Figma vs Adobe XD vs Sketch: Which Is Best?

Updated on 10 Nov 2024

OneBrowsing

 4.8

(Reviews: 25K)

Est. users: 4M

Price Ranges: Free - $15 - $45 - $75

 4.3

(Reviews: 14.3K)

Est. users: 1.3M

Price Ranges: $9.99 - $52.99

 4.6

(Reviews: 5K)

Est. users: 1M

Price Ranges: $10 - $120 - $20

Figma vs Adobe XD vs Sketch

**Figma** is a browser-based design tool known for its real-time collaboration features, allowing multiple designers to work simultaneously on the same project regardless of their location. It is platform-agnostic, meaning it works on any operating system with a web browser and offers strong prototyping and design handoff capabilities. **Adobe XD**, part of the Adobe Creative Cloud, provides robust prototyping features and integrates seamlessly with other Adobe tools, making it ideal for users already in the Adobe ecosystem. **Sketch** is a macOS-exclusive vector design tool that set the standard for modern UI design and is widely used for its plugins and third-party integrations, although it lacks the built-in collaborative features found in Figma.

Figma

  1. Browser-based, no installation needed
  2. Real-time collaboration by default
  3. Platform-independent, works on any OS
  4. Automatic version control
  5. Strong community and plugin support
  6. Integrated prototyping features
  7. Live sharing and commenting
  8. Free plan with limited features

Adobe XD

  1. Part of Adobe Creative Cloud suite
  2. Supports both design and prototyping
  3. Faster performance on Windows
  4. Good integration with Adobe tools
  5. Voice prototyping capabilities
  6. Offers component states
  7. Limited collaboration features
  8. Paid with a 7-day free trial

Sketch

  1. MacOS exclusive design tool
  2. Strong plugin and extensions support
  3. Artboards and group management
  4. Lightweight and fast performance
  5. No built-in prototyping
  6. Requires third-party tools for collaboration
  7. One-time purchase for a license
  8. Frequent updates and improvements

Key Differences

  1. User Interface Design

    Figma offers a clean and modern interface that is accessible through the browser, which provides flexibility. Adobe XD has a streamlined interface that integrates well with Adobe's ecosystem, while Sketch has a more traditional design approach primarily for macOS.

    Winner: Figma

  2. Collaboration Features

    Figma is known for its real-time collaboration features, allowing multiple users to work simultaneously on a single project directly via a web browser. Adobe XD offers coediting capabilities but requires Adobe's ecosystem, while Sketch relies on third-party plugins for enhanced collaboration.

    Winner: Figma

  3. Platform Support

    Figma is platform-independent thanks to its web-based nature, allowing use on any operating system with a web browser. Adobe XD supports both Windows and macOS, while Sketch is limited to macOS only.

    Winner: Figma

  4. Integration with Other Tools

    Adobe XD integrates seamlessly with Adobe's suite of tools, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, providing a more comprehensive design workflow for users in the Adobe ecosystem. Figma also offers strong integrations but not as extensively within a singular ecosystem. Sketch relies heavily on plugins, making it modular but sometimes inconsistent.

    Winner: Adobe XD

  5. Design and Prototyping Effectiveness

    Figma provides robust design and prototyping tools with a focus on user-friendly interactions. Adobe XD has advanced prototyping and animation features. Sketch is strong in design but prototyping capabilities are enhanced primarily through plugins.

    Winner: Figma

  6. Pricing and Accessibility

    Figma offers a free version with limited features, which is accessible to individual designers and smaller teams. Adobe XD also provides a free starter plan, but costs increase significantly for full functionality. Sketch requires a one-time payment for a license, which can be more cost-effective for macOS users over time.

    Winner: Its a tie

Distinct Features

FigmaAdobe XDSketch
Real-time collaboration where multiple users can edit a design simultaneouslyVoice prototyping to integrate voice commands and responsesHighly customizable and extensive plugin ecosystem specific to macOS
Browser-based application requiring no installation for core featuresAuto-Animate feature for creating animations within prototypesNative macOS application providing a smooth user experience for Apple users
Cross-platform support without compatibility issues across different operating systemsIntegration with other Adobe products through Creative CloudOptimized for vector editing with precision and control
Version history with the ability to access and name versions easilyResponsive Resize to automatically adjust components for different screen sizesSketch Cloud for sharing designs and prototypes with feedback capabilities
Interactive commenting and discussion directly within the design environmentAdobe Stock integration for accessing Adobe's stock assets directlyAdvanced Boolean operations for creating complex shapes
Integrated design system libraries with centralized access and updatesExtensive plugin ecosystem allowing enhanced functionality specific to Adobe XDSymbol override and nested symbols for consistent yet flexible component design

