Adobe XD vs Figma

Adobe XD is no longer sold to new customers as of 2024 — here's what small design teams should know before moving to Figma.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

Adobe XD

Vector design and prototyping tool from Adobe (no longer sold to new users)

$9.99user/month (legacy Single App plan, existing customers only)

Strengths

+Deep integration with Photoshop, Illustrator, and other Creative Cloud apps
+Built-in voice prototyping and auto-animate features
+Familiar interface for long-time Adobe users

Weaknesses

-Adobe stopped selling new XD subscriptions in January 2024
-No active feature development going forward
-Weaker real-time multiplayer collaboration than competitors

Best for

Existing Creative Cloud subscribers who already own XD and don't need new seats or long-term support

Figma

Browser-based collaborative design and prototyping tool

$0user/month (Starter plan free; Professional $12/editor/month billed annually)

Strengths

+Real-time multiplayer editing that multiple people can use simultaneously
+Runs in the browser, no install required, works cross-platform
+Large plugin and community file ecosystem

Weaknesses

-Free plan limits you to 3 files and basic version history
-Paid tiers get expensive fast for larger teams
-Requires stable internet connection for full functionality

Best for

Teams of any size who need real-time collaboration and ongoing product support

Feature Comparison

Feature	Adobe XD	Figma
Free tier	Starter plan existed but new signups discontinued	Yes — up to 3 files, unlimited collaborators
Real-time multiplayer editing	Limited (co-editing added late, less reliable)	Yes, core feature since launch
Runs in browser	No, desktop app only	Yes, plus optional desktop app
Active development	No new features since 2024	Yes, regular releases
Prototyping	Yes, including voice triggers	Yes, including advanced interactions and smart animate
Plugin ecosystem	Small, largely stagnant	Large, actively maintained
Whiteboarding tool included	No	Yes (FigJam)
Dev handoff / inspect mode	Yes, basic CSS/code export	Yes, more detailed on paid plans
Version history	Basic local versioning	Full version history on paid plans
Design system / component support	Yes, basic components	Yes, advanced with variants and shared libraries
Ongoing vendor support	No — product is in maintenance/end-of-life mode	Yes, active support and roadmap

The Verdict

Adobe XD is effectively a dead product — Adobe stopped selling it to new customers in January 2024 and isn't adding features. Figma's free plan alone covers most of what small teams used XD for, plus real-time collaboration XD never matched. Unless you're locked into Creative Cloud licensing you already paid for, there's no reason to start or stay on XD in 2026.

How to switch from Adobe XD to Figma

1In Adobe XD, open each project and use File > Export > All Artboards, or export cloud documents locally to .xd format so you have standalone files ready to migrate.
2In Figma, create a new draft or project, then use File > Import and select your exported .xd files — Figma will auto-convert frames, layers, and basic components.
3Manually review and rebuild anything that didn't convert cleanly: voice prototyping triggers, auto-animate sequences, and any XD-specific plugins.
4Recreate design system components as Figma components/variants, and set up shared team libraries if you had reusable component libraries in XD.
5Reconnect integrations — set up Slack, Jira, or Notion connections in Figma since XD's plugin-based integrations won't transfer automatically.
6Invite your team to the new Figma project, assign roles/permissions, and archive the old XD files once everyone confirms the migration is complete.

Adobe XD vs Figma: common questions

How do I export my Adobe XD files to Figma?+

Figma has a built-in importer: open Figma, go to a new file, and use File > Import, selecting your .xd files directly — Figma converts frames, layers, and basic components automatically. For cloud documents shared via Creative Cloud, download them locally first as .xd files before importing. Complex prototypes and voice interactions won't carry over and need to be rebuilt manually.

What features will I lose moving from Adobe XD to Figma?+

You'll lose voice prototyping triggers and Adobe's auto-animate presets, since Figma uses its own Smart Animate system with different logic. Any tight Photoshop/Illustrator round-trip workflows also disappear, though Figma supports importing PSD and AI layers with some fidelity loss. Repeat grids and some XD-specific plugins have no direct Figma equivalent and need manual rebuilding.

Is Figma's free plan enough for a small design team?+

For a team of 2-5 people working on a handful of active projects, yes — the free Starter plan gives unlimited collaborators and files, but caps you at 3 editable files (unlimited viewers) with limited version history. Most small teams outgrow it once they need private team libraries or unlimited version history, at which point Professional ($12/editor/month billed annually) is the next step.

What integrations does Figma support that Adobe XD doesn't?+

Figma integrates directly with Slack, Jira, Notion, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams for commenting and notifications, plus has a much larger third-party plugin directory for things like Jira ticket linking and content population. Adobe XD's integrations were mostly limited to Creative Cloud apps and a smaller set of third-party plugins that are no longer actively maintained. Figma also has a public REST API for custom integrations.

Will switching from Adobe XD to Figma cost more over time?+

It depends on team size: Figma's Professional plan is $12/editor/month billed annually versus XD's legacy $9.99/month Single App plan, so per-seat cost is slightly higher. But since XD is no longer sold, that comparison is moot for new users — the real cost consideration is Figma's paid tiers scaling with team size (Organization at $45/editor/month, Enterprise at $75/editor/month) versus staying on XD's frozen feature set for free if you already own a license.