We've seen how various design tools empower teams to collaborate effectively, whether they're crafting wireframes, building prototypes, or iterating on design systems. With its expanding ecosystem and features, Figma has earned its place as the design tool of choice for many in the industry. But many alternatives have since launched that can complement or even replace Figma in your design process.

In this article, we'll explore other tools to expand your design toolkit beyond Figma, whether you're just starting out or enhancing your current creative process.

Navigating Figma: Key features

Figma is a powerful user interface and experience (UI/UX) design tool that helps teams create website and app interfaces. Since its launch in 2016, it’s quickly become the industry-standard interface and prototyping tool.

Here are some of the features that skyrocketed its popularity:

• Real-time design collaboration so multiple team members can work on the same designs, mockups, and wireframes simultaneously
• Components and variants that UI designers use to quickly build intuitive navigation systems
• Prototype exporting so designers can send layouts to developers and conduct user testing
• Plugins and integrations to improve performance and interact with other software programs, like the Figma to Webflow plugin
• Cross-platform accessibility that lets teams work from the web, Microsoft, Linux, or macOS
• Auto layout that follows customizable rules to responsively size elements and add spacing as you design

Considerations when using Figma

Figma offers a powerful array of design tools, but there are a few considerations to keep in mind when deciding if it’s the right fit for your needs.

Learning curve for new users — Figma’s UI is straightforward and well-organized, but with so many features available, it can be a complex tool that takes time to learn. Figma offers a resource library that beginners can explore at their own pace.

Increased complexity with large projects — As projects grow in size and complexity, managing and navigating large Figma files can become challenging. With more layers, components, and design elements, it’s possible to experience slower load times or occasional crashes, making it difficult to update your designs.

Memory management — Since Figma is browser-based, it relies on WebAssembly Memory (WASM) to run efficiently. As projects become more complex, this can lead to high memory usage, which can slow down your device. You may need to optimize your Figma files constantly, which could hinder your creative process.

Top 10 Figma alternatives

If you’re considering a switch from Figma or deciding which tool to start with, these are the 10 best competitors you should consider.

1. Penpot

Developed in 2019 as a passion project, Penpot is an open source, free Figma alternative with a unique UI and most of the same features as Figma, such as prototyping and real-time collaboration. It stands out because it exports the associated HTML/CSS whenever you export your designs, giving developers a head start in turning designs into functioning interfaces. The free version is also more generous than Figma’s because it offers unlimited designs and collaborators.

2. Adobe XD

Adobe XD’s interface closely mirrors Figma’s and supports similar features like collaborative design, interactive prototypes, and design handoff tools. But achieving full functionality on Adobe XD often requires installing various plugins and integrations, making the initial setup a bit time-consuming.

Since Adobe purchased Figma, integration capabilities are mainly within the Adobe ecosystem (Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects). This means if you’re not already using Adobe’s suite, the tool may feel limited in scope. For Adobe users, though, XD offers a highly streamlined workflow.

3. Axure RP

Axure RP is primarily a prototyping and wireframing tool but also works effectively for creating full-featured UI designs. It supports real-time collaboration and offers powerful design tools like multi-state containers, dynamic content, and conditional logic for more advanced interactions. The platform is the premier choice for teams needing a tool that can quickly and reliably turn designs into stable, interactive prototypes.

It’s also less expensive than Figma. The free trial lasts 30 days, so an upgrade is necessary for long-term use.

4. Sketch

Released in 2010 by a group of devoted indie developers, Sketch predates Figma. It’s finally caught up with Figma’s extensive feature list, but its desktop app is only available on macOS. Everyone else will need to use the web app, which only allows people to review and download designs, not create them. If everyone on your team uses a Mac, you can take advantage of Sketch’s many impressive design tools, such as smart layouts, color variables, and vector editing.

5. Miro

Miro is a digital canvas tool specializing in team collaboration and project management. While its primary use case is designing workflow diagrams, it’s still a capable platform for UI design with real-time updates and shared boards.

Like Figma, Miro offers a range of design tools and supports wireframe and CSS components. It provides plugins and integrations for various tasks, including automation, video conferencing, and project tracking with tools like Asana and Slack. This makes it adaptable for cross-functional teams.

6. Proto.io

Proto.io is a user-friendly UX design tool that specializes in turning your designs into functioning prototypes. It can export your prototypes into PDF, PNG, or HTML and offers the same collaboration and design features as competitors.

The only place it falls short is in its relatively short list of integrations — Proto.io only works with a handful of task management tools.

7. Moqups

Moqups is a uniquely powerful Figma alternative because it offers most of the same features, like wireframing tools and prototyping, at a lower cost. Its real-time collaboration is faster and more reliable but only if you have a stable internet connection — Moqups doesn’t have an offline mode and only works in a web browser.

Moqups offers helpful features like drag-and-drop editing, a smooth feedback system, and export options in formats like PDF and PNG. If you don’t mind its offline limitations, you’ll find it relatively easy to use thanks to its detailed tutorial and vast library of templates.

8. Mockitt

Mockitt is a full-featured online design and prototyping tool for UIs, flowcharts, mind maps, and anything requiring a digital canvas. It’s quite easy to learn thanks to an intuitive UI that clearly labels all its features and makes them available in a straightforward toolbar. The software also leverages artificial intelligence (AI) tools that generate components, prototypes, and personalized text. And Mockitt offers real-time co-editing, user testing, and feedback collection, making it ideal for teams.

9. Justinmind

Justinmind is a design tool that builds responsive, stable, and deeply interactive prototypes. You can animate them, use conditional logic, and even run simulations that test how well your prototype stands up to possible real-world situations. The UI design program excels at creating vector graphics thanks to its powerful pathfinder and mask features. It also supports reusable components, custom libraries, and multiple device previews, giving users flexibility across diverse projects. With these tools, you can quickly turn vector elements into masks and design truly unique layouts.

10. Webflow

With Webflow, you can design, prototype, and build all in one platform, eliminating the need to start in a separate design tool and then transition to a web platform. Streamline your team’s workflow by designing and building simultaneously — this allows for faster iterations, real-time updates, and responsive designs that are quickly production-ready.

In Webflow, you can:

• Quickly add reusable components and edit content on-canvas, so every design you make is ready for publishing without placeholders or dummy data.
• Create responsive designs that render perfectly on every device without needing to create separate files for different layouts.
• Scale content with built-in CMS features that allow teams to edit and publish without relying on developers.
• Edit content on the live page and optimize your site for search.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to grow, Webflow enables you to create functional prototypes in real time with interactions and faster iterations.

Streamline your workflow with the Figma to Webflow plugin

There are many excellent alternatives to Figma, and by comparing different software, you can find a program that suits your UI design needs and your budget.

But if you’re still on team Figma, you can use the Figma to Webflow app to copy and paste your Figma designs directly into your Webflow website.

Get started with Webflow and the Figma to Webflow app to sync your design system and ensure nothing gets lost in translation.