software
Figma vs Sketch 2026: Collaboration vs Performance
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
Cloud-based collaborative design platform with real-time editing and cross-platform accessibility.
Distributed design teams, startups, cross-functional collaboration, designers using Windows/Linux, and organizations prioritizing cost-effectiveness
Score64%
VS
S
Sketch
Native macOS design application optimized for UI/UX with local file control and plugin ecosystem.
Solo macOS designers, Apple-ecosystem-focused teams, designers prioritizing local file control, and users handling very large design systems
Score58%
Quick Answer
AI SummaryFigma 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.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose 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.
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Figma
7/10
Sketch
8/10
S
Choose Figma if
Distributed design teams, startups, cross-functional collaboration, designers using Windows/Linux, and organizations prioritizing cost-effectiveness
S
Choose Sketch if
Best pickSolo macOS designers, Apple-ecosystem-focused teams, designers prioritizing local file control, and users handling very large design systems
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Key Differences at a Glance
- Platform Availability:✓ Figma wins(Web browser (all OS), native apps for Mac/Windows vs macOS only (no Windows or Linux native))
- Real-time Collaboration:✓ Figma wins(Built-in, multiple users editing simultaneously with live cursors vs Requires third-party plugins or external tools)
- File Storage:✓ Figma wins(Cloud-based (automatic sync, version history included) vs Local files with optional cloud sync via Sketch Cloud)
Key Facts & Figures
150 numeric metrics compared
| Metric | Figma | Sketch | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Designers | 4M+ | ~1M | |
| Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)(Million USD) | $1.36-1.37 billion | — | — |
| Company Valuation(USD billion) | $10.53-13.8 billion (public) | — | — |
| Revenue Multiple (Price-to-Sales)(x) | 9x-35x (varies by metric) | — | — |
| Operating Margin(%) | 14-15% (non-GAAP) | — | — |
| Year-over-Year Revenue Growth(%) | ~40% | — | — |
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD/user/month) | $30-$150 | — | — |
| User Rating(stars out of 5) | 4.6/5 | — | — |
| Professional Plan Cost(USD per month) | $12/month | — | — |
| Team Plan Cost (5 users)(USD per month) | $192/month | — | — |
| Plugin Ecosystem(count) | 350+ plugins available | 1,200+ plugins | |
| User Rating (2026)(stars) | 4.6/5 | — | — |
| Monthly Subscription (Standard Plan)(USD) | $12/month | — | — |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)(USD) | $12.00 | — | — |
| Market Share Among Design Professionals(%) | 45% | — | — |
| Plugin Ecosystem(plugins) | ~2500+ plugins | — | — |
| Integration Plugins/Extensions(count) | 300+ | — | — |
| Setup Time for New User(minutes) | 15 | — | — |
| Maximum File Size Recommended(pages) | 500+ (performance degrades) | — | — |
| Starting Price (USD/month per editor)(USD) | $12 | — | — |
| Market Share 2026(percent) | 45% | — | — |
| Starter Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD) | $16 | — | — |
| Simultaneous Editors(users) | 15+ concurrent editors (unlimited) | — | — |
| Market Share (2026)(%) | 71% among design teams | — | — |
| File History Retention (Free Tier)(days) | 30 days of version history | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD) | $12.00 | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (Team of 5 Users)(USD) | $228.00 | — | — |
| Built-in Design Templates(templates available) | Community plugins only | — | — |
| Prototyping Interaction Types(types) | Interactions, conditional logic, component states, animations, flows | 5-6 basic interactions (tap, click, scroll) | |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD) | $12 (Professional tier, free tier available) | $12 | |
| Annual Cost per Editor(USD) | $180 | $299 | |
| Available Plugins/Extensions(count) | ~2,000 plugins | 9,000+ | |
| Market Share (2025)(percent) | ~62% | ~18% | |
| Monthly Cost (Individual Editor)(USD) | $12 | $11.99 | |
| Annual Cost (Single License)(USD) | $144 | $99 | |
| File Performance Threshold(artboards) | 300-400 before lag | 800+ without degradation | |
| Global Design Tool Market Share 2026(percent) | 45% | 22% | |
| Monthly Cost (Base Plan per User)(USD) | $12 per editor | — | — |
| Time to Basic Proficiency(days) | 4 days | — | — |
| Market Share(%) | 71% | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (Professional Plan)(USD) | $12 per editor/month | — | — |
| Prototyping Interactions(interaction types) | 15+ (conditions, variables, triggers, overlays) | — | — |
| Available Plugins/Integrations(count) | 2,500+ | 15,000+ plugins and integrations | |
| File Collaboration Limit(artboards) | Optimal up to 5,000 artboards | — | — |
| Market Adoption Rate (2024)(percent of design teams) | 61% of design professionals | — | — |
| Professional Designer Adoption Rate(percent) | 70% of professional design teams | — | — |
| Plugin/Integration Ecosystem(count) | 2000+ official plugins and integrations | — | — |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)(USD) | $12/month (billed annually) | $8.25/user (yearly: $99) | |
| Real-time Collaborative Editors(users) | 500+ simultaneous users | — | — |
| Code Export Accuracy(percent) | 40-60% (design to code via plugins) | — | — |
| Monthly Cost per Editor (Standard)(USD) | $12/month | — | — |
| Active User Base(users) | 4+ million users | — | — |
| Prototype Animation Capability Level(complexity scale (1-10)) | Basic interactions (6/10) | — | — |
| Developer Handoff Quality(rating (1-10)) | Good with plugins (7/10) | — | — |
| Learning Curve (Time to Proficiency)(days) | 2-3 weeks | — | — |
| Monthly Cost (Pro/Professional)(USD) | $12 per editor | — | — |
| Built-in Template Library(templates) | 50,000+ community templates | — | — |
| Real-Time Simultaneous Editors(users) | 10+ simultaneous editors with live cursors | — | — |
| Stock Photos Included(millions) | 0 (third-party integrations available) | — | — |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Solo)(USD) | $0 (Free) / $12 (Pro) | — | — |
| Real-Time Collaborators per File(count) | Unlimited simultaneous editors | — | — |
| Onboarding Time for New Users(hours) | 1.5-2.5 hours (beginner-friendly) | — | — |
| Maximum Cloud Documents(count) | Unlimited (Team plan) | — | — |
| Base Monthly Cost(USD) | $12 (Professional) | — | — |
| Cost for 5 Team Members(USD/month) | $60 (all share one license) | — | — |
| Base Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD) | $12 | — | — |
| Team Plan Monthly Cost(USD per editor) | $80 | — | — |
| Prototype Frame Rate(fps) | 60 FPS | — | — |
| Setup Time to First Design(minutes) | 120 minutes | — | — |
| Template Library Size(templates) | 500+ (community + official) | 500+ | |
| Free Plan Monthly Cost(USD) | $0 | — | — |
| Integrated Stock Media Library(assets) | None (external sources required) | — | — |
| Available Plugins(count) | 1,200+ community plugins | 3,500+ plugins | |
| Professional Designer Adoption (2025)(percent) | 42% | 18% | |
| Maximum Recommended File Size(MB) | 500 MB (optimal) | 1,000+ MB | |
| Learning Curve (Hours to Proficiency)(hours) | 8-12 hours | 6-10 hours | |
