Best Figma Alternative for UI/UX Design

Figma became the dominant tool for UI and UX design so quickly that it is now almost synonymous with the discipline. Its move to the browser made design files accessible without software installs, its multiplayer collaboration model changed how design teams work, and its component and auto-layout systems are genuinely excellent. UK web design agencies, product teams, and freelance UX designers adopted it in large numbers — it is the tool that most design graduates now learn, and the file format that clients and developers have come to expect. The context around Figma has, however, become more complicated. Adobe’s attempted acquisition (announced in 2022, collapsed in late 2023 following regulatory block) created a period of uncertainty that prompted many teams to evaluate their dependency on a single tool. Figma’s own pricing changes since then, including the removal of the two-editor free plan in 2024, have added further motivation for teams to reconsider their options.

The Figma alternative market has benefited from this moment of reassessment. Penpot, an open-source alternative backed by the Spanish company Kaleidos, has gained significant traction as a self-hostable, privacy-conscious option. Framer has evolved from a prototyping tool into a capable design-to-code platform that appeals to designers who want to ship real websites rather than static mockups. Sketch, the tool Figma largely displaced on the Mac, has continued to develop and remains the preference of some UK design teams who prioritise native macOS performance and a client-friendly web viewer. Adobe XD, once positioned as Adobe’s answer to Figma, is in an ambiguous state following Adobe’s decision to end new feature development on the platform. Understanding where each tool sits helps UK designers and agencies choose a contingency or a full replacement.

Penpot and Sketch — open source and Mac-native alternatives

Penpot is the most significant Figma alternative for design teams and agencies with strong views about data ownership, vendor lock-in, or open-source tooling. It is free and open source, can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure, and uses open web standards (SVG, CSS, HTML) as its native file format rather than a proprietary binary format. This means that design assets created in Penpot are not locked to the platform — they can be opened and edited with other tools that understand SVG. Penpot’s interface is clearly influenced by Figma and will feel familiar to designers making the switch, though the component system and auto-layout implementation are less mature. For UK agencies concerned about client data residing on US infrastructure, or teams wanting to ensure continuity of access regardless of Figma’s future pricing or ownership decisions, Penpot is the most principled alternative. Its cloud version is available free at penpot.app, and self-hosting via Docker is well documented.

Sketch remains relevant, particularly for UK designers working primarily on macOS. It is a native Mac application — not a browser tool — which means it benefits from macOS performance optimisations and integrates naturally with other Mac-native workflows. Sketch’s component system, symbol overrides, and artboard model have been refined over many years, and its Sketch Cloud viewer allows clients and developers to inspect designs without needing a Sketch licence. The limitation is its Mac exclusivity: Windows-based developers or clients who need to open and comment on design files will need to use the web viewer or export assets, rather than accessing the full file. Sketch costs $12 per editor per month (billed annually), which is comparable to Figma’s Professional plan. For UK design agencies running Mac-only studios, Sketch is a polished and feature-complete tool that rewards investment in learning its conventions.

Framer and Adobe XD — prototyping, code output, and the Adobe ecosystem

Framer occupies a different position from the other alternatives because it blurs the boundary between design and development. Where Figma, Sketch, and Penpot produce design files that are then handed to developers to implement, Framer outputs real, publishable websites. Its component model maps to React components, its interactions and animations are defined in a way that translates directly to production code, and its CMS integration allows designers to build content-driven sites without writing code. For UK web design agencies that work on marketing sites, landing pages, and content-led projects, Framer is worth serious evaluation as an alternative not just to Figma but to the entire design-to-handoff-to-development workflow. The learning curve is steeper than Figma for designers who have not worked with code concepts, but the output — a real website, not a mockup — is a compelling proposition for the right type of project.

Adobe XD is in a transitional state that makes it difficult to recommend as a primary tool for new projects. Adobe announced in January 2024 that it was ending new feature development on XD, directing users towards its other design-adjacent tools. Existing XD files continue to work and the application remains downloadable, but the tool is effectively in maintenance mode with no new capabilities being added. For UK designers who have existing XD file libraries, it remains a usable environment for working with those assets, and Creative Cloud subscribers still have access to it. For anyone starting a new UI/UX project or evaluating tools for the first time, it is not a sensible choice given its trajectory. The exception is teams deeply embedded in the Adobe ecosystem who find XD’s integration with Photoshop and Illustrator assets genuinely valuable — in which case Framer or Penpot are more forward-looking alternatives to evaluate alongside XD.

Which Figma alternative suits UK web design agencies

For most UK web design agencies, the honest assessment is that Figma remains the most practical tool for collaborative UI/UX work. Its developer handoff features, component system, and industry adoption mean that switching carries a real cost in team retraining and client communication. However, having a contingency plan is sensible, and several scenarios make an alternative genuinely attractive. If your agency handles client data that requires UK or EU data residency, Penpot self-hosted is the most robust solution. If your studio is Mac-only and your team prefers native application performance over browser-based tools, Sketch is the most mature option. If your work is primarily marketing websites and landing pages rather than complex product UI, Framer offers a compelling shortcut from design to published site that can reduce project delivery time significantly.

At Xpose in Norwich, we work across design tools depending on the project and client requirements. Figma is our default for product UI work and complex design systems; Framer is increasingly attractive for marketing site builds where design fidelity and quick iteration matter more than a full CMS integration. The most important thing for UK design teams is to avoid over-investing in any single tool’s proprietary format — maintaining portable, well-documented design systems means that migration between tools, if it becomes necessary, is a manageable process rather than a crisis. Whether you stay with Figma, move to Penpot, or adopt Framer for a subset of your work, the principle of keeping your design assets comprehensible and portable is the best hedge against future platform uncertainty.

Our view on Figma

We are a Norwich agency established in 2015, and we have worked with businesses on both sides of this comparison over the years. Our honest view: the right choice depends on your business, your team and where you want to be in two years — not on which platform is currently the most talked-about.

If you would like a straight opinion on which makes more sense for you — or whether you should leave the decision alone entirely and focus on something that will move the needle more — a free, no-pressure conversation is always available.