Figma
Spline
| Feature | Figma | Spline |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $15/mo | Free / from $9/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | designers, design-teams, product-teams, developers | web-designers, product-designers, front-end-developers, creative-agencies |
| Founded | 2012 | 2020 |
| Vector Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Prototyping | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dev Mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| Plugins | ✓ | ✗ |
| Components | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Layout | ✓ | ✗ |
| 3d Modeling | ✗ | ✓ |
| Real Time Collaboration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Animations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Interactions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web Export | ✗ | ✓ |
| Materials | ✗ | ✓ |
| Physics | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Spline Pros
- Browser-based with no installation required
- Easy to learn compared to traditional 3D tools
- Real-time collaboration like Figma for 3D
- Direct export to web (React, iframe, vanilla JS)
✗ Spline Cons
- Limited to simpler 3D scenes (not production rendering)
- Performance issues with complex models
- Fewer modeling tools than dedicated 3D software
The Verdict
Figma is built for designers and design teams, with a focus on vector-editing and prototyping. Spline targets web designers and product designers and leads with 3d-modeling and real-time-collaboration.
On pricing, Spline is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $9/mo compared to $15/mo for Figma. That $6/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Figma edges out on user ratings (4.7 vs 4.3). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Spline offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Figma takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Figma has a slight overall edge — but if browser-based with no installation required matters most to you, Spline may still be the right call.