| Monthly Cost (Individual Starter)(USD) | $12 | — | — |
| Time to Design Basic UI (Beginner)(hours) | 2-3 hours | — | — |
| API Access for Third-party Integrations(integrations) | 1,000+ plugins via Figma API | — | — |
| Free Plan File Limit(shared files/month) | 3 editable files | — | — |
| Free Cloud Storage(GB) | 0GB (Figma Projects only) | Limited free tier (projects only) | |
| Professional Plan Monthly Cost(USD) | $12/month (Editor) | — | — |
| Concurrent Collaborative Users(users) | 50+ simultaneous users | — | — |
| Estimated Time to First Design (Beginner)(minutes) | 120-480 minutes (2-8 hours) | — | — |
| Team Collaboration Users(number of simultaneous users) | Unlimited simultaneous editors per team | — | — |
| Supported File Formats(formats) | Figma native format, exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, CSS, JSON | — | — |
| Average Application Load Time(seconds) | 2-3 seconds (cloud-based, depends on internet) | — | — |
| Photo Retouching Capability(capability score 1-10) | 3/10 - basic selection and fill tools; not optimized for photo work | — | — |
| UI/UX Design Workflow Efficiency(efficiency score 1-10) | 9/10 - native component systems, design tokens, auto-layout, prototyping | — | — |
| Team Collaboration - Simultaneous Editors(count) | 50+ simultaneous editors | — | — |
| Plugin Ecosystem Size(available plugins) | 5,000+ plugins available | ~1,000+ community-built plugins | |
| Professional Design Tool Market Share (2025)(percent) | 71% | — | — |
| Available Third-Party Integrations(integrations) | 2000+ | — | — |
| Average Time to Proficiency for New Users(hours) | 28 | — | — |
| Starting Price (Monthly)(USD) | $12/month (Starter, 1 editor) | — | — |
| Team Plan Price Per Editor(USD/month) | $80/editor (Professional) | — | — |
| Simultaneous Real-time Users(users) | 100 simultaneous editors | — | — |
| Ready-made Templates(count) | 500+ templates (UI/design focused) | — | — |
| Free Tier Projects(files) | 3 editable files (unlimited view-only) | — | — |
| Third-party Integrations(count) | 130+ community plugins available | — | — |
| Global Monthly Active Users (2025)(millions) | 12+ million monthly active users | — | — |
| Starter Plan Price (Monthly)(USD) | $0 (Figma Free) | — | — |
| Time to First Design (Beginner)(minutes) | 120 minutes | — | — |
| API Rate Limit (Free)(requests per minute) | 300 requests/minute | — | — |
| Starting Monthly Cost(USD) | $0 (free tier) or $12 (Professional) | $12 (Standard subscription) | |
| Cost Per Team Member (5 editors)(USD/month) | $60-75 (5 × $12-15 each) | $60 (5 × $12 each) | |
| File Size Performance Threshold(artboards) | Optimal up to 1000 artboards | Optimal up to 5000+ artboards | |
| Version History Retention(months/unlimited) | Unlimited (30-day rollback on free; full on paid) | 30 days on Sketch Cloud; local files indefinite | — |
| Platforms Supported(count) | 3 (Mac, Windows, Web) | 3 (Mac, Windows, Web) | |
| Customer Support Channels(count) | 1 (Email only) | 1 (Email only) | |
| Cloud Storage Included (Free Plan/Trial)(GB) | Paid plans only | Paid plans only | |
| Market Share Among UI/UX Designers (2024)(%) | 38% | 38% | |
| Annual Subscription Cost(USD) | $120 | $120 | |
| Learning Curve (1-10 scale)(difficulty level) | 8/10 (steep) | 8/10 (steep) | |
| Market Adoption(percent of container deployments) | 95% | 95% | |
| Annual Cost (Professional Plan)(USD) | $144 (Sketch Standard annual) | $144 (Sketch Standard annual) | |
| Maximum File Size Performance(MB) | Optimized for 100+ artboards without lag | Optimized for 100+ artboards without lag | |
| Market Share Among Professional Designers(percent) | ~70% (industry standard for UI/UX teams) | ~70% (industry standard for UI/UX teams) | |
| Monthly Subscription Cost(USD) | $14 | $14 | |
| Artboard Size Limit(pixels) | 4,000 x 4,000 pixels | 4,000 x 4,000 pixels | |
| Application Load Time (4GB RAM)(seconds) | <1 second | <1 second | |
| Subscription Cost (Monthly Equivalent)(USD) | $12/month (or $129 one-time) | $12/month (or $129 one-time) | |
| Concurrent Collaboration Users(users) | 15 concurrent users | 15 concurrent users | |
| Design Community Size(years established) | 8+ years of resources | 8+ years of resources | |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Annual Plan)(USD) | $12 | $12 | |
| Base Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD) | $12/month | $12/month | |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 30 days | 30 days | |
| Built-In Prototyping Interactions(interaction types) | Limited via plugins (~5) | Limited via plugins (~5) | |
| Prototype Interaction Types(count) | 6-8 basic interactions | 6-8 basic interactions | |
| Market Share Among UX Designers(percent) | 22% of design tools market (2024) | 22% of design tools market (2024) | |
| Setup Time for Beginners(minutes) | 15-20 min (macOS native install) | 15-20 min (macOS native install) | |
| Annual Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD) | $168 | $168 | |
| Onboarding Time to Proficiency(weeks) | 20+ hours | 20+ hours | |
| Pre-Built Templates(count) | Limited; community-contributed | Limited; community-contributed | |
| Prototyping Animation Options(types) | Basic: 4-5 transition types (fade, slide, push, pop) | Basic: 4-5 transition types (fade, slide, push, pop) | |
| Average File Size(MB) | 2-5 MB per project | 2-5 MB per project | |
| Annual Subscription Cost (Year 1)(USD) | $120 | $120 | |
| 5-Year Total Cost of Ownership(USD) | $600 | $600 | |
| Operating Systems Supported(count) | 2 (macOS, Web beta) | 2 (macOS, Web beta) | |
| Cloud Storage Included(GB) | 0 (third-party integration only) | 0 (third-party integration only) | |
| Prototyping Interaction Triggers(count) | 6 | 6 | |
| Monthly Cost (Individual License)(USD) | $14/month (annual billing) or $20/month (monthly) | $14/month (annual billing) or $20/month (monthly) | |
| File Performance (Artboards)(artboards) | Optimal up to 200+ artboards with <100ms interaction latency | Optimal up to 200+ artboards with <100ms interaction latency | |
| Market Adoption (Design Professionals)(percent) | 62% of design professionals (2024) | 62% of design professionals (2024) | |
| Annual Cost per User(USD) | $99 one-time + $99/year | $99 one-time + $99/year | |
| Maximum Team Size (Optimal)(users) | Up to 5 efficiently | Up to 5 efficiently | |
| Prototyping Interactivity Level(features) | Basic (5-10 interaction types) | Basic (5-10 interaction types) | |
| Desktop Application Performance(MB/s file load) | 65 MB/s average | 65 MB/s average | |
| Community Plugin Ecosystem(plugins) | 800+ plugins | 800+ plugins | |
| Average Project File Size(MB) | 10 MB for complex UI | 10 MB for complex UI |
Sourced from publicly available data ·
Key Differences
7 attributes compared head-to-head
Figma leads
S
1SketchFigma
Attribute
Sketch
- Web browser (all OS), native apps for Mac/Windows(winner)Platform AvailabilitymacOS only (no Windows or Linux native)
- Built-in, multiple users editing simultaneously with live cursors(winner)Real-time CollaborationRequires third-party plugins or external tools
- Cloud-based (automatic sync, version history included)(winner)File StorageLocal files with optional cloud sync via Sketch Cloud
- Can lag with 1000+ artboards or complex prototypesPerformance on Large FilesOptimized for macOS, handles large files more smoothly(winner)
