Sketch
Native macOS UI design tool with vector editing, prototyping, and handoff.
About
Sketch is the macOS-native interface design tool that pioneered the modern UI design category before Figma's browser-based approach took over. It offers fast native performance, a clean vector canvas, symbols and shared libraries, stack layouts, and built-in prototyping with transitions and overlays. Collaboration happens through Sketch's web workspace with real-time co-editing, version history, and free developer handoff.
Pricing is per editor at around $12/month annually for Standard (up to $24 Professional and $44 Enterprise tiers), plus a $120 one-time Mac-only license for solo offline use; there is no free plan beyond a 30-day trial. The honest tradeoffs: it is macOS only for editing, its plugin ecosystem and community are smaller than Figma's, and its AI capabilities arrive via MCP integrations and plugins rather than built-in generation. Best fit for Mac-only teams that prefer a native app and already have Sketch workflows.
What it can do
- Native macOS vector design canvas with symbols and shared libraries
- Built-in interactive prototyping with overlays and transitions
- Real-time collaboration, version history, and free developer handoff
- AI workflows via MCP integrations and the plugin ecosystem
- Figma file import via plugins
Setup
Download the Mac app from sketch.com; 30-day free trial, then a per-editor subscription or a one-time Mac-only license.
Prerequisites
macOS (editing is Mac-only; Windows users can view and comment via the web workspace).
Use cases
Works with
Trust score — 7/10
Scored 7/10 (metrics tier, metrics-v1). Evidence: Verified via vendor site/docs/GitHub and reputable coverage, wave 71; Trending score 72/100 from researcher assessment.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these sources. Where a claim comes from the provider and couldn't be independently verified, the text says so.