Figma
Zeplin
| Feature | Figma | Zeplin |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $15/mo | Free / from $12/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | designers, design-teams, product-teams, developers | design-teams, developers, agencies, product-teams |
| Founded | 2012 | 2014 |
| Vector Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Prototyping | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dev Mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| Plugins | ✓ | ✗ |
| Components | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Layout | ✓ | ✗ |
| Design Handoff | ✗ | ✓ |
| Style Guide | ✗ | ✓ |
| Code Snippets | ✗ | ✓ |
| Measurements | ✗ | ✓ |
| Version History | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Zeplin Pros
- Great handoff tool
- Developer-friendly
- Design system support
- Multi-platform
✗ Zeplin Cons
- Figma reducing need
- Limited design editing
- Fewer updates
The Verdict
Figma is built for designers and design teams, with a focus on vector-editing and prototyping. Zeplin targets design teams and developers and leads with design-handoff and style-guide.
Pricing is close: Zeplin starts at $12/mo versus $15/mo for Figma — not a deciding factor on its own.
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 4.2). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Both tools are a solid fit for design teams, product teams, developers — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: Figma has a slight overall edge — but if great handoff tool matters most to you, Zeplin may still be the right call.
