Figma vs Sketch vs Adobe XD (2026): Design Tool 3-Way Comparison
Figma wins for teams. Sketch wins for solo Mac designers who want speed on large files. Adobe XD wins only if you're already paying for Creative Cloud.
Figma vs Sketch vs Adobe XD (2026): Design Tool 3-Way Comparison — 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.
Desktop design and prototyping tool with advanced animation features and Creative Cloud integration.
Figma has widened its lead in 2026. Collaboration, design systems, prototyping, and cross-platform availability are all stronger than Sketch or Adobe XD. The only genuine reasons to choose Sketch over Figma are: you're a solo Mac designer who works with very large files and values offline capability. Adobe XD is the pick only if you're a Creative Cloud subscriber who doesn't want a separate subscription — its AI features via Firefly are genuinely strong, but the tool has lost developer mindshare to Figma.
Figma: 4M+ | Sketch: ~1M | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $1.36-1.37 billion | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $10.53-13.8 billion (public) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 9x-35x (varies by metric) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Public (NASDAQ: FIG) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 14-15% (non-GAAP) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: ~40% | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Enterprise Design Teams | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Advanced multiplayer editing | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $30-$150 | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Built-in real-time collaboration | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Sites CMS beta (200 items) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Variables, components, tokens | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Requires external hosting | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Dev Mode with inspection | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited (per plan) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 4.6/5 | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $12/month | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $192/month | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Cloud-only, no self-hosting | Sketch: No | Adobe XD: No (cloud-only)
Figma: Voice-to-text, Make controls, question cards, design suggestions | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Closed source | Sketch: No (proprietary) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 350+ plugins available | Sketch: 1,200+ plugins | Adobe XD: 400+ plugins
Figma: 4.6/5 | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 4.2/5
Figma: $12/month | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: $9.99/month
Figma: Unlimited with live cursors | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Up to 5 concurrent editors
Figma: Web browser + Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux) | Sketch: Mac desktop, Web (limited features) | Adobe XD: Desktop primary (Windows, Mac)
Figma: Master Variables with full version control | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Design tokens with Creative Cloud sync
Figma: Limited (separate ecosystem) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Native Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects integration
Figma: Voice-to-text, Make features, automation | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: AI-assisted design with enhanced prototyping
Figma: Browser-dependent, can slow with 1000+ frames | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Optimized desktop performance for large files
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)
Figma: $12.00 | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: $9.99 standalone
Figma: 45% | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 25%
Figma: Unlimited | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Up to 5
Figma: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Windows, macOS, iPad
Figma: ~2500+ plugins | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: ~700 plugins
Figma: Performance issues above 2GB | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Performance issues above 500MB
Figma: Limited offline, primarily cloud-based | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Full offline support
Figma: Advanced design specs, Dev Mode, code generation | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: CSS/SVG export, design specs
Figma: Intermediate (basic flows, transitions) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 300+ | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 500+ (performance degrades) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $12 | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Generous (3 projects, 2GB) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 45% | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Starter Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)
Figma: $16 | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Variable by seats | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Custom pricing | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Four-tier with seat types (Full, Dev, Collab) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Industry-leading precision tools | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Excellent for design workflows | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Basic design assistance | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Good team controls | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 15+ concurrent editors (unlimited) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 2-3 concurrent editors before slowdown
Figma: Yes (full collaborative design) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: No free tier; 7-day free trial only
Figma: Advanced variables system with 20+ variant combinations per component | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Limited variant support (main + 1-2 states)
Figma: 71% among design teams | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 19% among design teams
Figma: Limited offline mode (view only, limited editing) | Sketch: Full offline support; all files stored locally | Adobe XD: Full offline mode; all features available
Figma: Advanced auto-animate, conditional logic, 35+ interaction types | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Basic transitions and timing; 8 interaction types
Figma: 30 days of version history | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Not applicable (no free tier)
