Sketch vs Figma
Compare Sketch and Figma for editor platforms, shared design systems, prototype review, developer access and the seats your team actually needs.
Which workflow should you shortlist?
Sketch fits a team that wants a native Mac design editor and a defined browser review process. Figma fits a team that needs a shared interface-design workflow across supported desktop platforms and the browser. List who must edit, review and inspect before comparing subscriptions: a viewer, designer and developer do not necessarily need the same paid access.
Seven differences that change the shortlist
| Buying question | Sketch | Figma |
|---|---|---|
| Design editing | Native macOS editor | Browser-based design with supported desktop apps |
| Review access | Browser viewers can review shared work | Browser sharing and access depend on file and plan settings |
| Reusable design | Components and libraries | Components, libraries and design-system workflows |
| Prototypes | Interactive design prototypes | Interactive design prototypes |
| Developer handoff | Browser inspection and asset export available to viewers | Inspect the current Dev Mode and seat entitlements |
| Purchase route | Editor subscriptions or a separate Mac-only licence | Free and paid plans with role-specific entitlements |
| Existing files | Check imported content and export expectations | Check imported content and export expectations |
Four worked buying briefs
These are hypothetical scenarios with explicit assumptions. They do not establish equal capabilities, measured usability or a negotiated price.
| Requirement | Exercise | Accept when |
|---|---|---|
| Editor coverage | List each designer’s operating system | Required editing is supported |
| Design system | Revise a component with exceptions | Intended instances update correctly |
| Handoff access | Implement one screen as a developer | Permissions and assets are sufficient |
| Continuity | Rehearse a connection gap | Recovery steps are documented |
Mixed operating systems
Can every designer use the required editor?
Sketch: Confirm which team members have a supported Mac for editing.
Figma: Confirm browser or desktop access on each designer’s system.
Review access is not evidence that a person can fully edit the design.
Reusable interface
Can one component revision update the intended screens?
Sketch: Build a small library and revise one reusable component.
Figma: Build the matching library and revise the equivalent component.
Inspect exceptions and local overrides, not just the default state.
Engineering delivery
Can a developer implement the agreed screen without a design editor seat?
Sketch: Check the shared browser document, values and downloadable assets.
Figma: Check the exact inspection workflow and required access tier.
Have a developer implement one responsive state using the proposed permissions.
Offline continuity
Can the team keep working through the expected connection gap?
Sketch: Test local Mac editing and the later shared-document reconciliation.
Figma: Test the actual offline conditions rather than assuming every shared workflow persists.
Record what remains editable and how concurrent changes are reconciled.
Map the team to tasks before counting seats
Separate people who change the design from people who comment, inspect measurements or download assets. Ask each role to complete one task with the proposed permissions. A plan comparison is incomplete when it assumes the entire team needs one identical seat type.
Sketch’s Mac-only licence is a different purchase from its shared subscription workspace. For Figma, record the current seat and plan entitlements that the engineering workflow needs. Keep procurement based on the working arrangement rather than a single advertised monthly figure.
Test a real component change and an imperfect handoff
Use an actual interface state with a long label, a validation error and a narrow screen. Change a reusable component, then inspect which overrides are preserved. This exposes a more useful difference than recreating a polished static homepage.
Ask a developer to work from the shared document without a designer narrating every detail. Record missing assets, unclear states and permission issues. The accepted workflow should survive ordinary team changes, including an external reviewer leaving and a new engineer joining.
Questions before you choose
Can I use Sketch’s full design editor on Windows?
Sketch’s design editor is a native Mac application. Browser review and developer handoff do not provide the same editing role.
Is a Sketch Mac-only licence the same as its subscription?
No. The Mac-only licence excludes the subscription’s online collaboration features and has its own update arrangement.
Should every developer have a designer subscription?
Determine the tasks first. Test the required inspection, asset and collaboration workflow with the current plan and role permissions before buying seats.
Your practical evaluation pack
Download the evaluation checklist (CSV)
Four starting checks with blank result and owner columns. Adapt the acceptance conditions to your own project.
Turn the comparison into your own evaluation
Use the same criteria and priorities for both products, keep unknowns unassessed and record the plan and evidence behind your ratings.
Build a Sketch vs Figma scorecard →Keep the assumptions with the figures
Use the date, billing cycle, units and limits with each example. Check current account terms before purchasing. Unverified prices and model costs stay unpriced.
Download the buying examples as JSON ↓Share the comparison
Use these examples when discussing the shortlist with your team.