The debate between Figma and Sketch has become one of the most consequential decisions for modern UI/UX designers. What started as a debate about tool preferences has evolved into a discussion about workflow philosophy, collaboration, and the future of design itself. Let’s examine both platforms comprehensively.
The Platform Divide
The most fundamental difference between these tools is their platform architecture.
Figma is entirely browser-based, running in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. There’s no desktop app to download. just sign in and start designing. This cloud-first approach enables seamless collaboration and cross-platform consistency.
Sketch started as a macOS-native application. While Sketch now offers a web viewer, the core experience remains desktop-focused. If you’re on Windows, your experience is limited to the web-based viewer, which lacks full functionality.
Core Features Comparison
| Feature | Figma | Sketch |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Browser + Desktop | macOS + Web Viewer |
| Real-time Collaboration | Native | Limited |
| Components | Excellent | Excellent |
| Prototyping | Built-in | Plugin required |
| Dev Mode | Excellent | Good |
| Auto Layout | Powerful | Basic |
| Version History | Unlimited | Limited (paid) |
Design and Prototyping
Figma’s All-in-One Approach
Figma combines design and prototyping in a unified environment. You design on canvas, create frames for screens, add interactions in the Prototype tab, and preview everything without leaving the app. The constraints system handles responsive layouts elegantly.
Auto Layout has become remarkably powerful. You can create dynamic designs that adapt to content changes automatically. Push, pull, fill, and wrap properties give you CSS-like control over element behavior.
The prototype mode supports advanced interactions: overlays, smart animate, scrolling groups, and conditional logic. You can build high-fidelity prototypes that closely mimic final products.
Sketch’s Traditional Workflow
Sketch excels at the design portion, with a focus on creating clean, precise UI designs. The component system (Symbols) was revolutionary and remains solid. You create components, variants, and build design systems efficiently.
Prototyping in Sketch historically required Principle or other external tools. While Sketch now offers native prototyping, it feels less integrated than Figma’s approach. Many designers still prefer dedicated prototyping tools for complex interactions.
Auto Layout in Sketch exists but feels like an afterthought compared to Figma’s implementation. The learning curve for responsive designs is steeper.
Collaboration Capabilities
This is where Figma dramatically separates itself.
Figma’s Live Collaboration
Multiple designers can work on the same file simultaneously, seeing each other’s cursors in real-time. Comments attach directly to design elements, making feedback actionable. Teams can organize work in shared team libraries, ensuring design consistency across projects.
Stakeholder review becomes simple. Clients and developers can view designs without accounts (with permissions). The shared understanding that comes from seeing designs evolve in real-time transforms team dynamics.
Sketch’s Collaboration
Sketch offers sharing through Cloud (their hosting service), but it’s not the same real-time experience. You share files, others download and work locally, then sync changes back. The workflow works but lacks the immediacy of Figma.
For teams, Sketch requires more process and discipline. Version management becomes manual, and conflicting changes require careful merging.
Component and Design Systems
Figma’s Approach
Components in Figma are powerful and intuitive. You create a component, override any property (text, images, colors), and maintain the source of truth. Variants let you create multiple states in single components. perfect for buttons, form inputs, and UI elements.
Team libraries share components across organization. Design tokens (colors, typography, spacing) can be published and distributed. The ecosystem of plugins enhances capabilities: content generation, icon management, accessibility checking.
Sketch’s System
Sketch’s component system (Symbols, then replaced by Components with Variants) remains excellent. Large organizations have built sophisticated design systems in Sketch. The architecture supports complex component hierarchies effectively.
Team libraries work similarly to Figma, though the publishing and distribution feels more manual. Plugins extend functionality, though the ecosystem is smaller than Figma’s.
Developer Handoff
For developers, the handoff experience notably impacts workflow efficiency.
Figma Dev Mode
Figma’s Dev Mode transforms how developers interact with designs. They see CSS, iOS, and Android code automatically generated. Measurements, spacing, and colors are extractable with one click. Developers can inspect any element without designer assistance.
The Dev Mode works remarkably well for implementation. Colors copy as hex, shadows show values, spacing shows exact pixels. It’s not perfect but dramatically reduces back-and-forth communication.
Sketch’s Inspect Panel
Sketch offers an inspect panel showing design properties. The information is comprehensive but requires more manual extraction than Figma. Developers must copy values individually rather than seeing CSS automatically generated.
Integration with development tools exists through plugins, but the native experience is less streamlined.
Performance and Reliability
Figma in the Browser
Browser-based design raises legitimate performance questions. For most users, Figma performs admirably. Complex files with thousands of layers can slow down, but optimization continues improving.
The dependency on internet connectivity is the real consideration. Working offline is possible but limited. Slow connections can make collaboration frustrating.
Sketch’s Desktop Native
Native applications offer consistent performance. Sketch launches quickly, handles large files well, and works fully offline. For designers in connectivity-challenged environments, this is significant.
The trade-off is maintenance. You must manage updates manually, and cross-platform consistency requires either Mac or additional tools.
Pricing Structure
Figma Pricing
- Free: 3 projects, limited features
- Professional: $15/editor/month
- Organization: $45/editor/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Sketch Pricing
- Free trial: 30 days
- Standard: $99/year (one-time)
- Plus: $149/year (includes team features)
The pricing models differ fundamentally. Figma is subscription-based, while Sketch offers perpetual licenses. Over time, Sketch can be more economical for individuals, while team pricing favors Figma’s model.
Platform Considerations
Your operating system matters significantly.
For Mac Users
Both tools work excellently on macOS. Sketch feels native, with menu bars, keyboard shortcuts, and integrations that Mac users expect. Figma runs in browsers or the desktop app, with the Electron wrapper providing good performance.
For Windows Users
Figma is the clear choice. Sketch’s web viewer offers limited functionality, essentially reducing your capabilities dramatically. Figma provides full functionality regardless of operating system.
For Linux Users
No competition. Figma works through any browser. Sketch isn’t available at all.
The Verdict
After comprehensive comparison, Figma emerges as the winner for most use cases.
Figma wins because:
- True real-time collaboration transforms team workflows
- Browser-based access from any device
- Superior prototyping in the same tool
- Better developer handoff experience
- Larger ecosystem and community momentum
- Active feature development and improvement
Choose Sketch if:
- You work exclusively on Mac
- Offline work is essential
- You prefer one-time purchase pricing
- Your team already has established Sketch workflows
- You need maximum performance for very large files
The Industry Reality
The design community has largely moved toward Figma. Startups overwhelmingly choose Figma for its collaboration features. Enterprise adoption continues accelerating. The network effects are significant. sharing files, templates, and knowledge is easier when everyone uses the same tool.
That said, Sketch remains capable. Teams with established Sketch workflows can continue effectively. The tool isn’t obsolete. it just no longer leads the industry direction.
For new teams or those evaluating tools today, Figma’s advantages in collaboration, prototyping, and cross-platform access make it the default recommendation. The future of design is collaborative, and Figma built for that future.