Figma: $12.00 | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $228.00 | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited (draft-based) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Community plugins only | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Interactions, conditional logic, component states, animations, flows | Sketch: 5-6 basic interactions (tap, click, scroll) | Adobe XD: 12+ (including voice, drag, animation)
Figma: Enterprise-grade (variants, tokens, documentation) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Yes (100% browser-native) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $12 (Professional tier, free tier available) | Sketch: $12 | Adobe XD: $9.99 (add-on to Creative Cloud at $54.99/month)
Figma: $180 | Sketch: $299 | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: ~2,000 plugins | Sketch: 9,000+ | Adobe XD: 8,000+
Figma: Mac, Windows, Linux, Web | Sketch: macOS 10.13+ only | Adobe XD: Windows 10+, macOS 10.13+
Figma: Yes; built-in with live cursors, comments, and activity tracking | Sketch: Limited (file sharing only) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Limited (browser-dependent) | Sketch: Full support | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: ~62% | Sketch: ~18% | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Yes, full features for 1 file | Sketch: No free tier | Adobe XD: Yes, limited to 1 shared prototype
Figma: $144 | Sketch: $99 | Adobe XD: $99.99
Figma: Unlimited | Sketch: Requires workarounds | Adobe XD: Limited to Creative Cloud team
Figma: Web + macOS + Windows + iPad | Sketch: macOS, Windows (beta) | Adobe XD: macOS, Windows, Web
Figma: 300-400 before lag | Sketch: 800+ without degradation | Adobe XD: 400-500 before slowdown
Figma: Shared libraries with variants | Sketch: Shared symbols with nesting | Adobe XD: Shared components with variants
Figma: Advanced with variables | Sketch: Advanced with animations | Adobe XD: Advanced with voice/gesture
Figma: 45% | Sketch: 22% | Adobe XD: 15%
Figma: $12 per editor | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Basic preset animations without timeline | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 4 days | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 71% | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited on paid plans | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Dev Mode with code snippets and specs | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Spec export, measurement tools, CSS export (limited)
Figma: Component versioning in main product | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $12 per editor/month | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited on any plan | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 15+ (conditions, variables, triggers, overlays) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 2,500+ | Sketch: 15,000+ plugins and integrations | Adobe XD: 1000+ plugins in XD ecosystem
Figma: Optimal up to 5,000 artboards | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 61% of design professionals | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 70% of professional design teams | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: No built-in hosting | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 2000+ official plugins and integrations | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)
Figma: $12/month (billed annually) | Sketch: $8.25/user (yearly: $99) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 500+ simultaneous users | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 1-3 (plan dependent)
Figma: 40-60% (design to code via plugins) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Basic interactions, limited keyframe animation | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Variables, tokens, component library, extensive version control | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 4+ million users | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited, all editor tiers | Sketch: Plugin-based, additional cost | Adobe XD: Native real-time co-editing
Figma: Basic interactions (6/10) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Good with plugins (7/10) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Full Variables system with token export | Sketch: Advanced design tokens with shared libraries | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Web-based only | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 2-3 weeks | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 3 files maximum, unlimited pages per file, basic prototyping, browser-based | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 50,000+ community templates | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 10+ simultaneous editors with live cursors | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 0 (third-party integrations available) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Components, variables, tokens, auto-layout, design tokens management | Sketch: Advanced (Symbols, Shared Styles, Tokens) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Limited AI—mostly design optimization and naming suggestions | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $0 (Free) / $12 (Pro) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: $9.99
Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Limited to shared link viewers
Figma: Good prototyping animations; not production-ready | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Native timeline animations with easing, delays, triggers
Figma: 1.5-2.5 hours (beginner-friendly) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 4-6 hours (steeper curve)
Figma: Unlimited (Team plan) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 100 documents
Figma: Any browser (Windows, macOS, Linux, iPad, web) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Windows, macOS desktop only
Figma: $12 (Professional) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: $9.99 (Single App)
Figma: $60 (all share one license) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: $299.99 (5 × $9.99 × 2.5x for teams)
Figma: Unlimited | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 2
Figma: Basic interactions (tap, hover, drag) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Full frame-based timeline with easing curves
Figma: 4 (Web, Mac, Windows, iPad) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 2 (Mac, Windows only)
Figma: Limited (API for third-party imports) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Native with Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects
Figma: 15 million | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 2+ million
Figma: Public/password-protected with comment threads | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Shareable links with basic feedback
