Softwr

Design · head to head

Adobe XD vs RAD Studio

Adobe XD logo

Adobe XD

Design

Design, prototype, and share user experiences

From
$54.99/month
Free plan
No
Visit Adobe XDFull review
RAD Studio logo

RAD Studio

Developer Tools

Cross-platform native app development with Delphi and C++Builder

From
$2000/perpetual
Free plan
No
Visit RAD StudioFull review

The short version

  • RAD Studio is a cross-platform IDE.
  • Adobe XD starts at $54.99/mo, RAD Studio at $2000/mo.
  • Where Adobe XD falls short: standalone subscription eliminated - now requires expensive Creative Cloud All Apps plan.
  • Where RAD Studio falls short: professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe XD and RAD Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe XD and RAD Studio differ
AttributeAdobe XDRAD Studio
Starting price$54.99/month$2000/perpetual
PlatformsWeb, macOS, WindowsWeb
CategoryDesignDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: free tier (No).

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Adobe XD, founded for RAD Studio.

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adobe XD

  • Vector design tools
  • Responsive resize
  • Auto-animate
  • Voice prototyping
  • 3D transforms
  • Design systems
  • Component states
  • Coediting

Only in RAD Studio

Nothing recorded that Adobe XD does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adobe XD

  • Web designnot RAD Studio
  • Mobile app designnot RAD Studio
  • Design systemsnot RAD Studio
  • Interactive prototypesnot RAD Studio
  • User testingnot RAD Studio

RAD Studio

  • Building Windows desktop applications with VCL componentsnot Adobe XD
  • Creating iOS and Android apps from shared Delphi codebasenot Adobe XD
  • Connecting to Oracle databases through FireDAC connectivitynot Adobe XD
  • Building REST web services that run on Linux serversnot Adobe XD

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adobe XD

  • Standalone subscription eliminated - now requires expensive Creative Cloud All Apps plan
  • Mac-first design tool with more limited Windows support
  • Collaboration features are less mature compared to Figma
  • Not open source unlike alternatives like Penpot
  • Higher price point than competing standalone design tools

RAD Studio

  • Professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
  • Enterprise edition steps up to $3,400 license plus $1,199 maintenance, and Architect edition to $4,416 license plus $2,183 maintenance
  • The perpetual license only entitles the buyer to updates for one year; continued access to new updates and upgrades requires an annually renewable Update Subscription

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe XD

$54.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Adobe XD review.

RAD Studio

$2000/perpetual
  • Professional Edition$2,000 one-off
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $599
    • Total $2,599 + Tax
  • Enterprise Edition$3,400 one-off
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $1,199
    • Total $4,599 + Tax
  • Architect Edition$4,416 one-off
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $2,183
    • Total $6,599 + Tax

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe XD if

  • You need vector design tools.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want responsive resize.
Adobe XD review

Choose RAD Studio if

Nothing in the data separates RAD Studio from Adobe XD on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

RAD Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe XD or RAD Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe XD starts at $54.99/month and RAD Studio at $2000/perpetual, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe XD or RAD Studio?
Adobe XD starts at $54.99/month and RAD Studio at $2000/perpetual.
Does Adobe XD or RAD Studio run on more platforms?
Adobe XD runs on Web, macOS, Windows. RAD Studio runs on Web.
What is Adobe XD best used for?
Adobe XD is most often used for web design, mobile app design, design systems, interactive prototypes. Of those, web design and mobile app design are not what RAD Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe XD do that RAD Studio cannot?
Adobe XD covers Vector design tools, Responsive resize, Auto-animate, Voice prototyping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Adobe XD: Can I use Adobe XD without a full Creative Cloud subscription?

No. Adobe XD is no longer available as a standalone subscription. It is only available as part of Creative Cloud All Apps plan priced from $54.99 to $69.99 per month.

Source
RAD Studio: How much does RAD Studio cost?

RAD Studio uses perpetual licensing: Professional Edition $2,000 perpetual license + $599 first year maintenance ($2,599 total + tax). Enterprise Edition $3,400 license + $1,199 maintenance ($4,599 total + tax). Architect Edition $4,416 license + $2,183 maintenance ($6,599 total + tax).

Source
Adobe XD: What file formats does Adobe XD support?

Adobe XD supports XD format natively, with import/export capabilities for other design formats and vector graphics.

Source
RAD Studio: What is the difference between RAD Studio editions?

Professional Edition ($2,599 total + tax) targets individual developers. Enterprise Edition ($4,599 total + tax) adds multi-tier app capabilities. Architect Edition ($6,599 total + tax) includes advanced database and cloud features. All three include perpetual licenses.

Source
RAD Studio: Does RAD Studio offer Kai AI integration and discounts?

Yes, adding Kai AI to any edition provides discounts: 25% off Professional ($2,136 + tax), 30% off Enterprise ($3,394 + tax), and 40% off Architect ($4,109 + tax). This promotion is active through August 31, 2026.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Adobe XD

More on RAD Studio

Keep looking

Other head to heads