Figma is a web application dedicated to user interface/experience design, emphasizing real-time collaboration and offering offline features via desktop applications. Founded in 2012 by Dylan Field and Evan Wallace during their studies at Brown University, Figma aims to enable creativity through browser-based tools. Noteworthy features include Figma Community for sharing designs and FigJam for digital whiteboarding.
Exploring alternatives to Figma, one can consider options like Adobe XD, Sketch, Miro, Canva, Illustrator, Webflow, Microsoft Designer, Framer, Affinity, GIMP, Elements, Clip Studio Paint, Elementor, and Bubble.
Adobe XD: Not Just an Alphabet Soup
Meet Adobe XD, your new digital sidekick. An ultra-flexible tool for user experience design, and prototyping, this design superhero is a one-stop-shop for a streamlined work process. Whether you’re concocting web and app designs, setting up your voice interface for your podcast, or perhaps designing an interactive game, Adobe XD saves the day! It’s even on speaking terms with Adobe’s big brother, Photoshop.
The Marquee Features of Adobe XD
Speedy and fluid workstream: A hare in a world of tortoises, it offers an agile design process with high-resolution auto-animate photography.
Integration: Adobe XD plays nice with Photoshop. Need we say more?
Reusable Artwork to the Rescue: Libraries in Adobe XD are the real Robin to your Batman, helping you efficiently create & manage reusable components & styles.
Collaboration: Adobe XD’s sharing URL feature & comment options add cherry to its collaboration sundae.
E-commerce UI Kit: Pawtastic, an e-commerce UI kit, was created using Adobe XD. So, don’t just design, design with flair!
Feature
Benefit
Auto-animate
High-resolution photos deliver a visual treat
Voice command and speech playback
Enhance your design of voice-assisted tools
Repeat Grid Feature
Grids at the speed of light! Time saved is money earned
Adobe XD Limitations
Lacks the ability to design with complex animations
No built-in diagramming tool
Prototyping is limited to single level structure
Dollar Talks: Adobe XD Pricing
Get on board without breaking your bank. Adobe XD provides a free starter plan with an intuitive interface. Shed more to add power to your designs with premium plans that offer raid arrays of features!
Adobe XD Use Cases
Use case 1: E-commerce platforms
Adobe XD enables a seamless e-commerce platform designing experience with its Pawtastic UI kit. So, leapfrog user experience, and boost conversion rates.
Use case 2: Marketing sites
Transform the ‘bland’ into ‘brand.’ With Adobe XD, marketing site design is elementary while being fun!
Use case 3: Client dashboards
Enter a new dimension of interactivity with Adobe XD. Design client dashboards that stand out in a sea of sameness.
Sketch
Sketch is a vector-based, industry-standard tool best suited for Mac users, offering UI design, prototypes, photo editing, and mockup creations with infinite canvas and artboard features tailored to varying screen sizes. It provides integrated collaboration tools and is comparatively affordable compared to Photoshop.
Sketch Top Features
High Precision design tools with grids, pixel grid, rulers, and Smart Guides for meticulous design.
Prototyping features that enable definition of hotspots and cross-linking.
Auto-detection of colors used and storage of custom palettes, with the ability to shift from RGB to HSB.
Text styles, reusable elements (symbols) available across artboards, enabling consistency and efficiency.
Simple copying and pasting of vectors/shapes from Illustrator, Sketch Cloud for real-time design previews, Integrated with InVision for interactivity previews
Sketch Limitations
Compatibility: It is optimized only for Mac users and is not compatible with PCs.
Limited collaboration tools restricted to MacOS Sketch subscribers.
One device per license, which limits its accessibility across multiple devices.
Sketch Pricing
The Sketch license is priced at $99 for the first year and $69 for annual renewals. A 30-day free trial and monthly subscription at $9/month are available after the trial period. Volume licenses for multiple devices are also accessible.
Sketch Use Cases
Use case 1: Client-focused Designs
With its editable templates, designers can quickly produce client-focused designs for different devices and share interactive previews with clients.
Use case 2: Collaboration Projects
The built-in collaboration features and asset extraction for developers streamlines workflow and makes it an excellent choice for teamwork.
Use case 3: Efficient Designing
Due to its symbols for repetitive elements and alignment functions with the grid system and Smart Guides, Sketch considerably hastens the design process.
