Both Sketch and Figma are essential tools for businesses and designers, offering robust features for design, collaboration, and prototyping. We'll compare Sketch and Figma to determine which one best meets the needs of modern design teams. This comparison will help you choose the right tool for your workflow and business goals.

A Quick Overview of Sketch and Figma

What is Sketch?

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Sketch is a design platform that offers tools for creating, collaborating, prototyping, and handing off designs. It provides a Mac app for designers and a web app for team collaboration and feedback.

Smart Animate adds movement to prototypes, making them more dynamic. The integration of Mac and web apps allows for a seamless workflow between design and collaboration, setting Sketch apart from its competitors.

What is Figma?

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Figma is a collaborative interface design tool that helps design and development teams build great products together. It offers a platform for designing, prototyping, and collaborating in real-time, making it easier for teams to work together seamlessly.

Figma's real-time collaboration capabilities allow multiple team members to work on the same design file simultaneously. Its AI features enable instant creation of mockups and prototypes, setting it apart from competitors.

Features of Sketch and Figma

Similarities

Sketch and Figma are two of the most popular design tools available today, and they share several key features that make them indispensable for modern design teams. Both platforms offer robust capabilities that cater to the needs of designers and developers alike.

  • Prototyping: Both Sketch and Figma provide advanced prototyping tools, allowing users to create interactive and dynamic user experiences.
  • Real-time Collaboration: Both platforms enable multiple team members to work on the same design file simultaneously, enhancing team productivity.
  • Design Systems: Both tools support the creation and management of shared libraries, styles, and components to maintain consistency across projects.
  • Developer Handoff: Both Sketch and Figma offer features that facilitate the handoff process to developers, including the ability to inspect designs and extract necessary assets and code snippets.
  • Cross-platform Accessibility: Both platforms offer web-based tools that can be accessed from any browser, making it easier for teams to collaborate regardless of their operating system.

Differences

Sketch and Figma each offer unique features that cater to different aspects of the design process. Here are the most significant differences between the two:

  • Smart Animate: Sketch offers Smart Animate for adding movement to prototypes, a feature not available in Figma.
  • FigJam: Figma includes FigJam, a digital whiteboard for collaboration, which Sketch lacks.
  • Dev Mode: Figma's Dev Mode helps translate designs into code, keeping design and code connected, a feature not found in Sketch.
  • Offline Support: Sketch allows offline and local file support, whereas Figma requires an internet connection for most functionalities.
  • AI Features: Figma incorporates AI to generate UI and prototypes automatically, a capability not present in Sketch.

User Interface and Usability

Sketch's user interface is designed to be intuitive, featuring customizable toolbars and an infinite canvas. It supports offline work and offers seamless feedback management. The user experience is enhanced by real-time collaboration and easy sharing through its web app. Overall, Sketch is flexible and scalable, catering to both solo designers and teams.

Figma's user interface is clean and well-organized, with a clear navigation menu and call-to-action buttons. It emphasizes collaborative design and prototyping, making it user-friendly. The user experience is straightforward, with segmented content and intuitive navigation. Figma's usability is further supported by tutorials and learning resources.

Figma has a better user interface and usability over Sketch.

Collaboration

Sketch offers a range of collaboration tools, including shared libraries, styles, and components, which ensure consistency across projects. The web app facilitates sharing, feedback, and handoff, making it easier for teams to work together without the need for extensive back-and-forth communication. However, the collaboration features are somewhat limited compared to other tools.

Figma excels in real-time collaboration, allowing multiple team members to work on the same design file simultaneously. It includes built-in communication tools like audio, chat, and comments, which streamline the feedback process. The ability to gather and track feedback within the file enhances team productivity. Figma's collaboration capabilities are more advanced than Sketch's.

Figma is better for collaboration.

Sketch and Figma Pricing

Sketch offers a Standard Subscription at $10 per month per Editor when billed yearly, or $12 monthly. A Mac-only License is available for $120 per seat, including one year of updates. The Business Subscription costs $22 per month per Editor, billed yearly. Sketch also provides a 30-day free trial and discounts for nonprofits.

