Adobe XD is a traditional UI/UX design tool focused on wireframing and prototyping with industry-standard features, while Framer is a code-based design platform emphasizing interactive prototypes and animations with built-in developer handoff. Framer prioritizes motion design and React component integration, whereas Adobe XD offers deeper collaborative features and broader Adobe ecosystem integration.
Adobe XD vs Framer — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Adobe's cloud-based UI/UX design and prototyping platform with professional-grade tools.
Code-powered design tool for interactive prototypes and motion design
Design Approach. Learning Curve for Designers. Prototype Interactivity. Starting Price (Monthly). Adobe Ecosystem Integration. Developer Handoff Tools. Real-time Collaboration
Choose Adobe XD if you work within the Adobe ecosystem, need traditional wireframing workflows, or prefer a lower barrier to entry for non-technical designers. Choose Framer if you're building interactive prototypes, want code-based design flexibility, need advanced animation capabilities, or have developer experience with React—Framer's superior developer handoff justifies the learning curve for modern product teams.
Adobe XD: Up to 5 concurrent editors | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Desktop primary (Windows, Mac) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Design tokens with Creative Cloud sync | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: AI-assisted design with enhanced prototyping | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Optimized desktop performance for large files | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 12,957 customers | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Full co-editing support | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Native AI capabilities included | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Automatic responsive resizing | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Native design systems included | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: General prototyping | Framer: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)
Adobe XD: $9.99 standalone | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Windows, macOS, iPad | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Performance issues above 500MB | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Full offline support | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: CSS/SVG export, design specs | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Windows and macOS | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 500+ | Framer: 200+ integrations and components
Adobe XD: Yes (cloud-native) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Repeat Grid with constraints | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 12+ (including voice, drag, animation) | Framer: Unlimited with code-based logic and variants
Cloud Storage Included (Free Plan/Trial)
Adobe XD: 2 GB with free Creative Cloud account | Framer: N/A
Market Share Among UI/UX Designers (2024)
Adobe XD: 400+ plugins | Framer: Limited native extensibility; API available
Adobe XD: Up to 30 shared project members | Framer: Unlimited simultaneous editors
Adobe XD: Advanced (35+ triggers, animations, voice) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 32,000 x 32,000 pixels | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Native with library sync | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Full support with clean code | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: $119.88/year standalone | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Limited (comments only, not full co-editing) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Yes (Windows/Mac application) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Native with Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: $12.99/month | Framer: $12/month
Total Monthly Cost (with Required Services)
Adobe XD: $54.49 (Creative Cloud) | Framer: $12/month
Adobe XD: Native timeline animations with easing, delays, triggers | Framer: Full timeline, gesture controls, 60fps native
Adobe XD: 5+ simultaneous users | Framer: Unlimited simultaneous users
Adobe XD: Native Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects integration | Framer: No direct Adobe integration
Adobe XD: CSS measurements and specs panel | Framer: Full code export, design tokens, component library generation
Adobe XD: None required | Framer: JavaScript/React fundamentals required
Adobe XD: Shared symbols, component variants, design libraries | Framer: Basic component library without token system
Adobe XD: 2-3 concurrent editors before slowdown | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: No free tier; 7-day free trial only | Framer: Yes, with Framer branding
Adobe XD: Limited variant support (main + 1-2 states) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 19% among design teams | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Full offline mode; all features available | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Basic transitions and timing; 8 interaction types | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Not applicable (no free tier) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Yes, limited to 1 shared prototype | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Limited to Creative Cloud team | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: macOS, Windows, Web | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 400-500 before slowdown | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Shared components with variants | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Advanced with voice/gesture | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Limited to shared link viewers | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 4-6 hours (steeper curve) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Windows, macOS desktop only | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: $9.99 (Single App) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: $299.99 (5 × $9.99 × 2.5x for teams) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Limited to license holders | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Full frame-based timeline with easing curves | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 2 (Mac, Windows only) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Shareable links with basic feedback | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: $9.99 (standalone) or $54.99 (full Creative Cloud) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Advanced (auto-animate, voice, speech recognition) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Yes (built-in, voice/video chat) | Framer: N/A
Performance on Large Files (100+ Artboards)
Adobe XD: Good (occasional lag reported) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Native (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Yes (limited free tier) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Windows, macOS, Web, iOS | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 1000+ plugins in XD ecosystem | Framer: 150+ integrations and community extensions
Adobe XD: Native real-time co-editing | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 28% of design tools market (2024) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 45-60 min (with Adobe account setup) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: $9.99 | Framer: $12/month (Free limited) or $25/month (Pro)
Adobe XD: Comments, limited real-time co-editing, shared libraries | Framer: Real-time multiplayer, live cursors, shared workspaces
Adobe XD: Unlimited (desktop app) | Framer: Unlimited but degrades with complexity
