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Photoshop vs Figma 2026: Which Design Tool Wins

Photoshop is a raster image editor optimized for photo manipulation and digital art with desktop-first workflow, while Figma is a cloud-based vector design and UI/UX tool built for real-time collaboration and web design. Photoshop excels at pixel-level photo editing; Figma dominates web and app design workflows.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop

Professional raster image editor for complex pixel manipulation, compositing, and graphic design.

Professional photographers, digital artists, retouchers, and designers who need pixel-perfect image manipulation and have budgets for subscription software.

Score63%
VS
Figma

Figma

Cloud-native collaborative design platform for UI/UX, web design, prototyping, and design systems.

Design teams, UI/UX designers, product designers, and startups that prioritize collaboration, rapid iteration, and web/app interface design over photo editing.

Score63%

Quick Answer

AI Summary

Photoshop is a raster image editor optimized for photo manipulation and digital art with desktop-first workflow, while Figma is a cloud-based vector design and UI/UX tool built for real-time collaboration and web design. Photoshop excels at pixel-level photo editing; Figma dominates web and app design workflows.

Our Verdict

AI-assisted

Choose Photoshop if you need professional photo retouching, digital painting with advanced brush engines, or work with extensive legacy PSD files and require offline access. Choose Figma if your team designs digital interfaces, websites, or apps, needs real-time collaboration, or prefers a browser-based tool that reduces software installation friction. For pure UI/UX design teams, Figma is more efficient; for photography and complex image manipulation, Photoshop remains unmatched.

Community feedback

Was this verdict helpful?

Adobe Photoshop
8.8/10
Figma
6.3/10
Adobe Photoshop

Choose Adobe Photoshop if

Best pick

Professional photographers, digital artists, retouchers, and designers who need pixel-perfect image manipulation and have budgets for subscription software.

Figma

Choose Figma if

Design teams, UI/UX designers, product designers, and startups that prioritize collaboration, rapid iteration, and web/app interface design over photo editing.

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Key Differences at a Glance

  • Primary Use Case:Photo editing, digital painting, raster graphics vs UI/UX design, wireframing, vector graphics, prototyping
  • Collaboration Features:Figma wins(Built-in real-time collaboration with multiplayer editing vs Limited; requires file sharing and version control plugins)
  • Platform Availability:Figma wins(Cloud-based; accessible via browser on any OS vs Desktop (Windows/Mac) primarily; limited web version)
See all 7 differences

