Figma is where most websites and apps are designed today: mock-ups, prototypes, whiteboards and design systems, all in the browser. It's for founders sketching a product, working with a freelance designer, or reviewing designs before they're built. The free Starter plan gives limited access to Figma's tools, with unlimited drafts, UI kits and templates, and up to 150 AI credits a day.
What it can do for you
Sketch your app's screens, click through a prototype before paying a developer, and use ready-made UI kits so it looks professional. If you hire a designer, you can review their work, leave comments and hand files over without exporting anything. Drafts are unlimited, so solo exploration costs nothing.
What people like
It's the industry standard, so designers and developers you work with will already use it. The free plan is permanent, and unlimited drafts are generous for one person working alone.
The honest downsides
- Team space is tiny on free. Figma's help centre says a Starter team gets a small number of team files, and Reddit users note each team file is limited to a few pages. Drafts are unlimited but others can only view them.
- No developer handoff tools. Reviewers note there's no Dev Mode or shared team libraries on free.
- Short version history. Independent reviews say free keeps about 30 days.
- AI credits are capped. 150 a day, up to 500 a month.
- Paid seats add up. A Professional full seat is $16 a month, per editor.
Skip it if
- you need several people editing the same files without paying
- you just need social graphics (a simpler design tool will be faster)
Alternatives
There's nothing we list that's better for product and web design. If you're designing a site to publish:
- Framer lets you design and publish a website in one tool, free on a Framer domain.
Some links may be affiliate links. They help keep WebTools.directory running at no extra cost to you.
Comments