Elements
The Elements design and analysis software suite, including the Basic Elements of Design course on Coursera and RAM Elements, offers a multi-faceted platform for understanding graphic design and structural analysis.
Elements Top Features
Comprehensive course content covering balance, proximity, alignment, repetition, contrast and space understanding.
Advanced skills instruction in color theory, online design, textual elements, Graphic Design, Print Design.
3D structural analysis and design capabilities suitable for a multitude of structural materials.
Dynamic usage for design of various structures from retaining walls to shear walls, tilt-up walls and footings.
Key Feature
Benefit
Shareable Certificate
Enhances credibility on LinkedIn
Guided by University of Colorado Boulder
Ensures high quality instruction
Diverse Language Subtitles
Facilitates global accessibility
Elements Limitations
Predominantly English-language content could pose a challenge for non-English speakers without knowledge of subtitled languages.
No company-specific design software information readily available can lead to uncertainty over product functionality and integration.
Elements Pricing
Elements provides various licensing and subscription options including a 12-month subscription and one-time purchase with support. Users can opt for a Perpetual License with SELECT, offering 24/7/365 technical support and annual renewal quotes delivered via email.
Elements Use Cases
Use Case 1: Structural Analysis and Design
Elements with its RAM Elements software offers 3D structural analysis support, making it ideal for professionals involved in construction and architecture projects.
Use Case 2: Graphic Design
Its Basic Elements of Design course on Coursera imparts design skills, making it ideal for budding graphic designers and individuals keen on boosting their design capabilities.
Use Case 3: Professional Development
With its shareable certificate feature for LinkedIn, Elements serves as a vehicle for career advancement or transition into design-based roles.
Clip Studio Paint
Immerse yourself in the grandeur of Clip Studio Paint, a beacon of graphic design and digital art. Its prowess lies in merging design with illustration, fostering a fertile landscape for creative exploration.
Clip Studio Paint Top Features
Vector drawing: Craft precise and scalable designs.
Customizable brushes: Modify brush textures and styles enabling a richer artistic expression.
3D support: Empowers accurate drawing with the ability to import 3D data as drawing reference.
Efficient layer management: Leveraging searchable layers and layer folders for easier bulk management.
Interoperability
Files from other design software like Adobe Photoshop can be imported. Also supports PNG, JPEG, PSD, SVG files.
Cloud Backup
Secure backup with history tracking ensures the safety of your work.
Flexible Pricing
Cost-effective alternatives compared to similar software in the market.
Clip Studio Paint Downsides
Version 2 updates require perpetual license, annual purchase of an “upgrade pass”, or switch to subscription licensing.
Optimal file management supported primarily within the Clip Studio Paint format.
Clip Studio Paint Pricing
Clip Studio Paint distinguishes itself through cost-effective pricing. The PRO version costs $3.51/month, while the EX version is priced at $71.99/year.
Clip Studio Paint Use Cases
Use case 1 – Professional Designers
Professional designers can harness Clip Studio Paint’s robust features like digital layer management and wide-ranging brush options to create complex and exquisite designs.
Use case 2 – Illustrators and Animators
Illustrators and animators can employ Clip Studio Paint’s unique 3D support and diverse brush styles for creating engaging visual narratives.
Use case 3 – Concept Artists
Concept artists can utilize Clip Studio Paint’s vector drawing and customizable brushes to bring their imaginations to life, bridging the gap between the mental and digital canvas.
Elementor
Meet Elementor. Known for its personalization capabilities, crucial website functionality, and third-party integrations, Elementor is a fascinating design software tool with an experiential user interface.
Elementor Top Features
User Data Collection via Cookies: Elementor collects user data through cookies, providing insights into user preferences and behaviors to enhance overall experience.
Personalization and Enhancement: Elementor employs functional cookies to refine and personalize user experience.
Third-party Services: Elementor’s site allows third-party services to set cookies, facilitating broader integrations.
Targeted Advertising: Elementor uses targeting cookies to deliver relevant advertising content to users.
Performance Tracking: Performance cookies are utilized to track visits and traffic sources.
Feature
Description
User Data Collection
Elementor tells a story with data, meticulously gathering information via cookies for enhanced user understanding.
Personalization
This tool uses functional cookies to refine the user journey, making each interaction more personalized and immersive.
