Last Updated On January 10
Figma Review 2024: Still the Design King, or Time to Revolt? ⚔️
Elevate your design game with Figma collaborative interface design tool. Create, prototype, and share seamlessly.
Imagine being able to seamlessly collaborate with your team members on a single design file(like Google Docs), no matter where they are located. With Figma, you can turn this dream into a reality.
This all-in-one design platform and prototyping tool have become a staple for designers and teams, offering real-time collaboration on digital product designs.
In this comprehensive Figma review, we will thoroughly examine the various features, benefits, and drawbacks of Figma.
Whether you are a seasoned designer or new to the field, understanding the ins and outs of this popular design tool is essential for making informed decisions.
Let's go.
What is Figma?
Figma is an all-in-one design platform and prototyping tool that allows multiple people to collaborate in real time on designing websites, apps, and other digital products.
It is popular among designers and teams for its intuitive interface, powerful collaborative features, and ability to create interactive prototypes.
The platform smoothly combines design and collaboration, enhancing project development.
Ease of Use
4.6
Customer Service
4.5
Features
4.7
Value for Money
4.8
Image Source: Figma
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What is Figma used for?
Figma is like a virtual design studio where designers, developers, and teams work together to create cool stuff like websites and apps. It's all done online, so everyone can join in from wherever they are.
With Figma, you can make graphics, design prototypes that you can click through like real apps, and work together with your team in real-time. It's super handy for bringing ideas to life and working together on projects, no matter where you are.
Figma is a popular tool for creating websites, mobile apps, and other digital stuff. It comes with helpful features like keeping track of different versions of your designs, letting you leave comments for your team, and providing libraries of design elements to keep everything looking consistent.
It's like having all the tools you need to make awesome digital projects, all in one place.
Imagine you're on a team designing a new mobile app for a client. Your teammates are scattered in different places, but you need to work closely together to finish the project on time. Plus, the client is really picky about how the app looks and wants to see changes and improvements as you go along.
In this situation, Figma would be super helpful. Your team can use Figma to make and share design ideas, like sketches and models, instantly. Everyone can work on the project at the same time, even if they're in different places.
Plus, the client can give feedback right in the app, making it easy to stay on track and make changes as needed.
As your project moves forward, Figma keeps track of all the changes made. If something doesn't quite work out, you can go back to an earlier version. Plus, with the commenting feature, everyone can talk about what's happening in the project. This makes it easy for everyone to understand what's going on and stay in sync.
Also, Figma has special libraries for design elements. These help keep everything in the app looking the same. So, no matter who's working on what, the app will have a consistent style and feel.
Figma's Key Features
Let's explore the Figma review, focusing on a range of key features that make it a powerful tool for interface design.
We'll evaluate how these essential features align with your requirements.
Figma's Design
Figma versatile design tool encompasses a wide array of features catering to the needs of designers and teams. These include shape tools, pen tool basics, and vector networks for intricate designs.
Its auto layout and constraints streamline design organization and responsiveness. Figma also offers various gradients (linear, radial, angular, diamond), effects, color picker, style creation, rounded corners, text tools with diverse fonts, Boolean operations, image insertion, alignment & distribution options, layout grids, guides, easing curves for smooth transitions, variants for efficient design iteration.
Moreover, its interactive components facilitate prototype interaction while masks allow for effective design detailing. Figma's branching & merging feature supports collaborative workflows seamlessly.
These features collectively make Figma a comprehensive platform that supports efficient and effective UI/UX design processes.
Image Source: Figma
One of the aspects I like most about Figma is its outstanding customer support, particularly in the form of video tutorials for each feature. This approach allows you to quickly and easily understand how to utilize different tools within the platform, making the learning process seamless and efficient.
By providing visual guidance, Figma ensures that you can grasp complex concepts with ease, ultimately enhancing your overall experience with the software.