- $12/month (professional plan) or $0 (free tier with limits)(winner)Starting Price$12/month (single license, no free tier)
- Built-in Inspect mode, Figma Dev Mode with code snippets(winner)Developer Handoff ToolsRequires Sketch Cloud or third-party plugins for similar features
- Easier for distributed teams; browser-based, no installation needed(winner)Learning Curve for TeamsSteeper for teams; requires macOS licenses for each user
- Platform Availability
Figma
Web browser (all OS), native apps for Mac/Windows(winner)
Sketch
macOS only (no Windows or Linux native)
- Real-time Collaboration
Figma
Built-in, multiple users editing simultaneously with live cursors(winner)
Sketch
Requires third-party plugins or external tools
- File Storage
Figma
Cloud-based (automatic sync, version history included)(winner)
Sketch
Local files with optional cloud sync via Sketch Cloud
- Performance on Large Files
Figma
Can lag with 1000+ artboards or complex prototypes
Sketch
Optimized for macOS, handles large files more smoothly(winner)
- Starting Price
Figma
$12/month (professional plan) or $0 (free tier with limits)(winner)
Sketch
$12/month (single license, no free tier)
- Developer Handoff Tools
Figma
Built-in Inspect mode, Figma Dev Mode with code snippets(winner)
Sketch
Requires Sketch Cloud or third-party plugins for similar features
- Learning Curve for Teams
Figma
Easier for distributed teams; browser-based, no installation needed(winner)
Sketch
Steeper for teams; requires macOS licenses for each user
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Figma | Sketch |
|---|---|---|
| Active Designers | 4M+(winner) | ~1M |
| Market Share Among Design Professionals(%) | 45% | — |
| Market Share (2025)(percent) | ~62%(winner) | ~18% |
| Global Design Tool Market Share 2026(percent) | 45%(winner) | 22% |
| Market Share(%) | 71% | — |
Show 4 more attributesMarket Share Among UI/UX Designers (2024)(%) 38% — Market Adoption(percent of container deployments) 95% — Market Share Among Professional Designers(percent) ~70% (industry standard for UI/UX teams) — Market Share Among UX Designers(percent) 22% of design tools market (2024) — | ||
| Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)(Million USD) | $1.36-1.37 billion | — |
| Revenue Multiple (Price-to-Sales)(x) | 9x-35x (varies by metric) | — |
| Company Valuation(USD billion) | $10.53-13.8 billion (public) | — |
| Public Trading Status | Public (NASDAQ: FIG) | — |
| Operating Margin(%) | 14-15% (non-GAAP) | — |
| Year-over-Year Revenue Growth(%) | ~40% | — |
| Primary Market Focus | Enterprise Design Teams | — |
| Real-Time Collaboration | Advanced multiplayer editing | — |
| Design System Tools | Variables, components, tokens | — |
| Live Website Publishing | Requires external hosting | — |
| Developer Handoff Tools | Dev Mode with inspection | — |
| Design System Variables | Master Variables with full version control | — |
Show 37 more attributesOffline Mode Support Limited offline, primarily cloud-based — Native Prototyping Depth(capability level) Intermediate (basic flows, transitions) — Free Tier Available Generous (3 projects, 2GB) — Design Tools Quality Industry-leading precision tools — Real-time Collaboration Excellent for design workflows — Enterprise Governance Good team controls — Design System Component Variants Advanced variables system with 20+ variant combinations per component — Offline Functionality(percent) Limited offline mode (view only, limited editing) Full offline support; all files stored locally Prototype Animation Depth Advanced auto-animate, conditional logic, 35+ interaction types — File History Retention (Free Tier)(days) 30 days of version history — Free Tier Cloud Storage(GB) Unlimited (draft-based) — Component Library Functionality Shared libraries with variants Shared symbols with nesting Prototype Interactivity Level Advanced with variables Advanced with animations Prototype Animation Capability Level(complexity scale (1-10)) Basic interactions (6/10) — Design System Token Support(feature maturity) Full Variables system with token export Advanced design tokens with shared libraries Built-in Template Library(templates) 50,000+ community templates — Design System Features(capability level) Components, variables, tokens, auto-layout, design tokens management Advanced (Symbols, Shared Styles, Tokens) Animation Capabilities(null) Good prototyping animations; not production-ready — Animation Timeline System Basic interactions (tap, hover, drag) — Interactive Prototype Features(null) Advanced: conditional flows, variables, component variants, design tokens — Design System Component Library(capability) Enterprise-grade: design tokens, branching, versioning, token management — Supported File Formats(formats) Figma native format, exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, CSS, JSON — Photo Retouching Capability(capability score 1-10) 3/10 - basic selection and fill tools; not optimized for photo work — UI/UX Design Workflow Efficiency(efficiency score 1-10) 9/10 - native component systems, design tokens, auto-layout, prototyping — Design System Components(maturity level) Advanced with tokens, variables, and nested components Native support with libraries Built-in Prototyping Basic (plugin-dependent) — Design System Maturity(null) Symbols, shared styles, nested components (established) — Prototyping Capabilities(feature count) Advanced (interactions, animations, states) — Prototyping Interaction Depth Basic (transitions, drag triggers) — Built-In Prototyping Interactions(interaction types) Limited via plugins (~5) — Design System Symbol Management Advanced with nested symbols — Pre-Built Templates(count) Limited; community-contributed — Prototyping Animation Options(types) Basic: 4-5 transition types (fade, slide, push, pop) — Design System Component Libraries Shared symbols with cloud sync via subscription — Prototyping Interaction Triggers(count) 6 — File Format Native Support(formats) Sketch, SVG, PDF export — Design-to-Code Export Via third-party plugins (Zeplin, Abstract) — | ||
| Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD/user/month) | $30-$150 | — |
| Professional Plan Cost(USD per month) | $12/month | — |
| Team Plan Cost (5 users)(USD per month) | $192/month | — |
| Monthly Subscription (Standard Plan)(USD) | $12/month | — |
| Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)(USD) | $12.00 | — |