Key Facts & Figures

130 numeric metrics compared

MetricAdobe PhotoshopFigmaRatio
AI Feature Set Count(features)12+ AI tools
Non-Destructive Editing Support(percent)100% (adjustment layers, smart objects, masks)
Professional Adoption Rate(%)90% of design professionals
Active User Base(users)25 million active users
Maximum File Size Performance(MB)4000+ MB optimized
Annual Cost (Yearly)(USD)$281.88/year
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard Plan)(USD)$19.99/month
Annual Subscription Cost (Standard Plan)(USD)$239.88/year
Available Editing Tools(count)500+ advanced tools
Typical Learning Time (Beginner to Productive)(hours)40+ hours
Professional Industry Adoption Rate(percent)90%+ of design agencies, studios, freelancers
AI-Powered Generative Features(count)7 (Generative Fill, Super Resolution, Generative Expand, etc.)
Learning Time to Proficiency(days)100-200 hours
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single App)(USD)$22.49
Batch Photo Processing Capability(photos per action)50-100 (with scripts)
Average Project File Size(MB)500-2000 (PSD)
Non-Destructive Editing Coverage(percent)70% (requires workarounds)
Maximum Canvas Dimensions(pixels)300,000 x 300,000
Pre-Made Templates(count)~500 templates
Estimated Learning Time to Proficiency(hours)60+ hours
Annual Cost (if paying monthly)(USD)$239.88
File Size Handling (optimal performance)(MB)Handles 2000+ MB efficiently
AI Generation Credits/Month(credits)100 Firefly credits
Annual Cost(USD)$251.88/year
Available Plugins/Extensions(count)75,000+~2,000 plugins
Learning Curve (1=Easy, 10=Hard)(difficulty rating)8/10
Annual Cost (12 months)(USD)$251.88
Available Plugins(count)10,000+1,200+ community plugins
Startup Time(seconds)8 seconds
Supported Camera RAW Formats(count)200+
Cloud Storage Included(GB)100GB
Template Library Size(templates)Minimal (third-party required)5,000 (community)
Learning Time to Basic Proficiency(hours)50-100+ hours
Processing Speed (1GB file, typical operation)(seconds)2-4 seconds
Supported File Formats (export)(count)40+ formats (PSD, JPEG, PNG, HEIF, WebP, AVIF, PDF, SVG)
Minimum RAM Recommended(GB)8 GB
Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)$22.49 (Photography Plan with Lightroom included)
Available Templates(count)~500 built-in templates
Maximum Canvas Resolution(pixels)300,000 x 300,000
Free Cloud Storage(GB)2GB (requires Creative Cloud)0GB (Figma Projects only)
Stock Photos Included(millions)Stock via Adobe Stock (requires separate subscription)0 (third-party integrations available)
Professional Font Library(count)Adobe Fonts library (240,000+ via subscription)
Industry Adoption Rate(percent)Used by 90% of professional designers/photographers
Design Templates Available(count)Minimal (0-100)
Time to Proficiency(weeks)8-12 weeks
Active Users (2024)(millions)Estimated 15+ million
Minimum RAM Requirement(GB)8 GB recommended
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD)$9.99 (single app) / $55 (full Creative Cloud)$12 per editor
Team Collaboration Users(number of simultaneous users)Unlimited with plugins; native support requires 3rd-party toolsUnlimited simultaneous editors per team
Supported File Formats(format count)90+ formats including PSD, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, AI, EPSFigma native format, exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, CSS, JSON
Average Application Load Time(seconds)12-15 seconds on standard hardware2-3 seconds (cloud-based, depends on internet)
Photo Retouching Capability(capability score 1-10)9.5/10 - industry-leading Content-Aware Fill, Generative Fill, Neural Filters3/10 - basic selection and fill tools; not optimized for photo work
UI/UX Design Workflow Efficiency(efficiency score 1-10)6.5/10 - possible but requires workarounds for design systems9/10 - native component systems, design tokens, auto-layout, prototyping
Hours to Proficiency(hours)80-120 hours
Maximum Layers Per Project(layers)Unlimited (30,000+ tested)
Typical Project File Size(MB)500-2000+ MB per complex project
Batch Editing Speed (100 photos)(minutes)120-180 minutes (manual or scripting)
Selection & Masking Tools(tool count)20+ (Magic Wand, Select Subject, Refine Edge, Content-Aware)
Active Designers4M+4M+
Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)(Million USD)$1.36-1.37 billion$1.36-1.37 billion
Company Valuation(USD billion)$10.53-13.8 billion (public)$10.53-13.8 billion (public)
Revenue Multiple (Price-to-Sales)(x)9x-35x (varies by metric)9x-35x (varies by metric)
Operating Margin(%)14-15% (non-GAAP)14-15% (non-GAAP)
Year-over-Year Revenue Growth(percent)~40%~40%
Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD)$30-$150$30-$150
User Rating(stars out of 5)4.6/54.6/5
Professional Plan Cost(USD per month)$12/month$12/month
Team Plan Cost (5 users)(USD per month)$192/month$192/month
Plugin Ecosystem(available plugins)5,000+ plugins and integrations5,000+ plugins and integrations
User Rating (2026)(stars)4.6/54.6/5
Monthly Subscription (Standard Plan)(USD)$12/month$12/month
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)(USD)$12.00$12.00
Market Share Among Design Professionals(%)45%45%
Plugin Ecosystem(plugins)~2500+ plugins~2500+ plugins
Integration Plugins/Extensions(count)300+300+
Setup Time for New User(minutes)1515
Maximum File Size Recommended(pages)500+ (performance degrades)500+ (performance degrades)
Starting Price (USD/month per editor)(USD)$12$12
Market Share 2026(percent)45%45%
Starter Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)(USD)$16$16
Simultaneous Editors(users)15+ concurrent editors (unlimited)15+ concurrent editors (unlimited)
Market Share (2026)(%)71% among design teams71% among design teams
File History Retention (Free Tier)(days)30 days of version history30 days of version history
Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD)$12.00$12.00
Monthly Cost (Team of 5 Users)(USD)$228.00$228.00
Built-In Design Templates(count)Community plugins onlyCommunity plugins only
Prototyping Interaction Types(types)Interactions, conditional logic, component states, animations, flowsInteractions, conditional logic, component states, animations, flows
Annual Cost per Editor(USD)$180$180
Market Share (2025)(percent)~62%~62%
Monthly Cost (Individual Editor)(USD)$12$12
Annual Cost (Single License)(USD)$144$144
File Performance Threshold(artboards)300-400 before lag300-400 before lag
Global Design Tool Market Share 2026(percent)45%45%
Monthly Cost (Base Plan per User)(USD)$12 per editor$12 per editor
Time to Basic Proficiency(days)4 days4 days
Market Share(%)71%71%
Monthly Cost (Professional Plan)(USD)$12 per editor/month$12 per editor/month
Available Plugins/Integrations(count)2,500+2,500+
File Collaboration Limit(artboards)Optimal up to 5,000 artboardsOptimal up to 5,000 artboards
Market Adoption Rate (2024)(percent of design teams)61% of design professionals61% of design professionals
Professional Designer Adoption Rate(percent)70% of professional design teams70% of professional design teams
Plugin/Integration Ecosystem(count)2000+ official plugins and integrations2000+ official plugins and integrations
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)(USD)$12/month (billed annually)$12/month (billed annually)
Real-Time Collaborative Editors(users)500+ simultaneous users500+ simultaneous users
Code Export Accuracy(percent)40-60% (design to code via plugins)40-60% (design to code via plugins)
Monthly Cost (Pro/Professional)(USD)$12 per editor$12 per editor
Built-in Template Library(templates)50,000+ community templates50,000+ community templates
Real-Time Simultaneous Editors(users)10+ simultaneous editors with live cursors10+ simultaneous editors with live cursors
Monthly Subscription Cost (Solo)(USD)$0 (Free) / $12 (Pro)$0 (Free) / $12 (Pro)
Real-Time Collaborators per File(count)Unlimited simultaneous editorsUnlimited simultaneous editors
Onboarding Time for New Users(hours)1.5-2.5 hours (beginner-friendly)1.5-2.5 hours (beginner-friendly)
Maximum Cloud Documents(count)Unlimited (Team plan)Unlimited (Team plan)
Base Monthly Cost(USD)$12 (Professional)$12 (Professional)
Cost for 5 Team Members(USD/month)$60 (all share one license)$60 (all share one license)
Base Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD)$12$12
Team Plan Monthly Cost(USD per editor)$80$80
Prototype Frame Rate(fps)60 FPS60 FPS
Setup Time to First Design(minutes)120 minutes120 minutes
Free Plan Monthly Cost(USD)$0$0
Integrated Stock Media Library(assets)None (external sources required)None (external sources required)
Professional Designer Adoption (2025)(percent)42%42%
Maximum Recommended File Size(MB)500 MB (optimal)500 MB (optimal)
Learning Curve (hours to proficiency)(hours)8-12 hours8-12 hours
Monthly Cost (Individual Starter)(USD)$12$12
Time to Design Basic UI (Beginner)(hours)2-3 hours2-3 hours
API Access for Third-party Integrations(integrations)1,000+ plugins via Figma API1,000+ plugins via Figma API
Free Plan File Limit(files)3 editable files3 editable files
Professional Plan Monthly Cost(USD)$12/month (Editor)$12/month (Editor)
Concurrent Collaborative Users(users)50+ simultaneous users50+ simultaneous users
Estimated Time to First Design (Beginner)(minutes)120-480 minutes (2-8 hours)120-480 minutes (2-8 hours)