FigJam
FigJam is an online whiteboard and collaboration tool that is part of Figma ecosystem. It allows users to brainstorm, plan, and create together in real time.
FigJam is different from regular whiteboards because it lets team members work together at the same time, making it easier for ideas to flow. It's great for drawing designs or mapping out customer journeys, and it helps remote teams be more creative and communicate visually.
FigJam is great for strategic planning because it helps stakeholders map out business strategies and visualize complex ideas in real-time.
It has lots of templates and shapes to make diagrams and flowcharts, which makes it easier for teams to understand their plans and agree on goals. This saves time and ensures everyone understands the strategy better, moving initiatives forward with clarity.
Image Source: Figma
Besides online whiteboarding and strategic planning, FigJam is great for team meetings. It has features like sticky notes, comments, and voting options that help teams come up with and prioritize tasks effectively.
By using visual elements in discussions, FigJam makes meetings more engaging, so ideas can come up naturally.
Figma's Prototyping
In terms of prototyping, Figma effectively fulfills the expectations you would have for a prototyping tool.
Figma’s online prototyping tools make it easy to build high-fidelity, no-code interactive prototypes right alongside your designs, allowing you to define a range of interactions including on click, while hovering, during scroll, and more.
The best experiences are built on testing and iteration; see and feel your designs in action to understand what is working and what needs improvement.
Automatically transitioning between variants with interactive components enables you to produce more animations in less time. Utilize advanced prototyping features such as conditional logic, mathematical expressions, and variables to craft richer experiences with fewer frames.
Select from various interaction approaches within your prototypes to provide developers with a clear understanding of how the experience will look and feel, eliminating guesswork.
Image Source: Figma
Smart animate enables automatic animation of similar objects to generate intricate transitions, from parallax scrolling to touch gestures.
Incorporate multiple layers of interactive content with dynamic overlays and integrate animated GIFs and videos into prototypes for an authentic user experience with rich media on your website or app.
Effortlessly iterate on the end-to-end user experience directly within the canvas by editing everything in context, then instantly play and preview your prototypes for swift feedback loops and rapid iterations.
Figma's Handoff
Handoff features in design tools like Figma are used for facilitating the transfer of design assets, specifications, and guidelines from designers to developers. This helps ensure that the intended design vision is effectively implemented during the development phase.
Figma handoff offers seamless collaboration and communication between designers and developers. With its intuitive interface, you can streamline the process of translating designs into code, saving considerable time and effort in the development phase.
The ability to generate CSS, assets, and detailed specs directly from the design files makes handoff a breeze, facilitating a smooth transition from design to development.
Image Source: Figma
Figma's handoff feature helps designers keep their vision intact and enables developers to understand and implement it effectively.
It promotes better collaboration and communication between designers and developers, leading to more efficient product development while preserving design integrity.
What I really like about the Figma handoff feature is that it eliminates the need for a separate web-based interface, streamlines the design process, and minimizes time-consuming transitions between different platforms.
Having handoff features within the core app promotes greater collaboration and communication among team members. Designers can easily access specifications, assets, and code snippets without leaving the familiar Figma environment.
Figma's Design System
Design system features are used in designing to create a consistent and unified experience by providing a centralized location for design assets, guidelines, and reusable components. This ensures coherence and efficiency across different projects and teams within an organization.
Figma design system simplifies sharing and accessing design assets across teams by utilizing a web-based multiplayer platform. By publishing design assets in team libraries, it streamlines access for easy collaboration, allowing for more efficient creative and consistent practices across different teams.
Figma allows you to create flexible design systems suitable for various use cases and themes, such as light and dark modes, desktop and mobile versions, and more, using variable modes.
Standardize styles, variables, and components to ensure seamless scalability across products and brands. Streamline the creation and management of variables in bulk by leveraging Figma's variables REST API, saving time while scaling design systems.
Image Source: Figma
With Figma, streamline the product development process by streamlining the alignment of design and code assets.
