Figma vs Sketch: Which is Better in 2025?

Figma has a clear advantage when it comes to team collaboration, especially for distributed teams. Its browser-based platform lets designers work simultaneously on the same file in real-time, eliminating the frustrating file-sharing bottlenecks that used to plague design workflows. You can literally watch your colleague's cursor move across the screen as they make changes, and the commenting system with audio feedback makes critique sessions feel almost like you're sitting together.

Sketch has made strides with its Cloud service, but the experience still feels more like sharing and syncing rather than true real-time collaboration. If your team works together closely and needs to iterate quickly—particularly if some members use Windows or Linux—Figma will dramatically streamline your workflow. For smaller teams based entirely on macOS who don't need simultaneous editing, Sketch's collaboration features may still be sufficient.

When comparing pure pricing numbers, Sketch appears more affordable at $9/month versus Figma's $12/month for professional plans. However, the value equation gets more nuanced when you consider what you're actually getting. Sketch requires a macOS device, which means a significant upfront investment if you're not already in the Apple ecosystem. Figma, meanwhile, runs on practically any computer with a modern browser.

For individual designers who already use Mac, Sketch often provides better value, especially with its perpetual license model where you can keep using your version even if you stop paying (though without updates). For teams—particularly cross-platform ones Figma's real-time collaboration features can save countless hours of back-and-forth communication and file management, potentially offsetting the higher subscription cost through improved productivity. The right choice ultimately depends on your specific workflow, team composition, and whether you value ownership of software over the latest features and collaboration tools.

Both tools offer prototyping capabilities, but they differ significantly in depth and approach. Figma's prototyping is built directly into the main interface, making the transition from design to prototype nearly seamless. You can create complex interactions with multiple states for components (hover, pressed, etc.), add variables to track user inputs, and even build conditional logic into your prototypes. This integrated approach feels cohesive and powerful enough that many teams no longer need separate prototyping tools.

Sketch's native prototyping capabilities are more basic, focusing on simple clickable links between artboards with limited transition options. For anything beyond simple navigation flows, most Sketch users turn to plugins or third-party tools like InVision or ProtoPie. This isn't necessarily a dealbreaker—many designers prefer specialized tools for prototyping anyway—but it does mean extra steps in your workflow and potentially additional subscription costs. If sophisticated, integrated prototyping is critical to your process, Figma offers a more comprehensive solution right out of the box.

When it comes to handling large, complex files with countless artboards, components, and vector elements, the platforms show clear differences in performance. Sketch, being a native macOS application, generally delivers smoother performance for complex vector operations and rendering. Many designers who work on intricate illustrations or massive design systems report that Sketch handles their heaviest files with less lag, particularly when zooming and panning across detailed designs.

Figma, running in the browser (even with its desktop app which is essentially a browser wrapper), can struggle with extremely complex files. You might notice slowdowns when working with hundreds of layers or complex vector illustrations. That said, Figma has made tremendous performance improvements in recent years, and for most UI/UX design work—even fairly complex projects—the difference is minimal. The trade-off comes down to your specific needs: if you regularly work with extremely complex vectors or massive files, Sketch's native performance might be worth the platform limitation. For most design teams, Figma's performance is completely adequate, with collaboration benefits that outweigh any slight performance differences.

Sketch pioneered the design tool plugin ecosystem, and this head start gives it an advantage in both the quantity and maturity of available plugins. With years of development behind them, many Sketch plugins offer deep functionality that can transform your workflow—from advanced animation tools to data population utilities and specialized export options. If you have very specific workflow needs, chances are there's a well-established Sketch plugin that addresses them.

Figma entered the plugin game later but has quickly built an impressive library of its own. What's particularly interesting about Figma's approach is how many plugins focus on enhancing collaboration rather than just adding features—there are plugins for team voting, design reviews, and project management integration. Figma also handles plugin installation more elegantly, allowing you to use plugins without installing anything locally. While Sketch still edges out in sheer number of options, Figma's plugin quality is high, and the gap closes more each year. Your choice might come down to whether you need specific established Sketch plugins or if Figma's collaboration-focused options better suit your team's needs.