Figma is a cloud-based, collaborative design platform accessible from any browser, while Sketch is a macOS-native application focused on UI/UX design with local file storage. Figma's real-time collaboration and cross-platform availability make it more suitable for distributed teams, whereas Sketch offers faster performance and deeper macOS integration for individual designers.
Figma vs Sketch — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Figma if your team is distributed, uses mixed operating systems, or values real-time collaboration and cost efficiency—it's the modern standard for collaborative design. Choose Sketch if you're a solo macOS designer who prioritizes raw performance, prefer local file control, and have deep integration needs with the Apple ecosystem.
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.
Structured comparison data for Figma vs Sketch with 288 attributes.
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)
Starter Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)
Estimated Time to First Design (Beginner)
Team Collaboration - Simultaneous Editors
Professional Design Tool Market Share (2025)
Average Time to Proficiency for New Users
Cloud Storage Included (Free Plan/Trial)
Market Share Among UI/UX Designers (2024)
Market Share Among Professional Designers
Performance on Large Files (100+ Artboards)
Figma vs Sketch — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Figma vs Sketch.
No, Sketch is exclusively available for macOS. If you need cross-platform support, Figma is the only option as it works on macOS, Windows, Linux, and via web browser.
Figma has limited offline functionality—you can view and comment on existing designs, but creating new content offline is restricted. Sketch offers full offline support since files are stored locally on your Mac.
Figma is significantly better for team collaboration due to native real-time multi-user editing, built-in commenting, and access from any device. Sketch requires additional subscriptions (Sketch Cloud + third-party tools) to achieve similar collaboration features.
Is Figma faster than Sketch for large design systems?
No, Sketch is faster with large files. Figma can experience performance issues with 1000+ artboards, while Sketch is optimized for 5000+ artboards on macOS. However, Figma is improving performance regularly.
What's the total cost of ownership for a 10-person design team?
Figma: $120-150/month (10 editors × $12-15 each). Sketch: $120/month (10 × $12 for Standard license) + optional $100/month for Sketch Cloud collaboration features. Figma includes collaboration; Sketch requires additional paid tools.