Figma is a browser-based design tool that has largely replaced Sketch with real-time collaboration. Sketch is a Mac-only native app. Figma has 4M+ users and has become the industry standard for UI/UX design teams. Sketch is still loved by solo Mac designers.
Figma vs Sketch — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud-based collaborative design platform with real-time editing and cross-platform accessibility.
Native macOS design application optimized for UI/UX with local file control and plugin ecosystem.
Platform. Real-time Collaboration. Market Share. Offline Use. Price
Figma has won the UI design market. Sketch remains viable for Mac-only designers but lacks Figma's collaboration and cross-platform access.
Figma: $10.53-13.8 billion (public) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 9x-35x (varies by metric) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Public (NASDAQ: FIG) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Enterprise Design Teams | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Advanced multiplayer editing | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Built-in real-time collaboration | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Sites CMS beta (200 items) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Variables, components, tokens | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Requires external hosting | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Dev Mode with inspection | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Unlimited (per plan) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Cloud-only, no self-hosting | Sketch: No
Figma: Voice-to-text, Make controls, question cards, design suggestions | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Closed source | Sketch: No (proprietary)
Figma: 350+ plugins available | Sketch: 1,200+ plugins
Figma: Unlimited with live cursors | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Web browser + Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux) | Sketch: Mac desktop, Web (limited features)
Figma: Master Variables with full version control | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Limited (separate ecosystem) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Voice-to-text, Make features, automation | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Browser-dependent, can slow with 1000+ frames | Sketch: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)
Figma: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Performance issues above 2GB | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Limited offline, primarily cloud-based | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Advanced design specs, Dev Mode, code generation | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Intermediate (basic flows, transitions) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 500+ (performance degrades) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Generous (3 projects, 2GB) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors | Sketch: N/A
Starter Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)
Figma: Four-tier with seat types (Full, Dev, Collab) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Industry-leading precision tools | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Excellent for design workflows | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Basic design assistance | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 15+ concurrent editors (unlimited) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Yes (full collaborative design) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Advanced variables system with 20+ variant combinations per component | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 71% among design teams | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Limited offline mode (view only, limited editing) | Sketch: Full offline support; all files stored locally
Figma: Advanced auto-animate, conditional logic, 35+ interaction types | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 30 days of version history | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Unlimited (draft-based) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Community plugins only | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Interactions, conditional logic, component states, animations, flows | Sketch: 5-6 basic interactions (tap, click, scroll)
Figma: Enterprise-grade (variants, tokens, documentation) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Yes (100% browser-native) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: $12 (Professional tier, free tier available) | Sketch: $12
Figma: Mac, Windows, Linux, Web | Sketch: macOS 10.13+ only
Figma: Yes; built-in with live cursors, comments, and activity tracking | Sketch: Limited (file sharing only)
Figma: Limited (browser-dependent) | Sketch: Full support
Figma: Yes, full features for 1 file | Sketch: No free tier
Figma: Unlimited | Sketch: Requires workarounds
Figma: Web + macOS + Windows + iPad | Sketch: macOS, Windows (beta)
Figma: 300-400 before lag | Sketch: 800+ without degradation
Figma: Shared libraries with variants | Sketch: Shared symbols with nesting
Figma: Advanced with variables | Sketch: Advanced with animations
Figma: Basic preset animations without timeline | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Unlimited on paid plans | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Dev Mode with code snippets and specs | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Component versioning in main product | Sketch: N/A
Figma: $12 per editor/month | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Unlimited on any plan | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 15+ (conditions, variables, triggers, overlays) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 2,500+ | Sketch: 15,000+ plugins and integrations
Figma: Optimal up to 5,000 artboards | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 61% of design professionals | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 70% of professional design teams | Sketch: N/A
Figma: No built-in hosting | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 2000+ official plugins and integrations | Sketch: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)
Figma: $12/month (billed annually) | Sketch: $8.25/user (yearly: $99)
Figma: 500+ simultaneous users | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 40-60% (design to code via plugins) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Basic interactions, limited keyframe animation | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Variables, tokens, component library, extensive version control | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Unlimited, all editor tiers | Sketch: Plugin-based, additional cost
