Figma, cloud-based designing Tool is popular for its robust collaboration process, high quality vector graphics, and realistic prototyping that helps create brilliant websites in lesser time. However, due to its complexity and/or pricing, web designers seek alternatives. This article discusses top 12 Figma competitors that can assist in efficiently designing workflows.

What features to look for in Figma Competitors?

Figma enables multiple users to work simultaneously in real-time, which makes this cloud-based application perfect for remote teams. Users can edit design files, leave feedback, control permissions and access version history, instantaneously. Hence, Figma competitors must provide similar or better features than it. 

1. Collaboration: The competitor should support real-time editing, digital whiteboards, note-taking, and comments for effortless collaboration, and to keep team well-informed on all updates.
2. Design-Centric User Interface: The competitor should support a user-friendly interface with affinity designer tools and drag-and-drop feature for design integration. 
3. Diverse Templates: The competitor should provide several pre-made templates for different design purposes like portfolio creation, graphic design, logo customization, brand guideline development, and design review.
4. Custom Design Capabilities: The competitor should provide robust features for designing website that meets client’s requirements and objectives.
5. Successful Project Management: The tool must allow users smooth project management by organizing projects with assignees, task division, priority settings, deadlines, delivery, and progress tracking.

Top 12 competitors to Figma

1. InVision

InVision Launched in 2011, Invision offers real-time presentation, communication, synchronization, and version control.

Key Features

1. This tool supports all aspect of designer workflow – wireframing, design handoff, prototyping, and management across devices.
2. It supports features – Animation, Alerts/Notifications, Commenting/Notes, Configurable Workflow, Data Import/Export, Data Linking and Collaboration.

Pricing

Invision offers the following plans:

1. Free Plan – for basic usage.
2. Starter Plan – $15 per month – allows simultaneous access to three projects.
3. Professional Plan -$25 per month – allows unlimited projects.
4. Team Plan – $100 per month – allows unlimited project abilities for five team members.

Advantages

1. A comprehensive designing platform 
2. Integration with several tools
3. Provides market insights
4. Robust customer service

Disadvantages

1. Limited integration with non-Sketch tools
2. Importing certain elements is challenging
3. Requires internet connection
4. Expensive for freelancers

Rating: 7.3/10

When to use

It provides a comprehensive platform for design teams across locations to collaborate and communicate in real-time. Additionally, other users like product managers, marketers, clients, engineers, and stakeholders can collaborate and provide feedback, which improves the efficiency of the design process.

Verdict

Popular for its remote work capability, InVision is a reliable alternative for design collaboration and project management. It has limitations and cost concerns that may hinder its usability with designers seeking cheaper tools.

2. UXPin

UXpin is an open-source graphic design tool that focuses on vector graphics to create logos, icons, and illustrations.

Key Features

1. It’s open -source hence free to use. Thus, designers seeking high-quality graphics without significant investment prefer to use it.
2. It supports a comprehensive toolkit suitable for designing illustrations, logos, and icons.
3. It offers user-friendly, intuitive, and easy to navigate interface. Updates ensure the tool has the latest graphic design.  
4. It’s compatible with different devices laptops, desktops, and mobile devices, which provides flexibility in design projects.
5. Prototypes can be easily and quickly shared with teams to preview and review.
6. Supports design requirements for all-sized businesses. 

Pricing

UXPin offers the following plans:

1. Free Plan – for basic usage.
2. Basic Plan – $8 per editor/month – offers essential features for editors/users.
3. Advanced Plan -$39 per editor/month – offers advanced unlimited projects.
4. Enterprise Plan – $149 per editor/month – custom pricing based on users’ requirements. 

Advantages

1. Cost-Effective choice for designers who seek quality graphics for lesser price.
2. Multiple tools available for designing versatile graphic elements like icons, logos, and illustrations.
3. The tool is easy to learn and apply.
4. It effortlessly works across mobile, desktops, and laptops.

Disadvantages

1. Challenging finding resources and support for UXPin.
2. Low level of creativity due to lesser graphic options. 
3. Steeper learning curve.

Rating: 7.8/10

When to use

UXPin is effective for teams and designers seeking to streamline wireframing and prototyping processes for web development and applications. It facilitates collaboration and feedback on UX proposals between designers and stakeholders, which leads to faster development. 

