By Quick answer: What are the best alternatives to Figma?
- Penpot — free, open-source, browser-based, self-hostable.
- Sketch — native Mac design app.
- Framer — design that publishes to live websites.
- ProtoPie / Axure — advanced, logic-heavy prototypes.
- Balsamiq / Excalidraw — fast low-fidelity sketching.
Key takeaways
- Figma remains the industry default; switching costs include files, plugins and team habits.
- Open-source and self-hosting matter for some organisations' data policies.
- Many teams combine tools — a design tool plus a prototyping or whiteboard tool.
- Adobe XD is in maintenance mode; avoid it for new work.
- Try a tool on a real project for a week before committing.
Figma became the default design tool for a reason: real-time collaboration in the browser, a huge plugin ecosystem, and developer handoff in one place. But teams look for alternatives for good reasons too — cost, open-source requirements, self-hosting, offline work, or a better fit for a specific job. Here are the options that hold up, and who each is for.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Platform | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penpot | Open-source collaborative UI design | Browser, self-hostable | Yes |
| Sketch | Native Mac design | macOS | Trial |
| Framer | Designs that become websites | Browser, desktop | Yes, limited |
| Lunacy | Free desktop design | Windows, macOS, Linux | Yes |
| ProtoPie | Realistic interactive prototypes | Desktop | Limited |
| Axure RP | Complex logic and documentation | Desktop | Trial |
| Balsamiq | Fast low-fidelity wireframes | Browser, desktop | Trial |
| Excalidraw | Whiteboard sketches | Browser | Yes |
The tools
Penpot
The leading open-source alternative: browser-based, collaborative, built on open web standards, and self-hostable for organisations with strict data policies1.
Sketch
A native Mac app with a long history in UI design and a mature plugin ecosystem; collaboration features have been added over time2.
Framer
Design tool and website builder in one — ideal when your designs should become live, responsive sites3.
Lunacy
A free desktop design tool from Icons8 with built-in graphics resources, useful when budgets are tight.
ProtoPie
For prototypes that need real interactions — sensors, conditions, variables — that feel like the finished app5.
Axure RP
For complex, logic-heavy prototypes and detailed specifications, common in enterprise UX.
Balsamiq
Deliberately sketchy wireframes that keep discussions on structure, not pixels6.
Excalidraw
A free, hand-drawn-style whiteboard for quick flows and diagrams.
Adobe XD (not recommended)
Adobe placed XD in maintenance mode and said it had no plans to invest further; it's no longer sold standalone to new customers4. Avoid it for new projects.
How to choose
- Name the reason you're switching — cost, openness, offline, prototyping depth.
- List must-haves — components, variables, dev handoff, plugins, collaboration.
- Test with a real project for a week, including handoff to developers.
- Check file migration — what imports cleanly from Figma, what doesn't.
- Decide as a team — tools are habits as much as features.
Staying with Figma? See how to design an app in Figma. Wireframing first? See how to make a wireframe.
Key terms, defined
Prototype — an interactive model of a design. Self-hosting — running software on your own servers. Handoff — passing designs to developers with specs. Low fidelity — rough, unstyled designs. Plugin ecosystem — third-party extensions for a tool.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to Figma?
Penpot is the leading free, open-source alternative for collaborative UI design and prototyping, and it can be self-hosted. Lunacy is another free option as a desktop app.
Is Penpot as good as Figma?
Penpot covers core UI design, components and prototyping, and is improving quickly, but Figma has a larger plugin ecosystem and more polished collaboration features. Penpot's strengths are openness, self-hosting and web standards.
Is Adobe XD discontinued?
Adobe placed XD in maintenance mode and stopped selling it as a standalone application to new customers; it is not receiving new features. It's not recommended for new projects.
Is Sketch still used?
Yes, by Mac-based teams who prefer a native app, though Figma's browser-based collaboration has made it the default in most organisations.
What tool should I use for wireframes?
Paper first, then Balsamiq or Excalidraw for fast low-fidelity wireframes, or Figma and Penpot with simple grey components.
What's best for advanced prototyping?
ProtoPie for realistic, sensor- and logic-driven mobile prototypes, and Axure RP for complex, conditional prototypes with documentation.
Sources
- Penpot — Open-source design and prototyping
- Sketch — Official site
- Framer — Official site
- The Register — Adobe has no plans to invest further in XD (2024)
- ProtoPie — Official site
- Balsamiq — Official site
- Checked October 23, 2026. Figures that change — fees, salaries, prices — are reviewed every six months; if something is out of date, tell us.
Where to go from here
- How to design an app in Figma — if you're staying with Figma
- How to make a wireframe — tool-agnostic wireframing
- How to make an appHow to make a wireframe in 30 minutesMake an app wireframe in 30 minutes: map the key flow, sketch on paper, rebuild in Figma or a free tool, link screens into a clickable prototype and test it.
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- Career guidesAI skills for UX/UI designers in 2027: research synthesis, ideation, UI generation and prototyping — with quality, originality and accessibility intactAI skills UX/UI designers need in 2027: research synthesis, ideation, UI generation, prototyping and copy with AI — plus accessibility and originality.
- AI & vibe codingThe best AI tools for designers — what they're good at, and where your judgment still winsThe best AI tools for UI/UX designers by task: AI in Figma, prompt-to-prototype, imagery, research synthesis, copy and accessibility.
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