With the ability to export variables into a compatible format for both design and development, Figma bridges the gap between these two crucial elements of product creation.
Dev Mode in Figma is a new feature that makes it easier for developers to work with designs. It gives them access to detailed documentation for components, helps them check designs more easily, and gives them insights into the code. This helps designers and developers work together better and be more productive.
Figma's Development
Dev Mode in Figma is designed to help developers quickly translate designs into code. It simplifies the process of finding necessary details for building by providing specs and measurements without requiring design knowledge.
Dev Mode acts like a browser inspector for your design file, allowing you to obtain object details such as measurements and styles without impacting the design file.
Additionally, it enables the generation of production-ready CSS, iOS, or Android code snippets directly from your design or through customized code using plugins for different frameworks.
Consolidate your workflow by integrating design libraries, codebase, and project management tools in Figma. You can create custom plugins using our API or connect with popular tools like Jira, GitHub, and Storybook.
Maintain consistency between design files and code by utilizing tokens in Figma, and access developer resources directly within the design file. With our VS Code extension, you can inspect Figma files, collaborate with designers, receive notifications, and receive code suggestions for faster development.
Image Source: Figma
Easily switch from design to development and stay informed about updates with enhanced file organization. Utilize section statuses to identify screens assigned for your attention and compare frames with their previous versions to track changes effectively.
Quickly download icons and assets from the design file with a single click, and test component properties without making alterations to the original design.
Figma's Collaboration
Figma has transformed team collaboration by enhancing efficiency and coherence in the design process. Its features, like Project Pages, file pinning, and contextual notes, facilitate seamless collaboration while keeping everyone informed.
The centralized hub for project updates and context ensures that team members stay engaged without getting lost in emails or version control.
Figma's Team and Organization Pages provide transparency and accountability by tracking contributors and projects. User profiles highlight individual contributions, allowing leaders to recognize outstanding work and identify areas for improvement.
Figma enables teams to work more effectively by improving communication, maintaining project continuity, and offering insights into each member's contribution.
By allowing real-time co-designing and global critiques, Figma empowers designers to collaborate seamlessly across distances and time zones.
Figma's Observation Mode is a standout feature that enables team members to follow the presenter’s actions without getting lost in the design process. This functionality not only promotes clarity but also enhances understanding, making it easier for stakeholders to provide valuable feedback at every stage of the design journey.
Furthermore, Figma's worry-free version history provides designers with peace of mind by tracking changes and facilitating easy reversion to previous states as needed, ensuring that no iteration is ever lost or overwritten unintentionally.
Image Source: Figma
Empowering collaboration is essential for enhancing project delivery, and Figma offers a powerful solution to achieve this. By granting others the ability to add copy, grab specs, and provide feedback, teams can leverage diverse perspectives and skills for improved outcomes.
With Figma's control of permissions, users can easily determine who can view, comment, or edit designs, enabling seamless collaboration while maintaining security.
Ultimately, Figma's embedded commenting feature significantly improves the efficiency of decision-making processes. By allowing direct feedback within designs or prototypes, Figma facilitates real-time collaboration and streamlines the communication between designers, stakeholders, and clients.
Figma's Pricing
Let's explore the Figma review, including the various flexible pricing plans tailored to individuals, teams, and businesses. These solutions ensure seamless integration and efficient utilization in diverse work environments, enhancing productivity and collaboration across projects.
