5 Best Adobe XD Alternatives to Use In 2021

Adobe XD has become a popular choice for UI and UX design, but it's not without its flaws. Plus, Adobe's expensive Creative Cloud subscription can be a burden. If you're looking for alternatives to Adobe XD, here are some options to consider.

Sketch

Sketch is the pioneer in the UI design software market. With its dedicated Mac app, Sketch has remained a crowd-favorite since its launch in 2010. Many clients specifically request designers to use Sketch for UI designs.

sketch as adobe xd alternative

Sketch offers a wide range of tools and a smooth user experience, thanks to its native integration with the Mac platform. It also has a vast collection of plugins and templates available on the web. Recently, Sketch introduced sharing functionality and is working on bringing the software to the web.

Pros:

  • Excellent Mac app
  • Extensive plugin store
  • Widely accepted in the industry
  • Abundance of guides and tutorials

Cons:

  • Not available on Windows
  • Only one month of a free trial

Price: $99 per year.

Visit Sketch

Figma

Figma is like the Google Docs of design. It's my personal favorite for a couple of reasons. First, the sharing capabilities are seamless and work flawlessly across all desktop operating systems, including Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, and Linux.

figma as adobe xd alternative

Figma has gained popularity among the design community due to its cross-platform availability. It also recently introduced plugin support, making it feature-rich. However, some users find its UI slightly outdated compared to Sketch.

Pros:

  • Best sharing capabilities
  • Excellent community support
  • Wide variety of templates
  • Works on all platforms

Cons:

  • PWA is available, but a native app is preferred
  • The quality of plugins can be inconsistent

Price: Free version available with limitations. Premium version costs $12 per editor per month.

Visit Figma

InVision

InVision is a popular Adobe XD alternative used by many Fortune 500 companies. It offers iOS and Android apps for live feedback on the go. InVision also provides a plugin for video calling software like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, allowing for seamless collaboration.

invision as adobe xd alternative

With InVision, you can style layers to create eye-catching designs and access robust asset libraries. It also offers advanced tools for animations and dynamic effects.

Pros:

  • Smooth multi-user collaboration
  • Superior vector editing capabilities
  • Large community for knowledge sharing
  • Advanced animation tools

Cons:

  • Limited free version
  • Web version requires a constant internet connection

Price: $7.95 per user per month.

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UXPin

UXPin is a prototyping tool that takes a unique approach by allowing you to design from the code end. This flexibility enables dynamic prototypes that go beyond simple transitions between screens or artboards.

UXPin as adobe xd alternative

UXPin is available on both Windows and Mac platforms. It also offers iOS and Android mirror apps for viewing designs and prototypes by scanning a QR code.

Pros:

  • Built-in library for material design and iOS components
  • Advanced prototyping capabilities

Cons:

  • No free plan, only a free trial
  • Basic plan lacks features like conditional logic
  • No web app available

Price: $19 per editor per month.

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Draftium

Draftium is an excellent Adobe XD alternative that covers a wide range of functions and design capabilities. It comes with over 300 prototype templates and around 200 blocks. The software also offers real-time cloud collaboration.

draftium as adobe xd alternative

Draftium is beginner-friendly, thanks to its easy-to-use interface. You can quickly pick a template, add content and elements, and collaborate with team members.

Pros:

  • Built-in template library
  • Interactive prototypes
  • Enhanced design-developer coordination with annotations and comments

Cons:

  • Free version includes Draftium branding
  • No native desktop apps available

Price: $99 per year.

Visit Draftium

While Adobe XD is an excellent UI/UX software, it ties you to the Adobe ecosystem and requires a Creative Cloud subscription. Explore the alternative software listed above and find the perfect Adobe XD alternative for your next design project.