Figma: Basic interactions (6/10) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Good with plugins (7/10) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Full Variables system with token export | Sketch: Advanced design tokens with shared libraries
Figma: 3 files maximum, unlimited pages per file, basic prototyping, browser-based | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 50,000+ community templates | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 10+ simultaneous editors with live cursors | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 0 (third-party integrations available) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Components, variables, tokens, auto-layout, design tokens management | Sketch: Advanced (Symbols, Shared Styles, Tokens)
Figma: Limited AI—mostly design optimization and naming suggestions | Sketch: N/A
Figma: $0 (Free) / $12 (Pro) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Good prototyping animations; not production-ready | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 1.5-2.5 hours (beginner-friendly) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Unlimited (Team plan) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Any browser (Windows, macOS, Linux, iPad, web) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: $60 (all share one license) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Basic interactions (tap, hover, drag) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 4 (Web, Mac, Windows, iPad) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Limited (API for third-party imports) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Public/password-protected with comment threads | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 500+ (community + official) | Sketch: 500+
Figma: Professional (boolean ops, advanced paths) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: None (external sources required) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: macOS, Windows, Linux, web browser | Sketch: macOS only
Figma: 1,200+ community plugins | Sketch: 3,500+ plugins
Figma: 500 MB (optimal) | Sketch: 1,000+ MB
Figma: Unlimited viewers + 1 editor | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 1,000+ plugins via Figma API | Sketch: N/A
Figma: No (design tool only) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 0GB (Figma Projects only) | Sketch: Limited free tier (projects only)
Figma: 50+ simultaneous users | Sketch: N/A
Estimated Time to First Design (Beginner)
Figma: 120-480 minutes (2-8 hours) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Advanced: conditional flows, variables, component variants, design tokens | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Enterprise-grade: design tokens, branching, versioning, token management | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors per team | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Figma native format, exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, CSS, JSON | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 2-3 seconds (cloud-based, depends on internet) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 3/10 - basic selection and fill tools; not optimized for photo work | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 9/10 - native component systems, design tokens, auto-layout, prototyping | Sketch: N/A
Team Collaboration - Simultaneous Editors
Figma: 50+ simultaneous editors | Sketch: N/A
Figma: No - requires external services | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Advanced with tokens, variables, and nested components | Sketch: Native support with libraries
Figma: Limited to Dev Mode specs; no automated code generation | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 5,000+ plugins available | Sketch: ~1,000+ community-built plugins
Figma: Unlimited (cloud-based) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 50-150ms (true real-time) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Limited offline editing (browser cache) | Sketch: N/A
Professional Design Tool Market Share (2025)
Figma: Third-party plugins only; no native Adobe integration | Sketch: N/A
Average Time to Proficiency for New Users
Figma: $12/month (Starter, 1 editor) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: $80/editor (Professional) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Yes - nested variants with multiple properties | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 100 simultaneous editors | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 500+ templates (UI/design focused) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Advanced - interactions, animations, logic, variables | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Unlimited concurrent editors per file | Sketch: Limited (requires Cloud plugin, up to 5 free)
Figma: 3 editable files (unlimited view-only) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 130+ community plugins available | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Basic transitions and interactions | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Full variants support with auto-layout and smart selection | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 12+ million monthly active users | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Unlimited (edit + view) | Sketch: N/A
Figma: Full component library with variants and design tokens | Sketch: N/A
Figma: 300 requests/minute | Sketch: N/A
Figma: $0 (free tier) or $12 (Professional) | Sketch: $12 (Standard subscription)
Figma: Native (unlimited simultaneous editors) | Sketch: Not native (requires Sketch Cloud + third-party tools)
Figma: Optimal up to 1000 artboards | Sketch: Optimal up to 5000+ artboards
Figma: Unlimited (30-day rollback on free; full on paid) | Sketch: 30 days on Sketch Cloud; local files indefinite
Figma: Dev Mode with live code snippets (CSS, React, Tailwind) | Sketch: Requires third-party plugins or Zeplin integration
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $120/year ($10/month)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 3 (Mac, Windows, Web)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Basic (plugin-dependent)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Excellent - minimal lag
Figma: N/A | Sketch: No (third-party workarounds)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Advanced Auto Layout (2021+)
Cloud Storage Included (Free Plan/Trial)
Market Share Among UI/UX Designers (2024)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Full interactive prototyping with animations and states
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 14-day free trial only; no free plan
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Partner integrations (photos/icons sold separately)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Shared libraries, comments, version history (async)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Not included; requires third-party services
