Figma is a cloud-native, collaborative design platform with real-time multiplayer editing and superior team workflows, while Adobe XD is a desktop-first tool better integrated with the Creative Cloud ecosystem but with more limited collaboration features. Figma has captured approximately 71% of the design tool market share among teams as of 2026, while Adobe XD remains strong for individual designers already invested in Creative Cloud.
Adobe XD vs Figma — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Adobe's cloud-based UI/UX design and prototyping platform with professional-grade tools.
Cloud-based collaborative design and prototyping platform with real-time multiplayer editing.
Collaboration Model. Pricing Model. Integration with Design Ecosystem. Prototype Interactions. Learning Curve. Design System Management. Offline Capability
Choose Adobe XD if you're already invested in Creative Cloud, need seamless integration with Photoshop and Illustrator, require robust offline capabilities, or prefer a desktop-first experience. Choose Figma if you work in teams, need real-time collaboration, want a lower entry cost with a free tier, require advanced prototyping and design systems, or prioritize modern design workflows and accessibility across devices.
Adobe XD: $9.99/month | Figma: $12/month
Adobe XD: Up to 5 concurrent editors | Figma: Unlimited with live cursors
Adobe XD: Desktop primary (Windows, Mac) | Figma: Web browser + Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Adobe XD: Design tokens with Creative Cloud sync | Figma: Master Variables with full version control
Adobe XD: AI-assisted design with enhanced prototyping | Figma: Voice-to-text, Make features, automation
Adobe XD: Optimized desktop performance for large files | Figma: Browser-dependent, can slow with 1000+ frames
Adobe XD: Full co-editing support | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Native AI capabilities included | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Automatic responsive resizing | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Native design systems included | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: General prototyping | Figma: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)
Adobe XD: $9.99 standalone | Figma: $12.00
Adobe XD: Windows, macOS, iPad | Figma: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Adobe XD: ~700 plugins | Figma: ~2500+ plugins
Adobe XD: Performance issues above 500MB | Figma: Performance issues above 2GB
Adobe XD: Full offline support | Figma: Limited offline, primarily cloud-based
Adobe XD: CSS/SVG export, design specs | Figma: Advanced design specs, Dev Mode, code generation
Adobe XD: Windows and macOS | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: 500+ | Figma: 5,000+ plugins available
Adobe XD: Yes (cloud-native) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Repeat Grid with constraints | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: 12+ (including voice, drag, animation) | Figma: Interactions, conditional logic, component states, animations, flows
Cloud Storage Included (Free Plan/Trial)
Adobe XD: 2 GB with free Creative Cloud account | Figma: N/A
Market Share Among UI/UX Designers (2024)
Adobe XD: 400+ plugins | Figma: 5,000+ plugins and integrations
Adobe XD: Up to 30 shared project members | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Advanced (35+ triggers, animations, voice) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: 32,000 x 32,000 pixels | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Native with library sync | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Full support with clean code | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: $119.88/year standalone | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: 500+ | Figma: 1,200+ community plugins
Adobe XD: Limited (comments only, not full co-editing) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Yes (Windows/Mac application) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Native with Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects | Figma: N/A
Total Monthly Cost (with Required Services)
Adobe XD: $54.49 (Creative Cloud) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Native timeline animations with easing, delays, triggers | Figma: Good prototyping animations; not production-ready
Adobe XD: 5+ simultaneous users | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Native Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects integration | Figma: Limited (separate ecosystem)
Adobe XD: CSS measurements and specs panel | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Shared symbols, component variants, design libraries | Figma: Advanced with tokens, variables, and nested components
Adobe XD: 2-3 concurrent editors before slowdown | Figma: 15+ concurrent editors (unlimited)
Adobe XD: No free tier; 7-day free trial only | Figma: Yes (full collaborative design)
Adobe XD: Limited variant support (main + 1-2 states) | Figma: Advanced variables system with 20+ variant combinations per component
Adobe XD: 19% among design teams | Figma: 71% among design teams
Adobe XD: Full offline mode; all features available | Figma: Read-only after 30 days; requires internet for editing
Adobe XD: Basic transitions and timing; 8 interaction types | Figma: Advanced auto-animate, conditional logic, 35+ interaction types
Adobe XD: Not applicable (no free tier) | Figma: 30 days of version history
Adobe XD: Yes, limited to 1 shared prototype | Figma: Yes, full features for 1 file
Adobe XD: Limited to Creative Cloud team | Figma: Unlimited
Adobe XD: macOS, Windows, Web | Figma: Web + macOS + Windows + iPad
Adobe XD: 400-500 before slowdown | Figma: 300-400 before lag
Adobe XD: Shared components with variants | Figma: Shared libraries with variants
Adobe XD: Advanced with voice/gesture | Figma: Advanced with variables
Adobe XD: $9.99 | Figma: $0 (Free) / $12 (Pro)
Adobe XD: Limited to shared link viewers | Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors
Adobe XD: Native with Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects | Figma: Limited (API for third-party imports)
Adobe XD: 4-6 hours (steeper curve) | Figma: 1.5-2.5 hours (beginner-friendly)
Adobe XD: 100 documents | Figma: Unlimited (Team plan)
Adobe XD: Windows, macOS desktop only | Figma: Any browser (Windows, macOS, Linux, iPad, web)
