advanced prototyping with variables, interactions, design tokens.
Pricing for Professionals: Adobe Express has $9.99/month single user, while Figma has $12/month single user + $120/month team pricing.
Design System Management: Adobe Express has Limited component reuse, basic libraries, while Figma has Advanced component systems, design tokens, shared libraries.