Sketch dominates macOS-exclusive UI/UX design with superior performance and a mature plugin ecosystem, while Adobe XD offers cross-platform support (Windows and macOS), real-time cloud collaboration, and tighter integration with the Creative Cloud suite at a lower price point.
Sketch vs Adobe XD — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Sketch if you're a macOS-based professional designer who values a mature, plugin-rich ecosystem and doesn't need cross-platform compatibility or real-time team collaboration. Choose Adobe XD if you need Windows support, native cloud collaboration, advanced prototyping, or prefer integrated Creative Cloud workflows at a competitive price.
Mac-native design tool specializing in UI/UX design with robust plugin support.
Adobe's cloud-based UI/UX design and prototyping platform with professional-grade tools.
Structured comparison data for Sketch vs Adobe XD with 164 attributes.
Cloud Storage Included (Free Plan/Trial)
Market Share Among UI/UX Designers (2024)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)
Market Share Among Professional Designers
Performance on Large Files (100+ Artboards)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)
Total Monthly Cost (with Required Services)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual Plan)
Sketch vs Adobe XD — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Sketch vs Adobe XD.
No. Sketch is exclusively available for macOS. If you need Windows compatibility, Adobe XD is your only option between these two. Some designers use virtual machines or cloud solutions, but native support is not available.
Does Sketch have real-time collaboration like Figma?
Not natively. Sketch offers limited collaboration compared to Figma or Adobe XD. You can share files via cloud storage or use plugins like Teleprompter, but true real-time collaboration with live cursors and commenting is not built-in. Adobe XD has native cloud collaboration.
Adobe XD has significantly more advanced prototyping features, including voice commands, drag interactions, and animation presets. Sketch's prototyping is more basic and often requires exporting to tools like Framer or Principle for complex interactions. For advanced prototyping, XD wins.
How much does Sketch cost compared to Adobe XD?
Sketch costs $12/month (annual plan) or $14/month (monthly). Adobe XD stands alone at $9.99/month but is also included free in Adobe Creative Cloud ($54.99/month with Photoshop and Illustrator). For design-only, XD is cheaper; for full Creative Cloud, bundling may be more economical.
Sketch has a significantly larger ecosystem with 2,500+ plugins available via the Sketch App Store. Adobe XD has around 400 plugins but integrates deeply with Creative Cloud assets. For customization and specialized workflows, Sketch's ecosystem is more mature.