Targeted Advertising
Elementor prides itself on strategic advertising, deploying targeting cookies to deliver the most relevant ads.
Elementor Limitations
Cookie Dependence: Elementor’s functionality leans heavily on cookies, which can pose privacy concerns for some users.
Third-party Cookies: For some, the allowance of third-party services to set cookies can prove a discomfort.
Elementor Pricing
Please visit the official Elementor website for detailed information on pricing plans, as this data was not covered in the summary provided.
Elementor Use Cases
Use case 1
For businesses wanting to leverage data-driven insights, Elementor’s enhanced user data collection can prove significantly beneficial.
Use case 2
Brands looking to deliver personalized marketing can hugely benefit from Elementor’s targeted advertising capabilities.
Use case 3
Organizations focusing on partnerships and integrations can utilize Elementor’s third-party services cookies setup for better connectivity.
Bubble
Bubble, a cloud-based platform, allows users to build complex web applications without needing to code. It offers a comprehensive range of features designed for non-technical users with a focus on advanced hosting and server management.
Top Bubble Features
Drag-and-drop builder: Build stunning websites, landing pages, blogs, and e-commerce stores without needing a coding knowledge.
Customization with HTML, CSS, JavaScript: Gives a wide array of application control and design freedom.
Easy integration with other platforms such as Airtable, Integromat, Weglot, Tidio, Stripe, making it suitable for various projects.
Effective sales management: Can manage different sales scenarios, making it suitable for e-commerce and online sales.
Comparison with Weebly
Comparison with Webflow
Offer similar features, tutorials, free plans, community support forums, and e-commerce capabilities. Weebly ensures beautiful, mobile-optimised sites but provides less design freedom.
Offer similar drag-and-drop features, whereas Webflow has better SEO facilities but less database access and API compatibility.
Helpful for personal websites, organisations, small business owners, and online businesses.
Webflow is user-friendly and suited for dynamic websites; Bubble is preferable for complex web applications.
Bubble Limitations
May not provide as much eloquent SEO capabilities like Webflow.
Lack of direct database access, which may limit backend activities.
Requires email for user signup.
Bubble Pricing
Bubble offers 4 distinct pricing plans catering to different user needs and business sizes.
Bubble Use Cases
Use case 1: Advanced Web Applications
Bubble shines when creating complex web applications, as it offers advanced features and custom integrations. Optimizing benefits from both Bubble and Webflow is viable due to their distinct strengths.
Use case 2: No-Code Platform
Bubble, with its no-code and drag-and-drop features, is an excellent choice for people with basic computer skills to build web applications without any coding or designing experience.
Use case 3: E-commerce Management
For online sales and e-commerce businesses, Bubble aids in effective management of sales scenarios, order management, sales representative sections, and third party sales.
Miro
Start your collaborative digital journey with Miro, an online whiteboard platform serving teams, whether remote, distributed, or co-located. Being #36 in the Forbes 2021 Cloud 100 List, Miro facilitates brainstorming and agile workflow management with seamless integration to Google Workspace and popular productivity apps. Catering to top-tier clients such as Dell, Cisco, and PepsiCo, Miro takes brainstorming, planning, and team collaboration to a new level.
Miro Top Features
200+ Pre-made and customizable templates: Fast-track your brainstorming sessions with readily available templates.
Single-board collaboration with individual cursor identifications: Allow efficient team synergy with seamless interactions.
Real-time collaboration via screen sharing: Let every team member stay in sync with live updates.
Smart drawings and sticky notes: Spark creative ideas with dynamic drawing tools.
Drag and drop functionality: Quickly embed or upload items onto boards.
Integrated chat platforms: Foster efficient communication within your team.
Enhanced Functionality
Miro Academy
Integration with popular productivity apps such as Google Drive, Figma, and Adobe XD, as well as a marketplace for apps, multiply your creative options.
Get the most out of Miro with dedicated learning resources and webinars.
Miro Downsides
Free plan only provides 3 editable boards with basic attention management.
Several key features like timer and voting tool are only available in paid plans.
Developers may need to use REST APIs, web plugins, and embed features to create customized integration through the Miro Developer Platform.
Miro Pricing
Miro offers a Free plan with basic features, while the advanced features come with paid plans, including Team, Business, Enterprise, and Consultant, ranging from $8 to $20 per month.