Verdict

UXPin is a suitable option for designers seeking economical pricing for high-quality graphics. Its comprehensive features and user-friendly interface allow to create illustrations, logos, and icons, easily.

However, this tool is limited in resources and support and designers must learn it before using it. 

3. Adobe XD

Adobe XD  simulates user interaction with wireframes and prototypes. Objects and elements can be easily adjusted. It works on macOS and Windows in offline mode.

Key Features

1. The tool allows to create interactive elements with animations like scroll, hover, and toggle. It links pages with different animations. 
2. Users can easily export design files.  
3. With Adobe Photoshop users can effortlessly access more creative resources for enhanced designing.
4. Auto-animate features quickly transforms stationary designs into functional prototypes having a realistic feel. Micro-interactions feature allows to create hovering, tapping, dragging, and triggers.
5. Repeat grids features allows designers to select an element for replication either horizontally or vertically to improve design creation efficiency.

Pricing

1. Adobe XD with Creative Cloud – $52.99 per month, including other Adobe software. 
2. Standalone Adobe XD plan is available for $9.99 per month.

Advantages

1. Auto-Animate feature simplifies complex animations to make interactive components engaging.
2. Robust prototyping feature that allows designers to create interactive elements on the page and test it.
3. UI kits accelerate the designing process and improves efficiency.
4.  Adobe XD integrates with third-party tools to enhance workflows for UI/UX designers.

Disadvantages

1. Limited collaboration- simultaneously working on the project causes syncing issues that delays and disrupts progress. 
2. Adobe XD is cloud based hence users require Creative Cloud subscription, and that could be expensive. 
3. No real-time collaboration hence delays in project deliveries. 
4. Standalone Plan does not comprehensive suite of Adobe Creative Cloud.

Rating: 7.6/10

When to use

Designers seeking offline desktop access or using Adobe Creative Cloud for creating wireframes and prototypes should opt for Adobe XD.  

Verdict

If you require offline or browser-based accessibility, Adobe XD is the perfect choice. However, collaboration in real-time may cause delays.

4. Balsamiq

Balsamiq is  a low-fidelity UI wireframing tool that allows creation of UI blueprints without coding. It offers sketch-style controls for brainstorming and idea sketching. To showcase presentations, it offers a bug-free wireframe mode to switch skins. 

Key Features

1. It’s a no-code wireframing tool that can be accessed via Desktop, Cloud, or Google Drive. Thus, designers can easily and quickly create prototype. 
2. Pre-built and community-contributed UI controls and icons with drag-and-drop design interface that allows non-technical users to easily work on it. 
3. The finished wireframe can be easily exported to PDF or PNG formats, thus makes sharing on the web, easy.
4. Quick Add feature accelerates adding of UI controls. By simply typing a few letters, a suggestion list populates for swift inclusion in the design framework.
5. It contains a library of symbols, templates, customizable and master component for design consistency and reusability.
6. Easy linking of wireframes to create interactive prototypes for applications and websites, and for testing usability.

Pricing

Balsamiq offers a 30-day free trial for its wireframing editors on Desktop, Cloud, and Google Drive. Its fee is based on per space used.

1. 2 Projects: $9 per month ($90 per year).
2. 20 Projects: $49 per month ($490 per year) for small and medium teams.
3. 200 Projects: $199 per month ($1,990 per year) for larger teams.
4. Balsamiq Desktop – $89 per user.
5. Balsamiq Google Drive – $5 per month ($50 per year) for each Wireframe editor.
6. Wireframe license purchase for Confluence Cloud/Server and Jira Cloud/Server –  $100 for three editors.
7.  Academic licenses – 50% discount.

Advantages

1. It quickly creates rough mockups.
2. User-Friendly – non-technical users can easily access and use it. 
3. Easily and quickly adapts updates and changes.
4. Effortless idea-sharing with team and clients in real-time.

Disadvantages

1. Limited canvas size prevents extensive, client-facing presentations.
2. No support for interactive prototyping instead it uses static images to display behaviors.
3. Offers limited collaboration and sharing.
4. Does not allow annotations.
5. License restrictions leading to limited quantity of pages and elements for use. 

Rating: 8.8/10

When to use

Balsamiq caters to product managers, agencies, analysts, developers, and business owners. It offers supports no-code design; thus, users can easily create wireframes without technical skills. 

