Figma vs GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

Adobe XD

Miro

FigJam

Adobe XD is an on-premise prototyping software that helps businesses of all sizes create designs for websites and applications using animation tools in real-time. It allows graphic designers to design mockups or wireframes and test them across various devices including mobile, desktop and tablets.

Miro is a visual workspace for innovation that enables distributed teams of any size to dream, design, and build the future together.

FigJam by Figma is a collaborative online whiteboard that allows teams to ideate and brainstorm together. The platform includes a range of templates for diagramming, mood boards, design sprints, team meetings, and more.

Figma is a cloud-based UI designing and prototyping tool, which allows multiple teams to collaborate on creating, testing, and deploying interface or product designs. Features include version history, project management, commenting, user-based permissions, plugin creation, and single sign-on (SSO).

Agile Methodologies

Alerts/Notifications

Analytics

Animation

Asset Library

Asset Sharing

Bar Chart

Brainstorming

CAD Tools

Collaboration Tools

Color Codes/Icons

Commenting/Notes

Communication Management

Component Library

Content Management

Customizable Forms

Customizable Templates

Dashboard

Data Import/Export

Data Visualization

Design Management

Design Templates

Diagramming

Digital Canvas

Drag & Drop

File Management

File Sharing

File Transfer

Forms Automation

Idea Collection

Idea Development

Ideation

Image Editing

Image Library

Interactive Elements

KPI Monitoring

Meeting Management

Mobile App

Performance Testing

Presentation Tools

Prioritization

Process Modeling & Designing

Productivity Tools

Project Management

Project Scheduling

Prototype Creation

Real-Time Chat

Real Time Editing

Real-Time Updates

Resource Management

Rules-Based Workflow

Search/Filter

Single Sign On

Sketching and Annotation Tools

Software Prototyping

Sprint Planning

Strategic Planning

Task Management

Team Collaboration

Third-Party Integrations

UI Prototyping

Usability Testing

UX Prototyping

Version Control

Visualization

Visual Modeling

Visual Workflow Management

Web/Mobile App Development

Wireframe Creation

By industry, Figma reviewers are most commonly professionals in computer software (22%). The most frequent use case for Figma cited by reviewers is prototyping (75% of reviewers).

Users and use cases

Most reviewers indicate that Figma offers strong value for money, especially due to its generous free tier and affordable upgrades. Some users report drawbacks like limited free features, rising costs for larger teams, and concerns about pricing transparency.

Value for money

The Figma integration most frequently cited by reviewers is Jira, an IT project management product rated 4.3 out of 5 for its integration with Figma.

Integrations

Figma is a prototyping program with key features that include design management, software prototyping, collaboration tools, drag-and-drop functionality, design templates, and more.

Figma

Web-based

Windows

Android

iPad

iPhone

Sketch

Marvel

Axure

Lunacy

Justinmind

Starter

Professional

Organization

Enterprise

Dependency on constant connectivity

Product Owner

Meaning, it requires an active internet connection while using this application and it makes it harder to work from remote locations where you might have internet connectivity issues.

User Experience Engineering Analyst

Figma is challenging to work with  in offline mode , due to its limited functionality when used without internet connection.

77% of reviewers feel negative about Figma’s reliance on an internet connection. Users report that Figma’s cloud-based nature makes it difficult to work in areas with poor or unstable internet. They say productivity is hindered when offline access is needed, and limited offline functionality frustrates those who travel or work remotely. Reviewers indicate that slow or interrupted connections can cause lag, crashes, or inability to access files, making uninterrupted work challenging for some teams.

Recurring bugs and account issues

In my own experience with Figma, I've encountered serious issues where the system automatically upgraded viewer accounts to full memberships without my consent or awareness.

UX Architect 

I changed my email 2+ weeks ago; and 2fa validated; the system shows my new email; and i now login using my email; but somehow my email was changed and my support questions are going to my old email.

72% of reviewers feel negative about Figma’s bugs and technical issues. Users mention experiencing glitches, crashes, and syncing problems, especially during collaborative sessions or after updates. They report frustration with unexpected account changes, billing errors, and lack of clear notifications for critical actions. Reviewers indicate that customer support can be slow or unresponsive when addressing these problems, leading to delays and dissatisfaction, particularly for business users with compliance needs.

Limited mobile design and responsiveness

Product Manager

The Design preview feature sometimes is quite confusing for me and also the quality of the design preview and the number of devices available can be much improved in terms of user experience.