Show 45 more attributesStarting Price (USD/month per editor)(USD) $12 — Starter Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD) $16 — SMB Annual Plan Cost (Typical)(USD) Variable by seats — Enterprise Annual Plan Cost (Typical)(USD) Custom pricing — Free Tier Availability Yes (full collaborative design) — Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD) $12.00 — Monthly Cost (Team of 5 Users)(USD) $228.00 — Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD) $12 (Professional tier, free tier available) $12 Annual Cost per Editor(USD) $180 $299 Free Plan Availability Yes, full features for 1 file No free tier Monthly Cost (Individual Editor)(USD) $12 $11.99 Annual Cost (Single License)(USD) $144 $99 Monthly Cost (Base Plan per User)(USD) $12 per editor — Free Tier Projects Allowed(projects) Unlimited — Monthly Cost (Professional Plan)(USD) $12 per editor/month — Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)(USD) $12/month (billed annually) $8.25/user (yearly: $99) Monthly Cost per Editor (Standard)(USD) $12/month — Free Tier Capabilities(text) 3 files maximum, unlimited pages per file, basic prototyping, browser-based — Monthly Subscription Cost (Solo)(USD) $0 (Free) / $12 (Pro) — Base Monthly Cost(USD) $12 (Professional) — Cost for 5 Team Members(USD/month) $60 (all share one license) — Base Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD) $12 — Team Plan Monthly Cost(USD per editor) $80 — Free Plan Monthly Cost(USD) $0 — Monthly Cost (Individual Starter)(USD) $12 — Free Plan File Limit(shared files/month) 3 editable files — Professional Plan Monthly Cost(USD) $12/month (Editor) — Starting Price (Monthly)(USD) $12/month (Starter, 1 editor) — Team Plan Price Per Editor(USD/month) $80/editor (Professional) — Free Tier Projects(files) 3 editable files (unlimited view-only) — Starter Plan Price (Monthly)(USD) $0 (Figma Free) — Starting Monthly Cost(USD) $0 (free tier) or $12 (Professional) $12 (Standard subscription) Cost Per Team Member (5 editors)(USD/month) $60-75 (5 × $12-15 each) $60 (5 × $12 each) Annual Subscription Cost(USD) $120 — Free Tier Capability 14-day free trial only; no free plan — Annual Cost (Professional Plan)(USD) $144 (Sketch Standard annual) — Subscription Cost (Monthly Equivalent)(USD) $12/month (or $129 one-time) — Monthly Subscription Cost (Annual Plan)(USD) $12 — Free Version Available No (30-day trial only) — Base Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD) $12/month — Annual Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD) $168 — Annual Subscription Cost (Year 1)(USD) $120 — 5-Year Total Cost of Ownership(USD) $600 — Monthly Cost (Individual License)(USD) $14/month (annual billing) or $20/month (monthly) — Annual Cost per User(USD) $99 one-time + $99/year — | ||
| Team Collaboration | Built-in real-time collaboration | — |
| Maximum Team Size (Optimal)(users) | Up to 5 efficiently | — |
| CMS Capabilities | Sites CMS beta (200 items) | — |
| Suitable Team Size(users) | Unlimited (per plan) | — |
| User Rating(stars out of 5) | 4.6/5 | — |
| Self-Hosting Option | Cloud-only, no self-hosting | No |
| Hosting & Deployment Features(features) | No built-in hosting | — |
| Web Hosting Included | No | — |
| Built-in Hosting | No - requires external services | — |
| AI-Assisted Features(available features) | Voice-to-text, Make controls, question cards, design suggestions | — |
| Open-Source | Closed source | No (proprietary) |
| Plugin Ecosystem(count) | 350+ plugins available | 1,200+ plugins(winner) |
| Plugin Ecosystem(plugins) | ~2500+ plugins | — |
| Available Plugins/Extensions(count) | ~2,000 plugins | 9,000+(winner) |
| Available Plugins/Integrations(count) | 2,500+ | 15,000+ plugins and integrations(winner) |
| Plugin/Integration Ecosystem(count) | 2000+ official plugins and integrations | — |
Show 3 more attributesAPI Access for Third-party Integrations(integrations) 1,000+ plugins via Figma API — Plugin Ecosystem Size(available plugins) 5,000+ plugins available ~1,000+ community-built plugins Community Plugin Ecosystem(plugins) 800+ plugins — | ||
| User Rating (2026)(stars) | 4.6/5 | — |
| Real-Time Simultaneous Editing Users(concurrent users) | Unlimited with live cursors | — |
| Real-Time Simultaneous Editors(people) | Unlimited | — |
| Real-Time Co-editing Users(simultaneous users) | Unlimited simultaneous editors | — |
| Simultaneous Editors(users) | 15+ concurrent editors (unlimited) | — |
| Real-Time Collaboration Support | Yes; built-in with live cursors, comments, and activity tracking | Limited (file sharing only) |
Show 25 more attributesConcurrent Real-time Collaborators(users) Unlimited Requires workarounds Real-Time Co-Editors(simultaneous users) Unlimited on any plan — Real-time Collaborative Editors(users) 500+ simultaneous users — Real-Time Collaboration Unlimited, all editor tiers Plugin-based, additional cost Real-Time Simultaneous Editors(users) 10+ simultaneous editors with live cursors — Real-Time Collaborators per File(count) Unlimited simultaneous editors — Maximum Concurrent Editors Per File(editors) Unlimited — Prototype Link Sharing Public/password-protected with comment threads — Free Plan Simultaneous Collaborators(users) Unlimited — Real-time Collaborators (Free Tier)(users) Unlimited viewers + 1 editor — Concurrent Collaborative Users(users) 50+ simultaneous users — Team Collaboration Users(number of simultaneous users) Unlimited simultaneous editors per team — Team Collaboration - Simultaneous Editors(count) 50+ simultaneous editors — Simultaneous Real-time Users(users) 100 simultaneous editors — Real-Time Collaboration Users(concurrent users) Unlimited concurrent editors per file Limited (requires Cloud plugin, up to 5 free) Team Collaboration Users (Free Plan)(count) Unlimited (edit + view) — Real-time Collaborative Editing Native (unlimited simultaneous editors) Not native (requires Sketch Cloud + third-party tools) Native Real-Time Collaboration(boolean) No (third-party workarounds) — Team Collaboration Features(features) Shared libraries, comments, version history (async) — Concurrent Collaboration Users(users) 15 concurrent users — Collaborative Real-Time Editing Available in beta/plugins — Real-Time Multiplayer Collaboration Via plugins; file-based — Real-Time Co-Editing Support Third-party plugins only — Real-Time Collaborative Users(simultaneous users) Unlimited (2024+) — Real-time Multiplayer Editing Comments only; async collaboration — | ||
| Platform Availability(null) | Web browser + Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux) | Mac desktop, Web (limited features) |
| Available Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | — |
| Browser-Based (No Download)(support) | Yes (100% browser-native) | — |
| Offline Editing(capability) | Limited (browser-dependent) | Full support(winner) |
| Offline Capability(functionality) | Limited offline editing (browser cache) | — |
Show 2 more attributesNative Platform Support Mac (Web beta) — Platform Compatibility macOS only + Web viewer — | ||
| Adobe Ecosystem Integration(null) | Limited (separate ecosystem) | — |
| Adobe Creative Suite Integration Level | Third-party plugins only; no native Adobe integration | — |
| Creative Cloud Integration | None (third-party workarounds) | — |
| AI Design Assistance | Voice-to-text, Make features, automation | — |
| AI Content Generation | Limited AI—mostly design optimization and naming suggestions | — |
| File Performance (Large Projects) | Browser-dependent, can slow with 1000+ frames | — |
| File Size Handling | Performance issues above 2GB | — |
| Maximum File Size Recommended(pages) | 500+ (performance degrades) | — |
| File Performance Threshold(artboards) | 300-400 before lag | 800+ without degradation(winner) |
| File Collaboration Limit(artboards) | Optimal up to 5,000 artboards | — |
Show 15 more attributesPrototype Frame Rate(fps) 60 FPS — Maximum Recommended File Size(MB) 500 MB (optimal) 1,000+ MB Average Application Load Time(seconds) 2-3 seconds (cloud-based, depends on internet) — Maximum File Size(MB) Unlimited (cloud-based) — Real-Time Collaboration Latency(milliseconds) 50-150ms (true real-time) — File Size Performance Threshold(artboards) Optimal up to 1000 artboards Optimal up to 5000+ artboards File Performance with 50+ Artboards(responsiveness rating) Excellent - minimal lag — Maximum File Size Performance(MB) Optimized for 100+ artboards without lag — Artboard Size Limit(pixels) 4,000 x 4,000 pixels — Application Load Time (4GB RAM)(seconds) <1 second — Performance on Large Files (100+ Artboards)(stability rating) Excellent (instant load) — Average File Size(MB) 2-5 MB per project — File Performance (Artboards)(artboards) Optimal up to 200+ artboards with <100ms interaction latency — Desktop Application Performance(MB/s file load) 65 MB/s average — Average Project File Size(MB) 10 MB for complex UI — | ||
