With the rise of images, videos, and animations, the internet centers around visuals and design. To keep your visitors’ attention at all times, you need great visuals and designs to keep them engaged. Figma is one of the most popular tools available for designers. But it’s not ideal for everyone. No need to worry. Whether you need live collaboration, advanced prototyping, or affordable options, there are perfect Figma alternatives for you. Discover the 11 best Figma alternatives in our guide today.
According to a study conducted by Contrary Research, 75% of designers used Figma in 2024. The platform provides many advantages, but what makes it so unique is the cloud-based platform that enables teams of designers and other people to work on a project collaboratively and simultaneously. This live feature is a bit like a Google Sheet on which many people can work, and the changes made are instantaneous. There’s also the possibility to leave notes and comments. It’s accessible on any device, and work can progress smoothly between all the team members involved in the project.
The features you need to look for to find the perfect Figma alternative
With 75% of designers using Figma, it could seem like the best option available. It is a powerful design tool. But there are other solutions available, and it’s not necessarily the perfect fit for everyone. Because it’s such a widely used tool, it often feels more tailored for large companies. Small companies may need more flexible alternatives at a more affordable price. Especially if they’re not planning to use all the features available on Figma. On the other hand, highly skilled designers sometimes need more advanced tools with better features.
Features needed to find the best Figma alternatives:
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Live collaboration:
This is one of the key features if you plan to work alongside multiple people on the platform. It’s one of the main reasons why Figma is so popular. Make sure multiple people can work on the same project and leave comments, notes, and feedback, as these are essential to maximize output.
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Version history:
It is crucial to keep track of changes made to a design. You also need to be able to go back to a previous version if the changes you made are not good enough.
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Design systems and component library:
A design system outlines clear branding rules and guidelines to follow. Think fonts, colors, and visual rules. Components are elements that can regularly be used when creating new designs. They are essential elements on a website such as icons, CTA buttons, menus, and dropdowns. The tool you choose has to enable you to create components and manage and reuse them for different projects.
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Prototype testing:
Sometimes, a workflow or design needs to be tested, and you need to gather feedback The more features are available to help you test ideas, the better.
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Auto-layout:
There are so many different screens and devices used nowadays. You need to account for all of them in your designs. But thankfully, you don’t need to do that all by yourself. Auto-layout adapts your designs to different screen sizes and devices. It saves you time and your sanity. Find an alternative that has auto-layout.
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Developer handoff:
One of the complicated parts of making a design work is to integrate it with the backend so it works. The developer handoff functionality enables auto code generation, detailed specifications, and asset export. It helps developers greatly in bringing the designer’s work to life.
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Vector editing:
This enables you to make and edit icons or illustrations without having to use a different tool. You need different ways to edit designs, shape editing, boolean operation, and pen editing.
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Exporting Assets:
You need to be able to export your designs anytime you need them in multiple formats, sizes, specifications, and resolutions.
The 11 best Figma alternatives
1. Penpot
Penpot was launched by Kaleidos in 2019. It is an open-source design platform. It’s used by thousands of teams of all sizes. Notable users include Google and Microsoft. This is one of the best Figma alternatives because it’s completely free. So, if you’re looking for cost-efficient solutions to save money, Penpot is the perfect candidate. Despite it being free, the platform has many features.
Penpot pros:
- Open-source with the possibility to self-host.
- There’s an API to integrate workflows.
- Smooth collaboration between designer and developer with a code inspection feature.
- Layouts are super flexible, and there are custom fonts.
- The free plan enables you to work with as many teams on as many projects as you need.
Penpot cons:
- The animation possibilities are limited for experts.
- Since it’s open-source, there are fewer plugins than paid platforms and tools have.
- It’s based on your browser, so you can only work on it when connected to the internet.
- Some parts can be a bit too complex for beginners.
Pricing
You can use Penpot for free, and you’ll have unlimited teams, designers, libraries, and documents. But there is also a paid plan. The Enterprise plan costs $950 per organization per month. It gives you advanced security and compliance to ensure the safety of your company. There’s also SSO, analytics, and personalized hosting. Because of it’s affordable pricing, Penpot is really one of the best Figma alternatives.
2. Adobe XD
One of the most famous design companies in the world, Adobe’s design and editing tool can be used by various team members in a company. Designers, developers, and product managers can all manage the tool. You’ll find many of the functionalities Figma has making it one of the best Figma alternatives. But it is mainly used without the internet, offline. This means that collaboration opportunities are limited.
The main advantage of this tool is how well it connects with the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite. It’s simple to move work from Illustrator, Photoshop, and other Adobe services. It makes it easier to manage complicated tasks and projects.
Adobe XD pros:
- Possibility to work without being connected to the internet.
- The repeat grid functionality.
- The possibility of connecting to the Adobe Creative Suite.