38% of reviewers feel negative about Figma’s mobile design and responsiveness features. Users say it’s difficult to create truly responsive prototypes, as components often require manual adjustment for different screen sizes. They report that previewing and presenting designs on mobile devices can be clunky, with inconsistent display sizes and limited options for testing responsiveness. Reviewers indicate that the mobile app lacks editing capabilities and that working with mobile layouts is less intuitive compared to desktop workflows.

Challenging navigation and organization

Design Documenter

It can get a bit tough to orient yourself, especially when there are a lot of frames and pages.

Co-Founder / CEO

Also it's hard to find content if nested in pages within a document.

43% of reviewers feel negative about Figma’s navigation and file organization. Users say it can be confusing to locate specific components, pages, or versions within large projects. They report that menus and shortcuts are sometimes unintuitive, with frequently used features buried under multiple clicks. Reviewers indicate that new users, in particular, struggle with orientation and file management, which can slow down their workflow and make onboarding more difficult.

Performance lags with large files

Fullstack Web Developer

The lag when opening a big file is still make me not comfortable, when you have a big website that has a lot of pages and prototype, opening that figma file will cost your computer ram

Senior Developer

It consumes a lot of resources, in a big design document it does crash or slows down the whole system which can be quite painful at times.

70% of reviewers feel negative about Figma’s performance and speed, especially with complex or large projects. Users say the app can become slow, laggy, or even crash when handling big files, numerous artboards, or high-resolution assets. They report high CPU and memory usage, which can drain batteries and slow down devices. Reviewers indicate that sluggishness disrupts workflow, particularly during presentations or when collaborating on resource-intensive designs.

Versatile wireframing capabilities

It's simple enough to use for low fidelity wireframes and powerful enough to design fully fledged, high fidelity apps.

100% of reviewers feel positive about Figma’s wireframing capabilities. Users say Figma streamlines the process of creating both low- and high-fidelity wireframes for web, mobile, and desktop projects. They appreciate the abundance of built-in tools, plugins, and templates that simplify prototyping and allow for rapid iteration. Reviewers indicate that Figma’s ease of use and flexibility enable teams to visualize ideas quickly, collaborate on wireframes, and efficiently transition from initial sketches to polished prototypes, making it a go-to tool for both designers and non-designers.

Efficient developer handoff tools

Head of Client Services

Aligned with code development process - easy for developers to reference, comment and lift assets as well as code snippets

UX Designer

With Sketch, you always have a harder time passing on all the specs and details of a file to the other team members, but it's made super easy with Figma, and even beginner developers can use it without issues.

94% of reviewers feel positive about Figma’s developer handoff capabilities. Users say features like Dev Mode, code inspection, and asset export simplify the transition from design to development. Reviewers indicate that developers can easily access specs, comment on designs, and retrieve code snippets, which reduces errors and accelerates implementation. They appreciate integrations with project management tools and the ability to maintain a single source of truth, making the handoff process smoother and more transparent.

Active community and resources

UX/UI Designer

I like the community features which offers plugins and allows people to contribute by making more plugins, templates, icon packs, design system, libraries and all of these resources can be accessed by all figma users for free through community.

Along with that the community of figma is super helpful.   And also that this tools works on any browser is very helpful

96% of reviewers feel positive about Figma’s customer support, especially the active community and wealth of shared resources. Users say the Figma community provides extensive plugins, templates, and tutorials that make learning and troubleshooting easier. They appreciate being able to access community-made assets and receive help from other users. Reviewers indicate that the community-driven approach accelerates onboarding, offers inspiration, and helps solve common challenges, making support more accessible even when official channels are slow to respond.

Real-time team collaboration

Architect 

The main positive point of Figma is the possibility and use of the group program at the same time as a team, as the advantages that this brings to teamwork are enormous, hours of work are streamlined with this with this software that even with a lot of people editing it almost doesn't crash. Because it is cloud-based, you can open files on different computers without having to download or copy the file manually.

95% of reviewers feel positive about Figma’s collaboration features. Users say real-time editing, cloud-based access, and the ability to invite team members to projects are major benefits. Reviewers appreciate that multiple people can work simultaneously, provide feedback, and resolve issues quickly. They highlight features like live cursors, comment threads, and seamless sharing as essential for remote teams and cross-functional workflows. Many note that Figma’s collaborative environment reduces miscommunication and speeds up project delivery.

Comprehensive design toolkit

Midweight Designer

It can handle everything from building advanced, scalable design systems to running collaborative whiteboarding sessions, through to full interactive brand guidelines.