Figma: $80 | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 60 FPS | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Not available | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A (proprietary) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 120 minutes | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 500+ (community + official) | Sketch: 500+ | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Professional (boolean ops, advanced paths) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: None (external sources required) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: macOS, Windows, Linux, web browser | Sketch: macOS only | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 1,200+ community plugins | Sketch: 3,500+ plugins | Adobe XD: 500+
Figma: 42% | Sketch: 18% | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 500 MB (optimal) | Sketch: 1,000+ MB | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 8-12 hours | Sketch: 6-10 hours | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited viewers + 1 editor | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 2-3 hours | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 1,000+ plugins via Figma API | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: No (design tool only) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 3 editable files | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 0GB (Figma Projects only) | Sketch: Limited free tier (projects only) | Adobe XD: 2GB free
Figma: $12/month (Editor) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 50+ simultaneous users | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Estimated Time to First Design (Beginner)
Figma: 120-480 minutes (2-8 hours) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Advanced: conditional flows, variables, component variants, design tokens | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Enterprise-grade: design tokens, branching, versioning, token management | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors per team | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Figma native format, exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, CSS, JSON | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 2-3 seconds (cloud-based, depends on internet) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 3/10 - basic selection and fill tools; not optimized for photo work | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 9/10 - native component systems, design tokens, auto-layout, prototyping | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Team Collaboration - Simultaneous Editors
Figma: 50+ simultaneous editors | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: No - requires external services | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Advanced with tokens, variables, and nested components | Sketch: Native support with libraries | Adobe XD: Shared symbols, component variants, design libraries
Figma: Limited to Dev Mode specs; no automated code generation | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 5,000+ plugins available | Sketch: ~1,000+ community-built plugins | Adobe XD: ~300 official and community plugins
Figma: Unlimited (cloud-based) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Unlimited (desktop app)
Figma: 50-150ms (true real-time) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 500-1500ms (async-based)
Figma: Limited offline editing (browser cache) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Full offline editing with cloud sync
Professional Design Tool Market Share (2025)
Figma: 71% | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 17%
Figma: Third-party plugins only; no native Adobe integration | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Native two-way sync with Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects
Figma: 2000+ | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 320+
Average Time to Proficiency for New Users
Figma: $12/month (Starter, 1 editor) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $80/editor (Professional) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Yes - nested variants with multiple properties | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 100 simultaneous editors | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 500+ templates (UI/design focused) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Advanced - interactions, animations, logic, variables | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited concurrent editors per file | Sketch: Limited (requires Cloud plugin, up to 5 free) | Adobe XD: 1 editor at a time per file (cloud sync only)
Figma: 3 editable files (unlimited view-only) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 0 (subscription required)
Figma: 130+ community plugins available | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 30+ official integrations
Figma: Basic transitions and interactions | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Advanced auto-animate with easing, delays, and frame-by-frame control
Figma: Full variants support with auto-layout and smart selection | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Symbols with basic override capabilities
Figma: 12+ million monthly active users | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 2-3 million monthly active users (estimated)
Figma: $0 (Figma Free) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited (edit + view) | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Full component library with variants and design tokens | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: 300 requests/minute | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: $0 (free tier) or $12 (Professional) | Sketch: $12 (Standard subscription) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Native (unlimited simultaneous editors) | Sketch: Not native (requires Sketch Cloud + third-party tools) | Adobe XD: Full co-editing support
Figma: Optimal up to 1000 artboards | Sketch: Optimal up to 5000+ artboards | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Unlimited (30-day rollback on free; full on paid) | Sketch: 30 days on Sketch Cloud; local files indefinite | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: Dev Mode with live code snippets (CSS, React, Tailwind) | Sketch: Requires third-party plugins or Zeplin integration | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $120/year ($10/month) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 3 (Mac, Windows, Web) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Basic (plugin-dependent) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 1 (Email only) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Excellent - minimal lag | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: macOS only | Adobe XD: Windows and macOS
Figma: N/A | Sketch: No (third-party workarounds) | Adobe XD: Yes (cloud-native)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Advanced Auto Layout (2021+) | Adobe XD: Repeat Grid with constraints