Sourced from publicly available data ·

Key Differences

7 attributes compared head-to-head

Adobe Photoshop
2Adobe Photoshop
Figma leads1 tie
Figma
4Figma
  • Primary Use Case

    Adobe Photoshop

    Photo editing, digital painting, raster graphics

    Figma

    UI/UX design, wireframing, vector graphics, prototyping

  • Collaboration Features

    Adobe Photoshop

    Limited; requires file sharing and version control plugins

    Figma

    Built-in real-time collaboration with multiplayer editing(winner)

  • Platform Availability

    Adobe Photoshop

    Desktop (Windows/Mac) primarily; limited web version

    Figma

    Cloud-based; accessible via browser on any OS(winner)

  • Learning Curve

    Adobe Photoshop

    Steep; 50+ tools with complex menu structure

    Figma

    Moderate; intuitive interface designed for designers new to design tools(winner)

  • File Format Support

    Adobe Photoshop

    PSD, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, AI, EPS (90+ formats supported)(winner)

    Figma

    Figma native format, exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, CSS code

  • Offline Capability

    Adobe Photoshop

    Full offline functionality on desktop(winner)

    Figma

    Limited offline; requires internet for most features

  • Team Pricing Model

    Adobe Photoshop

    $55/month per user (Creative Cloud) or $9.99 for single app

    Figma

    $12/month per editor + $4/month per viewer (2025 pricing)(winner)