Founder

It is known for its intuitive interface, powerful design tools, and real-time collaboration features that allow multiple users to work on a design project simultaneously.

97% of reviewers feel positive about Figma’s design features. Reviewers indicate that Figma supports a wide range of design needs, from UI/UX mockups to branding and social media assets. They appreciate the intuitive interface, robust prototyping tools, and real-time feedback options. Users say the platform’s cross-platform compatibility, design system management, and integration with other tools help streamline workflows and maintain consistency. Many highlight the ability to collaborate with non-designers and the efficiency gained from templates, plugins, and shared libraries.

We utiise this for Ux designingfor a new app that we are creating  , to allow us to collabrate accross the various developement teams to ensure we have a source of truth and we can update and ensure that these have version control

It improves clarity between design and development and speeds up reviews, and even with the occasional performance or workflow friction, it’s still one of the most practical design tools I’ve used.

Owner, Designer

The software keeps improving over the years and now has better features for vector illustrations as well as faster prototyping with figma make.

The design system support is also a big win; components, variants, and shared libraries make UI work more consistent and faster to review.

Interface Designer

I use it for digital products and for some print projects, because there is no more comfortable product for a clean design, interface design. But, for more advanced drawings, designs, or professional photo editing, I use other products.

Web developer

Compared to Adobe XD, it feels much more advanced, especially in terms of real-time collaboration, component management, and design systems.

Graphic Designer

The perfect software for designing websites and thinking about the user experience, it also allows you to create small creative elements for different formats.

I love the 'prototyping' function; it can be used for live prototypes, for navigation tests between the screens, or even to present your product to the client.

QA Engineer

Also, comparing two versions of a design side by side isn't as smooth as it should be, which makes regression checks on UI designs a bit tedious.

Sr. Marketing Specialist

I use Figma to regularly create video graphics and thumbnails, and I can ensure uniformity and quick replication.

UX UI designer

What I like most about Figma is its Components and Auto Layout features, as they make designing easier and more efficient.

Director AI

This means that users can now integrate Figma with various LLMs and guarantee programatical design through SaaS services like Zapier, N8N etc

Also, there are many useful plug-ins, for example, for finding icons, stock images, or lorem ipsum texts and putting them into your interface.

Instructional Designer

Figma is user-friendly and basic enough for most users to speed through the learning-curve that any design tool allowing for our company to be more standardized in its digital design delivery.

Web Developer

Creating and using components helps to cut down on the busywork of replicating elements used previously.

Like many tools like it, Figma can be pretty fiddly to get to the exact layer or component you want to edit.

Team Coordinator

Figma allows me to collaborate with colleagues via audio and chat that help streamline business processes.

Lead UI-UX Designer

The best part about Figma is the cross platform possibility which Adobe XD could not provide.

The one thing I dislike about Figma is the storing of layers in the documents - which sometimes become very confusing -, the copy and paste function and the fact that you cannot copy comments within your artboard to another folder.

UIX Designer

It allows for simple communication and hands-on editing by a team.

Managing Member

Building with the Figma AI, while easy, results in a POC that can't be easily transitioned to other app building tools.  

Software Developer

Figma is the best to work on mockups or with UX Designers, all changes are live which help a lot when managing interface conflicts.

Figma makes collaboration feel effortless—designs are always up to date, and it’s easy to comment directly on the exact element without back-and-forth.

Senior Frontend Engineer

Figma is browser based and this enables me to have quicker access to it from any computer device, than I would if I need to first install it on a desktop.

Automatic renewals can also be a downside, as it’s easy to forget to remove or downgrade a license once the collaboration ends.

There is a community option, where you can find mock-ups, icons, and other digital assets for your products.

Business Analyst

Overall i have used this software from last 1 year and created many infographics and social media collaterals for one of our client from USA region, and the creatives and infographs which we have created are really liked by client and he was very happy and we got the recommendations as well from him

Project Coordinator

Figma is highly intuitive, and we don't need to be professionals in the design field to create functional prototypes, all we need is time to learn the most important aspects of prototyping and it is guaranteed that each project will be better and with a professional result.

The new AI integrations also serve a huge purpose making figma a peak creative platform.

Project Manager

It allows me to easily share designs with stakeholders, get feedback in real-time, and make changes on the fly. While there are a few minor drawbacks, the pros far outweigh them, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for an efficient and collaborative design tool.

UI UX Designer

During the time of UI presentation when we do full screen and at that time if move our navigation towards top side then Figma's by default status bar occurs and some time we are not able to perform CTA

Figma vs GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) Comparison (2026)

Figma

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives