Adobe Express is a web-based, all-in-one design tool optimized for quick marketing content creation with AI features and templates, while Sketch is a professional-grade desktop application focused on UI/UX design with advanced vector editing and design system capabilities.
Adobe Express vs Sketch — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud-based, AI-powered design platform for marketing and general creative work with templates and drag-and-drop simplicity.
Professional desktop design application built specifically for UI/UX design with advanced vector tools and design system management.
Primary Use Case. Platform Availability. Annual Subscription Cost (Individual). AI Features Included. Learning Curve. Design System & Token Support. Collaboration Features
Choose Adobe Express if you need quick, template-driven design for marketing, social media, or general creative projects with AI assistance and minimal learning time. Choose Sketch if you're a UI/UX professional building complex interfaces, maintaining design systems, or working in teams with established design workflows requiring advanced vector controls.
Adobe Express: Pro: ~$120/year | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: $8.33/person | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Varies by tier | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Limited integration | Sketch: None (third-party workarounds)
Adobe Express: Yes (limited free tier) | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: $14.99/month (Express) or free (web) | Sketch: $12
Adobe Express: $180 (Express Premium + Cloud storage) | Sketch: $144 (Sketch Standard annual)
Adobe Express: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, web browser | Sketch: macOS only (with web viewing limitations)
Adobe Express: Slower performance beyond 50 artboards | Sketch: Optimized for 100+ artboards without lag
Adobe Express: 3 (Generative Fill, Text to Image, Style Transfer) | Sketch: 0 (native); available via plugins
Adobe Express: Integrated Creative Cloud; limited third-party plugins (50+) | Sketch: ~1,200+ plugins
Adobe Express: Basic (transitions, tap/click, simple overlays) | Sketch: Basic (transitions, drag triggers)
Market Share Among Professional Designers
Adobe Express: ~15-20% (growing in small teams/freelancers) | Sketch: ~70% (industry standard for UI/UX teams)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual Plan)
Adobe Express: $9.99/month | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: 500+ free templates | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: 100,000+ Adobe Stock templates | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: 4K (3840×2160) + SVG/PSD | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Generative Fill, Text-to-Image (Firefly) | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: PNG, JPG, PDF, SVG, PSD, MP4 | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Not available | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Adobe Firefly (Text-to-Image, Generative Fill, 550+ AI templates) | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Basic transitions and effects | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Native (Photoshop, Illustrator, Stock, Fonts) | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: 25+ (via Adobe Stock) | Sketch: Partner integrations (photos/icons sold separately)
Adobe Express: 20,000+ Adobe Stock assets | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Premium only ($9.99/mo) | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: 200+ effects | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: $119.88/year | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Full (Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom) | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Minimal community focus | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: 3 (basic transitions) | Sketch: 5-6 basic interactions (tap, click, scroll)
Adobe Express: Basic (no variants or tokens) | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Yes (web app) | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: 40+ million | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Advanced (effects, color grading, keyframes) | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Full (Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom sync) | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: Premium tier only | Sketch: N/A
Adobe Express: 2-3 hours | Sketch: 20+ hours
Adobe Express: Web, iOS, macOS, Windows | Sketch: macOS, Windows (beta)
Adobe Express: Basic component library | Sketch: Advanced design tokens with shared libraries
Adobe Express: 100+ design categories | Sketch: Limited; community-contributed
Adobe Express: Native; cloud-based sync | Sketch: Via plugins; file-based
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: $120/year ($10/month)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 3 (Mac, Windows, Web)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Basic (plugin-dependent)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Limited (requires Cloud plugin, up to 5 free)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 1 (Email only)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Excellent - minimal lag
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Native support with libraries
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 1000+ third-party plugins
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: No (third-party workarounds)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Advanced Auto Layout (2021+)
Cloud Storage Included (Free Plan/Trial)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Paid plans only
Market Share Among UI/UX Designers (2024)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 8/10 (steep)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Full interactive prototyping with animations and states
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Mac desktop, Web (limited features)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 14-day free trial only; no free plan
