How to Choose the Right UI Design Tools for Your Projects
Published on 2/12/2026
Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, and alternatives—how to pick the right design tool for your team and workflow.
Figma is the default for many teams: collaborative, browser-based, strong plugins. The UX Tools survey reports Figma at 82.3% UI design adoption and FigJam at 48.8% of the whiteboarding market. 6sense puts Figma at 37% market share in collaborative design. Sketch is Mac-only and performant. Penpot offers an open-source alternative. Choose based on team size, platform, and workflow. This guide compares tools and when to use each for 2026.
Figma: collaboration and ecosystem
Figma runs in the browser, supports real-time collaboration, and has a huge plugin and template ecosystem. Auto Layout and Variables streamline design systems. Integrates with Webflow, Framer, and dev handoff tools. See web design inspiration and webflow comparison.
Sketch, Penpot, and alternatives
Sketch is Mac-only, fast, and widely used in product teams. Penpot is open-source and Figma-compatible. Adobe XD integrates with Creative Cloud. Lunacy runs on Windows. Evaluate based on OS, cost, and collaboration needs. Explore design tools and UI components.
Design-to-code and accessibility
Use design tokens and consistent spacing for developer handoff. Export assets and specs clearly. Test with accessibility guidelines. Reference workflow automation for design-dev pipelines.