Welcome to the fifth installment of our Framer Series! So far, we’ve seen how Framer compares with Webflow, Wix, Showit, and Squarespace. Now, it’s time to explore another major contender in the design world: Figma. If you’re a designer, developer, or someone who simply loves creating beautiful interfaces, this Framer vs Figma write up should help you in picking up the best tool for you. Let’s dive in!
Who Are They For?
Framer is a tool that thrives on creativity and technical expertise. It’s ideal for designers and developers who seek to create custom, interactive websites from scratch. Framer offers a blank canvas, allowing users to push the boundaries of web design with pixel-perfect precision and advanced animations.
Figma, on the other hand, is the go-to for collaborative design work. It’s a powerful tool for teams who need to work together in real-time on UI/UX design projects. With its cloud-based platform, Figma is perfect for those who value seamless collaboration and an intuitive, user-friendly interface.
Feature Comparison Table | Framer vs Figma
When it comes to features, Framer and Figma cater to different needs. Here’s a breakdown of how they stack up:
| Feature | Framer | Figma |
| User Interface | Highly customizable, code-driven | Intuitive, drag-and-drop, real-time collaboration |
| Collaboration | Limited to sharing prototypes, not built for real-time teamwork | Excellent for real-time collaboration with multiple users |
| Custom Code Support | Full access to custom code and advanced features | No direct code implementation, design-focused |
| Prototyping | Advanced, interactive prototypes with full animation control | Strong prototyping tools, but less emphasis on complex interactions |
| Responsive Design | Full control, highly customizable | Automatic with responsive layout options |
| Animation and Interactions | Advanced custom animations and interactions | Basic animations, primarily for prototyping |
| SEO Tools | Full control, advanced customization | Not applicable—Figma is a design tool, not a website builder |
| E-commerce Capabilities | Basic integrations available | Not applicable |
| Design Systems | Supports reusable components but with a steeper learning curve | Robust design systems, easy to manage and share across teams |
| Performance | Highly optimized, fast loading times | Fast and efficient for collaborative design work |
| Customer Support | Email support, active community | Extensive documentation, active community, and support channels |
Ease of Use
Framer offers immense flexibility but with a learning curve. Its interface, while powerful, may take time to master, especially for those new to design tools. Framer is perfect for those who enjoy getting hands-on with code and custom animations, making it a favorite among developers and experienced designers.
Figma excels in usability, with a drag-and-drop interface that is easy to navigate. It’s built for designers of all skill levels and is particularly user-friendly for those who are more focused on the visual aspects of design rather than coding. Figma’s collaborative features make it incredibly easy for teams to work together, making it the preferred choice for group projects and remote teams.
Design and Customization
Framer is all about customization. If you can dream it, you can build it in Framer. It’s like having a blank canvas where every element can be tailored to your exact specifications. This level of control makes Framer ideal for projects that require unique, intricate designs with advanced interactions.
Figma focuses on streamlined design processes. It offers a vast library of templates and design systems that can be easily customized and shared across teams. Figma’s design tools are intuitive and powerful, allowing for quick iteration and design consistency, which is crucial for maintaining brand standards across large projects.
Collaboration and Prototyping
Framer provides robust prototyping capabilities with advanced animations and interactions. However, its collaboration features are not as strong as Figma’s. While you can share prototypes with others, real-time collaboration is limited, which might be a drawback for larger teams working on complex projects.
Figma shines in collaboration. Its real-time design capabilities allow multiple team members to work on a project simultaneously, making it an excellent choice for remote teams. Figma also offers strong prototyping features, though they are less focused on complex interactions compared to Framer.
Performance and Speed
Both tools perform well, but in different contexts. Framer is optimized for building lightweight, fast-loading websites, which is crucial for user experience and SEO. Figma is optimized for efficient design work, even with multiple users collaborating in real-time.
- Figma’s performance is particularly impressive in handling large projects and extensive design systems without lag.
Pricing
Here’s how the pricing for Framer and Figma compares:
Framer Pricing
Framer Site (for smaller teams) and Framer Workspace (for larger teams) are the two main payment plans laid out by Framer.
Framer Site pricing
| Plan | Monthly Price | Key Features |
| Free Plan | $0 (forever) | All basic (free) features, Framer domain and banner |
| Mini Plan | $5/site | Custom domain support, 50 form submissions, up to 1,000 visitors/month |
| Basic Plan | $15/site | Custom domain support, up to 150 pages, 10,000 visitors/month |
| Pro Plan | $30/site | Up to 300 pages, advanced features, 200,000 visitors/month |
| Enterprise Plan | Custom Pricing (annual billing) | Advanced features, security, dedicated infrastructure |
Framer Workspace pricing
| Plan | Monthly Price | Key Features |
| Free Plan | $0 (forever) | All basic (free) features, free sites collaboration, 3-day version history, 500MB file storage |
| Basic Plan | $20/editor | Up to 5 editors, all sites collaboration, 7-day version history, 1GB file storage |
| Pro Plan | $40/editor | Up to 10 editors, all sites collaboration, advanced permissions, 30-day version history, 10GB file storage |
| Enterprise Plan | Custom Pricing (annual billing) | Custom editors, unlimited workspaces, dedicated support, SSO for members, 90-day version history, 100GB file storage |
Figma Pricing
Pricing is different for both Figma and FigJam, which is a collaborative whiteboarding tool offered by Figma, and is integrated within.
Figma pricing
| Plan | Monthly Price | Key Features |
| Starter Team / Free Plan | Free | Figma editor, unlimited files, basic collaboration features |
| Professional Team Plan | $15/full seat | All Starter plan features + advanced collaboration, version history, team libraries |
| Organization Plan | $45/full seat | All Professional plan features + advanced security, shared fonts, centralized file management, SSO |
| Enterprise Plan | $75/full seat | All Organization plan features + custom permissions, dedicated account manager, pin and auto-run plugins, dedicated workspaces for teams |
FigJam pricing
| Plan | Monthly Price | Key Features |
| Starter Team / Free Plan | Free | 3 collaborative FigJam files, basic collaboration features, mobile app, music player, ready-made templates |
| Professional Plan | $5/full seat | All Starter plan features + unlimited FigJam files, open sessions, sharing permissions, audio conversations, voting |
| Organization Plan | $5/full seat | All Professional plan features + organization-wide libraries, centralized content management, custom templates, custom color palettes, private plugins and widgets, SSO |
| Enterprise Plan | $5/full seat | All Organization plan features + dedicated workspaces, advanced design systems, guest access controls, idle session timeout, voting, enforced password links, expiring public links |
Use Cases and Recommendations
Framer is ideal for designers and developers who need complete control over their projects and are comfortable working with code. It’s perfect for creating highly interactive, custom websites that push the boundaries of design.
Figma is the go-to tool for teams that prioritize collaboration and efficiency. It’s best suited for UI/UX designers working on interface design, prototypes, and design systems. Figma’s real-time collaboration features make it an essential tool for teams working together across different locations.
Framer vs Figma | What Do You Pick?
In the Framer vs Figma debate, your choice depends on your specific needs:
- Choose Framer if you need advanced customization, enjoy coding, and want to create interactive websites with a high degree of control.
- Choose Figma if you’re working on UI/UX design projects, value collaboration, and need a tool that streamlines the design process with minimal effort.
Both tools are powerful in their own right, so the best choice will come down to your individual or team’s workflow and project requirements.
Stay tuned for more insights in our Framer Series, and happy designing!
By Digillex