| Design Handoff Features | Advanced design specs, Dev Mode, code generation | — |
| Automated Developer Handoff | Requires integration (Zeplin, Abstract) | — |
| Integration Plugins/Extensions(count) | 300+ | — |
| Adobe Creative Cloud Integration | Limited (API for third-party imports) | — |
| Available Plugins(count) | 1,200+ community plugins | 3,500+ plugins(winner) |
| Available Third-Party Integrations(integrations) | 2000+ | — |
| Setup Time for New User(minutes) | 15 | — |
| Learning Curve (Time to Proficiency)(days) | 2-3 weeks | — |
| Setup Time for Beginners(minutes) | 15-20 min (macOS native install) | — |
| Onboarding Time to Proficiency(weeks) | 20+ hours | — |
| Market Share 2026(percent) | 45% | — |
| Market Share (2026)(%) | 71% among design teams | — |
| Market Adoption Rate (2024)(percent of design teams) | 61% of design professionals | — |
| Professional Design Tool Market Share (2025)(percent) | 71% | — |
| Market Adoption (Design Professionals)(percent) | 62% of design professionals (2024) | — |
| Pricing Model | Four-tier with seat types (Full, Dev, Collab) | — |
| AI Capabilities | Basic design assistance | — |
| Built-in Design Templates(templates available) | Community plugins only | — |
| Prototyping Interaction Types(types) | Interactions, conditional logic, component states, animations, flows(winner) | 5-6 basic interactions (tap, click, scroll) |
| Prototyping Interactions(interaction types) | 15+ (conditions, variables, triggers, overlays) | — |
| Design System Components Support(capability) | Full component library with variants and design tokens | — |
| Prototyping Capability(null) | Full interactive prototyping with animations and states | — |
| Component Library Depth(capability level) | Enterprise-grade (variants, tokens, documentation) | — |
| Design System Versioning | Component versioning in main product | — |
| Component Variants System(capability level) | Full variants support with auto-layout and smart selection | — |
| Operating System Support | Mac, Windows, Linux, Web | macOS 10.13+ only |
| Platform Support(platforms) | Web + macOS + Windows + iPad | macOS, Windows (beta) |
| Supported Platforms(count) | 4 (Web, Mac, Windows, iPad) | — |
| Supported Operating Systems(platforms) | macOS, Windows, Linux, web browser(winner) | macOS only |
| Platforms Supported(count) | 3 (Mac, Windows, Web) | — |
Show 4 more attributesAvailable Platforms macOS only — Cross-Platform Availability(platforms) macOS, Windows, Web (recently improved) — Operating Systems Supported(count) 2 (macOS, Web beta) — Cross-Platform Compatibility macOS only — | ||
| Animation Timeline Controls | Basic preset animations without timeline | — |
| Component Variants Support | Yes - nested variants with multiple properties | — |
| Native Prototyping Capabilities | Advanced - interactions, animations, logic, variables | — |
| Auto Layout / Responsive Design | Advanced Auto Layout (2021+) | — |
| Time to Basic Proficiency(days) | 4 days | — |
| Onboarding Time for New Users(hours) | 1.5-2.5 hours (beginner-friendly) | — |
| Simultaneous Team Members(users) | Unlimited on paid plans | — |
| Developer Handoff Features(capabilities) | Dev Mode with code snippets and specs | — |
| Developer Handoff Quality(rating (1-10)) | Good with plugins (7/10) | — |
| Professional Designer Adoption Rate(percent) | 70% of professional design teams | — |
| Global Monthly Active Users (2025)(millions) | 12+ million monthly active users | — |
| Code Export Accuracy(percent) | 40-60% (design to code via plugins) | — |
| Code Export Capabilities(coverage %) | Limited to Dev Mode specs; no automated code generation | — |
| Animation & Interaction Capabilities(features) | Basic interactions, limited keyframe animation | — |
| Animation Timeline Control(capability level) | Basic transitions and interactions | — |
| Prototype Interactions (Native)(interaction types) | Basic (clickable prototypes only) | — |
| Prototype Interaction Types(count) | 6-8 basic interactions | — |
| Prototyping Interactivity Level(features) | Basic (5-10 interaction types) | — |
| Design System/Component Management(features) | Variables, tokens, component library, extensive version control | — |
| Vector Design Capability(score) | Professional (boolean ops, advanced paths) | — |
| Active User Base(users) | 4+ million users | — |
| Design Community Size(years established) | 8+ years of resources | — |
| Native Desktop App(availability) | Web-based only | — |
| Monthly Cost (Pro/Professional)(USD) | $12 per editor | — |
| Stock Photos Included(millions) | 0 (third-party integrations available) | — |
| Ready-made Templates(count) | 500+ templates (UI/design focused) | — |
| Maximum Cloud Documents(count) | Unlimited (Team plan) | — |
| Free Cloud Storage(GB) | 0GB (Figma Projects only) | Limited free tier (projects only)(winner) |
| Version History Retention(months/unlimited) | Unlimited (30-day rollback on free; full on paid) | 30 days on Sketch Cloud; local files indefinite |
| Cloud Storage Included (Free Plan/Trial)(GB) | Paid plans only | — |
| Cloud Storage Included(GB) | 0 (third-party integration only) | — |
| Platform Accessibility(null) | Any browser (Windows, macOS, Linux, iPad, web) | — |
| Self-Hosting Available | Not available | — |
| Monthly Active Users(millions) | 15 million | — |
| GitHub Stars(stars) | N/A (proprietary) | — |
| Setup Time to First Design(minutes) | 120 minutes | — |
| Learning Curve (Hours to Proficiency)(hours) | 8-12 hours | 6-10 hours(winner) |
| Estimated Time to First Design (Beginner)(minutes) | 120-480 minutes (2-8 hours) | — |
| Time to First Design (Beginner)(minutes) | 120 minutes | — |
| Template Library Size(templates) | 500+ (community + official) | 500+ |
| Integrated Stock Media Library(assets) | None (external sources required) | — |
| Professional Designer Adoption (2025)(percent) | 42%(winner) | 18% |
| Time to Design Basic UI (Beginner)(hours) | 2-3 hours | — |
| Native SEO Tools | No (design tool only) | — |
| CMS (Content Management) Included | No | — |
| Average Time to Proficiency for New Users(hours) | 28 | — |
| Third-party Integrations(count) | 130+ community plugins available | — |
| API Rate Limit (Free)(requests per minute) | 300 requests/minute | — |
| Built-in Developer Handoff | Dev Mode with live code snippets (CSS, React, Tailwind) | Requires third-party plugins or Zeplin integration |
| React Component Export(supported) | Requires third-party plugins (e.g., Figma-to-React) | — |
| Pricing (Individual/Starter)(USD per year or month) | $120/year ($10/month) | — |
| Customer Support Channels(count) | 1 (Email only) | — |
| Learning Curve (1-10 scale)(difficulty level) | 8/10 (steep) | — |
| Stock Assets Included(millions) | Partner integrations (photos/icons sold separately) | — |
| Built-in Web Hosting(null) | Not included; requires third-party services | — |
| AI-Powered Features | 0 (native); available via plugins | — |
| Monthly Subscription Cost(USD) | $14 | — |