Verdict

Balsamiq is recommended for quick drafting of wireframes and prototypes and wireframes. It is incredibly useful for quickly creating prototypes and low-fi comps, which makes it perfect for beginners seeking to learn about user experience design.

5. Axure

Axure is popular among UX designers for creating web and application wireframes and prototypes. It offers pre-designed components that can be used via drag and drop feature. 

Key Features

1. Quickly create prototypes and wireframes by using pre-built widgets.
2. Build interactive prototypes without coding knowledge.
3. Build interactions using Sketch assets.
4. Preview prototypes on mobile devices.
5. User input via working form fields.
6. Customized widgets.
7. Integration with Adobe XD plugins. 
8. Share, browse, and collaborate on projects via Axure Cloud.
9. Publish designs with CSS and automatic redlines, and image export.

Pricing

Two plans available – subscription-based and licenses

1. Axure Pro 9 Subscription plan – $25 per month
2. Axure RP 9 Pro – $495 per year
3. Axure RP 9 Team – $895 per year
4. Enterprise – custom built

Advantages

1. Comprehensive and extensive support for documentation and training.
2. Allows multi-platform prototyping with drag-and-drop feature.
3. Reusable design components with master elements and supports nesting.

Disadvantages

1. Complex dynamic panel functions.
2. Limited features available for standard edition, including team collaboration and documentation.
3. Higher cost for individual users.

Rating: 8.1/10

When to use

Axure is actively used by UX designers, interaction designers, and business analysts to create high-fidelity and low-fidelity wireframes. It allows them to communicate and visualize design concepts within their software development team. It is actively used to showcase static demos of website and applications during sales demonstrations.   

Verdict

Axure is popular Figma competitors due to its interactive prototyping, robust built-in components, and document creation capabilities.

6. Framer

Framer  supports robust interactive prototyping features, version control, teamwork, and sharing finished prototypes with stakeholders for approval. 

Key Features

1. Intuitive interface with drag-and-drop functionality to serve beginners and professionals. 
2. Adaptable design layouts for quick creation on canvas.
3. Effortless navigation between different sections of websites. 
4. Content Management System for handling job listings, blogs, and marketing pages.
5. Efficiently manage website settings – custom domains and passwords.
6. Enhance SEO and performance of website.
7. Uses SSL/TLS encryption between servers and browsers to protect data against cybertheft. 
8. Servers with robust network security and regular monitoring protects business critical data.   
9. Admin access control for public, private, and selective sharing of projects. 
10. Data visualizations with help from graphs, charts, and maps. 

Pricing

1. Free Plan – 100 CMS items and 1000 visitors per month.
2. Mini Plan – $5 per month for customized landing pages 
3. Basic Site Plan – $15 per month for 1000 CMS items, 10,000 visitors and a custom domain.
4. Pro Site Plan – $30 per month for advanced CMS, integrated analytics, visitors, and site staging. 

Advantages

1. Advanced customization for design personalization, from responsive layouts to animations.
2. Seamless integration with third-party tools for better usability.
3. Access to Component Store containing pre-built elements for use to accelerate design workflow.
4. State management to simplify creation of intricate animations and interactions.

Disadvantages

1. No back-end Integration, hence separate solution is required for implementing server-side functionality.
2. Cannot directly export designs as functional native applications, instead it requires separate coding. 
3. Lack of built-in animation tool limits users working. 

Rating: 4.5/5

When to use

Framer blends coding and design to allow designers to create custom protypes and wireframes with React and JavaScript. It’s valuable for designers and developers who use code to design interfaces.

Verdict

Startups seeking economic yet comprehensive wireframing solution should opt for Framer. It offers several customization options to maintain branding across the website and SEO for better visibility on search engines.  

7. Moqups

Moqps, this cloud-based visual collaboration tool enables companies develop and test prototypes for websites and applications. Teams collaborate on digital whiteboard for plans, drawings, and mock-ups. Drawing tools allow users to build sitemaps, charts, and storyboards. 

Key Features

1. Ready-made design templates for project kickstart.
2. Automatic arrangement of elements for consistent design.
3. Seamless team collaboration and feedback sharing.
4. Data Import and Export ability for project data.
5. Optimized desktop user interface.
6. Designing basic outlines for wireframes and UI prototyping on projects.
7. Creating interactive UX and test user flow.
8. Search/Filter functionality to easily organize and locate design components.
9. Crafting mock-up presentation for final designs.