Adobe XD: Professional: Pen tool, Boolean operations, gradient editor, mesh transform | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Full desktop app with offline support | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 20-30 hours for proficiency | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: 200+ integrations (Creative Cloud native) | Framer: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual Plan)
Adobe XD: $14.99/month (Creative Cloud required) | Framer: $12/month (Pro plan) or Free tier
Adobe XD: 32,000 x 32,000 | Framer: Unlimited (infinite canvas)
Adobe XD: PNG, SVG, PDF, XD format | Framer: React, HTML, CSS, SVG, PNG, code snippets
Adobe XD: 14 (tap, drag, scroll, voice, gesture-based) | Framer: Unlimited (code-based logic and conditions)
Adobe XD: 2 GB | Framer: Unlimited projects
Adobe XD: Spec export, measurement tools, CSS export (limited) | Framer: React component export, live code editor, CSS-in-JS, Figma sync
Adobe XD: 1-3 (plan dependent) | Framer: 5-10 simultaneous users
Adobe XD: 20+ (including auto-animate, voice commands) | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: Cloud-based shared libraries with design tokens | Framer: N/A
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Basic (simple product pages)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Intermediate (good for marketing content)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Fast (Figma import, instant publish)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Gentle (design-first approach)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Limited collaboration features
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Full CMS with collections
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Basic components
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Native hosting included
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Code export and CSS access
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: ~1,800 reviews (Capterra estimate)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Full relational CMS with cross-references
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Scroll triggers, gestures, Squircle UI, advanced state
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Vercel-powered with auto-scaling
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: No, requires third-party integration
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Yes - relational collections with AI
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Limited (on-page editing only)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: 1.2-1.8s (optimized by default)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Yes - interactions, content generation, UX optimization
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Relational CMS with AI content features (2025-2026)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Yes, with product management and checkout
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Included; publish live sites with custom domains
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Yes, native export
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Variants and tokens (growing capability)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Web-only (browser-based)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Basic variant support
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: 3-5 (via limited API)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: 9/10 (full code access)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: 4-8 (design-heavy)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Yes, unlimited projects
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Basic component library, limited design token support
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: 12% of design teams
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Auto-deploy, custom domains, serverless functions
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: 150+ integrations
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: $12/month (billed annually)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: 90% (native React generation)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Advanced animations, gestures, scroll triggers, full prototypes
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: N/A (no native e-commerce)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Yes - included with all plans
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Basic (meta, OG tags)
Team Collaboration - Simultaneous Editors
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Up to 5 team members (limited real-time)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Full React component code with logic
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: 0 (third-party only)
Adobe XD: N/A | Framer: Full React/JSX, npm packages, any library
How to choose between Adobe XD and Framer
Adobe XD vs Framer — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Adobe XD vs Framer. Contains 181 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Adobe XD vs Framer — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Adobe XD vs Framer.
While basic visual design is possible without React knowledge, Framer's most powerful features—component integration, dynamic interactions, and advanced prototyping—require JavaScript and React fundamentals. Adobe XD requires zero coding knowledge and is better for non-technical designers.
Does Adobe XD work with Adobe Creative Cloud?
Yes, Adobe XD is included in Creative Cloud and integrates directly with Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, and other Adobe apps. You can import assets, copy/paste between tools, and maintain consistency across your design workflow. Framer has no native Adobe integration.
Which tool is better for animations and interactions?
Framer significantly outperforms Adobe XD for animations. Framer supports physics-based animations, gesture controls, state-based interactions, and easing curves. Adobe XD offers basic transitions and easing but lacks the advanced animation engine Framer provides, making Framer superior for motion-focused products.
How much does each tool cost, and which is cheaper?
Adobe XD costs $12.99/month standalone but requires Creative Cloud ($54.49/month total). Framer costs $12/month with no additional subscriptions required. For standalone use, Framer is 8% cheaper. For Adobe ecosystem users already paying for Creative Cloud, XD adds minimal extra cost.
Which tool has better developer handoff capabilities?
Framer has superior developer handoff with automatic code export, design tokens, and component library generation in React format. Adobe XD provides CSS measurements and specs panels but lacks modern token-based workflows. Framer is specifically built for developer collaboration.
How to Choose Between Adobe XD and Framer
Design Approach: Adobe XD has Visual drag-and-drop interface design, while Framer has Code-based design with React component support.
Learning Curve for Designers: Adobe XD has 2-3 days for basic proficiency, while Framer has 7-10 days (requires JavaScript/React knowledge).
Prototype Interactivity: Adobe XD has Basic interactions and transitions, while Framer has Advanced animations and state-based interactions.
Starting Price (Monthly): Adobe XD has $12.99/month (Creative Cloud required: $54.49), while Framer has $12/month (Framer Pro).
Adobe Ecosystem Integration: Adobe XD has Native integration with Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, while Framer has No direct Adobe integration.
Developer Handoff Tools: Adobe XD has Specs panel with CSS/measurements, while Framer has Code export, component libraries, design tokens export.
Real-time Collaboration: Adobe XD has Live co-editing with 5+ simultaneous users, while Framer has Live co-editing with unlimited simultaneous users.