Figma or Sketch in 2026?
In 2026, Figma vs Sketch is mostly a question of legacy. Figma has won thanks to browser-based real-time collaboration, platform independence, and smooth developer handoff. Sketch can still be justified by a large existing file library and established plugins, but for new teams, Figma is effectively the default choice.
Ten years ago, Sketch was the obvious first choice for digital design. Today the picture is different, and in 2026 the choice between Figma and Sketch is less about features than about legacy – what you’ve already invested in. To be honest about it: for most people starting from scratch, the question is in practice already settled.
Why Figma won
Three qualities explain how Figma went from challenger to standard.
The first is that the tool is browser-based. No installation, no version lagging behind, no question of who has the right file – everyone works in the same document via a link. It sounds small, but it removed an entire class of friction that design teams had lived with for years.
The second is real-time collaboration. Several people can edit the same file at once, much like a shared text document. A designer and a product owner can sit in the same view and point at the same thing, regardless of where they are. Sketch was built on the opposite model: one file, one Mac, one person at a time.
The third is developer handoff. In Figma, a developer opens the design in the browser and reads off measurements, colors, and spacing directly, without the designer having to export specs by hand. The gap between design and code – where a lot of quality otherwise gets lost – became significantly narrower.
Add to that the fact that Figma is platform-independent. Sketch only runs on Mac, which became a real obstacle for teams with mixed computers. Figma doesn’t care about the operating system.
It’s worth understanding why collaboration in particular turned out to be decisive, rather than, say, the finer points of the drawing tools. Modern product development involves far more people than the designer in the design file: product owners commenting, developers measuring, marketing reviewing. When all of them can be in the same file at once, a long trail of emails with screenshots and exported PDFs disappears. Sketch was built for a lone designer on a Mac – an excellent one – but the world the tool was built for doesn’t really exist anymore.
When a Sketch legacy justifies staying put
Figma winning doesn’t mean everyone has to switch tomorrow. The strongest reason to stay on Sketch is a large, well-organized legacy.
If your team has built up an extensive library of Sketch files, symbols, and plugins over several years, and knows the tool inside out, that represents real value. If your need for cross-platform collaboration is also small – a small team on the same kind of computers – switching can cost more in lost time and momentum than it pays back in the short term. A tool that works and that the team has mastered is rarely the most urgent thing to replace.
The point is to make the choice for the right reasons. “We’ve always used Sketch” is an explanation, not an argument. But a large, productive legacy combined with an absence of urgent collaboration pain is a perfectly valid reason to wait.
Migration path and cost
If you decide to switch, the cost is almost never in the licenses, but in the time and the transition.
| Team size | Approximate effort |
|---|---|
| Solo designer / small team | A few days of transition and cleanup |
| Product team (several designers) | 1–2 weeks of gradual migration |
| Larger design organization | Several weeks, alongside ongoing work |
The files themselves can often be imported, but the real effort lies in reviewing libraries, components, and ways of working – a switch is a good opportunity to clean out what should have gone anyway. A common and sensible setup is to let new projects start in Figma while old Sketch files are left alone until they need reworking anyway. That way, you avoid a risky big-bang migration and move over at the pace the projects require.
Whatever tool you use, what matters most is that the design holds up all the way to the finished product. Want help setting up a way of working that connects design and development? It’s part of our services – feel free to get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
Is Figma better than Sketch in 2026?
For the vast majority of new teams, yes. Figma is platform-independent, runs in the browser, and lets several people work in the same file at once. Sketch is still a capable tool, but its Mac-bound, one-user-at-a-time model today feels like a legacy rather than an advantage. The question is therefore rarely which is best, but whether an existing Sketch legacy is worth keeping.
Why has Figma taken over the design world?
Three reasons. It runs in the browser, so everyone has the same version without installing anything. Several people can edit the same file in real time, much like a shared document. And developer handoff is built in – they open the file in the browser and read off measurements and code directly. The combination made collaboration so much smoother that the tool quickly became the standard.
When is it justified to stay on Sketch?
When the legacy is large and stable. If you have an extensive library of Sketch files, symbols, and plugins that the team knows inside out, and no urgent need for cross-platform collaboration, switching can cost more than it's worth right now. A tool that works and that the team has mastered is rarely the first thing you need to replace.
What does it cost to migrate from Sketch to Figma?
The cost rarely lies in the licenses but in the time. The files themselves can often be imported, but libraries, components, and ways of working need to be reviewed and cleaned up as part of the switch. For a smaller team, that's a matter of a few days' work; for a larger design organization, several weeks of gradual transition alongside ongoing work.
Can Figma and Sketch be used in parallel during a transition?
Yes, and it's often wise. Many teams let new projects start in Figma while older Sketch files are left alone until they need reworking anyway. That way, you avoid a risky big-bang migration and can move over at the pace projects require. What matters is setting a direction so the team doesn't get stuck between two tools unnecessarily.