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Requires third-party plugins (e.g., Figma-to-React)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Symbols, shared styles, nested components (established)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: macOS, Windows, Web (recently improved)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Advanced (interactions, animations, states)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $144 (Sketch Standard annual)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Optimized for 100+ artboards without lag
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 0 (native); available via plugins
Market Share Among Professional Designers
Figma: N/A | Sketch: ~70% (industry standard for UI/UX teams)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Basic (clickable prototypes only)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 4,000 x 4,000 pixels
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Manual management (requires Sketch 90+)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Full support with readable output
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $12/month (or $129 one-time)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 15 concurrent users
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 8+ years of resources
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Basic (transitions, drag triggers)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Yes (Slack integration only)
Performance on Large Files (100+ Artboards)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Excellent (instant load)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: None (third-party workarounds)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: No (30-day trial only)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Limited via plugins (~5)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Advanced with nested symbols
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Available in beta/plugins
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Requires integration (Zeplin, Abstract)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: macOS only + Web viewer
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 6-8 basic interactions
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 22% of design tools market (2024)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 15-20 min (macOS native install)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Limited; community-contributed
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Via plugins; file-based
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Third-party plugins only
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Basic: 4-5 transition types (fade, slide, push, pop)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Shared symbols with cloud sync via subscription
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 2 (macOS, Web beta)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 0 (third-party integration only)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Sketch, SVG, PDF export
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $14/month (annual billing) or $20/month (monthly)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Optimal up to 200+ artboards with <100ms interaction latency
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Comments only; async collaboration
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 62% of design professionals (2024)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Proprietary closed-source
Figma: N/A | Sketch: macOS and Windows desktop apps
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Via third-party plugins (Zeplin, Abstract)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $99 one-time + $99/year
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Up to 5 efficiently
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Basic (5-10 interaction types)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 10 MB for complex UI
Figma vs Sketch — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Figma vs Sketch. Contains 288 attribute comparisons, 4 FAQ pairs.
Figma vs Sketch — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Figma vs Sketch.
For most product design teams, yes — Figma is the better choice. It runs cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux), has superior real-time collaboration built in from the start, has a larger plugin ecosystem (1,500+ vs 400+), and is the dominant tool at tech companies. Figma's Dev Mode simplifies developer handoff significantly. Sketch remains excellent for Mac-only studios, designers who prefer offline desktop tools, and teams that value Sketch AI's OpenAI-powered generative features. If your team has any Windows users, Sketch is not an option (Mac-only).
Figma has a free plan that includes unlimited editors, 3 projects, and unlimited personal files. The free plan is fully functional for individual designers and small personal projects. Professional teams typically need the Professional plan ($12/editor/month) for unlimited projects, version history, and team sharing features. The Organization tier ($45/editor/month) adds design tokens (Variables), branching, and advanced admin features useful for larger design systems. Enterprise ($75/editor/month) adds SSO, advanced security, and dedicated support.
No — Sketch is Mac-only. It runs exclusively on macOS and requires an Apple device (Mac, MacBook). There is no Windows or browser version. This is Sketch's most significant competitive disadvantage in cross-functional teams that include Windows users (common in enterprise environments). If your team has any Windows or Linux users, Figma (browser-based) or Adobe XD are the primary alternatives. For Mac-only teams, this limitation is irrelevant.
What happened to Adobe's Figma acquisition?
Adobe announced an acquisition of Figma for $20 billion in September 2022. The deal was blocked by both the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and European Union regulators, who concluded the acquisition would reduce competition in the design software market. Adobe and Figma mutually terminated the merger agreement in December 2023, with Adobe paying Figma a $1 billion termination fee. Figma remains independent and has continued developing its platform. This outcome is broadly considered positive for the design software market, as it preserved Figma as an independent competitor to Adobe's Creative Cloud tools.
Platform: Figma has Any (browser), while Sketch has Mac only.
Real-time Collaboration: Figma has Excellent, while Sketch has Limited.
Market Share: Figma has ~80% of designers, while Sketch has ~15% of designers.
Offline Use: Figma has Limited, while Sketch has Full.
Price: Figma has Free / $12+/mo, while Sketch has $9/mo or $99/yr.