Top Figma Alternatives in 2023 (Since Adobe Bought It!)

Now that Adobe has acquired Figma, many creative professionals are curious about the best Figma alternatives.

You’re probably wondering whether Adobe will increase the subscription cost to use Figma… or worse still, kill Figma off forever!

Maybe now would be a good time to start looking for a free alternative to Figma.

Here’s a list of the top options to replace Figma so you can go back to concentrating on amazing design work and collaborative feedback!

Top 8 Figma Alternatives for Designers & Creative Teams

Canva

Canva offers creative thinkers both a free plan and a paid version. The free version lasts for up to 30 days and includes the ability to manipulate layouts with tools like the drag-and-drop feature.

Design teams can also use Canva Whiteboards to brainstorm and collaborate on upcoming projects. While the free version is a bit limited in some ways, this prototyping tool does offer one of the simplest pricing plans.

For $120 per year or $12.99 per month, you can add up to 5 users to your Canva account. Unlocked features include a slew of stock media in various formats, access to over 600,000 templates, and 100GB in cloud storage.

As well as providing free graphic design software, Canva is also launching a productivity suite to take on Google Docs and Microsoft Office, which could be useful for designers who need to collaborate in other ways.

You’ll also have the option of scheduling your social media content. This can be useful if you’re already paying for a service to only accomplish this task, as you can combine them with Canva.

Penpot

Penpot is a free and open-source prototyping tool still in its beta phase. However, it is a popular alternative to Figma as it allows users to use SVG files as the native format.

There are also many collaboration tools available on this platform, all of them web-based. This allows more people to access design projects without having to worry about downloading proprietary software.

Besides the online tool, Penpot also has a cloud-based app you can use to test it out. The key features found on the web app are replicated here to provide a cross-platform approach.

One key advantage of using Penpot on the web is that you don’t need a powerful computer for graphic design work – any computer with a browser will do.

Though Penpot is certainly not the only alternative to Figma, it does stay abreast of industry standards to offer customers compatibility with vector graphics editing tools. You can also self-host on this wireframing tool.  

Sketch

Sketch is one of the more well-known collaboration tools that’s been around the block a few times. This particular prototyping tool is free to download on both Android and Apple operating systems, which is great for designers on a tight budget.

With dynamic layouts and the ability to create multiple user interfaces, Sketch continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the design sphere. Some even consider it to be the best alternative to Figma in many ways.

For example, this wireframing tool allows you access to Sketch Assistants, which helps you to identify issues and stay on track. In fact, the design tools on this web app include add-ons and extras you can download to take advantage of other tools in your design process.

Team collaboration is easy on Sketch, as you can sync to the cloud to share prototypes. While some creatives have had issues with design collaboration in real-time as others worked on the same design, Sketch remains a great alternative to Figma.

Adobe XD

Many designers consider Figma to be a better prototyping tool than Adobe XD, but that’s not to say the platform isn’t popular with a large crowd. However, as one of the more expensive alternatives to Figma, Adobe XD can be difficult at times for most users.

For instance, individuals who are looking for a free plan will be left hanging with Adobe XD. This platform costs $600 per year for an individual plan, making it a hard sell for most users unless they can somehow recuperate this cost.

While Adobe XD does offer mobile apps for both Android and iOS, it can be slow at times. Conversely, there are many features that make Adobe XD a viable Figma alternative.

Smart Animate assists small businesses in the prototyping process by animating UI mockups that replicate what the user will experience. You also have the ability to share your project across platforms in real time.

InVision App

Competing with some of the best Figma alternatives can be hard, which is the case with InVision App.  This particular software offers developers viable features such as commenting and mind-mapping, but some of the more desirable features on the market are missing.

For instance, InVision App doesn’t allow real-time editing, which can make it difficult for designers to collaborate. At the same time, there are many tools available for designing and creating a UI/UX design.

One of the biggest drawbacks of InVision App is the cost. While it might be free to work on a single prototype for an unlimited amount of time, you will have to pay for a subscription if you plan to create more than a few designs.

