Figma won the design world by being collaborative and browser-based, but its acquisition by Adobe and subsequent pricing changes pushed many teams to re-evaluate. Editor seats add up, Dev Mode is a separate paid layer, and recent price increases have stung larger teams. Because it is cloud-only, you also need a connection to work and your files live on Figma's servers. The alternatives split cleanly: Mac-native ownership, open-source files you can self-host, or design tools aimed at people who also ship websites. If lock-in and per-seat cost are your concerns, an open-source option that uses open formats removes both at once.
Who should switch from Figma
- You want to own your design files in open formats - Penpot is open source, uses open web standards (SVG/CSS), and can be self-hosted.
- You are a Mac-only team uneasy about Adobe's pricing direction - Sketch offers a native app at $12/editor/month or a one-year license.
- You design and publish marketing sites - Framer takes you from layout to a live, hosted website without a separate build step.
Figma alternatives compared
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Open source | Key differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penpot | Open-source, self-hosted teams | Yes | Free | Yes | The only major open-source design tool, built on open web standards and self-hostable. |
| Sketch | Mac-first design teams | Trial only | $12/mo | No | A fast native macOS app with a one-time license option, not just a subscription. |
| Adobe XD | Creative Cloud workflows | Trial only | $10/mo | No | Tight links to Photoshop and Illustrator inside the Creative Cloud suite. |
| Framer | Design-to-published websites | Yes | Free | No | Design and publish a real, responsive website from the same canvas. |
| Lunacy | Free, offline design | Yes | Free | No | Completely free, works offline, and opens Sketch files natively. |
Figma stores work in a proprietary cloud format owned by Adobe. Penpot is open source and uses open web standards (SVG/CSS), so your files are portable and you can self-host the whole platform - no single vendor controls your design data or its pricing.
Penpot — Best Figma Alternative for Open-Source, Self-Hostable Design
Penpot is browser-based and collaborative like Figma, but open source and free, with files based on SVG and CSS rather than a proprietary format. You can self-host it for full control of your design data, and designers and developers share the same source of truth.
Pricing: Free and open source, whether you use the hosted version or run it yourself. No per-editor seat fees.
Best for: Teams that prioritize open formats, data ownership, and self-hosting over the largest plugin catalog.
The catch: The plugin and community ecosystem is smaller than Figma's, and some advanced prototyping features are still maturing.
Sketch — Best Figma Alternative for Mac-Native Design Ownership
Sketch is the original Mac design tool: fast, native, and backed by a deep plugin library. It offers a flexible license model, including a one-year option, that appeals to teams wary of perpetual subscriptions.
Pricing: About $12/editor/month, or roughly $120/year per editor - with a trial to evaluate first.
Best for: Mac-only product teams that value native performance and a more flexible license.
The catch: It is macOS-only, and live multiplayer collaboration is weaker than Figma's real-time canvas.
Adobe XD — Best Figma Alternative for Adobe Creative Cloud Users
Adobe XD connects design with the rest of Creative Cloud, so assets move easily between Photoshop, Illustrator, and XD. For teams already invested in Adobe, the round-tripping is convenient.
Pricing: Around $10/month within Creative Cloud, with a trial available.
Best for: Designers deeply embedded in Adobe Creative Cloud who want continuity with Photoshop and Illustrator.
The catch: Adobe has deprioritized XD since acquiring Figma, so active development has slowed considerably.
Framer — Best Figma Alternative for Designers Who Also Ship Sites
Framer blurs design and development: you lay out a site visually and publish it live, with CMS and animations built in. For landing pages and marketing sites, it replaces both a design tool and a website builder.
Pricing: Free tier to start; paid site plans scale by traffic and features rather than per editor.
Best for: Designers and small teams who want to ship marketing sites without handing off to engineering.
The catch: It is more a website builder than a pure UI design tool - large product design systems are not its sweet spot.
Lunacy — Best Figma Alternative for Free Design with Built-In Assets
Lunacy from Icons8 is a free, cross-platform design app with built-in icons, photos, and illustrations, and it can open and edit .sketch files. It runs offline, which Figma cannot do.
Pricing: Free. Revenue comes from optional Icons8 asset subscriptions, not the app itself.
Best for: Freelancers and small teams who want a capable design tool at zero cost with offline support.
The catch: The ecosystem is smaller, and you will encounter upsells toward Icons8's premium asset library.
How to choose your Figma alternative
- Do you need real-time multiplayer collaboration, or is single-editor work fine? Figma and Penpot lead on live collaboration; Sketch and Lunacy are more single-user.
- Do open formats and self-hosting matter to you? If yes, Penpot is the clear pick.
- Are you designing product UI or publishing marketing sites? Framer is built for the latter; the others for the former.
Frequently asked questions
Penpot is the strongest free option - open source, collaborative, and self-hostable. Lunacy is also fully free and works offline, with built-in design assets and Sketch-file compatibility.
Yes. Penpot is open source, built on open web standards (SVG and CSS), and can be self-hosted, which means your files are portable and your team controls the platform.
Figma is cloud-only, but Sketch and Lunacy are desktop apps that work offline. Penpot can also be self-hosted on your own network for more control.
For Mac-only teams that value native speed and a flexible license, yes. Sketch costs about $12/editor/month with a one-year license option, and its plugin ecosystem remains strong. Its main gap versus Figma is real-time collaboration.
The Adobe acquisition, per-seat and Dev Mode costs, and price increases are the common reasons. Teams concerned about lock-in move to open-source Penpot; Mac teams move to Sketch; web-focused teams move to Framer.
About Figma
Collaborative interface design in the browser