If you’re picking a UI/UX design tool in 2026, the conversation usually starts and ends with Figma. But what about Adobe XD? Is it still a real option, or has the market moved on?
Here’s the honest answer: Adobe effectively sunset XD as a standalone product in late 2023. You can still access it through a Creative Cloud subscription, but Adobe stopped investing in new features, closed it to new subscribers for a while, and shifted its design energy toward Figma (which Adobe tried — and failed — to acquire in 2023). That acquisition fell through due to regulatory pressure, and Figma stayed independent.
So this comparison isn’t really “which should you pick?” anymore. It’s more like “should you stick with XD if you’re already using it, or make the switch to Figma?” Let’s break it down.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Figma | Adobe XD |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Browser + desktop app | Desktop only (Mac/Win) |
| Free plan | ✅ (3 files, unlimited viewers) | ❌ (Creative Cloud sub required) |
| Real-time collaboration | ✅ Native, multiplayer | ⚠️ Basic co-editing |
| Prototyping | ✅ Advanced (variables, conditionals) | ✅ Auto-Animate, voice triggers |
| Plugin ecosystem | ✅ 2,000+ plugins | ⚠️ Stagnant (no new development) |
| Dev handoff | ✅ Dev Mode (inspect, code snippets) | ⚠️ Basic design specs |
| AI features | ✅ Figma AI (2025+) | ❌ None |
| Offline work | ⚠️ Limited (desktop app caches) | ✅ Full offline support |
| Pricing (individual) | Free / $15/mo Pro | ~$55/mo (Creative Cloud All Apps) |
| Active development | ✅ Rapid updates | ❌ Effectively frozen |
The Elephant in the Room: XD’s Future
Let’s get this out of the way. Adobe XD is in maintenance mode. Adobe hasn’t shipped a significant feature update since mid-2023. The plugin marketplace has gone quiet. Community resources — tutorials, templates, UI kits — are drying up as creators move to Figma.
If you’re starting a new project today, there’s almost no reason to choose XD over Figma. The rest of this article is mostly relevant if you’re on a team that’s still using XD and wondering whether to migrate.
Where Figma Wins
Browser-Based Access
Figma runs in your browser. No installation, no OS dependency, no version mismatches across your team. Open a link, start designing. This sounds like a small thing until you’ve tried to get a stakeholder to install XD just to leave feedback on a mockup.
Real-Time Collaboration
This is where Figma changed the game and never looked back. Multiple designers working in the same file simultaneously, seeing each other’s cursors, leaving comments in context. It works like Google Docs for design.
XD added co-editing eventually, but it never felt native. Figma was built for multiplayer from day one, and it shows.
Plugin Ecosystem
Figma’s plugin community is massive — over 2,000 plugins covering everything from icon libraries to accessibility checkers to content generators. New plugins ship weekly. The XD plugin ecosystem, by contrast, has been frozen since Adobe stopped investing.
Dev Handoff with Dev Mode
Figma’s Dev Mode gives developers inspect tools, CSS/Swift/XML code snippets, and a focused view that strips away design noise. It’s a genuine bridge between design and engineering. XD’s design specs feature was always more limited, and it hasn’t improved.
AI Features
Figma rolled out AI-powered features starting in 2025 — auto-layout suggestions, asset search, and design generation from text prompts. Adobe has poured its AI investment into Firefly and Photoshop/Illustrator, not XD.
Pricing
Figma’s free plan is generous: 3 design files, unlimited viewers, and enough functionality for solo designers or small projects. The Pro plan at $15/month/editor is straightforward. Figma’s pricing scales predictably.
Adobe XD requires a Creative Cloud subscription. If you already pay for Photoshop and Illustrator, XD is technically “included.” But if you only need a UI design tool, paying $55+/month for Creative Cloud just to access XD makes zero sense.
Where Adobe XD Still Has Merit
Offline Work
XD is a desktop app that works fully offline. If you’re designing on planes, in remote locations, or in environments with unreliable internet, XD doesn’t skip a beat. Figma’s desktop app caches files for offline access, but it’s not as seamless — you need to have opened the file recently while online.
Creative Cloud Integration
If your workflow is deeply embedded in Adobe’s ecosystem — pulling assets from Illustrator, using Photoshop for image editing, sourcing from Adobe Stock, managing fonts through Adobe Fonts — XD slots in without friction. The asset pipeline between Adobe apps is smooth.
Auto-Animate
XD’s Auto-Animate was genuinely innovative when it launched. You create two artboards with slightly different states, and XD automatically generates the transition. It’s still one of the more intuitive prototyping features out there, even if Figma’s smart animate and variable-driven prototyping have surpassed it in power.
Prototyping Head-to-Head
Figma’s prototyping capabilities have pulled ahead significantly. With variables, conditional logic, and component-level interactions added in 2023-2025, you can build prototypes that feel like real apps — branching flows, saved states, dynamic content.
XD’s prototyping is competent but hasn’t evolved. Auto-Animate, drag triggers, voice triggers, and gamepad support are all still there. For simple click-through prototypes, XD works fine. For anything complex, Figma gives you more control.
Team and Enterprise Use
For teams, Figma is the clear choice. Shared libraries, team-wide design systems, branching (so designers can work on variants without breaking the main file), and organization-level admin controls make it the default for companies of all sizes.
XD’s team features were always thinner. Shared Creative Cloud Libraries exist, but the collaboration model isn’t as sophisticated.
Migration: Moving from XD to Figma
If you’re ready to switch, Figma has a built-in XD file importer. It handles layers, components, and basic prototyping links. It’s not perfect — you’ll likely need to clean up auto-layouts, rebuild some component variants, and re-link prototype flows. But it gets you 70-80% of the way there.
Plan for a 1-2 week migration period for a medium-sized design system. Smaller projects can often be imported and cleaned up in a day.
The Verdict
Choose Figma if: You’re starting fresh, working with a team, want the best plugin ecosystem, or need modern prototyping. (This is most people in 2026.)
Stay on Adobe XD if: You’re deep in the Adobe ecosystem, your existing files are in XD, and your team isn’t ready to migrate yet. But start planning the move — XD isn’t getting better from here.
The market has spoken. Figma is the industry standard for UI/UX design in 2026. Adobe XD served its purpose, but its window has closed.
Compare design tools side by side → Figma | Adobe XD | Figma Pricing 2026