| Component Versioning(feature availability) | Manual management (requires Sketch 90+) | — |
| SVG Export Quality(optimization level) | Full support with readable output | — |
| Source Code Access | Proprietary/Closed | — |
| Real-time Collaboration Features | Yes (Slack integration only) | — |
| Free Trial Duration(days) | 30 days | — |
| Open Source Status | Proprietary closed-source | — |
| Platform Access | macOS and Windows desktop apps | — |
FigmaSSketch
Active Designers
4M+
~1M
Market Share Among Design Professionals(%)
45%
—
Market Share (2025)(percent)
~62%
~18%
Global Design Tool Market Share 2026(percent)
45%
22%
Market Share(%)
71%
—
Show 4 more attributes
Market Share Among UI/UX Designers (2024)(%)
38%
—
Market Adoption(percent of container deployments)
95%
—
Market Share Among Professional Designers(percent)
~70% (industry standard for UI/UX teams)
—
Market Share Among UX Designers(percent)
22% of design tools market (2024)
—
Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)(Million USD)
$1.36-1.37 billion
—
Revenue Multiple (Price-to-Sales)(x)
9x-35x (varies by metric)
—
Company Valuation(USD billion)
$10.53-13.8 billion (public)
—
Public Trading Status
Public (NASDAQ: FIG)
—
Operating Margin(%)
14-15% (non-GAAP)
—
Year-over-Year Revenue Growth(%)
~40%
—
Primary Market Focus
Enterprise Design Teams
—
Real-Time Collaboration
Advanced multiplayer editing
—
Design System Tools
Variables, components, tokens
—
Live Website Publishing
Requires external hosting
—
Developer Handoff Tools
Dev Mode with inspection
—
Design System Variables
Master Variables with full version control
—
Show 37 more attributes
Offline Mode Support
Limited offline, primarily cloud-based
—
Native Prototyping Depth(capability level)
Intermediate (basic flows, transitions)
—
Free Tier Available
Generous (3 projects, 2GB)
—
Design Tools Quality
Industry-leading precision tools
—
Real-time Collaboration
Excellent for design workflows
—
Enterprise Governance
Good team controls
—
Design System Component Variants
Advanced variables system with 20+ variant combinations per component
—
Offline Functionality(percent)
Limited offline mode (view only, limited editing)
Full offline support; all files stored locally
Prototype Animation Depth
Advanced auto-animate, conditional logic, 35+ interaction types
—
File History Retention (Free Tier)(days)
30 days of version history
—
Free Tier Cloud Storage(GB)
Unlimited (draft-based)
—
Component Library Functionality
Shared libraries with variants
Shared symbols with nesting
Prototype Interactivity Level
Advanced with variables
Advanced with animations
Prototype Animation Capability Level(complexity scale (1-10))
Basic interactions (6/10)
—
Design System Token Support(feature maturity)
Full Variables system with token export
Advanced design tokens with shared libraries
Built-in Template Library(templates)
50,000+ community templates
—
Design System Features(capability level)
Components, variables, tokens, auto-layout, design tokens management
Advanced (Symbols, Shared Styles, Tokens)
Animation Capabilities(null)
Good prototyping animations; not production-ready
—
Animation Timeline System
Basic interactions (tap, hover, drag)
—
Interactive Prototype Features(null)
Advanced: conditional flows, variables, component variants, design tokens
—
Design System Component Library(capability)
Enterprise-grade: design tokens, branching, versioning, token management
—
Supported File Formats(formats)
Figma native format, exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, CSS, JSON
—
Photo Retouching Capability(capability score 1-10)
3/10 - basic selection and fill tools; not optimized for photo work
—
UI/UX Design Workflow Efficiency(efficiency score 1-10)
9/10 - native component systems, design tokens, auto-layout, prototyping
—
Design System Components(maturity level)
Advanced with tokens, variables, and nested components
Native support with libraries
Built-in Prototyping
Basic (plugin-dependent)
—
Design System Maturity(null)
Symbols, shared styles, nested components (established)
—
Prototyping Capabilities(feature count)
Advanced (interactions, animations, states)
—
Prototyping Interaction Depth
Basic (transitions, drag triggers)
—
Built-In Prototyping Interactions(interaction types)
Limited via plugins (~5)
—
Design System Symbol Management
Advanced with nested symbols
—
Pre-Built Templates(count)
Limited; community-contributed
—
Prototyping Animation Options(types)
Basic: 4-5 transition types (fade, slide, push, pop)
—
Design System Component Libraries
Shared symbols with cloud sync via subscription
—
Prototyping Interaction Triggers(count)
6
—
File Format Native Support(formats)
Sketch, SVG, PDF export
—
Design-to-Code Export
Via third-party plugins (Zeplin, Abstract)
—
Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD/user/month)
$30-$150
—
Professional Plan Cost(USD per month)
$12/month
—
Team Plan Cost (5 users)(USD per month)
$192/month
—
Monthly Subscription (Standard Plan)(USD)
$12/month
—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)(USD)
$12.00
—
Show 45 more attributes
Starting Price (USD/month per editor)(USD)
$12
—
Starter Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD)
$16
—
SMB Annual Plan Cost (Typical)(USD)
Variable by seats
—
Enterprise Annual Plan Cost (Typical)(USD)
Custom pricing
—
Free Tier Availability
Yes (full collaborative design)
—
Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD)
$12.00
—
Monthly Cost (Team of 5 Users)(USD)
$228.00
—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD)
$12 (Professional tier, free tier available)
$12
Annual Cost per Editor(USD)
$180
$299
Free Plan Availability
Yes, full features for 1 file
No free tier
Monthly Cost (Individual Editor)(USD)
$12
$11.99
Annual Cost (Single License)(USD)
$144
$99
Monthly Cost (Base Plan per User)(USD)
$12 per editor
—
Free Tier Projects Allowed(projects)
Unlimited
—
Monthly Cost (Professional Plan)(USD)
$12 per editor/month
—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)(USD)
$12/month (billed annually)
$8.25/user (yearly: $99)
Monthly Cost per Editor (Standard)(USD)
$12/month
—
Free Tier Capabilities(text)
3 files maximum, unlimited pages per file, basic prototyping, browser-based
—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Solo)(USD)
$0 (Free) / $12 (Pro)
—
Base Monthly Cost(USD)
$12 (Professional)
—
Cost for 5 Team Members(USD/month)
$60 (all share one license)
—
Base Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD)
$12
—
Team Plan Monthly Cost(USD per editor)
$80
—
Free Plan Monthly Cost(USD)
$0
—
Monthly Cost (Individual Starter)(USD)
$12
—
Free Plan File Limit(shared files/month)
3 editable files
—
Professional Plan Monthly Cost(USD)
$12/month (Editor)
—
Starting Price (Monthly)(USD)
$12/month (Starter, 1 editor)
—
Team Plan Price Per Editor(USD/month)
$80/editor (Professional)
—
Free Tier Projects(files)
3 editable files (unlimited view-only)
—
Starter Plan Price (Monthly)(USD)
$0 (Figma Free)
—
Starting Monthly Cost(USD)
$0 (free tier) or $12 (Professional)
$12 (Standard subscription)
Cost Per Team Member (5 editors)(USD/month)
$60-75 (5 × $12-15 each)
$60 (5 × $12 each)
Annual Subscription Cost(USD)
$120
—
Free Tier Capability
14-day free trial only; no free plan
—
Annual Cost (Professional Plan)(USD)
$144 (Sketch Standard annual)
—
Subscription Cost (Monthly Equivalent)(USD)
$12/month (or $129 one-time)
—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Annual Plan)(USD)