- Voice command/prototyping.
Cons of Adobe XD:
- No live collaboration.
- There are many updates needed regularly.
- CSS export bugs. Some plugins are required.
- There are glitches for operation systems that are not Apple.
Adobe pricing:
Adobe XD is only available with a Creative Cloud subscription. It starts at $54.99/month.
3. UXPin
UXPin started in 2010 and is a design platform that can be leveraged on browsers and apps. You can create wireframes, UI designs, and mockups on multiple platforms interactively. It’s the perfect platform to create professional and high-level designs that require detailed prototyping. It can be hard to leverage at first as it’s complex. However, there are many different resources to help you learn how to use the platform. There are documents, video tutorials, and a chat. Once you understand how UXPin works, you’ll see that it’s a powerful Figma alternative.
UXPin pros:
- Possibility to import designs from Sketch and Figma.
- There’s an integration with React libraries (Bootstrap, MUI..).
- The possibility of working together on a project instantaneously.
- Advanced prototyping and the possibility to add conditional logic and variables.
- AI features.
- There are integrations for many services like Git and Storybook.
UXPin cons:
- It’s hard to use at first.
- The basic templates are too simple.
- There are some issues with complicated and heavy projects.
Pricing:
The pricing for UXPin greatly varies from $6 per month to $119 per month based on the size of your company and the features you need. There’s also an enterprise plan that gives you more privacy and compliance, but you have to get a quote from their sales team.
4. Framer
This Dutch company offers a design and prototype platform for browsers and apps. Their core strengths are interaction capabilities and animation. It’s great for companies creating interactive digital products or services as there are prototype capacities and interactive designs. It can be hard to use the platform at the beginning. But Framer provides many resources to help you out.
Framer pros:
- Live collaboration.
- AI helper.
- Test environment.
- Possibility to be used on multiple devices and browsers
- SEO advantages.
- Possibility to integrate a CMS for blogs and such.
Framer cons:
- Designers new to the platform need to learn how to use it as it’s technical.
- It is too complex for simple jobs.
- The pricing structure is complicated.
- Requires a lot of resources for complex projects.
- Export possibilities are limited.
Pricing:
Framer pricing starts at $75 per month and increases based on the size of your team and the features you want to use.
5. Lunacy
Lunacy is an online and offline design app. It’s one of the best options for companies limited by a tight budget and smaller teams or when there’s only one designer. This tool also offers much more flexibility.
Lunacy pros:
- Offline editing possibility.
- Design system help.
- Live collaboration option.
- Possibility to edit web pages directly.
- AI design feature.
Lunacy cons:
- Since it’s a less famous tool, there are fewer integrations available.
- Fewer plugins.
- There’s a small community around the tool compared to the big platforms.
- Fewer prototype possibilities.
Pricing:
The platform is free to use with cloud document limitations. There are different plans that range from $4.99 to $9.99 per month with an optional extra graphics option at $9.99.
6. Moqups
Moqups is an online platform where design teams and key stakeholders can work on and validate web and mobile app prototypes, mockups, wireframes, and more. Designs start on a simple whiteboard, and it’s the perfect tool for early planning and conceptualization of different projects. It’s perfect to create a quick mockup and conceptualize an idea to share it with a team. One of the best parts is the many easy-to-use features like drag and drop and different ways to draw and make illustrations. This makes it the perfect tool for people who are not designers to use.
Moqups pros:
- Possibility to collaborate and leave feedback live.
- Good image editing tools.
- Master page feature to keep designs consistent.
- Possibility to create storyboards.
- The drag-and-drop feature enables you to keep everything coherent.
- Even though the platform works online, there’s an offline mode too.
- Lots of integration possibilities like Slack, Google Drive, and Dropbox.
Moqups cons:
- Animation features are limited.
- Not all functionalities are free.
- Not as many integrations as larger platforms.
- Low-performing mobile integration.
Pricing:
While Moqup’s basic features are free, there are three paid plans. Solo starts at $9 per month for one person. Team starts at $15 per month for five people. And, unlimited costs $40 per month for an unlimited number of people.
7. ClickUp
ClickUp is a famous tool for managing projects. But, it also has a whiteboard feature that enables you to collaborate visually and brainstorm. It’s a great solution because you can combine a great whiteboard with a great project management tool. It’s not as powerful as platforms specialized in whiteboarding, but it’s a great option to brainstorm and design simple ideas.
ClickUp pros:
- Live collaboration.
- Possibility to create tasks on the whiteboard.
- Accessible by different teams.
- There are templates you can work from
ClickUp cons:
- Not as comprehensive as specialized tools.
- Drawing options are limited.
- Not always easy to navigate.
- Doesn’t have that many customization features.