Miro Use Cases
Case 1: Brainstorming Sessions
Using smart drawings, sticky notes, and real-time collaboration, teams can efficiently brainstorm and birth innovative ideas online on Miro.
Case 2: Agile Workflow Management
Miro’s integration with Google Workspace and other productivity apps allows teams to streamline agile workflow management effectively.
Case 3: Remote Team Collaboration
For distributed teams, Miro’s interactive whiteboards and chat platforms engage everyone, bridging the gap between collaboration and distance.
Canva
A thriving online design behemoth since 2013, Canva boasts an impressive repertoire of intuitive design and editing tools. Based in Sydney, Australia, Canva caters to over 100 million users globally, delivering a blend of professionalism and creativity.
Canva Top Features
Drag-and-drop design: Streamlined interface making design accessible for all.
Custom charts and diagrams: Easy integration of data visualization.
AI-powered copywriting assistant: Revolutionizing content creation with Magic Write, introduced in 2023.
Photo Editing
Includes custom fonts, frames, shapes, grids, icons
Pre-built Templates
Comprehensive selection: logos, social media posts, newsletters
Data Breach: Experienced a major security incident in 2019 impacting 139 million users.
No offline version: Dependency on internet connectivity
Canva Pricing
A flexible pricing structure characterizes Canva. While the basic version, Canva for Education, and Canva for Nonprofits are free forever, Canva Pro starts at $12.99 per month. For larger organizations, Canva Enterprise is available from $30 per month.
Canva Use Cases
Use case 1: SMEs
Small and medium-sized enterprises find Canva extremely helpful for creating professional-quality marketing content on a budget.
Use case 2: Educators
Educators can leverage Canva for Education to make interactive learning resources.
Use case 3: Nonprofits
Nonprofits can harness Canva’s free resources to amplify their messaging and communications.
Illustrator
An intricate intersection of functionality and creativity, Adobe Illustrator stands tall as a trendsetter in the realm of design software. Intensely dynamic and celebrated for its vector graphics and animation capacities, Illustrator allows you to venture beyond mediocrity to the realm of the unparalleled. Let’s delve deeper.
Illustrator Top Features
Creates mobile graphics, product packagings, letterforms, and custom fonts.
Makes collaboration effortless with file sharing, tracking versions, mirroring images, and modifying spacing.
Exports custom banners in JPG, PNG using artboards.
Special effects, insert shadows, free-form gradients, shapes, photos, illustrations, typography.
Brilliant array of colors and gradients.
Seamless integration with Adobe Creative Cloud, synergy across Illustrator, Photoshop, and Fresco.
Adobe Illustrator operates with universal file formats including SVG, PNG, and PDF, making work easy.
Unique Features
Description
Adobe Pencil Compatibility
Providing point precision and facilitating raster image conversion.
Superior Type Toolkit
A comprehensive collection of 18,000+ fonts, with options for variable and color fonts.
Open Source Options
Allowing infinite customization to match needs and trends.
Illustrator Downsides
Can seem dauntingly complex to beginners.
Consumes resources heavily, resulting in a high learning curve.
Primarily ideal for advanced users.
Illustrator Pricing
Adobe Illustrator does not offer a free version. However, it offers a 7-day trial period. For individual users, it’s priced at $19.99/month and for businesses, it’s available at $29.99/month.
Illustrator Use Cases
Use Case 1: Professional Illustrators
Ideal for professionals and semi-pros in the field of graphics and web design. The vast array of fonts, shapes, and color gradients caters precisely to the sophisticated needs of the profession.
Use Case 2: Businesses
For businesses aiming to create compelling banners, media graphics, or product packaging, Illustrator’s advanced tools and integration with Creative Cloud come in handy.
Use Case 3: Learning Graphic Design
For those exploring the domain of graphic design or honing their skills, Illustrator’s vast toolkit and available tutorials provide robust support. However, the high learning curve must be taken into account.
Webflow
Webflow, founded by Jameel Mohammed, is an eCommerce platform geared towards seamless website creation – no coding necessary. Customizability is its strength, offering design control for tailored customer experiences.
Webflow Top Features
End-to-end customer experience design with custom product fields, cart, and checkout. Enhances the customer journey.
