Sketch vs Figma: Complete Comparison

Quick Summary

Winner: Figma for most users because of its collaborative capabilities, browser-based access, and comprehensive feature set that works across platforms.

However, if you're a macOS user who prefers native applications with a perpetual license model and doesn't need real-time collaboration, Sketch might be better suited to your workflow.

Pricing Comparison

Features Comparison

Interface and User Experience

Sketch pioneered the modern design tool interface with its clean, minimalist UI that feels native to macOS. Its vector editing tools are precise and intuitive, making it easy to create detailed designs with a relatively shallow learning curve.

Figma offers a browser-based interface that's accessible from any operating system. While initially inspired by Sketch's UI, Figma has evolved to offer a streamlined experience that balances power with accessibility. The learning curve may be slightly steeper for complete beginners.

Collaboration

Sketch has improved its collaboration features with Sketch Cloud, allowing designers to share and gather feedback on their work. However, collaboration is not real-time, and viewing designs requires others to have Sketch accounts.

Figma excels in collaboration with real-time editing similar to Google Docs. Multiple team members can work on the same file simultaneously, with cursors showing who's working where. Comments and observation mode make feedback gathering seamless, even from stakeholders without Figma accounts.

Prototyping

Sketch requires the use of third-party plugins or integrations (like InVision or Principle) for advanced prototyping. Basic prototyping is available natively but with limited interactions.

Figma offers robust built-in prototyping with support for complex interactions, animations, and transitions. Its prototyping capabilities continue to expand with features like variables and conditional logic.

Components and Design Systems

Sketch introduced Symbols (now Components) and has a strong library system with organized overrides. The new Smart Layout feature helps with responsive components.

Figma offers Components with variant capabilities, allowing designers to manage multiple states of a component in one place. Its Auto Layout feature provides responsive design capabilities that many find more intuitive than Sketch's approach.

Plugins and Extensibility

Sketch has a mature plugin ecosystem with thousands of extensions that enhance functionality. Its plugin architecture is well-documented and supported.

Figma started with a more closed system but has since opened up to plugins and now offers a robust marketplace with many popular extensions. The browser-based nature sometimes limits what plugins can do compared to native applications.

Performance

Sketch generally performs well on modern Mac hardware, leveraging the native architecture for smooth operation even with large files.

Figma performance depends on your browser and internet connection. While generally responsive, very complex files can sometimes experience slowdowns, especially on less powerful machines.

Pros & Cons

Sketch

Pros: ✅ Native macOS application with smooth performance ✅ Perpetual license option (pay once, keep that version forever) ✅ Mature, extensive plugin ecosystem ✅ Clean, intuitive interface ✅ Excellent integration with macOS ecosystem ✅ Offline capability

Cons: ❌ macOS only (limits collaboration with Windows/Linux users) ❌ No real-time collaboration ❌ Requires third-party tools for advanced prototyping ❌ Can become expensive when adding necessary plugins ❌ Steeper learning curve for design system management

Figma

Pros: ✅ Cross-platform accessibility (works on any OS with a browser) ✅ Real-time collaboration built-in ✅ Robust prototyping capabilities ✅ Generous free tier for small teams or individuals ✅ Component variants simplify design system management ✅ Auto Layout for responsive designs ✅ No software to install or update

Cons: ❌ Requires internet connection for full functionality ❌ Subscription-only model (no perpetual license) ❌ Can experience performance issues with very complex files ❌ Some advanced features have a steeper learning curve ❌ Browser limitations for certain operations

Best For (Use Cases)

Sketch is Best For:

• Solo designers who work primarily on macOS and don't need real-time collaboration
• Designers who prefer native applications with the performance benefits they bring
• Teams with established Sketch workflows and heavy investment in Sketch plugins
• Designers who prefer perpetual licensing rather than subscription models
• Users with unreliable internet connections who need guaranteed access to their design tools

Figma is Best For:

• Cross-platform teams with members on different operating systems
• Collaborative design environments where multiple people need to work simultaneously
• Design systems at scale thanks to variants and robust component features
• Companies seeking to reduce tool sprawl as Figma combines design, prototyping, and feedback in one tool
• Remote or distributed teams who benefit from cloud-based workflows
• Organizations seeking transparency in the design process across departments

The Verdict

The competition between Sketch and Figma represents two different philosophies in design tools: Sketch's focused, native application approach versus Figma's collaborative, browser-based platform.

Figma emerges as the winner for most modern design teams due to its platform-agnostic nature, built-in collaboration features, and comprehensive toolset that eliminates the need for multiple applications in the design workflow. Its pricing model, while subscription-based, offers a generous free tier that makes it accessible to individuals and small teams.

Sketch remains a powerful contender, particularly for macOS-dedicated designers who value native performance and prefer a perpetual license model. Its mature plugin ecosystem still offers capabilities that may not be available in Figma.

Your choice ultimately depends on your specific needs:

• Choose Figma if collaboration, cross-platform access, and all-in-one functionality are priorities.
• Choose Sketch if you work exclusively on macOS, prefer native applications, and don't need real-time collaboration.

Both tools continue to evolve rapidly, with Figma pushing innovation in collaboration and Sketch refining its core design experience. For UI/UX designers, proficiency in both tools remains valuable in today's job market.

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