Let's explore the pricing options offered by Figma.
| Plan | Starting Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free Forever | 3 Figma and 3 FigJam files, Unlimited personal files, Unlimited collaborators, Plugins and templates, Mobile app. |
| Figma Professional | €12 per editor/month Billed annually or €15 month-to-month | Everything included in Starter, plus: Unlimited Figma files, Unlimited version history, Shared and private projects, Team libraries, Advanced prototyping, (BETA)Dev Mode. |
| Figma Organization | €45 per editor/month Annual billing only | Everything in Figma Professional, plus: Org-wide libraries, Design system analytics, Branching and merging, Centralized file management, Unified admin and billing, Private plugins, Single sign-on, (BETA)Dev Mode. |
| Enterprise | €75 per editor/month Annual billing only | Everything included in Figma Organization, plus: Dedicated workspaces, Advanced, design systems, Guest access controls, Role setting via SCIM, Idle session timeout, Enforced password links, Network access restrictions, Onboarding and account support, Expiring public links, (BETA)Dev Mode. |
Image Source: Figma Pricing
FigJam is an online whiteboard and collaboration tool that is part of Figma ecosystem. It allows users to brainstorm, plan, and create together in real time.
Let's explore the pricing options of FigJam.
| Plan | Starting Price | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free Forever | 3 Figma and 3 FigJam files, Unlimited personal files, Unlimited collaborators, Plugins and templates, Music player, Mobile app. |
| FigJam Professional | €3 per editor/month Billed annually or €5 month-to-month | Unlimited FigJam files, Open sessions, Sharing permissions, Team libraries, Audio conversations, Voting. |
| FigJam Organization | €5 per editor/month Annual billing only | Everything in Professional, plus: Org-wide libraries, Centralized content management, Custom templates, Custom color palettes, Unified admin and billing, Private plugins and widgets, Single sign-on. |
| Enterprise | €5 per editor/month Annual billing only | Everything included in Figma Organization, plus: Dedicated workspaces, Advanced design systems, Guest access controls, Role setting via SCIM, Idle session timeout, Enforced password links, Network access restrictions, Onboarding and account support, Expiring public links. |
Image Source: FigJam Pricing
The addition of FigJam to the Figma ecosystem has brought a new dimension to collaborative design.
FigJam introduces a more freeform and organic approach to collaborative design. While Figma is tailored towards structured design processes, FigJam provides a space for more fluid creativity and exploration.
Figma's PROS and CONS
This web-based design tool has gained a massive following among designers and product teams for its robust features and intuitive interface. However, like any powerful tool, Figma comes with its own set of pros and cons that are worth exploring.
Let's now examine some of the pros and cons in more detail.
PROS
Very easy to use and accessibility features are really good. Tons of community projects and ample plugins make designing fun and easy.
The company is constantly improving and coming up with new and exciting additions.
Figma stands out with its unparalleled collaboration features, allowing teams to seamlessly work together on designs, prototypes, and projects in real-time.
Figma streamlines the entire design process by facilitating everything from initial ideation and brainstorming to design creation, prototyping, collaboration, and handoff to developers and stakeholders.
CONS
It can be a bit difficult to orient oneself in the app when there are a lot of sketches and new designs because you have to zoom out and zoom in to the right level, which is hard to determine.
Depend on your experience with design tool the initial learning curve may be difficult and takes a lot of time to understand the tools and icons.
Figma's main drawback lies in its limited offline functionality, which means the software cannot be used without an internet connection. This poses a significant challenge for designers working in remote or isolated areas with unreliable or no access to the internet.
Choosing the right design tool is all about finding a balance between what you need and what different software can offer.
It's important to think about your priorities and decide if Figma meets your expectations or if there might be another tool that suits you better.
Figma's Users Testimonials
To decide if Figma is suitable for your needs, it's beneficial to check out Figma reviews and testimonials from other users. These personal accounts offer valuable perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of Figma, as well as how satisfied users are with the tool overall.
By learning from others' experiences, you can gain a clearer understanding of whether Figma will be a good fit for you. Remember that everyone's experience is unique, so it's wise to consider various viewpoints before reaching a conclusion.
“I really like the prototyping functionalities, the overlay and swap interactions are super helpful and have definitely saved me a lot of screens.”
“The awesome thing about Figma is that it does not just provide you with awesome tools/components for designing, but you can actually simulate the flow of your application.”
“ Everything else is very very smooth with me i am not disappointed at all but one thing that i think figma should improve is that the desktop version for windows is a bit slow at the startup.”