Full Comparison

Adobe Photoshop
Figma
AI Feature Set Count(features)
12+ AI tools
Non-Destructive Editing Support(percent)
100% (adjustment layers, smart objects, masks)
Batch Photo Processing Capability(photos per action)
50-100 (with scripts)
Professional Adoption Rate(%)
90% of design professionals
Active User Base(users)
25 million active users
Active Designers
4M+
Market Share Among Design Professionals(%)
45%
Global Design Tool Market Share 2026(percent)
45%
Maximum File Size Performance(MB)
4000+ MB optimized
Average Project File Size(MB)
500-2000 (PSD)
File Size Handling (optimal performance)(MB)
Handles 2000+ MB efficiently
GPU Acceleration Support
Full (NVIDIA, AMD, Apple Metal)
Startup Time(seconds)
8 seconds
Show 12 more attributes
GPU Acceleration Available(yes/no)
Yes (CUDA, OpenCL, Metal)
Processing Speed (1GB file, typical operation)(seconds)
2-4 seconds
Minimum RAM Requirement(GB)
8 GB recommended
Average Application Load Time(seconds)
12-15 seconds on standard hardware
2-3 seconds (cloud-based, depends on internet)
Typical Project File Size(MB)
500-2000+ MB per complex project
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
File Collaboration Limit(artboards)
Optimal up to 5,000 artboards
Prototype Frame Rate(fps)
60 FPS
Maximum Recommended File Size(MB)
500 MB (optimal)
Annual Cost (Yearly)(USD)
$281.88/year
Monthly Subscription Cost (Standard Plan)(USD)
$19.99/month
Annual Subscription Cost (Standard Plan)(USD)
$239.88/year
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single App)(USD)
$22.49
Annual Cost (if paying monthly)(USD)
$239.88
Show 32 more attributes
Monthly Cost(USD)
$20.99/month
Annual Cost(USD)
$251.88/year
Annual Cost (12 months)(USD)
$251.88
Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)
$22.49 (Photography Plan with Lightroom included)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD)
$9.99 (single app) / $55 (full Creative Cloud)
$12 per editor
Pro Plan Monthly Cost(USD)
$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
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(null)
Yes (full collaborative design)
Monthly Cost (Single User)(USD)
$12.00
Monthly Cost (Team of 5 Users)(USD)
$228.00
Annual Cost per Editor(USD)
$180
Free Plan Availability
Yes, full features for 1 file
Monthly Cost (Individual Editor)(USD)
$12
Annual Cost (Single License)(USD)
$144
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)
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
Available Editing Tools(count)
500+ advanced tools
Non-Destructive Editing Coverage(percent)
70% (requires workarounds)
AI-Powered Tools Available
4+ (Generative Fill, Firefly, Content-Aware, Super Resolution)
CMYK Color Mode Support
Yes (full support)
Real-Time Collaboration
Limited (cloud sync only)
Native, unlimited users
Show 31 more attributes
Native AI Features(count)
8+ tools (Generative Fill, Super Resolution, Remove, Generative Expand, etc.)
Advanced Editing Tools(feature count)
Advanced: layers, masks, curves, healing brush, content-aware fill
Design Templates Available(count)
Minimal (0-100)
Offline Functionality(capability level)
Full offline editing with all tools available
Read-only after 30 days; requires internet for editing
Photo Retouching Capability(capability score 1-10)
9.5/10 - industry-leading Content-Aware Fill, Generative Fill, Neural Filters
3/10 - basic selection and fill tools; not optimized for photo work
UI/UX Design Workflow Efficiency(efficiency score 1-10)
6.5/10 - possible but requires workarounds for design systems
9/10 - native component systems, design tokens, auto-layout, prototyping
Real-Time Collaboration
Advanced multiplayer editing
Team Collaboration
Built-in real-time collaboration
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
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
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)
Built-In Design Templates(count)
Community plugins only
Component Library Functionality
Shared libraries with variants
Prototype Interactivity Level
Advanced with variables
Built-in Template Library(templates)
50,000+ community templates
Design System Features(capability level)
Components, variables, tokens, auto-layout, design tokens management
Animation Capabilities(null)
Interactive prototyping only, no native keyframe animation
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
Typical Learning Time (Beginner to Productive)(hours)
40+ hours
Learning Time to Proficiency(days)
100-200 hours
Learning Curve (1=Easy, 10=Hard)(difficulty rating)
8/10
Learning Time to Basic Proficiency(hours)
50-100+ hours
Time to Proficiency(weeks)
8-12 weeks
Show 2 more attributes
Setup Time for New User(minutes)
15
Learning Curve (hours to proficiency)(hours)
8-12 hours
Professional Industry Adoption Rate(percent)
90%+ of design agencies, studios, freelancers
AI-Powered Generative Features(count)
7 (Generative Fill, Super Resolution, Generative Expand, etc.)
AI Generation Credits/Month(credits)
100 Firefly credits
AI Design Assistance
Voice-to-text, Make features, automation
AI Content Generation
Limited AI—mostly design optimization and naming suggestions
Maximum Canvas Dimensions(pixels)
300,000 x 300,000
RAW Photo File Support
Yes (300+ camera profiles)
Pre-Made Templates(count)
~500 templates
Stock Photo Integration(millions available)
Via third-party plugins/subscriptions
Stock Photos Included(millions)
Stock via Adobe Stock (requires separate subscription)
0 (third-party integrations available)
Estimated Learning Time to Proficiency(hours)
60+ hours
Time to Basic Proficiency(days)
4 days
Onboarding Time for New Users(hours)
1.5-2.5 hours (beginner-friendly)
Installation Required
Yes, desktop app
3D & Video Editing Tools
Yes, full 3D and video timeline
Layer Support & Masking
Extensive (unlimited layers, advanced masks)
Prototyping Interaction Types(types)
Interactions, conditional logic, component states, animations, flows
Non-Destructive Editing
Full (adjustment layers, smart objects)
Available Plugins/Extensions(count)
75,000+
~2,000 plugins
Integration Plugins/Extensions(count)
300+
Adobe Creative Cloud Integration
Limited (API for third-party imports)
Available Plugins(count)
10,000+
1,200+ community plugins
Plugin Ecosystem(available plugins)
5,000+ plugins and integrations
Plugin Ecosystem(plugins)
~2500+ plugins
Available Plugins/Integrations(count)
2,500+
Plugin/Integration Ecosystem(count)
2000+ official plugins and integrations
Show 1 more attribute
API Access for Third-party Integrations(integrations)
1,000+ plugins via Figma API
Supported Camera RAW Formats(count)
200+
Cloud Storage Included(GB)
100GB
Platform Support
Windows, macOS, iPad, Web
Web + macOS + Windows + iPad
Desktop Application Required
Yes (Windows/Mac only)
Platform Availability(platforms)
Web browser + Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Available Platforms
Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Browser-Based (No Download)(support)
Yes (100% browser-native)
Show 1 more attribute
Offline Editing(capability)
Limited (browser-dependent)
Generative AI Features
Firefly (Generative Fill, Super Resolution, removal tools)
AI-Powered Features(count)
8+ (Generative Fill, Super Resolution, AI Upscaler, Neural Filters)
AI-Assisted Features(available features)
Voice-to-text, Make controls, question cards, design suggestions
Template Library Size(templates)
Minimal (third-party required)
5,000 (community)
Integrated Stock Media Library(assets)
None (external sources required)
RAW File Support
Yes (extensive RAW editing)
Maximum Export Resolution(pixels)
Unlimited (print-ready)
Supported File Formats (export)(count)
40+ formats (PSD, JPEG, PNG, HEIF, WebP, AVIF, PDF, SVG)
Supported File Formats(format count)
90+ formats including PSD, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, AI, EPS
Figma native format, exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, CSS, JSON
Operating System Support(platforms)
Mac, Windows, Linux, Web
Supported Platforms
4 (Web, Mac, Windows, iPad)
Supported Operating Systems(platforms)
3 (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Minimum RAM Recommended(GB)
8 GB
Available Templates(count)
~500 built-in templates
Maximum Canvas Resolution(pixels)
300,000 x 300,000
Free Cloud Storage(GB)
2GB (requires Creative Cloud)
0GB (Figma Projects only)
Free Tier Capabilities
3 files maximum, unlimited pages per file, basic prototyping, browser-based
Monthly Cost (Pro/Professional)(USD)
$12 per editor
Free Plan File Limit(files)
3 editable files
Professional Plan Monthly Cost(USD)
$12/month (Editor)
Professional Font Library(count)
Adobe Fonts library (240,000+ via subscription)
Prototyping & Interactions(capability)
Full (interactions, animations, variants)
Design System/Component Management(features)
Variables, tokens, component library, extensive version control
Vector Design Capability(score)
Professional (boolean ops, advanced paths)
Industry Adoption Rate(percent)
Used by 90% of professional designers/photographers
Professional Designer Adoption (2025)(percent)
42%
Editing Precision Level(pixel precision)
Full 1px-level control across 1000+ tools
Offline Mode Support(percentage)
Full (100% functionality)
Active Users (2024)(millions)
Estimated 15+ million
Professional Designer Adoption Rate(percent)
70% of professional design teams
Team Collaboration Users(number of simultaneous users)
Unlimited with plugins; native support requires 3rd-party tools
Unlimited simultaneous editors per team
Real-Time Collaboration Support(boolean)
No (native); requires external plugins or manual versioning
Yes; built-in with live cursors, comments, and activity tracking
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
Show 11 more attributes
Simultaneous Editors(users)
15+ concurrent editors (unlimited)
Concurrent Real-time Collaborators(users)
Unlimited
Real-Time Co-Editors(simultaneous users)
Unlimited on any plan
Real-Time Collaborative Editors(users)
500+ simultaneous users
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(users)
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
Hours to Proficiency(hours)
80-120 hours
Maximum Layers Per Project(layers)
Unlimited (30,000+ tested)
Selection & Masking Tools(tool count)
20+ (Magic Wand, Select Subject, Refine Edge, Content-Aware)
Batch Editing Speed (100 photos)(minutes)
120-180 minutes (manual or scripting)
Native RAW File Support
Via Smart Objects/plugins (requires extra steps)
Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)(Million USD)
$1.36-1.37 billion
Revenue Multiple (Price-to-Sales)(x)
9x-35x (varies by metric)
Year-over-Year Revenue Growth(percent)
~40%
Company Valuation(USD billion)
$10.53-13.8 billion (public)
Public Trading Status
Public (NASDAQ: FIG)
Operating Margin(%)
14-15% (non-GAAP)
Primary Market Focus
Enterprise Design Teams
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(available)
Cloud-only, no self-hosting
Hosting & Deployment Features(features)
No built-in hosting
Web Hosting Included
No
Open Source
Closed source
User Rating (2026)(stars)
4.6/5
Adobe Ecosystem Integration(null)
Limited (separate ecosystem)
Design Handoff Features
Advanced design specs, Dev Mode, code generation
Market Share 2026(percent)
45%
Market Share (2026)(%)
71% among design teams
Market Share (2025)(percent)
~62%
Market Share(%)
71%
Market Adoption Rate (2024)(percent of design teams)
61% of design professionals
Pricing Model
Four-tier with seat types (Full, Dev, Collab)
AI Capabilities
Basic design assistance
Component Library Depth(capability level)
Enterprise-grade (variants, tokens, documentation)
Design System Versioning
Component versioning in main product
Version History Retention(months)
Unlimited
Animation Timeline Controls
Basic preset animations without timeline
Simultaneous Team Members(users)
Unlimited on paid plans
Developer Handoff Features(capabilities)
Dev Mode with code snippets and specs
Code Export Accuracy(percent)
40-60% (design to code via plugins)
Animation & Interaction Capabilities(features)
Basic interactions, limited keyframe animation
Maximum Cloud Documents(count)
Unlimited (Team plan)
Platform Accessibility(null)
Any browser (Windows, macOS, Linux, iPad, web)
Self-Hosting Available
Not available
Monthly Active Users(millions)
4,000,000+
GitHub Stars(stars)
N/A (proprietary)
Setup Time to First Design(minutes)
120 minutes
Estimated Time to First Design (Beginner)(minutes)
120-480 minutes (2-8 hours)
Time to Design Basic UI (Beginner)(hours)
2-3 hours
Native SEO Tools
No (design tool only)
CMS (Content Management) Included
No

Pros & Cons

10 pros·6 cons across both

Adobe Photoshop
Figma
Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop

+5-3

Pros

  • Industry-leading photo retouching with Content-Aware Fill and Neural Filters
  • Advanced brush engine with 1000+ customizable brushes and particle dynamics
  • Support for 90+ file formats including PSD, JPEG, TIFF, EPS, and AI files
  • Generative Fill and AI-powered Remove Tool (Photoshop 2025+)
  • Full offline functionality; no internet required to work

Cons

  • $55/month subscription cost or $9.99/month for single app (non-negotiable for professional use)
  • Steep learning curve with 50+ tools and deep menus; not intuitive for beginners
  • Poor native collaboration—requires third-party plugins or manual version management
Figma

Figma

+5-3

Pros

  • Real-time multiplayer collaboration—multiple designers edit the same file simultaneously with live cursors
  • 100% browser-based; no installation required; works on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPad
  • Faster startup time; average file open is 2-3 seconds vs Photoshop's 10-15 seconds
  • Built-in prototyping, component systems, and design token management for design systems
  • Developer-friendly with CSS code export, token export, and Figma API for integrations

Cons

  • Primarily vector-based; poor for photo editing and pixel-level manipulation
  • Requires internet connection; limited offline capability (read-only mode after 30 days)
  • Steeper learning curve for vector design concepts compared to other design tools

Frequently Asked Questions

5 questions

  1. No. While Figma has basic selection and fill tools, it's not designed for photo retouching. Photoshop's Content-Aware Fill, Generative Fill, Neural Filters, and advanced brush engines are industry-standard for professional photo work. Figma excels at vector design and UI work, not pixel-level image manipulation.

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