Comparing Figma and Adobe XD (Experience Design) for web design is much like talking about rival teams in sports. Biased opinions abound, depending on who you ask.
Fortunately, as enthusiasts of both tools, we recognize that each has its strengths. The key lies in context and project specifics.
In the UX/UI design world, there are plenty of tools and platforms to help us enhance our work. Figma and Adobe XD are the clear industry leaders because they offer cloud-based services enriched with a large community of users and tutorials available.
Your choice should align with your personal and team requirements. Additionally, consider exploring premium subscriptions for an improved experience with these tools.
We hope that the following article can help you make an informed decision.
Key Features of Figma and Adobe XD
As a UX/UI designer, your software is the most important tool you work with. Here are some important points for you to consider when diving into the realm of designer platforms:
- Release Date and Impact: Did you know that both Figma and Adobe XD were released in 2016? From that moment on, the world of crafting incredible user experiences changed forever and for good.
- Predecessor: Before Figma and Adobe XD emerged, designers primarily relied on Sketch—an exclusive MacOS platform. With their introduction, design tools were democratized and widely available.
- Versatility: With extensive features, Figma and Adobe XD allow users to create vector-based designs, interactive prototypes, and animations, all in one platform!
- Supported Platforms: Available as web browsers and apps for desktops and mobiles.
Difference between Figma and Adobe XD
Both Figma and Adobe XD have enough functionality and features for effective UX/UI design. In this section, we will be thorough when exploring these tools’ details:
User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX)
When discussing UI and UX, it's widely acknowledged that both are user-friendly tools focused on prototyping. Their interfaces look surprisingly similar.
Here’s a brief list of what you can expect to achieve:
- Wireframing: visualizes layouts and functionality.
- Iteration: tests interactions and processes to ensure consistency.
- User Flow: tracks the steps a user needs to accomplish a task.
- Vector-based Designs: to create high-quality, realistic user experiences.
- Responsive Designs: across devices and platforms.
Adobe XD has an advantage over Figma in a specific aspect, which is the ability to enable multiple interactions per element.
Besides, it’s worth mentioning that Adobe XD integrates with Adobe Creative Cloud, creating a comprehensive software ecosystem for designers already familiar with Photoshop or Illustrator looking to explore the UX/UI realm.
Design Tools and Features
Figma and Adobe XD offer access to libraries with reusable components, icons, font styles, and color schemes.
As containers to represent viewports, Figma uses frames and Adobe XD uses artboards. Figma’s frames can do everything Adobe XD’s artboards do, but it's not the same the other way around, making artboards limited.
If you’d like to dive deeper into turning your ideas into tangible forms, you can learn how to create prototypes with Figma on this further read from our blog.
Animations
Even though both offer animation options, Figma is the clear winner here, with a broader range of smart animation and interaction options.
Real-time collaboration
Adobe XD offers some basic collaboration features by allowing users to upload projects to the cloud to co-edit.
However, Figma has a collaboration-first approach. Its multiplayer option allows users to be logged in and live-editing a document.
Did you know Figma also has an observation mode? This function allows you to see another user’s screen and it’s useful to test user-flows.
User Community
Since we’re discussing the most popular web design tools available, we will find a great community of users offering tutorials and learning resources.
Figma’s plugin ecosystem is the most diverse, supported by a large community of developers and designers dedicated to improving functionality and streamlining workflows.
Offline Editing Option
Adobe XD doesn’t allow users to work offline on their projects. This can be very inconvenient for digital nomads and people with connectivity issues.
Figma is the go-to option if you need to be able to work offline. Bear in mind that not all features will be available in offline mode.
Pricing
Figma has a limited free plan for individual users and small projects, making it ideal for people who want to give it a go but are still deciding about making a career out of web design.
With Adobe XD, you have to buy it before you use it (although its starter plan allows you to use a few of its features for free).
They both offer a variety of subscription options that can be suited to your professional needs.
Figma vs Adobe XD: Which Tool Is Right for You?
Any of these tools will help you deliver a top product when it comes to designing digital experiences. A few considerations to keep in mind include:
- If you work within a team, it’s important to make a group choice adaptable to your workflow.
- If you’re new to the world of UX/UI but familiar with graphic design platforms like Photoshop or Illustrator, Adobe XD will have a more favorable learning curve.
- Figma is primarily a web-based app while Adobe XD is a desktop one.
Create Engaging Designs Using the Best Tools!
The Design Project fosters a collaborative environment where ideas flourish. Our signature is to design mind-blowing user experiences that connect people through digital products.
We work strategically with a carefully designed customer journey and offer personalized solutions for diverse brands and companies. Our goal? To create long-lasting, meaningful relationships with users.
The best tools will always involve a creative, curious mind focused on problem-solving and an eagerness to learn more. If this resonates with your values, contact us and let’s start collaborating.