“The only issue with Figma is that it can be hard and overwhelming to use when just getting started. It has a simple/complex user interface at the same time.”
“My only problem is the necessary internet connection to work.”
“I started using Figma for a wireframe and high-fidelity prototype during a university class on entrepreneurship. Since then I regularly use the software for graphic design as all marketing posts are done in the software.”
“The image editing could use more power. I would truly appreciate the option to remove the background instead of going to photoshop or another app for this specific purpose.”
If you have a genuine interest in using Figma, I recommend trying the app yourself to determine if it aligns with your needs. They offer a free version to check the platform before making any subscription.
By gaining firsthand experience, you can form your own opinion and make an informed decision about whether or not Figma is the right tool for you.
Figma's Customer Support
One of the most remarkable aspects of Figma is its outstanding customer support, particularly in the form of video tutorials for each feature. This approach allows you to quickly and easily understand how to utilize different tools within the platform, making the learning process seamless and efficient.
By providing visual guidance, Figma ensures that you can grasp complex concepts with ease, ultimately enhancing their overall experience with the software.
The availability of comprehensive video tutorials demonstrates Figma's commitment to users satisfaction and empowerment. It not only simplifies the learning curve for beginners but also serves as a valuable resource for experienced users seeking to explore advanced features or enhance their skills.
This approach sets Figma apart from other design tools by catering to diverse your needs and preferences, ultimately fostering a more supportive and inclusive community around the platform.
Image Source: Figma
Figma offers a variety of options for customer support, you can talk to a member of the Figma sales team for a demo, assistance in choosing the right plan for your team, or best practices for getting the most out of Figma.
You can also get product or account support with any of your needs.
Additionally, you have access to the Figma Help Center, where you can find answers and inspiration on all things Figma design and FigJam. Figma also offers Live Chat, this support enables real-time communication, allowing you to get instant answers to your questions and swift resolutions to any issues you may encounter.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
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The purpose of Figma is to provide a collaborative interface design tool that allows teams to create, test, and ship designs from start to finish in one place. It aims to streamline the design process and improve collaboration among team members.
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Figma provides a Forever Free Version for users to familiarize themselves with the platform, but with limited features.
Additionally, they also offers paid plans that come with enhanced collaboration and design capabilities.
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People prefer Figma for its collaborative features, intuitive interface, cloud-based accessibility, real-time collaboration, and robust prototyping capabilities. Beside of that, after using Figma there is no need for more traditional design tools.
It allows teams to work together seamlessly on design projects, no matter their location or device. Additionally, Figma's ease of use and constant updates contribute to its popularity among designers and teams.
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Figma's main drawback lies in its limited offline functionality, which means the software cannot be used without an internet connection. This poses a significant challenge for designers working in remote or isolated areas with unreliable or no access to the internet.
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Figma's ease of use depends on your experience with design tools. However, it is known for its user-friendly interface, making it relatively easy for beginners to learn and use. The platform also provides resources and tutorials to support the learning process.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Figma reviews show that it has emerged as a powerful tool for design collaboration and prototyping, revolutionizing the way designers work together. With its intuitive interface, real-time collaboration features, and robust design capabilities, Figma offers a seamless workflow that enhances productivity and creativity.
Its cloud-based platform allows for easy access to projects from any location, promoting flexibility and remote collaboration. Moreover, the constant updates and improvements made by the Figma team demonstrate their commitment to providing a cutting-edge design solution.
Remember that everyone's experience with Figma is unique, so it's wise to consider various Figma reviews before reaching a conclusion. As more and more designers adopt Figma as their primary design tool, it is evident that it has become an indispensable asset in the modern design landscape.
If you have a genuine interest in using Figma, I recommend trying the software's free version yourself to determine if it aligns with your needs. By gaining firsthand experience, you can form your own opinion and make an informed decision about whether or not Figma is the right tool for you.
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