StackAnalyst

Figma has revolutionized UI/UX design with its browser-first, real-time collaboration model. It allows entire teams to design, prototype, and gather feedback in one place. Its cross-platform availability (Mac, Windows, and web) makes it incredibly accessible.

• Strengths: Unbeatable real-time collaboration, cross-platform accessibility, powerful vector networks, and an excellent free tier.
• Cons: Requires an internet connection for most features, can feel slower on very large files compared to native apps.
• Best for: Teams of all sizes, remote-first companies, and designers who prioritize seamless collaboration and accessibility.

Sketch was the original king of UI design, and it remains a powerful, polished tool for macOS users. As a native application, it's fast, stable, and deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem. While its collaboration features have improved with Sketch for Web, they still feel secondary to its core offline-first experience.

• Strengths: Fast and reliable native macOS performance, vast plugin ecosystem, and a clean, focused interface.
• Cons: macOS only, collaboration is not as seamless as Figma, slower to adopt new design features.
• Best for: Mac-based designers and teams who prefer a native app experience and have a well-established workflow with third-party plugins.

Adobe XD was Adobe's answer to the new generation of design tools. While no longer in active development, its biggest strength lies in its powerful prototyping capabilities, including auto-animate and voice triggers. Its deep integration with the Adobe Creative Cloud suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) remains a massive advantage for teams already in that ecosystem.

• Strengths: Best-in-class prototyping features, seamless integration with Adobe Creative Cloud, fast performance.
• Cons: No longer receiving feature updates, the feature set is less mature than Figma or Sketch, design system features are not as robust.
• Best for: Designers and teams heavily invested in the Adobe ecosystem or those who need to create complex, high-fidelity prototypes and are comfortable using a tool that won't receive future updates.