Pricing Overview

Figma

View Pricing Plans  

  1. Starter Team (Free) - For individuals and small teams
  2. Professional Team ($15) - For professionals and teams looking for enhanced collaboration tools
  3. Organization ($45) - For larger teams and organizations requiring centralized control
  4. Enterprise ($75) - For large enterprises needing extensive customization and security measures

Starter Team

Free /

Basic plan including essential design features

  • Figma editor

  • 3 collaborative design files

  • Unlimited personal drafts

  • Basic file inspection

Professional Team

$15 / /full seat/mo

Comprehensive plan with advanced collaboration and prototyping features

  • Everything in Starter

  • Design Unlimited Figma files

  • Team libraries

  • Advanced prototyping

  • Dev Mode

  • View annotations

  • Advanced inspection

  • VS Code extension

  • Admin

Organization

$45 / /full seat/mo or $25 /mo for Dev Mode only

Tailored for organizational needs with extra management and security features

  • Everything in Professional

  • Design Org-wide libraries

  • Design system analytics

  • Branching and merging

  • Dev Mode

  • Private plugins

  • Admin

  • Centralized file management

  • Unified admin and billing

  • Single sign-on

Enterprise

$75 / /full seat/mo or $35 /mo for Dev Mode only

Top-tier plan with advanced customization and security options

  • Everything in Organization

  • Design Advanced design system theming

  • Sync variables to code via REST API

  • Default libraries by workspace

  • Dev Mode

  • Set default code language

  • Pin and auto-run plugins

  • Admin

  • Dedicated workspaces for teams

  • Guest access controls

  • Seat management via SCIM

  • Idle session timeout

  • Advanced link sharing controls

Adobe XD

View Pricing Plans  

  1. Single App ($9.99) - Suitable for freelance designers or design students.
  2. All Apps ($52.99) - Recommended for graphic designers, video editors, and creative professionals.

Single App

$9.99 / per month

Ideal for individual designers who want to create prototypes and designs.

  • Design

  • Prototype

  • Share

  • Repeat Grid

  • Auto-Animate

All Apps

$52.99 / per month

Best for professionals who need access to a wide range of Adobe creative tools.

  • Design

  • Prototype

  • Share

  • Repeat Grid

  • Auto-Animate

  • Photoshop

  • Illustrator

  • Premiere Pro

  • After Effects

  • and more

Sketch

View Pricing Plans  

  1. Standard subscription ($10) - Recommended for solo designers and small teams
  2. Mac-only license ($120) - Suitable for solo designers needing Mac app only
  3. Business subscription ($20) - Ideal for medium-sized teams and large organizations

Standard subscription

$10 / Monthly / per Editor, billed yearly

Standard subscription description

  • Native Mac app

  • Design, prototype and illustrate

  • Work privately, offline

  • Collaborate in real-time

  • Unlimited free Viewers

  • Version history and control

  • Inspect designs, test prototypes and handoff to developers for free

  • Comment, discuss and inspect on the Canvas

  • Preview on your iPhone or iPad

  • View documents and play prototypes

  • Mirror designs from your Mac

Mac-only license

$120 / Per Seat

Mac-only license description

  • Native Mac app

  • Design, prototype and illustrate

  • Work privately, offline

  • Save documents locally

  • Yours to keep, forever

Business subscription

$20 / Monthly / per Editor, billed yearly

Business subscription description

  • Single Sign-On (SSO)

  • Unlimited online storage

  • Invoice-based billing

  • Powerful permissions directory

  • Permissions Groups

  • Project archiving

Indepth Overview

FigmaAdobe XDSketch
Design Tool Features
Collaboration ★5.0 - Real-time collaboration for multiple users. ★4.5 - Sharing designs in cloud with limited real-time editing.★3.5 - Limited real-time collaboration, mainly file-sharing.
Vector Graphics ★4.8 - Strong vector editing capabilities. ★4.6 - Good vector tools but less flexible than Figma.★4.7 - Excellent for vector modeling with robust tools.
Prototyping ★4.7 - Interactive prototyping with various animation options. ★4.8 - Supports voice triggers and advanced animations.★4.7 - Offers basic prototyping features but less interactive.
Plugins ★4.9 - Extensive plugin ecosystem for additional functionalities. ★4.4 - Solid range of plugins, continuously growing.★4.5 - Strong ecosystem, heavily relying on third-party plugins.
Cross-Platform ★5.0 - Web-based, accessible on any OS without installations. ★4.0 - Available on Windows and Mac, but limited mobile functionality.★2.0 - Mac-only application, not accessible on other platforms.
User Interface Features
UI Kits ★4.8 - Access to diverse community-made UI kits. ★4.5 - Offers Adobe's official UI kits for various platforms.★4.5 - Benefits from a strong community providing UI kits.
Design Systems ★4.9 - Integrated design system features with libraries. ★4.6 - Good support for creating reusable components.★4.3 - Components and styles management available.
Assets Panel ★4.6 - Easy integration of assets from various sources. ★4.4 - Allows asset management but less intuitive than Figma.★4.1 - Limited asset handling compared to Figma.
Responsive Design ★4.7 - Flexible layouts adapting to different screens. ★4.5 - Offers some responsive resizing features.★3.8 - Rudimentary support for responsive layouts.
Integration Features
Integration with Tools ★4.9 - Broad integrations including Slack, JIRA, etc. ★4.6 - Integrates well with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps.★4.4 - Integrates with various design tools but less than Figma.
Version Control ★4.8 - In-built version history for easy rollback. ★4.5 - Basic version control but less intuitive.★3.5 - Lacks robust version control features.
Export Options ★4.7 - Versatile export support for various formats. ★4.9 - Excellent export capabilities for developers.★4.2 - Acceptable exporting but limited formats.
Unique Features
Real-time Collaboration ★5.0 - Most robust collaboration tools in design software.
Voice Prototyping ★4.8 - Unique ability to create voice-based prototypes.
Design Feedback ★4.5 - Integrated feedback management through third-party plugins.

