The original UI design tool — Mac-only, but still relevant for large design teams
Sketch was the tool that defined modern UI design — it killed Adobe Illustrator for UI work in 2010-2015 and pioneered the symbol/component system that Figma later improved upon. In 2026, Sketch is still used by some large design teams (particularly those deeply invested in its plugin ecosystem or Mac-only workflows), but for most Indian startups, Figma has completely replaced it. Figma is free (3 projects), browser-based (works on Windows, which most Indian developers use), and has real-time collaboration built in. Sketch requires a Mac, costs $9/month (USD), and collaboration requires Sketch for Teams at $20/editor/month. The only strong argument for Sketch today: performance on very large files where Figma can lag, and teams that have extensive Sketch plugin workflows they haven't migrated.
India Market Fit 2.5: Mac-only is a dealbreaker for most Indian teams where developers use Windows. No INR billing. Figma's free tier, browser access, and real-time collaboration makes it the clear winner for Indian product teams in 2026.
Sketch pioneered modern UI design and introduced symbols, artboards, and plugin architecture that became industry standards. For several years (2013-2019), it was the dominant tool for iOS and web UI design. However, Figma's browser-based architecture, real-time collaboration, and free tier have fundamentally shifted the market.
For Indian teams specifically, Sketch faces a critical limitation: it's Mac-only. In India's startup ecosystem, most developers and many PMs work on Windows or Linux. A design tool that requires a Mac to view or edit files creates significant friction for cross-functional collaboration. Figma eliminates this completely — anyone with a browser can view and comment on designs, and editors work on any OS.
Sketch has responded with browser-based design (Sketch Web), but it's slower to evolve than Figma. The plugin ecosystem, while large, has partly migrated to Figma. The main reason to choose Sketch today is large file performance and teams with heavy existing investment in Sketch-specific workflows.
Mac app + Sketch Cloud (browser view/comment). Full design features, unlimited files, 1GB storage per file. No INR billing. Individual use only — no real-time collaboration.
Everything + real-time collaboration (Sketch Web), unlimited viewers, SSO, team management, shared libraries. Needed for actual team use. Compare: Figma's professional plan is $12/editor/mo.
| Factor | Sketch | Figma |
|---|---|---|
| OS Support | Mac only | All browsers + Mac/Windows/Linux apps |
| Real-time collaboration | Business plan ($20/editor/mo) | All plans including free |
| Free tier | No | Yes — 3 projects, unlimited collaborators |
| Pricing (team of 3) | $60/mo (Business) | $0/mo (Free) or $36/mo (Professional) |
| INR billing | No | No (USD only) |
| Performance on large files | Excellent (native Mac app) | Good (can lag on very large files) |
| Plugin ecosystem | 1,000+ (some migrating to Figma) | 1,500+ and growing |
| Verdict for India | Not recommended unless Mac-only team | Default choice for Indian product teams |
For most Indian product teams: no. Figma covers all Sketch use cases at lower or zero cost, runs on any OS (critical for India's mixed Mac/Windows teams), and has better real-time collaboration. The only case for Sketch is if your design team is 100% Mac, has a deep Sketch plugin workflow, and works with very large files where Figma's browser performance is a bottleneck. If you're starting fresh, start with Figma.