Cloud Storage Included (Free Plan/Trial)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Paid plans only | Adobe XD: 2 GB with free Creative Cloud account
Market Share Among UI/UX Designers (2024)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 38% | Adobe XD: 31%
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $120 | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 8/10 (steep) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Full interactive prototyping with animations and states | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 14-day free trial only; no free plan | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Partner integrations (photos/icons sold separately) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Shared libraries, comments, version history (async) | Adobe XD: Comments, limited real-time co-editing, shared libraries
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Not included; requires third-party services | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Requires third-party plugins (e.g., Figma-to-React) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Symbols, shared styles, nested components (established) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: macOS, Windows, Web (recently improved) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Advanced (interactions, animations, states) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 95% | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $144 (Sketch Standard annual) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Optimized for 100+ artboards without lag | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 0 (native); available via plugins | Adobe XD: N/A
Market Share Among Professional Designers
Figma: N/A | Sketch: ~70% (industry standard for UI/UX teams) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $14 | Adobe XD: $9.99
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Basic (clickable prototypes only) | Adobe XD: Advanced (35+ triggers, animations, voice)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 4,000 x 4,000 pixels | Adobe XD: 32,000 x 32,000 pixels
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Manual management (requires Sketch 90+) | Adobe XD: Native with library sync
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Full support with readable output | Adobe XD: Full support with clean code
Figma: N/A | Sketch: <1 second | Adobe XD: 3-5 seconds
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $12/month (or $129 one-time) | Adobe XD: $12.99/month standalone
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 15 concurrent users | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 8+ years of resources | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Proprietary/Closed | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $12 | Adobe XD: $9.99 (standalone) or $54.99 (full Creative Cloud)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Basic (transitions, drag triggers) | Adobe XD: Advanced (auto-animate, voice, speech recognition)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Yes (Slack integration only) | Adobe XD: Yes (built-in, voice/video chat)
Performance on Large Files (100+ Artboards)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Excellent (instant load) | Adobe XD: Good (occasional lag reported)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: None (third-party workarounds) | Adobe XD: Native (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: No (30-day trial only) | Adobe XD: Yes (limited free tier)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $12/month | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 30 days | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Mac (Web beta) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Limited via plugins (~5) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Advanced with nested symbols | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Available in beta/plugins | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Requires integration (Zeplin, Abstract) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: macOS only + Web viewer | Adobe XD: Windows, macOS, Web, iOS
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 6-8 basic interactions | Adobe XD: 14 (tap, drag, scroll, voice, gesture-based)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 22% of design tools market (2024) | Adobe XD: 28% of design tools market (2024)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 15-20 min (macOS native install) | Adobe XD: 45-60 min (with Adobe account setup)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $168 | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 20+ hours | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Limited; community-contributed | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Via plugins; file-based | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Third-party plugins only | Adobe XD: Native, unlimited collaborators
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Basic: 4-5 transition types (fade, slide, push, pop) | Adobe XD: Advanced: 12+ animation types including voice/scroll-trigger
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 2-5 MB per project | Adobe XD: 10-15 MB per project
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Shared symbols with cloud sync via subscription | Adobe XD: Shared libraries with team-wide syncing
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $120 | Adobe XD: $179.88
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $600 | Adobe XD: $897.60
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 2 (macOS, Web beta) | Adobe XD: 3 (macOS, Windows, Web)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 0 (third-party integration only) | Adobe XD: 100
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Unlimited (2024+) | Adobe XD: Up to 4 free / Unlimited with team plan
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Sketch, SVG, PDF export | Adobe XD: XD, PDF, SVG, PNG, JPEG, MP4 video export
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $14/month (annual billing) or $20/month (monthly) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Optimal up to 200+ artboards with <100ms interaction latency | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Comments only; async collaboration | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 62% of design professionals (2024) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Proprietary closed-source | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: macOS and Windows desktop apps | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Via third-party plugins (Zeplin, Abstract) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: $99 one-time + $99/year | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Up to 5 efficiently | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: Basic (5-10 interaction types) | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 65 MB/s average | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: macOS only | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 800+ plugins | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: 10 MB for complex UI | Adobe XD: N/A