Pricing

Free Plan – basic features.

Solo Plan – $17 per month, covers one user. 

Team Plan – $32 per month, includes three users. 

Unlimited Plan – $89/per month or $67 per month.

Advantages

1. Moqups is user-friendly in design and built, hence beginners can easily use this application. 
2. With pre-built templates users quickly create workflows and charts.
3. Customization option for design elements promotes creativity.
4. Offers animations, design elements, and powerful expressions.
5. Seamless collaboration among team and stakeholders on wireframes and mockups.

Disadvantages

1. The platform doesn’t send renewal alerts thus refund processes is challenging.
2. Drag and drop feature allows element editing at a single time and re-arranging flowchart also consumes time.
3. To download mockups, a paid plan is needed. 

Rating: 8/10

When to use

Companies develop and test prototypes for applications and websites. The digital whiteboard and features allow collaboration and feedback among teams and stakeholders. 

Verdict

Moqups has advanced design options like ready-to-use UI elements and templates for low and high-fidelity prototypes. Thus, designers can easily use it in real-time.

8. Zeplin

Zeplin collaborates between front-end developers and UI designers. It streamlines the handoff process by converting designs from Sketch, Adobe XD, Photoshop, and Figma into style guides, specifications, and code snippets. Thus, eliminating manual tasks of copying text, writing margins, and exporting icons.

Key Features

1. API feature provides seamless integration with third-party system and tools.
2. Controls/Permissions to access and modify project resources.
3. Dashboard provides centralized view of project milestone, activities, and progress.
4. Notifications on updates and changes in real time for users. 

Pricing: 

Free Plan for a single project.

Team Plan – $8 per seat per month for 12 projects.

Organization Plan – $16 per seat per month.

Enterprise Plan- customized.

Advantages

1. Cross-Platform feature makes it easy for teams to collaborate across devices – iOs, Android, and web. 
2. Ready-to-use Code Snippets streamlines implementing designs and reducing stress.
3. Dimensions are consistent across all devices; hence, developers needn’t constantly validate measurements during implementation.
4. It allows developers to quickly download digital design assets for enhancing implementation efficiency.
5. Automatic generation of CSS for web designs to help developers quickly translate designs into code.

Disadvantages

1. Incomplete screen downloads that limit workflows.
2. Cumbersome asset export and slicing that creates poor performance.
3. Lack of dedicated web application that prevents user accessibility across devices. 
4. Complex application hence beginners require several hours of learning the tool. 
5. Limited features for prototypes and mockups.

Rating: 7.9/10

When to use

For streamlining handoff process and eliminating manual tasks of writing margins, copying text and, exporting icons, Zeplin is a perfect tool to use. 

Verdict

For effortless handoff process, achieving pixel-perfect designs, and effortless collaboration makes Zeplin a perfect choice for on-site and remote working environments. 

9. Mockplus

With pre-built design components and drag-and-drop features, wireframes and prototypes can be quickly created. Mockplus supports online collaboration, thus syncing and testing in real-time is easy. 

Key Features

1. Library of 200 components like video players, image carousels, and buttons for perfect design creation.
2. Choose between Wireframe or Sketch styles for prototyping, if clean-edged appearance is desired.
3. Add notes and comments via Markup components to highlight areas of prototype.
4. Easily compare pages with fade, split, slide, and difference views. Historical versions are automatically saved with changes.
5. Use “Comment” and “Review” modes to attach document and link references.
6. Full-view Storyboard helps to rearrange all screens of the project with description and logical lines.
7. Import designs from Figma, Sketch, AdobeXD, Axure, and PSD by using Mockplus Cloud for effortless collaboration and design iteration.
8. Select from 15 animation effects and 8 gesture options to create realistic and clickable prototypes.

Pricing

1. Mockplus Cloud Basic Plan- supports 10 users and 10 active projects.
2. Mockplus Cloud Ultimate Plan – $4.95 per user/month for 3 users, allows unlimited active projects.
3. Mockplus Cloud Enterprise Plan – Customized. 
4. Mockplus RP Basic Plan- Free with 3 prototypes and 10 pages each.
5. Mockplus RP Ultimate Plan -$10.95 per user/month for 3 users, granting access to unlimited pages and prototypes.
6. Mockplus RP Enterprise Plan – Customized. 

