What is the difference between Sketch and Adobe XD?

Sketch is best for Mac users who prefer native app performance over browser-based tools, while Adobe XD is best for Designers in the Adobe ecosystem. Sketch starts at $10/editor/mo and Adobe XD starts at $9.99/mo.

Sketch vs Adobe XD

Sketch is mac-native design tool for UI/UX with a focus on simplicity and performance, while Adobe XD is UI/UX design and prototyping tool from Adobe, integrated with Creative Cloud. Adobe XD comes in cheaper, but price alone does not tell the full story. Sketch is built for mac users who prefer native app performance over browser-based tools, whereas Adobe XD targets designers in the adobe ecosystem.

At a glance

	Sketch	Adobe XD
Best for	Mac users who prefer native app performance over browser-based tools	Designers in the Adobe ecosystem
Starting price	$10/editor/mo	$9.99/mo
Free tier	—	—
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	—	—
Open source	—	—
Auto-Animate	—	✓
Components	—	✓
Creative Cloud	—	✓
Libraries	✓	—
Mac Native	✓	—
Plugins	✓	—
Prototyping	✓	✓
Symbols	✓	—

Sketch

Strengths

Native Mac performance — fast and responsive
Clean, focused interface
Large plugin ecosystem
One-time purchase option still available

Weaknesses

Mac only — no Windows or Linux support
Collaboration features lag behind Figma
Declining market share and community momentum
Web viewer is limited

Try Sketch → Full review

Adobe XD

Strengths

Interactive prototyping with transitions so stakeholders can click through realistic mockups
Auto-Animate creates smooth transitions between artboards without manual keyframing
Affordable at $9.99/mo — one of the lower-priced options in the design category
Includes components alongside the core feature set — fewer separate tools needed

Weaknesses

No free plan — you need to pay $9.99/mo from day one to use it
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Output quality depends on your design skills — templates only go so far
Mobile experience lags behind the desktop version in features and polish

Try Adobe XD → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Sketch starts at $10/editor/mo. Adobe XD starts at $9.99/mo. Adobe XD is the more affordable option.

Feature gaps: Sketch offers Libraries, Mac Native and Plugins that Adobe XD lacks. Adobe XD brings Auto-Animate, Components and Creative Cloud that Sketch does not have. Both share Prototyping.

Team fit: Sketch is geared toward small teams teams, while Adobe XD is aimed at mid-size teams teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Where each tool shines: Sketch's biggest strengths are: native mac performance — fast and responsive. clean, focused interface. Adobe XD's biggest strengths are: interactive prototyping with transitions so stakeholders can click through realistic mockups. auto-animate creates smooth transitions between artboards without manual keyframing.

Watch out for: With Sketch, users commonly note that mac only — no windows or linux support. With Adobe XD, the main complaint is that no free plan — you need to pay $9.99/mo from day one to use it.

Choose Sketch if...

You need a tool built for mac users who prefer native app performance over browser-based tools
You specifically need Libraries and Mac Native
You care about clean, focused interface
Your team size fits the small teams profile Sketch is designed for

Choose Adobe XD if...

You need a tool built for designers in the adobe ecosystem
You want to save on per-user costs — Adobe XD is $0.01/user/mo cheaper
You specifically need Auto-Animate and Components
You care about auto-animate creates smooth transitions between artboards without manual keyframing
Your team size fits the mid-size teams profile Adobe XD is designed for