Sketch is a lightweight, Mac-native design tool focused on UI/UX creation with superior performance for detailed design work, while InVision is a comprehensive design and prototyping platform with stronger collaboration, feedback, and handoff features across web and mobile platforms.
Sketch vs InVision — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Lightweight vector design tool for UI/UX design with collaborative cloud features.
Web-based design and prototyping platform with advanced collaboration and interactive prototype features.
Primary Focus. Platform Availability. Prototyping Capabilities. Collaboration Features. Customer Support Channels. Learning Curve. Design Performance on Large Files
Choose Sketch if you're a professional UI/UX designer who values speed, file performance, and a focused design-first workflow on Mac or Windows. Choose InVision if you need an all-in-one solution with built-in prototyping, stakeholder collaboration, mobile apps, and comprehensive support for cross-functional teams.
Sketch: macOS, Windows (beta) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 3 (Mac, Windows, Web) | InVision: 4 (Web, Desktop, iOS, Android)
Sketch: Basic (plugin-dependent) | InVision: Advanced with interactions
Sketch: Limited (requires Cloud plugin, up to 5 free) | InVision: Unlimited users
Sketch: 1 (Email only) | InVision: 3 (Email, Phone, Tickets)
Sketch: Excellent - minimal lag | InVision: Good - occasional lag
Sketch: Native support with libraries | InVision: Supported via DSM add-on
Sketch: ~1,000+ community-built plugins | InVision: 500+ plugins and apps
Sketch: No (third-party workarounds) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Advanced Auto Layout (2021+) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 5-6 basic interactions (tap, click, scroll) | InVision: N/A
Cloud Storage Included (Free Plan/Trial)
Market Share Among UI/UX Designers (2024)
Sketch: Full interactive prototyping with animations and states | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Mac desktop, Web (limited features) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 14-day free trial only; no free plan | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Partner integrations (photos/icons sold separately) | InVision: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)
Sketch: $8.25/user (yearly: $99) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Shared libraries, comments, version history (async) | InVision: Comments, design voting, stakeholder reviews, inspect mode
Sketch: 1,200+ plugins | InVision: 200+ integrations
Sketch: Not included; requires third-party services | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Requires third-party plugins (e.g., Figma-to-React) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Symbols, shared styles, nested components (established) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: macOS, Windows, Web (recently improved) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Plugin-based, additional cost | InVision: Limited to paid Team tier
Sketch: Advanced (interactions, animations, states) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: No (proprietary) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: $144 (Sketch Standard annual) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Optimized for 100+ artboards without lag | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 0 (native); available via plugins | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 15,000+ plugins and integrations | InVision: 300+ integrations
Market Share Among Professional Designers
Sketch: ~70% (industry standard for UI/UX teams) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Basic (clickable prototypes only) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 4,000 x 4,000 pixels | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Manual management (requires Sketch 90+) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Full support with readable output | InVision: N/A
Sketch: macOS 10.13+ only | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Limited (file sharing only) | InVision: Full real-time with live cursors
Sketch: Requires workarounds | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 800+ without degradation | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Shared symbols with nesting | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Advanced with animations | InVision: N/A
Sketch: $12/month (or $129 one-time) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 15 concurrent users | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 8+ years of resources | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Proprietary/Closed | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Advanced (Symbols, Shared Styles, Tokens) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Basic (transitions, drag triggers) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Yes (Slack integration only) | InVision: N/A
Performance on Large Files (100+ Artboards)
Sketch: Excellent (instant load) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: None (third-party workarounds) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: No (30-day trial only) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Mac (Web beta) | InVision: Any browser (cross-platform)
Sketch: Limited via plugins (~5) | InVision: Native support (15+)
Sketch: Advanced with nested symbols | InVision: Basic component system
Sketch: Available in beta/plugins | InVision: Native Liveshare feature
Sketch: Requires integration (Zeplin, Abstract) | InVision: Native Inspect with code generation
Sketch: macOS only + Web viewer | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 6-8 basic interactions | InVision: 25+ interactions (links, hotspots, gestures)
Sketch: Limited free tier (projects only) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 22% of design tools market (2024) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 15-20 min (macOS native install) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Advanced design tokens with shared libraries | InVision: Pattern library with limited tokenization
Sketch: Limited; community-contributed | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Via plugins; file-based | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Full design support | InVision: Desktop app supports offline work
Sketch: Third-party plugins only | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Basic: 4-5 transition types (fade, slide, push, pop) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 2-5 MB per project | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Shared symbols with cloud sync via subscription | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 2 (macOS, Web beta) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 0 (third-party integration only) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Unlimited (2024+) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Sketch, SVG, PDF export | InVision: N/A