$12
—
Free Version Available
No (30-day trial only)
—
Base Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD)
$12/month
—
Annual Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD)
$168
—
Annual Subscription Cost (Year 1)(USD)
$120
—
5-Year Total Cost of Ownership(USD)
$600
—
Monthly Cost (Individual License)(USD)
$14/month (annual billing) or $20/month (monthly)
—
Annual Cost per User(USD)
$99 one-time + $99/year
—
Team Collaboration
Built-in real-time collaboration
—
Maximum Team Size (Optimal)(users)
Up to 5 efficiently
—
CMS Capabilities
Sites CMS beta (200 items)
—
Suitable Team Size(users)
Unlimited (per plan)
—
User Rating(stars out of 5)
4.6/5
—
Self-Hosting Option
Cloud-only, no self-hosting
No
Hosting & Deployment Features(features)
No built-in hosting
—
Web Hosting Included
No
—
Built-in Hosting
No - requires external services
—
AI-Assisted Features(available features)
Voice-to-text, Make controls, question cards, design suggestions
—
Open-Source
Closed source
No (proprietary)
Plugin Ecosystem(count)
350+ plugins available
1,200+ plugins
Plugin Ecosystem(plugins)
~2500+ plugins
—
Available Plugins/Extensions(count)
~2,000 plugins
9,000+
Available Plugins/Integrations(count)
2,500+
15,000+ plugins and integrations
Plugin/Integration Ecosystem(count)
2000+ official plugins and integrations
—
Show 3 more attributes
API Access for Third-party Integrations(integrations)
1,000+ plugins via Figma API
—
Plugin Ecosystem Size(available plugins)
5,000+ plugins available
~1,000+ community-built plugins
Community Plugin Ecosystem(plugins)
800+ plugins
—
User Rating (2026)(stars)
4.6/5
—
Real-Time Simultaneous Editing Users(concurrent users)
Unlimited with live cursors
—
Real-Time Simultaneous Editors(people)
Unlimited
—
Real-Time Co-editing Users(simultaneous users)
Unlimited simultaneous editors
—
Simultaneous Editors(users)
15+ concurrent editors (unlimited)
—
Real-Time Collaboration Support
Yes; built-in with live cursors, comments, and activity tracking
Limited (file sharing only)
Show 25 more attributes
Concurrent Real-time Collaborators(users)
Unlimited
Requires workarounds
Real-Time Co-Editors(simultaneous users)
Unlimited on any plan
—
Real-time Collaborative Editors(users)
500+ simultaneous users
—
Real-Time Collaboration
Unlimited, all editor tiers
Plugin-based, additional cost
Real-Time Simultaneous Editors(users)
10+ simultaneous editors with live cursors
—
Real-Time Collaborators per File(count)
Unlimited simultaneous editors
—
Maximum Concurrent Editors Per File(editors)
Unlimited
—
Prototype Link Sharing
Public/password-protected with comment threads
—
Free Plan Simultaneous Collaborators(users)
Unlimited
—
Real-time Collaborators (Free Tier)(users)
Unlimited viewers + 1 editor
—
Concurrent Collaborative Users(users)
50+ simultaneous users
—
Team Collaboration Users(number of simultaneous users)
Unlimited simultaneous editors per team
—
Team Collaboration - Simultaneous Editors(count)
50+ simultaneous editors
—
Simultaneous Real-time Users(users)
100 simultaneous editors
—
Real-Time Collaboration Users(concurrent users)
Unlimited concurrent editors per file
Limited (requires Cloud plugin, up to 5 free)
Team Collaboration Users (Free Plan)(count)
Unlimited (edit + view)
—
Real-time Collaborative Editing
Native (unlimited simultaneous editors)
Not native (requires Sketch Cloud + third-party tools)
Native Real-Time Collaboration(boolean)
No (third-party workarounds)
—
Team Collaboration Features(features)
Shared libraries, comments, version history (async)
—
Concurrent Collaboration Users(users)
15 concurrent users
—
Collaborative Real-Time Editing
Available in beta/plugins
—
Real-Time Multiplayer Collaboration
Via plugins; file-based
—
Real-Time Co-Editing Support
Third-party plugins only
—
Real-Time Collaborative Users(simultaneous users)
Unlimited (2024+)
—
Real-time Multiplayer Editing
Comments only; async collaboration
—
Platform Availability(null)
Web browser + Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Mac desktop, Web (limited features)
Available Platforms
Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
—
Browser-Based (No Download)(support)
Yes (100% browser-native)
—
Offline Editing(capability)
Limited (browser-dependent)
Full support
Offline Capability(functionality)
Limited offline editing (browser cache)
—
Show 2 more attributes
Native Platform Support
Mac (Web beta)
—
Platform Compatibility
macOS only + Web viewer
—
Adobe Ecosystem Integration(null)
Limited (separate ecosystem)
—
Adobe Creative Suite Integration Level
Third-party plugins only; no native Adobe integration
—
Creative Cloud Integration
None (third-party workarounds)
—
AI Design Assistance
Voice-to-text, Make features, automation
—
AI Content Generation
Limited AI—mostly design optimization and naming suggestions
—
File Performance (Large Projects)
Browser-dependent, can slow with 1000+ frames
—
File Size Handling
Performance issues above 2GB
—
Maximum File Size Recommended(pages)
500+ (performance degrades)
—
File Performance Threshold(artboards)
300-400 before lag
800+ without degradation
File Collaboration Limit(artboards)
Optimal up to 5,000 artboards
—
Show 15 more attributes
Prototype Frame Rate(fps)
60 FPS
—
Maximum Recommended File Size(MB)
500 MB (optimal)
1,000+ MB
Average Application Load Time(seconds)
2-3 seconds (cloud-based, depends on internet)
—
Maximum File Size(MB)
Unlimited (cloud-based)
—
Real-Time Collaboration Latency(milliseconds)
50-150ms (true real-time)
—
File Size Performance Threshold(artboards)
Optimal up to 1000 artboards
Optimal up to 5000+ artboards
File Performance with 50+ Artboards(responsiveness rating)
Excellent - minimal lag
—
Maximum File Size Performance(MB)
Optimized for 100+ artboards without lag
—
Artboard Size Limit(pixels)
4,000 x 4,000 pixels
—
Application Load Time (4GB RAM)(seconds)
<1 second
—
Performance on Large Files (100+ Artboards)(stability rating)
Excellent (instant load)
—
Average File Size(MB)
2-5 MB per project
—
File Performance (Artboards)(artboards)
Optimal up to 200+ artboards with <100ms interaction latency
—
Desktop Application Performance(MB/s file load)
65 MB/s average
—
Average Project File Size(MB)
10 MB for complex UI
—
Design Handoff Features
Advanced design specs, Dev Mode, code generation
—
Automated Developer Handoff
Requires integration (Zeplin, Abstract)
—
Integration Plugins/Extensions(count)
300+
—
Adobe Creative Cloud Integration
Limited (API for third-party imports)
—
Available Plugins(count)
1,200+ community plugins
3,500+ plugins
Available Third-Party Integrations(integrations)
2000+
—
Setup Time for New User(minutes)
15
—
Learning Curve (Time to Proficiency)(days)
2-3 weeks
—
Setup Time for Beginners(minutes)
15-20 min (macOS native install)
—
Onboarding Time to Proficiency(weeks)
20+ hours
—
Market Share 2026(percent)
45%
—
Market Share (2026)(%)
71% among design teams
—
Market Adoption Rate (2024)(percent of design teams)
61% of design professionals
—
Professional Design Tool Market Share (2025)(percent)
71%
—
Market Adoption (Design Professionals)(percent)
62% of design professionals (2024)
—
Pricing Model
Four-tier with seat types (Full, Dev, Collab)
—
AI Capabilities
Basic design assistance
—
Built-in Design Templates(templates available)
Community plugins only
—
Prototyping Interaction Types(types)
Interactions, conditional logic, component states, animations, flows
5-6 basic interactions (tap, click, scroll)