Powerful designer mechanisms for selling digital and physical products and services.
Optimized eCommerce operations with automated shipping processes, swift refund, faster checkout and more.
Full SEO control by generating automatic meta title and description from product page names.
Webflow CMS carries the charm of customization minus the coding. Perfect for blogging and marketing.
Feature
Description
Payment Processors
Supports Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Integrations
Capable of integrating with native interfaces as well as various apps via Zapier.
Webflow University
Established resource center loaded with tutorials to build an online store.
Webflow Downsides
Limited possibilities with existing integrations as it mostly depends on Zapier.
Transactional fees through Stripe may drive up costs for users.
Webflow Pricing
Webflow’s prices start at a manageable $29/mo when billed annually.
Webflow Use Cases
For Web Designers
Webflow is particularly useful for web designers. Its focus on design-centric eCommerce, coupled with live prototyping, ensures a solid customer experience delivery.
For Online Retailers
With its comprehensive shipping and tax management, Webflow simplifies operations for online retailers. Its full customization capabilities enable brands to build unique online stores.
For Content Creators
Content creators can leverage Webflow’s blogging platform, SEO optimization features, and customizable landing pages to sculpt their digital presence.
Microsoft Designer
An exciting entrant in the design software arena, Microsoft Designer is an AI-driven graphic design app that brings a fresh perspective to the creative landscape.
Microsoft Designer Top Features
Integrates DALL-E 2, OpenAI’s web-based app, to generate unique images from text prompts.
Interconnectivity with the Microsoft 365 suite for seamless design and collaboration.
Automatic generation of captions and hashtags for social media posts.
Customizable design resizing feature caters to up to 20 different social media layout sizes.
Powerful photo editing tools, including background removal/replacement and selection fill.
Feature
Details
Advanced AI Tools
Assistive AI tool for creative workflows, ideation phase and creating unique, top-tier graphics.
Designer Interface
Offers suggestive and relevant template options, improving user design experience.
Auto-save and Download Options
Ensures safety of designs and provides download/save options in PNG (high-quality), JPG (small-size), or PDF (small-size) formats.
Microsoft Designer Downsides
No support for collaborations, unlike competitors like Canva and Adobe Express.
Limited to fewer project types than Canva and lacks advanced features of Adobe Express such as content scheduler and multipage layouts.
Microsoft Designer Pricing
Microsoft Designer’s full version is a part of the paid Microsoft 365 Personal or Family plan, with pricing starting at $69.99 a year. A limited web app version is available for free.
Microsoft Designer Use Cases
Use Case 1
For Microsoft 365 users, Microsoft Designer provides a seamless integration within their workflow, promoting a streamlined design experience.
Use Case 2
Content creators and social media managers can use Microsoft Designer to generate and schedule engaging visuals with AI-driven captions and hashtags.
Use Case 3
Individuals looking for high-quality, unique imagery might find the DALL-E 2 integration empowering, building exceptional designs with minimal effort.
Framer
Meet Framer, a user-friendly, AI-assisted web design platform, adept at helping non-coders build interactive, responsive websites. From start-ups and individual freelancers to large corporations, it fulfills a broad spectrum of designing needs.
Framer Top Features
AI-assisted Concept: Drag-and-drop elements on AI-generated responsive webpages for easy website creation.
SEO Optimization & Site Management: Maximizes online visibility and provides efficient site control features.
Plugins & Figma Integration: Enhance design transitions with seamless Figma plugin compatibility and multiple utility plugins.
Collaborative Space: Makes team work efficient with shared spaces and real-time collaboration.
Custom Code & Design Components: Allows personalized design with custom code and pre-made design components from the user community.
Real-Time Collaboration & Enhanced Security: Streamlines design workflow and assures data protection for Business plan users.
Feature
Description
7-day Version History
Maintains a weekly record of changes, ensuring no good design is lost.
Web Optimisation
Generates globally optimized sites for speed, a key aspect for SEO.
Transition to Other Design Tools
Well-integrated with Sketch and Figma ensuring seamless design transitions.
Framer Limitations
Limited CMS support compared to other platforms like Webflow and Bubble.
No native e-commerce features currently available.
Some learning curve to be expected for new users.