Sketch: $14/month (annual billing) or $20/month (monthly) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Optimal up to 200+ artboards with <100ms interaction latency | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Comments only; async collaboration | InVision: N/A
Sketch: 62% of design professionals (2024) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Proprietary closed-source | InVision: N/A
Sketch: macOS and Windows desktop apps | InVision: N/A
Sketch: Via third-party plugins (Zeplin, Abstract) | InVision: N/A
Sketch: $99 one-time + $99/year | InVision: $1,188-$1,788/year
Sketch: Up to 5 efficiently | InVision: Unlimited
Sketch: Basic (5-10 interaction types) | InVision: Advanced (40+ interaction types)
Sketch: 65 MB/s average | InVision: 12 MB/s (web-based limitation)
Sketch: macOS only | InVision: Mac, Windows, Linux via browser
Sketch: 800+ plugins | InVision: 150+ plugins
Sketch: 10 MB for complex UI | InVision: 20 MB including prototypes
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Comment-based feedback only
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Manual responsive workflow
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Requires external integration
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Specialized interactive prototypes
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Advanced (micro-interactions, animations)
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Limited (view-only)
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Comment-based workflow
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Advanced Smart Animate with frame-by-frame timeline
Sketch: N/A | InVision: 21 days (3 weeks)
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Unlimited on paid plans
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Inspect mode with code export and specifications
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Native versioning in InVision DSM (separate product)
Sketch: N/A | InVision: $25 per month (flat rate)
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Limited to commenter model
Sketch: N/A | InVision: 35+ gesture and animation controls
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Optimal up to 3,000 artboards
Sketch: N/A | InVision: 8-12% declining adoption
Sketch: N/A | InVision: 500,000-750,000 users
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Advanced micro-interactions (9/10)
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Industry-leading (9/10)
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Mac and Windows desktop apps
Sketch: N/A | InVision: 100 screens per prototype (practical limit)
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Basic: shapes, text, limited path editing
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Browser-based, internet required
Sketch: N/A | InVision: 5-10 hours for proficiency
Sketch: N/A | InVision: 50+ integrations and API
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Limited; basic animation support
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Yes; dedicated DSP included
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Limited; file-based workflow only
Sketch: N/A | InVision: 12% annual growth
Sketch: N/A | InVision: Advanced nested threads with task management
Sketch: N/A | InVision: InVision app with inspect mode
How to choose between Sketch and InVision
Sketch vs InVision — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Sketch vs InVision. Contains 168 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Sketch vs InVision — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Sketch vs InVision.
Which tool is better for prototyping and user testing?
InVision is superior for prototyping and user testing because it has advanced built-in prototyping tools with interactive transitions, micro-interactions, and native user testing capabilities. Sketch requires third-party plugins like Principle or Framer for comparable prototyping functionality, adding extra steps and cost.
Yes, Sketch is available on Windows as well as Mac and web-based versions. However, historically it was Mac-only, and some designers report the Mac version has slightly better performance. Both platforms now have feature parity, but Windows users may experience occasional issues with certain plugins.
How does collaboration work in each tool?
InVision offers superior real-time collaboration with unlimited simultaneous users, native commenting, and stakeholder feedback tools integrated into the platform. Sketch has more limited collaboration features and requires teams to use external tools or Sketch's cloud service for sharing. InVision is better suited for cross-functional teams needing built-in feedback workflows.
Which is more affordable for a small agency?
Sketch is significantly more affordable at $120/year per designer compared to InVision's $25-$50/month ($300-$600/year). For a 5-person team, Sketch costs roughly $600/year while InVision costs $1,500-$3,000/year. However, InVision may provide better ROI if the team heavily uses prototyping and stakeholder feedback features.
Is Sketch or InVision better for design system management?
Both tools support design systems, but Sketch's native library and component features are generally considered more straightforward for designers creating and managing components. InVision requires using its separate Design System Manager add-on. Sketch is simpler for design-focused teams; InVision is better if you need design-to-development handoff integration.
How to Choose Between Sketch and InVision
Primary Focus: Sketch has UI/UX design and vector editing, while InVision has Design, prototyping, and collaboration platform.
Platform Availability: Sketch has Mac, Windows, and web-based, while InVision has Web-based (browser) + mobile apps + desktop.
Prototyping Capabilities: Sketch has Basic (requires plugins), while InVision has Native and advanced prototyping tools included.
Collaboration Features: Sketch has Limited real-time collaboration, while InVision has Real-time collaboration with advanced commenting and feedback.
Customer Support Channels: Sketch has Email only, while InVision has Email, Phone, and Ticket system.
Learning Curve: Sketch has Steeper for beginners, faster for experienced designers, while InVision has More intuitive interface for new users.
Consider: Design Performance on Large Files
Design Performance on Large Files: Sketch has Optimized for speed with large artboards, while InVision has Can slow down with very large projects.