Overview

Adobe Photoshop

Stacks2.3K

Followers1.5K

Votes56

Figma

Stacks4.2K

Followers2.5K

Votes101

Adobe Photoshop vs Figma: What are the differences?

Introduction

Adobe Photoshop and Figma are two popular graphic editing tools that offer various features and functionalities. While both are used for designing and creating visuals, there are key differences that set them apart.

Integration with Creative Cloud: Adobe Photoshop is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, which offers seamless integration with other Adobe software like Illustrator and InDesign. This allows for easy file sharing and collaboration between different applications. On the other hand, Figma is a web-based design tool that operates entirely in the browser. It allows for real-time collaboration, enabling multiple users to work on the same project simultaneously.
Accessibility and Platform Compatibility: Adobe Photoshop is a desktop application available for Windows and macOS, limiting its accessibility to users who have access to these operating systems. Figma, being a web-based tool, can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection, making it platform-independent and more accessible for users on different operating systems.
Vector Design Capabilities: While both Adobe Photoshop and Figma offer vector editing capabilities, Figma is primarily designed as a vector editing tool. It provides better scalability and is better suited for designing graphics that need to be resized without losing quality. Adobe Photoshop, on the other hand, is more focused on raster editing, making it ideal for photo manipulation and creating pixel-based graphics.
Plugins and Extensions: Adobe Photoshop has a wide range of plugins and extensions available in the Adobe Creative Cloud marketplace. These plugins provide additional functionalities to enhance the creative process and customize the software according to individual needs. Figma also supports plugins, but its plugin ecosystem is not as extensive as Adobe Photoshop's.
Pricing and Licensing: Adobe Photoshop operates on a subscription-based model, requiring users to pay a monthly or annual fee to access the software. It can be quite expensive for individuals or small businesses. Meanwhile, Figma offers a freemium pricing model, allowing users to access limited features for free while providing advanced features and collaboration tools in paid plans. This makes Figma more cost-effective for individuals or teams who need design capabilities without a significant financial commitment.
Offline Editing: Adobe Photoshop is a desktop application, which means it can be used offline. Users can work on their projects even without an internet connection. Figma, being a web-based tool, requires an internet connection to access and use its features. While Figma does have an "Offline mode" that allows users to continue working on their designs when connectivity is lost temporarily, it lacks the flexibility of offline editing that Adobe Photoshop offers.

In summary, Adobe Photoshop offers seamless integration with other Adobe software, while Figma is a web-based design tool accessible from any platform. Figma focuses more on vector design capabilities, while Adobe Photoshop is geared towards raster editing. Adobe Photoshop has a extensive plugin ecosystem, but Figma is more affordable with a freemium pricing model. Lastly, Adobe Photoshop allows offline editing, while Figma requires an internet connection.

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Advice on Adobe Photoshop, Figma

Bobby

Feb 14, 2020

Needs advice

Hello, I want to start an unlimited graphic design service. (yes, yet another one, but bear with me)

It’s the second week that I’m working on this project, my goal is to test the market as soon as possible.

One element that is missing is the solution to handle communication between the clients and the designers.

• Mandatory: it needs to communicate instructions, progress/status, and design files (exported from Adobe Illustrator or similar). • Optionally it would also display the design inside the app so the files don’t need to be opened. • Optionally it would let the client easily mark the design where he wants revision.

• Mandatory: it needs to have unlimited clients and unlimited projects (I’ll have hundreds of clients and each will have at least one project) • Optionally it would auto-assign a new project to the first available designer, or let the designers choose themselves which project they want to work on • Optionally it would have groups (corresponding to a subscription plan) with different clients and different designers in each • Optionally it would communicate with other apps so that client and designer management tasks (access, payment, etc) can be automated

I’m open to all suggestions, not just the selection above. Ultimately I guess I’ll have a custom app developed on a no-code platform, but to begin with I need something simple and ready.

Reminder: it is only for graphic design, between my designers and my clients

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Comments

Detailed Comparison

Adobe Photoshop	Figma
It is the best in the world of graphic design and image processing software that will realize any of your ideas. Create and enhance photos, illustrations and 3D graphic objects.	Figma is the first interface design tool with real-time collaboration. It keeps everyone on the same page. Focus on the work instead of fighting your tools.
Stroke Smoothing; Brushes from Kyle T. Webster; Better Brush Organization; Color and Luminance Range Masking; Access Lightroom Photos; Quickly Share Creations; Quick Share Menu; Variable Fonts.	Online Sketch alternative; Free for small teams; Easy to use
Statistics
Stacks 2.3K	Stacks 4.2K
Followers 1.5K	Followers 2.5K
Votes 56	Votes 101
Pros & Cons
Pros 14 Powerful 14 Photo editing 11 Layers 7 You can use it for anything related to graphics 4 Magic wand Cons 4 Heavyweight 3 Memory hungry 2 Steep learning curve	Pros 19 Web-based application 11 Intuitive interface and perfect collaboration 9 Free software 8 Highly Collaborative 8 Works on both Mac and Windows Cons 6 Limited Export options
Integrations
No integrations available	Trello Coda ProtoPie Principle Dropbox Slack Storybook Notion Pendo Zeplin

What are some alternatives to Adobe Photoshop, Figma?

Sketch

Easily create complex shapes with our state-of-the-art vector boolean operations and take advantage of our extensive layer styles.

Adobe XD

A vector-based tool developed and published by Adobe Inc for designing and prototyping user experience for web and mobile apps.

Zeplin

Collaboration app for designers & developers. Supports Sketch and Photoshop (on beta!).

Blender

It is the free and open source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, even video editing and game creation.

ProtoPie

It is the easiest tool used to turn your UI/UX design ideas into highly interactive prototypes for mobile, desktop, web, all the way to IoT. ProtoPie runs on macOS & Windows and the player app is on iOS and Android.

Readymag

Readymag—an online platform for website creation focused on design & creativity. Advanced typography. Powerful animations. Code injection & third-party tool integrations.

Inkscape

It is professional quality vector graphics software which runs on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. This software can be used to create or edit vector graphics such as illustrations, diagrams, line arts, charts, logos and complex paintings.

Affinity Designer

No bloat, no gimmicks, just all the tools you need, implemented how you always dreamed. It is a stripped back, pro-end workhorse that will always get your job done. It was created to thrive on the electric pace of the latest computing hardware. Live, responsive and incredibly fluid, it’s simply a joy to use.

Affinity Photo

It is born to work hand-in-hand with the latest powerful computer technology, it’s fully-loaded photo editor integrated across macOS, Windows and iOS.