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 12,957 customers
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 2.6x larger
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Native AI capabilities included
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: $12.99/month
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Automatic responsive resizing
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Native design systems included
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: General prototyping
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: $119.88/year standalone
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 2-3 seconds
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Limited (comments only, not full co-editing)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Yes (Windows/Mac application)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Native with Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Not available
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 3-5 (comments)
Total Monthly Cost (with Required Services)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: $54.49 (Creative Cloud)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 5+ simultaneous users
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: CSS measurements and specs panel
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: None required
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Professional: Pen tool, Boolean operations, gradient editor, mesh transform
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 20-30 hours for proficiency
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 200+ integrations (Creative Cloud native)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual Plan)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: $14.99/month (Creative Cloud required)
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 32,000 x 32,000
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: PNG, SVG, PDF, XD format
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 2 GB
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: $119.88
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Cloud-based shared libraries with design tokens
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Unlimited with state management
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: No; uses component libraries
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Native integration with 15+ Creative Cloud apps
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: 18% annual growth
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: Basic commenting on canvas
Figma: N/A | Sketch: N/A | Adobe XD: XD Cloud and Share Link (mobile app available)
How to choose between Figma and Sketch and Adobe XD
Figma vs Sketch vs Adobe XD (2026): Design Tool 3-Way Comparison — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Figma vs Sketch vs Adobe XD (2026): Design Tool 3-Way Comparison. Contains 324 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Figma vs Sketch vs Adobe XD (2026): Design Tool 3-Way Comparison — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Figma vs Sketch vs Adobe XD (2026): Design Tool 3-Way Comparison.
Yes. Adobe announced it was winding down Adobe XD as a standalone product after its attempted acquisition of Figma was blocked by UK and European regulators in January 2023. Existing Adobe XD files remain accessible through Adobe Creative Cloud, but Adobe has redirected its design workflow investment toward Creative Cloud integration rather than continuing XD as a competitive product. For new design projects in 2026, Adobe XD is not recommended — teams should migrate to Figma (for cross-platform collaborative design) or Sketch (for Mac-only workflows).
Figma offers a free Starter plan that allows up to 3 Figma design files and 3 FigJam whiteboard files, with unlimited collaborators as viewers. The free plan is sufficient for solo designers, freelancers exploring the tool, or students. For professional teams needing unlimited files, version history, and advanced design system features, the Professional plan is $20/user/month. Organizations needing SSO, admin controls, and organization-wide design libraries pay $45/user/month. Figma's free tier is one of the most generous in professional software — it enables teams to start collaborating without any upfront cost.
Why did designers switch from Sketch to Figma?
The primary reasons designers switched from Sketch to Figma were: (1) Real-time collaboration — Figma allows multiple designers to edit simultaneously like Google Docs, eliminating file-sharing and version conflicts; (2) Cross-platform access — Figma runs in the browser on any OS, making it accessible to Windows developers without a Mac license; (3) Developer handoff — Figma's Inspect panel (now Dev Mode) allowed engineers to access specs, CSS values, and design tokens without Zeplin or other handoff tools; (4) No file size limits for cloud sync — Sketch files over a certain size became slow, while Figma handles large design systems more gracefully. Sketch remains competitive for Mac-only teams where the lower cost and native performance justify staying.
Which design tool is best for beginners?
Figma is the best design tool for beginners in 2026 for several reasons: it is free to start (Starter plan with 3 files), browser-based (no installation), has the largest learning community online (YouTube tutorials, Figma community templates, courses), and the interface is considered the most intuitive of the three. The Figma Community also offers thousands of free UI kits, design systems (Material Design 3, Apple Human Interface), and templates that give beginners a strong starting point. Sketch requires a Mac and paid subscription. Adobe XD is discontinued. Figma is the clear choice for anyone learning UI/UX design in 2026.
Figma can replace Photoshop for screen-based UI/UX design workflows — designing app interfaces, website mockups, and interactive prototypes. However, Figma is not a replacement for Photoshop in its core strengths: pixel-level photo editing, compositing, painting, retouching, and print-ready graphics production. Figma is a vector-and-component-based design tool optimized for screen interfaces; Photoshop is a raster image editor optimized for photo manipulation and print. For UI design, Figma is the more appropriate tool. For photo editing and creative production, Photoshop remains unmatched.
How to Choose Between Figma and Sketch and Adobe XD