Consider Figma when…
Shortlist Figma when designers use different operating systems, you work mostly in shared files, or you need its wider set of connected products.
Explore Figma alternativesFIND YOUR FIT
Figma vs Sketch
Figma vs Sketch: compare a browser-based design tool with a native Mac app, by platform, offline work, collaboration, and pricing.
The decision in brief
Both support components, prototyping, real-time collaboration, and developer handoff. Figma runs in the browser on any operating system and prices paid plans by seat type; Sketch is a native Mac app that also works offline, prices subscriptions per editor with free viewers and handoff, and still sells a one-off Mac-only licence.
A focused editorial selection based on the linked official documentation. Fit notes are our judgment, rather than firsthand benchmark results or a universal ranking. How we select and verify information.
Compare the working details
| Decision factor | Figma | Sketch |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Product teams designing interfaces together, from shared design systems to prototypes and developer handoff. | Designers working on Macs who want a native app that also works offline, with free browser access for everyone else. |
| Working setup | Sign up in the browser, design in a file with components and auto layout, prototype the flow, then share it with comments and inspect it in Dev Mode. | Download the Mac app, design and prototype in a shared Workspace or locally offline, then share a link so developers inspect and export assets in the browser. |
| Pricing model | The free Starter plan covers a single team with one folder and three files, with 30 days of version history and a daily AI credit allowance. Paid plans are priced per seat, with Full, Dev, and Collab seats, and people on paid plans can let others view and comment without buying extra seats. | A 30-day free trial with no card required, then a subscription per editor; viewers and developer handoff are free. A one-off Mac-only licence with a year of updates is also sold, without collaboration features. |
| What to verify | Seats are priced by type; list who needs a Full seat, who only inspects designs (Dev), and who only comments before estimating cost. | Editing needs a Mac (macOS 15 or newer); confirm everyone who designs uses one, and that others only need the free browser access. |
Which belongs on your shortlist?
Consider Sketch when…
Shortlist Sketch when every designer uses a Mac, offline work or local files matter, and you want developers and reviewers to use the browser at no extra cost.
Run the same evaluation in both
- Design the same screen in both tools, including one shared component used in two places.
- Change the component and check how the update reaches the other file or library.
- Share each file with a developer who has no paid seat and record what they can inspect, comment on, and export.
Try the same task before you choose
Hand off one screen to development
Use the same fictional brief in each candidate. Design a sign-up screen for a made-up app with a button component in three states, a text input, and an error message. Share it with a fictional reviewer who should only comment and a fictional developer who needs to inspect and export. Compare what each person needs to pay for and what the developer can take into code.
Every check starts as Not run. Record your own observations; these are evaluation criteria, rather than completed product tests. Your worksheet stays in this page and can be downloaded.
| Task and expected observation | Figma | Sketch |
|---|---|---|
| Build the button as a reusable component One component with default, hover, and disabled states, used in at least two places. | ||
| Make the form resize The form keeps its spacing when the frame is resized, using auto layout, flex, or the tool's equivalent. | ||
| Change the component once Every instance updates, and you have recorded how the change reaches other files or libraries. | ||
| Invite the reviewer to comment The reviewer can leave a comment on the error message without a paid seat, or you have recorded the cost. | ||
| Have the developer inspect the screen The developer can read spacing, colours, and type values and export the icons at the sizes they need. | ||
| Link the screen to a success state A clickable prototype moves from the sign-up screen to a success screen in a browser. | ||
| Count the seats for this team Record the seats or editors needed for one designer, one reviewer, and one developer, then estimate a clearly labelled cost for a larger team. |
0 of 14 checks have an observation. An observation does not imply a passed test.
Sources and check dates
Provider documentation supports the product and billing descriptions. Confirm current limits and terms before choosing a plan.
ShowMeYourSaaS also offers commercial product coverage. These guides follow our editorial selection criteria; placement is not a purchased ranking. Send a correction with the page and a supporting source.