InVision App’s payment plans are per person, so you will be paying more if you have more designers involved. Plans start at $15 per person and go up to $100 or more depending on what features you want.

Lucidchart

Lucidchart is used by over 30 million designers worldwide to create prototypes and wireframes for both UI/UX design. Though it’s not the most popular Figma alternative, this software does offer users several key features for an affordable price.

Individual plans start at $7.95, but you can also take advantage of the free version, however limited it may be. Small teams should find the $9 per month plan sufficient for their needs, but large collaboration teams will have to contact Lucidchart for specific pricing.

Features within Lucidchart included the ability to drag and drop, export, upload, customize, restructure, and make use of templates. You can use whatever device you’re most comfortable with to make your UI design shine.

Balsamiq

 If you like designing wireframes as a pencil project, Balsamiq is a great alternative for you. Take your pencil project to the next level with this zenware that allows you to make the most of the sketching process.

Balsamiq is one of the more creative web apps out there for download, especially considering its approach. Designs within Balsamiq feel more like you’re sketching out ideas, as you drag, drop, and resize to fit your design needs.

You can take advantage of the free plan with a 30-day trial, but extended use costs $9 per month after that. If you like the feel of the platform, it can be well worth the $10 bill.

Proto.io

Proto.io is one of the more expensive alternatives to Figma, though many appreciate the wealth of features available from this prototyping tool. Pricing starts at $24 per month and skyrockets up to $160 or more, depending on the needs of your company.

Many designers appreciate the ability to build, review, and test their UI design within Proto.io without having to move between platforms. This can help keep your team organized and help you pay for fewer third-party services at the end of the day.

Proto.io is available on both web and mobile, with plenty of prototyping functions to keep you collaborating with ease.  

What are the Disadvantages of Figma

Figma does have a few drawbacks that perhaps have kept it from surpassing Adobe in the past. For example, many users complain about the steep learning curve required to figure out how Figma works.   

You also need an internet connection in order to use Figma. Some users have even specified that in order to get the most out of this software, you’ll need to have a sizeable amount of RAM and a high-quality graphics card. 

Even though Figma doesn’t have an answer for every designer, it still operates as one of the more prevalent alternatives to Adobe XD. It’s due to the strength of this viable alternative that most Figma users dread the Adobe integration. 

Figma’s CEO comforts customers with the statement that “Adobe is deeply committed to keeping Figma operating autonomously” to continue to “make design accessible to all.”

At the same time, Adobe is not known for giving up access to its software without a steep price, which can be a limiting factor for some designers. 

Whether Adobe will swallow up its competition and use the backbone of Figma to continue to push toward an all-encompassing design suite remains to be seen. Figma users anxiously await the completion of the transition, which should happen sometime in 2023. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Figma

Is Figma good for Web Design?

Yes, Figma can help you create website projects to test out how a user will experience your site before it goes live.

Can you do graphic design on Figma?

Figma offers a free graphic design tool you can use to create your very own digital products. In fact, you may even want to use Figma to design your logo or logos for other companies as well.

Is Sketch better than Figma

Both Sketch and Figma share long histories of being favorites within the industry. However, Figma does have the advantage of being an open-source platform (at least until Adobe completes its takeover).

Is Adobe XD better than Figma?

Many designers feel that Figma is one of the best alternatives to Adobe XD in several ways. The open-source software has the advantage of growing steadily, offering more features as the source code grows.

However, Adobe XD does have access to the Creative Cloud, which offers a slew of other tools designers can use to complete their projects.

Final Words

Until Figma fully incorporates into Adobe, it continues to be one of the best prototyping software platforms available to support creative efforts.

The future remains uncertain for Figma as a company, but until then, Figma’s CEO continues to support his customers with updates and assurance that the transition will be an amicable one.

If you’re in a rush to find a replacement to Figma, I hope this guide has helped with an alternative solution.