Pricing:
While there is a free mode, it is limited due to the storage space. The paid plan starts at $7 per month and includes 10 whiteboards. You can have unlimited whiteboards for $12. To have all the functionalities, you’ll need to have the enterprise plan, which requires you to contact their sales team.
8. Sketch
Sketch is a MacOS design platform that was created in 2010. Users can create complex and high-level design systems workflows for developers and designers. The main downside is that it is only available on Mac. This makes it somewhat restrictive across teams.
Sketch pros:
- Live collaboration between teams.
- High-quality vector editing software.
- Many high-quality plugins.
- Possibility to export CSS code.
- Developer handoff feature.
Sketch cons:
- Few templates are available.
- Only supported on Mac.
- You may need additional tools to get the most out of it.
Pricing:
There are multiple different paid plans on Sketch. The standard plan varies between $10 and $12 per month per user. There’s also a Mac-only license that costs a $120 one-time fee per person. Lastly, for businesses, there’s a $22 per month plan per editor.
9. Artboard Studio
Compared to many of the previous platforms, Artboard is unique because it’s a design platform created by designers for designers. It combines motion and graphic design for digital marketing. Since a strong motion and graphic design background went into building this platform, it empowers designers to complete complex projects regardless of their animation knowledge.
Artboard Studio pros:
- A platform made by designers for designers.
- Many tools to work together as a team.
- A strong practical use for Marketing.
- You can create lots of content with it. A great feature given the importance of content nowadays.
- Possibility of creating motion designs
- The perfect connection between graphic and motion design.
Artboard Studio cons:
- If you’re not a motion designer, you need to learn how to use the tool.
- Fewer UI/UX possibilities compared to more specialized platforms.
- Strong focus on Marketing.
- Maybe not the best platform for complex projects.
- A very niche platform.
Pricing:
Artboard Studio also has a free plan like other design tools. Then there are two paid versions. The Lite plan is $12 a month, and the Professional plan is $20 a month. It’s important to note the free plan has a personal license though. So all exports can only be used for personal use. If you need exports for commercial use, you’ll need the paid plans.
10. Miro
Miro is the perfect brainstorming platform because it provides an intuitive workspace where it’s super easy to collaborate. You can create diagrams, flowcharts, mind maps, and video conferences, all in one platform. Its core strength is to provide a visual space where people can collaborate to complete complicated design projects. So it’s great for designers and people who want visual support. On the other hand, if you don’t need a visual tool and can operate in written form, this may not be the right tool for you.
Miro pros:
- Live collaboration is supported with audio and video.
- Possibility to create high-quality presentations.
- The canvas functionalities are endless.
- Possibility to share screens.
- The cursor tracking is live.
- Many quality integrations
- The AI assistant.
Miro cons:
- No offline mode.
- Complicated to use for first-time users.
- More expensive platform to use.
- There’s a bit of lag on large projects sometimes.
Pricing:
There is a free plan with three boards and some basic features. But it’s quite limited. The Starter plan costs $8 per month per person and includes unlimited boards for one workspace. The Business plan is $16 per month per person and includes unlimited boards and workspaces. Lastly, there’s an Enterprise mode that gives you more security and features. To learn more about the enterprise pricing, contact their sales team.
11. Plasmic
Plasmic is another free open-source design tool that empowers teams to create and publish web pages with no coding required. It’s designed to integrate easily with modern web development frameworks and enables designers and developers to collaborate effortlessly.
There’s a strong drag-and-drop interface, which makes it easy to create responsive layouts and interactive designs. You can also import designs from Figma to improve them on a more flexible platform. One of the key features is the capability to generate production-ready code to help design and development teams to work together.
Plasmic pros:
- The powerful drag-and-drop interface creates pages easily.
- The possibility of importing designs directly from Figma.
- Production-ready code for development.
- The possibility of A/B testing designs.
- Works with React, Next.js, and other modern frameworks
Plasmic cons:
- More focused on web design than general UI/UX and marketing.
- Doesn’t have all the features Figma has.
- You need some front-end development conceptual knowledge to use the platform to its full potential.
Pricing:
Plasmic offers a free plan with many features, making it accessible to individuals and small teams. Paid plans with advanced integrations and enterprise features are available for larger organizations. They range from $39 per month to a custom quote.
Find design professionals on ComeUp
ComeUp is a freelance marketplace platform where you can find many skilled design professionals. They can give you advice about the best Figma alternatives and help you complete complex projects. In addition, you can leverage many of the tools mentioned in this article with freelancers. ComeUp gives you access to some of the best freelancers so you can complete all your projects with the best results.
Conclusion: The 11 best Figma alternatives for you
Now that you know the 11 best Figma alternatives, you can choose the one that’s right for you. Use all the information provided in this article to pick a few candidates you can then test out. The more candidates you try, the more likely you are to find the perfect solution. To choose your Figma alternative, consider your company’s resources and needs.