Figma's pricing starts with a free Starter Team plan. The Professional Team plan is $15 per full seat per month, with a 20% discount for annual billing. The Organization plan costs $45 per full seat per month, and the Enterprise plan is $75 per full seat per month. Figma also offers a Dev Mode at reduced rates.

Figma's pricing structure is more flexible, offering a free tier and various plans to suit different needs.

Comparing Sketch and Figma to Piktochart

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Piktochart transforms complex ideas into captivating visuals that inform and engage your audience. With Piktochart AI, you can create stunning infographics, reports, and presentations in seconds, perfectly aligned with your brand. No design experience required.

Pros of Piktochart

  • AI-Powered Design Generator: Piktochart's AI-powered design generator allows users to create stunning visuals quickly and efficiently, saving time and effort.
  • Wide Range of Visual Tools: From infographic makers to video tools like screen recorders and social media video makers, Piktochart offers a comprehensive suite of tools for various visual communication needs.
  • Customizable Templates: Piktochart provides numerous customizable templates, making it easy to create professional-quality content tailored to specific needs.
  • Accessible Video Editing: The platform offers accessible video editing and content repurposing features, enabling users to enhance their video content effortlessly.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Piktochart's intuitive and user-friendly interface ensures that even those with no design experience can create captivating visuals with ease.

Piktochart's Pricing

  • Free: $0 (Free forever)
  • Pro:
    • $29 per member/month (billed monthly)
    • $14 per member/month (billed annually, save 52%)
  • Business:
    • $49 per member/month (billed monthly)
    • $24 per member/month (billed annually, save 52%)
  • Enterprise: Custom Pricing (Contact for details)
  • Campus: Custom Pricing (Minimum 3000 seats, contact for details)

What Are Others Saying?

Sketch Reviews

Overall, users have given Sketch a rating of 4.5 out of 5. While many appreciate its ease of use and powerful vector editor, frustrations include platform exclusivity and performance issues with large projects.

"The app is only available for macOS, which limits its accessibility." - Verified User, 2.5/5

"Sketch can be slow when handling large files, which is frustrating." - John D., 3/5

"Collaboration features are not as advanced as other tools like Figma." - Jane S., 3.5/5

Find more of Sketch reviews on G2!

Figma Reviews

Overall, users have given Figma a rating of 4.7 out of 5. While many appreciate its features and team collaboration capabilities, frustrations include a steep learning curve and performance issues.

"I don't like the unclear subscription information. Sometimes I am confused with the limits of creating pages." - Kyrylo T., 3/5

"Figma takes too much time to load in the browser. Not really easy to learn for beginners." - Chetan P., 3/5

"The method of paid access for teams is a little obscure. I'd like more options for sharing." - Simon C., 3/5

Find more of Figma reviews on G2!

Piktochart Reviews

Our users have given Piktochart an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5. They appreciate the platform's ease of use and the ability to create professional-quality visuals quickly. Here are some of the sentiments from our users:

  • "Easy to create content even if you're not a designer." - Jessica D.
  • "My Go-To for ALL Professional Presentations!" - Jennifer K.
  • "Piktochart is very easy and simple to use online graphics creation tool." - ASHESHWAR Y.

Find more of our reviews on G2!

Why choose one over the other?

Why Choose Sketch Over Figma:

  • Consumers who prefer a robust vector editing tool and offline support might choose Sketch. This is ideal for Mac users and solo designers who need powerful design capabilities without relying on an internet connection.

Why Choose Figma Over Sketch:

  • Consumers who need real-time collaboration and cross-platform accessibility might choose Figma. This is perfect for design teams and developers who benefit from integrated design-to-code workflows and seamless communication within design files.

Why Choose Piktochart Over Figma and Sketch:

  • Consumers who need to create engaging visual content quickly and efficiently might choose Piktochart. This is ideal for communications professionals, educators, and marketers who require user-friendly tools for creating infographics, reports, and presentations without design experience.

Sketch, Figma, or Piktochart: Which is the best platform for you?

Whether you're a solo designer, a collaborative team, or a communications professional, Sketch, Figma, and Piktochart each offer unique strengths to meet your needs. While Sketch and Figma are excellent for design and prototyping, we believe Piktochart stands out for its ease of use and ability to create stunning visuals quickly. Give Piktochart a try and see how it can transform your visual content creation process.