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: $8.25/user (yearly: $99)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Shared libraries, comments, version history (async)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 1,200+ plugins
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Not included; requires third-party services
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Requires third-party plugins (e.g., Figma-to-React)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Symbols, shared styles, nested components (established)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: macOS, Windows, Web (recently improved)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Cloud sync, file-based handoff
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Advanced (interactions, animations, states)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: No (proprietary)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Basic (clickable prototypes only)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 4,000 x 4,000 pixels
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Manual management (requires Sketch 90+)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Full support with readable output
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: $144 (subscription) or $99 (one-time)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Not supported
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Full support
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 30 days (local)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: No free tier
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Requires workarounds
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 800+ without degradation
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Shared symbols with nesting
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Advanced with animations
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 15 concurrent users
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 8+ years of resources
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Proprietary/Closed
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Advanced (Symbols, Shared Styles, Tokens)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Yes (Slack integration only)
Performance on Large Files (100+ Artboards)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Excellent (instant load)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: No (30-day trial only)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Mac (Web beta)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Limited via plugins (~5)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Advanced with nested symbols
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Available in beta/plugins
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Requires integration (Zeplin, Abstract)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: macOS only + Web viewer
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 6-8 basic interactions
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: Limited free tier (projects only)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 22% of design tools market (2024)
Adobe Express: N/A | Sketch: 15-20 min (macOS native install)
How to choose between Adobe Express and Sketch
Adobe Express vs Sketch — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Adobe Express vs Sketch. Contains 132 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Adobe Express vs Sketch — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Adobe Express vs Sketch.
Can I use Adobe Express for professional UI/UX design?
Adobe Express is not recommended for professional UI/UX work. It lacks advanced design system tools, design tokens, and the vector precision needed for complex interfaces. While capable for basic mockups, professionals should use Sketch or Figma for production UI design.
Sketch is primarily macOS-only, with a beta Windows version available. For Windows-first teams, Figma or Adobe XD are better alternatives. The Windows beta has limited feature parity with the macOS version as of 2026.
Which tool is better for social media design?
Adobe Express is superior for social media design. It offers 100+ pre-built templates for Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and other platforms, plus AI-powered design generation. Sketch is overkill for social content and has no templates designed for this use case.
Does Adobe Express have design system capabilities?
Adobe Express has basic component libraries but lacks advanced design token management and shared library systems. Sketch excels here with robust design tokens, shared libraries, and plugin ecosystems for design system workflow. For enterprise design systems, Sketch is the better choice.
What's the total cost of ownership over 3 years?
Adobe Express: $359.64 (3 years at annual rate). Sketch: $504 (3 years at annual rate). Adobe Express is 29% cheaper over 3 years. However, if team collaboration requires multiple seats, Sketch's licensing may offer better volume discounts.
How to Choose Between Adobe Express and Sketch
Primary Use Case: Adobe Express has Marketing, social media, general design, while Sketch has UI/UX and interface design.
Platform Availability: Adobe Express has Web-based, iOS app, desktop app, while Sketch has Desktop only (macOS, Windows via beta).
Consider: Annual Subscription Cost (Individual)
Annual Subscription Cost (Individual): Adobe Express has $119.88, while Sketch has $168.
AI Features Included: Adobe Express has Generative Fill, Text to Image, Style Transfer, while Sketch has Limited AI; design tokens and automation focus.
Learning Curve: Adobe Express has Minimal (2-3 hours to proficiency), while Sketch has Steep (20+ hours for full feature mastery).
Design System & Token Support: Adobe Express has Basic component library, while Sketch has Advanced design tokens, shared libraries, robust component system.
Collaboration Features: Adobe Express has Real-time multiplayer editing, cloud-based, while Sketch has Multiplayer via plugins; local file-based storage.