Prototyping Interactions(interaction types)
15+ (conditions, variables, triggers, overlays)
—
Design System Components Support(capability)
Full component library with variants and design tokens
—
Prototyping Capability(null)
Full interactive prototyping with animations and states
—
Component Library Depth(capability level)
Enterprise-grade (variants, tokens, documentation)
—
Design System Versioning
Component versioning in main product
—
Component Variants System(capability level)
Full variants support with auto-layout and smart selection
—
Operating System Support
Mac, Windows, Linux, Web
macOS 10.13+ only
Platform Support(platforms)
Web + macOS + Windows + iPad
macOS, Windows (beta)
Supported Platforms(count)
4 (Web, Mac, Windows, iPad)
—
Supported Operating Systems(platforms)
macOS, Windows, Linux, web browser
macOS only
Platforms Supported(count)
3 (Mac, Windows, Web)
—
Show 4 more attributes
Available Platforms
macOS only
—
Cross-Platform Availability(platforms)
macOS, Windows, Web (recently improved)
—
Operating Systems Supported(count)
2 (macOS, Web beta)
—
Cross-Platform Compatibility
macOS only
—
Animation Timeline Controls
Basic preset animations without timeline
—
Component Variants Support
Yes - nested variants with multiple properties
—
Native Prototyping Capabilities
Advanced - interactions, animations, logic, variables
—
Auto Layout / Responsive Design
Advanced Auto Layout (2021+)
—
Time to Basic Proficiency(days)
4 days
—
Onboarding Time for New Users(hours)
1.5-2.5 hours (beginner-friendly)
—
Simultaneous Team Members(users)
Unlimited on paid plans
—
Developer Handoff Features(capabilities)
Dev Mode with code snippets and specs
—
Developer Handoff Quality(rating (1-10))
Good with plugins (7/10)
—
Professional Designer Adoption Rate(percent)
70% of professional design teams
—
Global Monthly Active Users (2025)(millions)
12+ million monthly active users
—
Code Export Accuracy(percent)
40-60% (design to code via plugins)
—
Code Export Capabilities(coverage %)
Limited to Dev Mode specs; no automated code generation
—
Animation & Interaction Capabilities(features)
Basic interactions, limited keyframe animation
—
Animation Timeline Control(capability level)
Basic transitions and interactions
—
Prototype Interactions (Native)(interaction types)
Basic (clickable prototypes only)
—
Prototype Interaction Types(count)
6-8 basic interactions
—
Prototyping Interactivity Level(features)
Basic (5-10 interaction types)
—
Design System/Component Management(features)
Variables, tokens, component library, extensive version control
—
Vector Design Capability(score)
Professional (boolean ops, advanced paths)
—
Active User Base(users)
4+ million users
—
Design Community Size(years established)
8+ years of resources
—
Native Desktop App(availability)
Web-based only
—
Monthly Cost (Pro/Professional)(USD)
$12 per editor
—
Stock Photos Included(millions)
0 (third-party integrations available)
—
Ready-made Templates(count)
500+ templates (UI/design focused)
—
Maximum Cloud Documents(count)
Unlimited (Team plan)
—
Free Cloud Storage(GB)
0GB (Figma Projects only)
Limited free tier (projects only)
Version History Retention(months/unlimited)
Unlimited (30-day rollback on free; full on paid)
30 days on Sketch Cloud; local files indefinite
Cloud Storage Included (Free Plan/Trial)(GB)
Paid plans only
—
Cloud Storage Included(GB)
0 (third-party integration only)
—
Platform Accessibility(null)
Any browser (Windows, macOS, Linux, iPad, web)
—
Self-Hosting Available
Not available
—
Monthly Active Users(millions)
15 million
—
GitHub Stars(stars)
N/A (proprietary)
—
Setup Time to First Design(minutes)
120 minutes
—
Learning Curve (Hours to Proficiency)(hours)
8-12 hours
6-10 hours
Estimated Time to First Design (Beginner)(minutes)
120-480 minutes (2-8 hours)
—
Time to First Design (Beginner)(minutes)
120 minutes
—
Template Library Size(templates)
500+ (community + official)
500+
Integrated Stock Media Library(assets)
None (external sources required)
—
Professional Designer Adoption (2025)(percent)
42%
18%
Time to Design Basic UI (Beginner)(hours)
2-3 hours
—
Native SEO Tools
No (design tool only)
—
CMS (Content Management) Included
No
—
Average Time to Proficiency for New Users(hours)
28
—
Third-party Integrations(count)
130+ community plugins available
—
API Rate Limit (Free)(requests per minute)
300 requests/minute
—
Built-in Developer Handoff
Dev Mode with live code snippets (CSS, React, Tailwind)
Requires third-party plugins or Zeplin integration
React Component Export(supported)
Requires third-party plugins (e.g., Figma-to-React)
—
Pricing (Individual/Starter)(USD per year or month)
$120/year ($10/month)
—
Customer Support Channels(count)
1 (Email only)
—
Learning Curve (1-10 scale)(difficulty level)
8/10 (steep)
—
Stock Assets Included(millions)
Partner integrations (photos/icons sold separately)
—
Built-in Web Hosting(null)
Not included; requires third-party services
—
AI-Powered Features
0 (native); available via plugins
—
Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)
$14
—
Component Versioning(feature availability)
Manual management (requires Sketch 90+)
—
SVG Export Quality(optimization level)
Full support with readable output
—
Source Code Access
Proprietary/Closed
—
Real-time Collaboration Features
Yes (Slack integration only)
—
Free Trial Duration(days)
30 days
—
Open Source Status
Proprietary closed-source
—
Platform Access
macOS and Windows desktop apps
—
Pros & Cons
14 pros·9 cons across both
S
Figma
+7-4
Pros
- Real-time multi-user collaboration with live cursor tracking and commenting
- Accessible from any browser on Mac, Windows, Linux, and web
- Built-in Dev Mode with CSS/code snippets for developer handoff
- Automatic cloud backup with unlimited version history
- Free tier available for individual designers and students
- Prototype and design in single interface without leaving the app
- 500+ third-party integrations via Figma plugins
Cons
- Slower performance with 1000+ artboards or complex interactive prototypes
- Requires internet connection; offline mode is limited
- Monthly subscription cost scales with team size ($12-45/month per editor)
- Data stored on external servers raises security/compliance concerns for some enterprises
S
Sketch
+7-5
Pros
- Optimized native macOS performance; handles 5000+ artboards smoothly
- Local file storage with full control over where designs are saved
- Lower memory footprint and faster export times than Figma
- Deep macOS integration with system fonts, colors, and accessibility features
- Extensive plugin ecosystem (2000+ plugins available)
- One-time license option available (though now primarily subscription)
- Lightweight alternative for solo designers and small teams
Cons
- macOS only—no Windows or Linux support, requires separate licenses per user
- No native real-time collaboration; requires third-party tools or Sketch Cloud
- Slower adoption of modern design features compared to Figma
- Team collaboration requires additional Sketch Cloud subscription ($10/month per user)
- Offline-first approach can complicate version control in teams
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questions
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.
Resources & Learn More
Curated sources to dive deeper
Where to Buy
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Wikipedia
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