Framer Pricing
Framer’s pricing is tiered in nature. Starting with a limited-featured free plan, it then moves to a Mini Plan for $5/month, a Basic Plan for $15/month, and a Pro Plan for $25/month. Custom pricing options are available for teams and businesses.
Framer Use Cases
Use Case 1: Start-ups
With affordable plans and interactive features, Framer is an excellent choice for start-ups to create engaging web designs without coding expertise.
Use Case 2: Freelancers
Freelancers can benefit from Framer’s extensive design library and plugins which can drastically improve design complexity and appeal.
Use Case 3: Large Corporations
Framer’s collaboration feature allows large corporations to effectively manage team workflows and design handoffs, thus ensuring seamless design process.
Affinity: A New Game Changer
In the design arena, Affinity Designer, a vector graphics software, has arrived as a robust alternative to Adobe Illustrator. Crafted by Serif Europe, this tool entered the market in 2014, marking the advent of what is now famously known as the “Affinity trinity”.
Affinity Designer doubles as a competent AI, SVG, PSD, PDF, and EPS file format manager and an unparalleled creative suite. Its allure stems from its heightened compatibility and highly intuitive interface, making it shine as a powerful vector and pixel-building tool.
The Affinity Advantage: Top Features
Vector Pen and Shape-Drawing Tools: Deliver precision and control with the best shape-drawing arsenal at your disposal.
Non-destructive Editing: Boost productivity with real-time effects and transformations, pan and zoom at 60fps, preserving design integrity.
Multiple Color Models: Includes RGB, LAB, CMYK, Grayscale, PANTONE color swatches, end-to-end CMYK workflow with ICC color management.
Switchable Personas: Seamlessly transition between vector, pixel, and export workspace with Designer, Pixel, and Export Personas
8000 Undo Actions
Roll back extensive changes.
Flexible Tool Bar
Customizable workspace with showcasing options serving professionals optimally
iPad Version
Armored with almost same tools as desktop version. Synchronizes impeccably with Apple pencil.
The Affinity Challenge: Limitations
Requires separate purchases for desktop and iPad versions, potentially doubling the investment.
While user-friendly, beginners might face a steep learning curve mastering the slew of features.
Affinity’s Investment Plan: Pricing
Affinity provides a neat, no-subscription, one-time payment model. Affinity Designer costs USD$69.99 for Windows or macOS, USD$18.49 for the iPad version, and USD$164.99 for the entire suite on all platforms. An investment that ensures continuous value.
Affinity Use Cases
For Professional Illustrators
With its robust vector and pixel-drawing tools, Affinity is a boon for professional illustrators. Efficient undo actions and switchable workspaces facilitate a seamless creative workflow.
For Web Designers
Blend impressive graphics and intuitive interfaces with ease, thanks to Affinity’s dynamic symbols, stroke stabilization, and text style management tools.
For Game Developers
Affinity Designer gives game developers the power to create stunning, detailed art with its top-tier vector and pixel-building resources.
GIMP
Introducing GIMP, the GNU Image Manipulation Program, an open-source image editor extensively used by illustrators, graphic designers, and photographers for creation and editing of artworks, photos, and paintings.
GIMP Top Features
Photo enhancement and digital retouching
Preview mode to visualize edits in real-time
Supports multiple file formats
Channel mixer to eliminate lens tilt effects
Cost saving with zero subscriptions charges
Regular updates introducing new functionalities and bug fixes
Feature
Description
Crop Tool
Allows active layer editing
GIMP Tool Kit
Implemented for ease of development
Language Support
Supports 82 languages
GIMP Limitations
Interface found to be cluttered and complex for beginners
Partial compatibility with Adobe file formats
Recent versions do not include Lanczos image scaling algorithm
GIMP Pricing
As an open-source software, GIMP is free of charge.
GIMP Use Cases
Use case 1: Ad Creation
With GIMP’s advanced tools like the paint brush, bucket fill tool, and clone tool, creative ads can be developed effortlessly.
Use case 2: Flyer Design
Use GIMP’s toolkit that includes selection tools and ink tools for designing eye-catching flyers.
Use case 3: Photo Editing
Unleash the power of GIMP’s photo enhancement and digital retouching features to refine your photographs.
Hannah Stewart
Content writer @ Aircada, tech enthusiast, metaverse explorer, and coffee addict. Weaving stories in digital realms.
