Figma vs Framer: Which One Fits Your Solo Dev Stack?
Free tier limits, real costs for 1-10 users, and honest "not for" warnings. The Solo Dev decision guide for Figma vs Framer.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Figma edges ahead with a 4.9/5 rating. However, the best choice depends on your team size, budget, and workflow needs. Read on for the full breakdown.
💰 Cost by Team Size
| Team Size | Figma | Framer |
|---|---|---|
| Solo (1 user) | $0/mo | $0/mo |
| Small (5 users) | $75/mo | $150/mo |
| Growing (10 users) | $150/mo | $300/mo |
| Free Tier | ✅ 3 active files. Unlimited viewers. Basic prototyping. | ✅ 1 site. Framer subdomain. 1000 visitors/month. 2 pages. |
Pricing Plans
| Plan | Figma | Framer |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Professional | $15/mo | $5/mo |
| Organization | $45/mo | $15/mo |
| Enterprise | $75/mo | $30/mo |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Figma | Framer |
|---|
Pros & Cons
Figma
✅ Pros
- Industry standard for UI/UX design
- Real-time collaboration (Google Docs for design)
- Free tier is genuinely usable (3 files)
- Massive plugin ecosystem
- Dev Mode bridges design-to-code gap
❌ Cons
- Free tier limited to 3 active files
- Requires internet (no offline editing)
- Large files can be slow
- Dev Mode is paid-only feature
- No native desktop app features (electron wrapper)
Framer
✅ Pros
- AI generates complete websites from prompts
- Stunning animations without code
- Performance-optimized output
- Built-in CMS for blogs
- Perfect for portfolio and marketing sites
❌ Cons
- Free tier very limited (2 pages)
- E-commerce features are basic
- Complex layouts can break
- SEO customization limited on lower tiers
- Not for web apps (marketing sites only)
Who Should Use What?
✅ Choose Figma if...
- You are a ui/ux designers and teams
- You are a product teams designing interfaces
- You are a design system management
🚫 Skip if...
- Print design (use Illustrator)
- Photo editing (use Photoshop)
- Video editing
✅ Choose Framer if...
- You are a designers building portfolio sites
- You are a marketing teams creating landing pages
- You are a startups needing a beautiful site quickly
🚫 Skip if...
- Web applications (use Next.js)
- E-commerce (use Shopify)
- Content-heavy blogs (use WordPress)
🏆 Our Verdict
Both Figma (4.9/5) and Framer (4.6/5) are excellent tools in their category. Figma takes a slight edge overall, but the best choice ultimately depends on your team's specific needs, budget, and existing tool ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Figma better than Framer?
It depends on your needs. Figma excels in some areas while Framer has its own strengths. Read our full comparison above to see which tool fits your specific requirements.
How does Figma pricing compare to Framer?
Figma starts at Free / $15/mo, while Framer starts at Free / $5/mo. Both offer different value propositions — check our pricing comparison section for a detailed breakdown.
Can I migrate from Figma to Framer?
Yes, most B2B tools offer data import/export features. Framer typically provides migration guides and sometimes even dedicated support for switching from Figma.
Which is easier to use, Figma or Framer?
Ease of use depends on your team's experience and workflow preferences. We evaluated both tools on usability — see our feature comparison scores above for details.
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