Advantages

1. Auto-generated specification, code snippets, and assets streamlines design workflows, and reduces redundancy and enhances collaboration.
2. It offers low-fi wireframing and prototyping, hence non-technical users can easily create designs with drag and drop feature. 

Disadvantages

1. Limitation on active projects under free plan that limits users who need multiple projects.
2. Limited customer support availability.
3. Challenges with complex UI designs because it lacks some advanced features.

Rating: 4.5/5

When to use

Mockplus creates fully interactive prototypes and wireframes, facilitates collaboration, and hence designers, developers, and stakeholders use it.

Verdict

Mockplus with its comprehensive library of components facilitates seamless design process. However, it needs to upgrade advanced gestures options for creating intricate designs. 

10. Miro

Miro, this online whiteboard platform replicates functionalities of a virtual meeting place, Google Docs, and a physical whiteboard. It offers real-time visibility into projects and team collaboration. 

Key Features

1. It offers pre-built templates to simplify wireframing and prototyping process.
2. It supports virtual meeting place for teams to brainstorm and collaborate in real-time. 
3. It is an effective project management tool with Kanban boards, mind maps, product roadmaps, flowcharts, and timelines for collaboration.  
4. It supports integrations with third-party tools and applications.
5. It offers high grade security to protect data. 

Pricing

1. Complimentary Plan – one workspace with three editable boards, 1,000 templates, and integration with 100 third-party tools like Slack and Zoom.
2. Starter Plan – $10 per month (or $8 with annual subscription) – unlimited boards in a workspace, version tracking, control over sharing permissions, and collaborative tools – video conferencing and polling.
3. Business Plan – $20 per month ($16 with annual subscription) – unrestricted workspaces and boards, single sign-on support, and expanded integration options. 

Advantages

1. Customizable templates to create intuitive interface, quickly. 
2.  Unlimited planning and brainstorming space on digital whiteboard for effortless collaboration among remote teams. 
3. Notifications on upgrades sent to users. 

Disadvantages

1. Several features may lead to a long learning curve. 
2. Session expiration issues causing loss of unsaved work or disruptions.
3. Navigating between interconnected projects impacts user experience.

Rating:  9/10

When to use

Educational institutions use it for students and staff collaboration. Project management and brainstorming tool at one place. Small businesses to create wireframes and collaboration.

Verdict

Miro offers usability for designers, engineers, and marketing teams to create wireframes, customer journey maps, and virtually collaborate.

11. Pitch

Pitch offers smart workflows, intuitive design, and real-time collaboration across devices including online and offline modes. 

Key Features

It supports library of templates, widgets, and tools to create wireframe designs and presentation smartly and quickly. 

Pricing

Starter Plan -free

Pro Plan – $17 per month for a single member

Business Plan – $68 per month 

Advantages

1. Design-ready templates for effortless wireframes and protypes.
2. Easy collaboration and presentation sharing.
3. Robust customer support. 

Disadvantages

1. Analytics need to be upgraded for offering detailed analysis to stakeholders.

Rating: 9.6/10

When to use

Pitch offers tools to create brilliant web and application designs. It supports virtual collaboration, thus used by remote teams to create and share presentations, effortlessly. 

Verdict

With numerous features, Pitch is a powerful presentation creating tool.

12. Optimal Workshop

This New Zealand based company Optimal Workshop offers several user research tools like OptimalSort card sorting test, Treejack information architecture tool, and Chalkmark first-click testing.

Key Features

1. It supports card sorting, first click testing, and tree testing.
2. It offers surveys for Qualitative research and participant recruitment.

Pricing

Plan starts at $191 per month per user excluding set up fee.  

Advantages

1. CardSorting and developing IA.
2. TreeJack testing including AI testing.
3. Enhanced visualization of data and results.

Disadvantages

1. Some elements of TreeJack are complex.

Rating:  8.4/10

When to use

Optimal Sort is excellent for testing wireframes and protypes for web and mobile applications. Additionally, it provides analytics to help better decision making. 

Verdict

A brilliant platform for testing user journeys and use cases and for website creation. 

Conclusion

These top 12 Figma competitors offer exclusive and promising features, advantages and disadvantages, and pricing, and it solely depends on the project requirements to use any of these.

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