Adobe XD: $9.99 (Single App) | Figma: $12 (Professional)
Adobe XD: $299.99 (5 × $9.99 × 2.5x for teams) | Figma: $60 (all share one license)
Adobe XD: Limited to license holders | Figma: Unlimited
Adobe XD: Full frame-based timeline with easing curves | Figma: Basic interactions (tap, hover, drag)
Adobe XD: 2 (Mac, Windows only) | Figma: 4 (Web, Mac, Windows, iPad)
Adobe XD: 2+ million | Figma: 4,000,000+
Adobe XD: Shareable links with basic feedback | Figma: Public/password-protected with comment threads
Adobe XD: $9.99 (standalone) or $54.99 (full Creative Cloud) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Advanced (auto-animate, voice, speech recognition) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Yes (built-in, voice/video chat) | Figma: N/A
Performance on Large Files (100+ Artboards)
Adobe XD: Good (occasional lag reported) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Native (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Yes (limited free tier) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Windows, macOS, Web, iOS | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: 1000+ plugins in XD ecosystem | Figma: 2,500+
Adobe XD: Native real-time co-editing | Figma: Unlimited, all editor tiers
Adobe XD: 2GB free | Figma: 0GB (Figma Projects only)
Adobe XD: 28% of design tools market (2024) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: 45-60 min (with Adobe account setup) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: $9.99 | Figma: $12/month (Figma Starter) or $80/month (Professional)
Adobe XD: Comments, limited real-time co-editing, shared libraries | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Unlimited (desktop app) | Figma: 30,000+ frames per file
Adobe XD: Professional: Pen tool, Boolean operations, gradient editor, mesh transform | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Full desktop app with offline support | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: 20-30 hours for proficiency | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: 200+ integrations (Creative Cloud native) | Figma: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual Plan)
Adobe XD: $14.99/month (Creative Cloud required) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: PNG, SVG, PDF, XD format | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: 14 (tap, drag, scroll, voice, gesture-based) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Spec export, measurement tools, CSS export (limited) | Figma: Dev Mode with code snippets and specs
Adobe XD: 1-3 (plan dependent) | Figma: 500+ simultaneous users
Adobe XD: 20+ (including auto-animate, voice commands) | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: Cloud-based shared libraries with design tokens | Figma: N/A
Adobe XD: No (cloud-only) | Figma: Cloud-only, no self-hosting
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: $1.36-1.37 billion
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: $10.53-13.8 billion (public)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 9x-35x (varies by metric)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Public (NASDAQ: FIG)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 14-15% (non-GAAP)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Enterprise Design Teams
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Advanced multiplayer editing
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Built-in real-time collaboration
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Sites CMS beta (200 items)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Variables, components, tokens
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Requires external hosting
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Dev Mode with inspection
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Unlimited (per plan)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Voice-to-text, Make controls, question cards, design suggestions
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Intermediate (basic flows, transitions)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 500+ (performance degrades)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Generous (3 projects, 2GB)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors
Starter Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Variable by seats
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Four-tier with seat types (Full, Dev, Collab)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Industry-leading precision tools
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Excellent for design workflows
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Basic design assistance
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Good team controls
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Unlimited (draft-based)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Community plugins only
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Enterprise-grade (variants, tokens, documentation)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Yes (100% browser-native)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Mac, Windows, Linux, Web
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Yes; built-in with live cursors, comments, and activity tracking
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Limited (browser-dependent)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Basic preset animations without timeline
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Unlimited on paid plans
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Component versioning in main product
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: $12 per editor/month
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Unlimited on any plan
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Full (interactions, animations, variants)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Optimal up to 5,000 artboards
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 61% of design professionals
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 70% of professional design teams
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: No built-in hosting
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 2000+ official plugins and integrations