Comparision Reviews

Anna Johnson

New York, USA

Figma stands out with its real-time collaboration feature, making it the go-to for teams working across different locations. However, Adobe XD excels in integration with other Adobe products, which is a huge plus for those already within the Adobe ecosystem. Both tools offer intuitive interfaces, but Figma's accessibility through the web without installation is a notable advantage.

Figma 4.7

Adobe XD 4.3

Carter Smith

London, UK

Adobe XD provides excellent support for plugins and has fast prototyping capabilities. Figma, on the other hand, offers more flexibility with a seamless handoff process and cloud-based storage, saving significant time for designers. While Adobe XD is fantastic for vector work, Figma’s versatility in device compatibility adds more value.

Figma 4.6

Adobe XD 4.0

Liam Nguyen

Sydney, Australia

The vector editing in Adobe XD is top-notch and precise, enhancing the experience for detailed design work. Figma's strength lies in its focus on collaborative workflow and ease of use, which empowers teams to work faster and more efficiently. Adobe XD might offer superior integration, but Figma's version control and commenting features give it an edge in iterative design processes.

Figma 4.5

Adobe XD 4.2

Emily Wu

Toronto, Canada

With Figma offering a seamless online experience, it caters well to remote teams or those with flexible work environments. Adobe XD's responsive performance and integration with Creative Cloud make it great for those already using Adobe’s suite of tools. Each has its merits, but Figma's community and shared resources bring a strong collaborative element to the table.

Figma 4.8

Adobe XD 4.1

Raj Patel

Mumbai, India

Figma impresses with its ubiquitous accessibility and ease of sharing designs effortlessly. Adobe XD benefits those who prefer a standalone application and deeper integration with other Adobe applications. Figma’s prototype preview options are particularly strong, providing a smoother testing phase. Adobe XD remains a solid choice for hard-core Adobe users seeking a familiar experience.

Figma 4.6

Adobe XD 4.4

Comments

Emily_W1992
Hey everyone, what do y'all think about Figma vs Adobe XD vs Sketch?
Liam_Jordan
I'm all in for Figma! Collaborative features are just 🤌! What about Adobe XD?
AvaTheDesigner
Adobe XD is pretty solid with prototyping though. Sketch is kinda left out in this convo?
Michael_B
Haha, I actually started with Sketch. It felt like the pioneer for UI design tools back in the day. But now Figma is everyone's darling!
creative_23
Sketch only works best on Macs though, right? That kinda excludes a bunch of people.
Olivia_D
True, Olivia here loves that Figma has a web version. No 'Sorry, Windows users' here. 😂
Emily_W1992
And what about the learning curve? Which one do y'all think is the easiest to pick up?
Michael_B
Figma hands down. It's intuitive, almost feels like designing in a browser.
AvaTheDesigner
Agreed, Figma’s UI is clean. XD feels more in-depth though. If you have time, the tools are powerful.
creative_23
I feel Adobe XD has the most features packed for prototyping, but damn those updates! Always needing to restart my projects. 😒
Olivia_D
Haha, annoying right? But once you get past that, XD can be smooth sailing.
Liam_Jordan
You just need good internet with Figma though. Otherwise, it's lag city! 😅
Emily_W1992
What about plugins, guys? Do they make or break it for you?
Olivia_D
OMG plugins in Sketch are lifesavers! But Figma is catching up fast!
Liam_Jordan
Figma's plugin community is growing like crazy. There are new ones almost daily now.
creative_23
Lucky you. I tried installing a plugin last time in XD and felt like I was in a maze.

External Links For More Information

Related Posts

Leave a Comment