Figma
Procreate
| Feature | Figma | Procreate |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $15/mo | From $12.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 |
| Best For | designers, design-teams, product-teams, developers | digital-artists, illustrators, concept-artists, hobbyists |
| Founded | 2012 | 2011 |
| Vector Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Prototyping | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dev Mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| Plugins | ✓ | ✗ |
| Components | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Layout | ✓ | ✗ |
| Digital Painting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Brushes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Layers | ✗ | ✓ |
| Animation Assist | ✗ | ✓ |
| Time Lapse | ✗ | ✓ |
| Color Tools | ✗ | ✓ |
| Apple Pencil Support | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Figma Pros
- Real-time collaboration
- Free for students
- Huge plugin ecosystem
- Dev handoff
✗ Figma Cons
- Needs internet
- Can be slow with large files
- Learning curve
✓ Procreate Pros
- One-time purchase price (no subscription)
- Incredibly responsive and natural brush engine
- Massive brush library with custom brush creation
- Animation assist for frame-by-frame animation
✗ Procreate Cons
- iPad-only (no desktop or Android version)
- No vector support (raster only)
- Limited text and layout tools
The Verdict
Figma is built for designers and design teams, with a focus on vector-editing and prototyping. Procreate targets digital artists and illustrators and leads with digital-painting and brushes.
Pricing is close: Procreate starts at $12.99/mo versus $15/mo for Figma — not a deciding factor on its own.
Figma has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Procreate requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Procreate offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Figma takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.