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: $12/month (billed annually)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 40-60% (design to code via plugins)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Basic interactions, limited keyframe animation
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Variables, tokens, component library, extensive version control
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Basic interactions (6/10)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Good with plugins (7/10)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Full Variables system with token export
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 3 files maximum, unlimited pages per file, basic prototyping, browser-based
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 50,000+ community templates
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 10+ simultaneous editors with live cursors
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 0 (third-party integrations available)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Components, variables, tokens, auto-layout, design tokens management
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Limited AI—mostly design optimization and naming suggestions
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: N/A (proprietary)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 5,000 (community)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Professional (boolean ops, advanced paths)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: None (external sources required)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 3 (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Unlimited viewers + 1 editor
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 1,000+ plugins via Figma API
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: No (design tool only)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: $12/month (Editor)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 50+ simultaneous users
Estimated Time to First Design (Beginner)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 120-480 minutes (2-8 hours)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Advanced: conditional flows, variables, component variants, design tokens
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Enterprise-grade: design tokens, branching, versioning, token management
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors per team
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Figma native format, exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, CSS, JSON
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 2-3 seconds (cloud-based, depends on internet)
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 3/10 - basic selection and fill tools; not optimized for photo work
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 9/10 - native component systems, design tokens, auto-layout, prototyping
Team Collaboration - Simultaneous Editors
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: 50+ simultaneous editors
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: No - requires external services
Adobe XD: N/A | Figma: Limited to Dev Mode specs; no automated code generation
How to choose between Adobe XD and Figma
Adobe XD vs Figma — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Adobe XD vs Figma. Contains 232 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Adobe XD vs Figma — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Adobe XD vs Figma.
Which tool is better for team collaboration?
Figma is significantly better for teams. It supports unlimited simultaneous editors, real-time multiplayer editing, and comment threads, making it ideal for large design teams. Adobe XD supports only 2-3 concurrent editors before performance degrades, making it better suited for individual designers or very small teams.
Can I use Adobe XD without a Creative Cloud subscription?
Yes, you can purchase Adobe XD as a standalone subscription for $9.99/month. However, if you already have Creative Cloud ($54.99/month), XD is included at no additional cost, making it a better value for existing subscribers.
Figma offers a generous free tier that allows teams of up to 3 people to collaborate on unlimited projects with a 30-day file history. However, advanced features like design tokens and component variables require a paid Professional plan ($12/month per editor).
Which tool integrates better with Photoshop and Illustrator?
Adobe XD has native, seamless integration with Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects via the Creative Cloud ecosystem, allowing direct asset import and linked file workflows. Figma requires third-party plugins like 'Adobe XD to Figma' or manual workarounds, making the workflow less efficient.
What's the best choice if I work offline frequently?
Adobe XD is the clear choice for offline work. It provides full functionality without internet, allowing you to design, prototype, and collaborate offline with changes syncing once reconnected. Figma is cloud-dependent and has limited offline editing capabilities.
How to Choose Between Adobe XD and Figma
Collaboration Model: Adobe XD has Desktop-first with cloud features (limited simultaneous editing), while Figma has Cloud-native with real-time multiplayer editing.
Pricing Model: Adobe XD has $9.99/month (standalone) or included in Creative Cloud ($54.99/month), while Figma has $12/month (Professional) or $0 free tier with limitations.
Consider: Integration with Design Ecosystem
Integration with Design Ecosystem: Adobe XD has Seamless with Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects via Creative Cloud, while Figma has Limited native integrations; requires plugins for Adobe tools.
Prototype Interactions: Adobe XD has Basic prototyping with limited animation capabilities, while Figma has Advanced interactive components with conditional logic and auto-animate.
Learning Curve: Adobe XD has Familiar to Creative Cloud users; steeper for newcomers, while Figma has Intuitive interface designed for beginners and teams.
Design System Management: Adobe XD has Basic component library with limited variant support, while Figma has Advanced component system with variables, tokens, and auto-layout.
Offline Capability: Adobe XD has Full offline functionality available, while Figma has Limited offline mode; primarily cloud-dependent.