Figma Review: Pros, Cons, Features and Pricing
Figma is a collaborative service design platform that enables users to create, prototype, and collaborate on various digital products in real-time. It best serves design teams, product managers, and developers who need to work together on interface design projects, such as creating websites and mobile apps.
Figma addresses common pain points like design collaboration and feedback loops, benefiting design and product management teams aiming to enhance their creative process. In this article, I'll cover Figma's features, usability, pros and cons, use cases, user experience, and pricing, so you can decide if this software aligns with your design collaboration needs and goals.
Figma Evaluation Summary
- From $15/user/month (billed annually)
- Free plan available
Why Trust Our Software Reviews
Figma Overview
Figma excels as a cloud-based service design platform, offering robust features that cater to design professionals. Its intuitive interface and seamless collaboration tools make it a standout choice for teams. While onboarding is straightforward, new users might still need some guidance. Figma's pricing is competitive, providing excellent value for the features offered. However, customer support, although generally reliable, occasionally lacks immediacy.
Compared to other design tools like Adobe XD and Adobe Photoshop, Figma integrates well with various platforms, enhancing its utility in diverse environments. It's particularly well-suited for teams prioritizing collaboration and real-time design feedback in their design software. If you're considering a tool that balances functionality with user-friendly design, Figma is a strong contender.
pros
-
You find the user interface intuitive and easy to use, even if you're new to design.
-
Your work benefits from a vast library of design assets and resources.
-
You can use Figma to collaborate with your team in real-time without any hassle.
cons
-
You could find the learning curve steep if you're used to other design tools.
-
Your offline access is limited, which can disrupt work without the internet.
-
You might experience occasional performance issues with complex files.
-
Hiver
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.7 -
CRM Creatio
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.7 -
monday service
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.6
How We Test & Score Tools
We’ve spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection and what makes a tool effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.
Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring works across seven criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.
Core Functionality (25% of final scoring)
The starting point of our evaluation is always the core functionality of the tool. Does it have the basic features and functions that a user would expect to see? Are any of those core features locked to higher-tiered pricing plans? At its core, we expect a tool to stand up against the baseline capabilities of its competitors.
Standout Features (25% of final scoring)
Next, we evaluate uncommon standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality typically found in tools of its kind. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.
We also evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Tools offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.
Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)
We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the tool. High scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.
Onboarding (10% of final scoring)
We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use a tool with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the tool with no experience. High scoring solutions indicate little or no support is required.
Customer Support (10% of final scoring)
We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Tools and companies that provide real-time support score best, while chatbots score worst.
Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)
Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the tool again for the core functionality. A high scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.
Value for Money (10% of final scoring)
Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.
Core Features
Real-Time Collaboration: You and your team can work on the same design file simultaneously, making it easy to share ideas and feedback instantly. This feature keeps everyone on the same page, reducing the need for constant file updates and email exchanges.
Prototyping: Create interactive prototypes directly in Figma without needing third-party tools. You can easily transition from design to prototype, enabling you to test and iterate on your designs quickly.
Design Systems: Figma lets you build and maintain a consistent design system with reusable components and styles, including typography and font. This ensures your projects remain uniform and allows for easy updates across multiple files.
Vector Networks: Unlike traditional vector paths, Figma's vector networks let you draw in any direction without connecting to a specific path. This flexibility simplifies complex shapes and designs.
Version History: Access and manage your file's version history to revert to previous states or track changes. This feature is invaluable when multiple people are working on the same project, ensuring no work is lost.
Commenting: Leave comments directly on the design files to provide feedback or ask questions. This keeps communication centralized and accessible to everyone involved in the project.
Ease of Use
Figma's intuitive interface makes it easy for you and your team to jump right in and start creating. Its real-time collaboration features like Figjam, the online whiteboarding tool, mean everyone can contribute without a hitch. You won't need extensive training to navigate its tools, and the seamless integration with other platforms ensures your workflow remains uninterrupted. The design functionalities are straightforward, helping you bring your ideas to life with minimal effort.
Integrations
Figma integrates with Storybook, zeroheight, AWS Amplify Studio, GitLab, Zeplin, Frontify, Lens Studio, Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, and Slack.
Figma also provides an open platform with an API, allowing developers to connect with third-party integration tools.
Figma Specs
- CAD Tools
- Data Export
- Data Import
- Multi-User
- Pixel Graphics
- Third-Party Plugins/Add-Ons
- Vector File Support
- Video
