Figma vs Sketch
They differ on 2 of the 13 things buyers in this category actually ask about. Here is where, and what each one asks you to give up.
Figma
$15/seatThe browser-based standard for interface design, systems and handoff.
Strongest argument
Real-time multiplayer editing that reset the whole category
Biggest objection
Costs escalate when non-designers occasionally need to edit
Seat maths bites — viewers are free but anyone who edits once needs a full seat.
Sketch
$12/seatThe native macOS design app, now with a collaborative web layer.
Strongest argument
Native performance on large files that browsers struggle with
Biggest objection
No Windows or Linux support at all
macOS only — a mixed-OS team is immediately excluded.
The differences that matter
Where they actually diverge
Only the rows where the two disagree. Everything they both do is listed below.
Cost
What each costs at 50 people
List price only. It ignores add-ons, seat minimums and the cost of the move itself — all of which routinely dwarf the difference below.
Prices are unverified estimates — useful for comparing orders of magnitude, not for budgeting. Confirm the current figure with the vendor before you commit to anything.
Common ground
What both of them do
These will not help you choose — which is exactly why they are worth knowing about before a vendor pitches one as a differentiator.
- Real-time co-editingYes
- Component and token librariesYes
- Developer handoff modeYes
- PrototypingHigh fidelity
- Publishes live sitesNo
- SAML single sign-onYes
- SOC 2Yes
- EU data residencyNo
- Self-hostableNo
- Open sourceNo
- Native mobile appsNo
In full
Every pro and con, both sides
Figma
- Real-time multiplayer editing that reset the whole category
- Components, variables and libraries that scale to a design system
- Dev Mode gives engineers specs without a separate tool
- Costs escalate when non-designers occasionally need to edit
- Heavy files slow down noticeably on modest laptops
- Browser-first means offline work is effectively not an option
Sketch
- Native performance on large files that browsers struggle with
- Works offline, which suits regulated or field environments
- Mature plugin ecosystem and a one-off licence option
- No Windows or Linux support at all
- Collaboration still lags Figma despite the web app
- Fewer designers arrive already knowing it, raising hiring friction
Questions
Figma vs Sketch, answered
Figma or Sketch — which is better?
Neither, in the abstract. Figma suits you if real-time multiplayer editing that reset the whole category matters most; Sketch if native performance on large files that browsers struggle with does. The honest trade-offs are: Figma — Seat maths bites — viewers are free but anyone who edits once needs a full seat. Sketch — macOS only — a mixed-OS team is immediately excluded.
Is Figma cheaper than Sketch?
Sketch is cheaper at 50 people — $15/seat/mo against $12/seat/mo, roughly $7,200 against $9,000 a year. That gap of about $1,800 is rarely the whole story though — add-ons, seat minimums and the cost of migrating routinely outweigh it.
Can we migrate from Figma to Sketch?
Usually yes, and the difficulty depends on history, integrations and headcount far more than on the two products. Data export quality is the thing to check first: ask both vendors what you can take with you before you commit to either. Our questionnaire produces a scoped estimate for the move.
What else should we consider besides Figma and Sketch?
In design & prototyping the other credible options are Canva, Framer, Penpot. Narrowing to two before you have written down your requirements is the most common way to end up with the wrong one.