Both Sketch and Lunacy are essential tools for businesses and designers, offering robust features for design, collaboration, and prototyping. We'll compare these two to determine which one best meets the needs of creative professionals and teams.

A Quick Overview of Sketch and Lunacy

What is Sketch?

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Sketch provides a comprehensive design platform that includes a Mac app for creating designs and a web app for collaboration, feedback, and handoff. The platform supports designers in creating, prototyping, and sharing their work, and offers tools for team collaboration and developer handoff.

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

What is Lunacy?

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Lunacy is a product of Icons8, a company that offers a variety of design resources including icons, illustrations, photos, and AI tools. Icons8 aims to provide designers with high-quality assets and tools to streamline their creative processes.

Auto Layout allows for the creation of flexible, responsive designs by defining constraints and rules for elements. Linked Design enables users to edit live web pages directly from Lunacy, streamlining the design-to-development workflow.

Features of Sketch and Lunacy

Similarities

Sketch and Lunacy are two powerful design tools that share many similarities, making them both excellent choices for creative professionals. Here are some of the most important features they have in common:

  • Vector Editing: Both Sketch and Lunacy offer robust vector editing tools, allowing designers to create precise and scalable graphics.
  • Prototyping: Each platform provides intuitive prototyping features, enabling users to turn their designs into interactive, testable prototypes.
  • Shared Libraries: Both tools support shared libraries, ensuring consistency and scalability across design projects.
  • Real-time Collaboration: Sketch and Lunacy both offer real-time collaboration features, allowing multiple users to work on the same project simultaneously.
  • Cross-Platform Support: While Sketch is primarily for Mac with a web app for collaboration, Lunacy is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible to a broader audience.

Differences

While Sketch and Lunacy share many features, they also have distinct differences that cater to different user needs. Here are the most notable differences between the two:

  • Platform Support: Sketch is exclusive to macOS, whereas Lunacy is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • Built-in Graphics: Lunacy offers built-in icons, illustrations, and photos, which Sketch does not.
  • AI-Powered Tools: Lunacy includes AI tools like image upscaler and background remover, features absent in Sketch.
  • Offline Mode: Lunacy supports offline work, while Sketch requires an internet connection for some features.
  • Licensing: Lunacy provides a free full single-user license, whereas Sketch requires a paid subscription.

User Interface and Usability

Sketch's user interface is clean and well-organized, with a clear navigation bar and prominently displayed buttons for actions like signing in and getting started. The user experience is designed to be intuitive, guiding users through various features with detailed descriptions and visual aids. However, the need for an internet connection for some features can be a drawback for some users.

Lunacy offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface with features like auto layout and real-time collaboration. The user experience is enhanced by AI-powered tools and built-in graphics, which streamline the design process. Its cross-platform availability and offline mode make it accessible and convenient for a broader audience.

Overall, Lunacy has a more versatile user interface and usability compared to Sketch.

Collaboration

Sketch offers a robust platform for collaboration through its Mac and web apps, enabling real-time feedback and document syncing. The web app allows team members to browse, comment, and inspect designs, making it easier to manage feedback and distribute design systems. However, the need for an internet connection for some features can be a limitation for some users.

Lunacy, on the other hand, provides real-time collaboration across Windows, macOS, and Linux, with the added benefit of offline mode. This flexibility allows teams to work together seamlessly, regardless of their operating system or internet connectivity. Additionally, Lunacy's centralized access to shared libraries and granular user access management enhance teamwork efficiency.

Overall, Lunacy offers a more versatile collaboration experience compared to Sketch.

Sketch and Lunacy 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.

Lunacy is free for personal and commercial use, with additional features available through paid plans. The Personal Cloud Plan and Professional Team Plan both cost $4.99 per user per month. Graphics subscriptions are priced at $9.99 per month. Lunacy offers a trial team plan but does not specify the duration.

Overall, Lunacy has more affordable pricing options compared to Sketch.

Comparing Sketch and Lunacy 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 effortlessly, enhancing productivity and creativity.
  • 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 to cater to diverse needs.
  • Customizable Templates: Piktochart provides a variety of customizable templates for different use cases, saving time and ensuring professional-quality results.
  • Support for Multiple Sectors: Piktochart is versatile enough to support various sectors, including education, healthcare, marketing, and nonprofits, making it a valuable tool for a wide range of users.
  • Discounted Plans: Special discounted plans are available for students, teachers, education staff, and registered nonprofits, making Piktochart accessible to those who need it most.

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)

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 editing, frustrations include platform exclusivity and performance issues on larger projects.

  • "Sketch is great for small projects, but it slows down significantly with larger files." - John D., 3.5/5
  • "The fact that it's only available on macOS is a major drawback for our team." - Sarah L., 3/5
  • "It lacks some advanced features that competitors like Figma offer." - Alex P., 3.8/5

Find more of Sketch reviews on G2!

Lunacy Reviews

Overall, users have given Lunacy a rating of 4.4 out of 5. While many appreciate its ease of use and affordability, frustrations include software instability and performance issues with larger files.

  • "Lack of more extensions like in Figma, desire for video creation features." - Hasan H., 3.5/5
  • "Performance issues with larger files, UI bugs." - Verified User in Information Technology and Services, 3.8/5
  • "Lack of plugin features, no cross-application import/export of other file formats." - Siddharth G., 3.7/5

Find more of Lunacy reviews on G2!

Piktochart Reviews

Our users have given Piktochart an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5. They appreciate its ease of use, intuitive design, and the variety of templates available. Here are some of the sentiments from our customers:

  • "Easy to create content even if you're not a designer." - Jessica D.
  • "My Go-To for ALL Professional Presentations!" - Jennifer K.
  • "Incredibly intuitive design app." - Katie S.

Find more of our reviews on G2!

Why choose one over the other?

Why a consumer might want to use Sketch over Lunacy:

  • Sketch is ideal for Mac users who need powerful vector editing and an infinite canvas for detailed design work. It's perfect for product designers, illustrators, and UX designers who require a robust tool for creating and testing prototypes.

Why a consumer might want to use Lunacy over Sketch:

  • Lunacy is a great choice for designers who work across multiple operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux. It's also suitable for budget-conscious users and those who need offline capabilities and built-in graphics resources.

Why a consumer might want to use Piktochart over Lunacy and Sketch:

  • Piktochart is perfect for users who need an all-in-one visual communication tool that is user-friendly and requires no design experience. It's ideal for communications professionals, educators, marketers, and nonprofits looking to create engaging visual content quickly and effortlessly.

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

While Sketch and Lunacy offer impressive features for designers, Piktochart stands out as the go-to tool for anyone looking to create stunning visuals without the need for design experience. Whether you're a communications professional, educator, or marketer, Piktochart's user-friendly interface and powerful AI tools make it the perfect choice for transforming complex ideas into captivating visuals. We believe you'll find Piktochart to be the most versatile and accessible option for all your visual communication needs.