The Best Alternatives to Figma for Product Designers
Remember when Adobe almost scooped up Figma in 2022? That sent us all into a tizzy!
But guess what, in a plot twist worthy of a Hollywood movie, the $20 billion deal between Adobe and Figma fell through a year later. Relief for some, anxiety for others, especially with Figma's Dev Modestepping out of beta and becoming a pricey feature.
Let's just say, the price tag is making some of us sweat a bit.
If Figma's recent changes have got you looking around, or if you're just in the mood for something new, there are a bunch of cool tools to check out.
Sketch
Most likely the tool you switched from to Figma. Sketch is still around and perhaps it's worth a look again.
However it's Mac-only and doesn’t have a free version, but it comes with a 30-day trial if you want to try their subscription. It's got lots of features similar to Figma, although the Smart Layout isn't quite as slick as Figma’s Auto Layout. But it gets the job done.
Plus, with Sketch Cloud, you can view your designs online and hand them off to developers.
Pricing: $10 Monthly / per Editor, billed yearly which includes online collaborative features. Or $120 per seat for a Mac-only license.
Framer
Framer's another solid pick. It’s got a free plan (we all love free stuff!) and pretty user-friendly. If you’re used to Figma, you'll find Framer familiar, plus it has some impressive features for motion and prototyping.
Free plan available, €5 per site per month
Axure
Azure is great for detailed prototyping and documentation, though it can be a bit pricey and might take some getting used to if you’re used to Figma’s minimal UI.
Pricing starts at $25 month/per user
PenPot
Into open-source stuff? Check out PenPot. It’s browser-based and packs a lot of the features you’d expect in a design tool. It’s still a work in progress, but the team behind it is super dedicated, so it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.
If you prefer having a desktop app, check out PenPot Desktop(still under development though).
Pricing: Free
UXPin
UXPin has come a long way since its early days as just a prototyping tool. Now, it’s got some cool features for designing UI with actual code and linking components from Storybook Git repositories or NPM libraries. Neat, right?
Pricing: Free plan available, plans start at $6 per editor/month.
Marvel
Marvel’s another interesting pick if you’re looking at Figma alternatives. It’s got a decent editor and lets you import designs from Sketch and Figma. It’s like the bridge between design, prototyping, and handing off designs – a real time-saver.
Pricing: Free plan available, paid plans start €10/month
Flinto
If you’re focused on product design, Flinto is worth a peek. It’s similar to Sketch and has some awesome iOS prototyping features. Plus, it uses haptic feedback to make your prototypes feel more alive.
Pricing: Free trial available, $99.00 for 1 year free updates
Quick tip: If you’re a Setapp user, Flinto is already included in your subscription.
If you’d like to explore Setapp and the other apps it has, you can sign up using my referral link for a free 7-day trial. And if you decide to continue with Setapp – we’ll both get a free month, so it’s win-win.
QuantUX
QuantUX is unique because it has user testing and analytics tools built-in. I mean, wouldn’t that be great in Figma or other UI design tools? It lets you track user behaviours and run tests to make your designs as user-friendly as possible.
Pricing: Free
Lunacy
Last but not least, Lunacy is a free graphic design software that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
It comes loaded with vector graphic tools and some smart AI features like image upscaling and background removal. And with the latest update it has added auto layout, import from Figma, and app optimisations to help you work faster.
Pricing: Free
Wrapping It Up
So there you have it, friends! While Figma is awesome, it's not the only option in town. There’s a whole world of design tools out there, each with its own cool features and quirks.
Which Figma alternative are you considering? Did I miss any alternatives? Let me know by leaving a comment.
