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Developer Tools · head to head

Cortex vs InVision

Cortex logo

Cortex

Developer Tools

Internal developer portal that scores service ownership and maturity rather than just cataloguing services

From
On request
Free plan
No
Visit CortexFull review
InVision logo

InVision

Design

Digital product design platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit InVisionFull review

The short version

  • InVision is a digital product design platform.
  • InVision starts at $25/mo; Cortex prices on request.
  • Only Cortex lists service catalogue; only InVision lists interactive prototypes.
  • Where InVision falls short: service discontinued as of end of 2024; no longer available or supported.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cortex and InVision actually diverge.

Attributes where Cortex and InVision differ
AttributeCortexInVision
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDesign

Not yet recorded: pricing model for InVision, founded for Cortex.

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 Cortex

  • Service catalogue
  • Scorecards
  • Initiatives
  • Self-service templates
  • Query language
  • Eng intelligence
  • Integrations layer
  • On-call and ownership mapping

Only in InVision

  • Interactive prototypes
  • Design collaboration
  • Freehand whiteboarding
  • Design system manager
  • Inspect mode
  • Comments & feedback
  • Version control
  • User testing

What people use each for

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

Cortex

  • A platform team that needs to prove to leadership how far a Kubernetes or framework migration has actually progressed across hundreds of servicesnot InVision
  • An organisation where ownership of production services is genuinely unknown after reorganisations or acquisitionsnot InVision
  • Enforcing production readiness standards on new services at creation time rather than at incident reviewnot InVision
  • Replacing a self-hosted Backstage that is consuming a full-time engineer or two just to stay upgradednot InVision

InVision

  • Prototype creationnot Cortex
  • Design feedbacknot Cortex
  • Whiteboarding sessionsnot Cortex
  • Design handoffnot Cortex
  • User testingnot Cortex

Where each one falls short

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

Cortex

  • Pricing is quote only, so a platform team cannot build a business case or compare against the true cost of self-hosted Backstage without entering a sales cycle first
  • The catalogue is only as accurate as the metadata you supply, so an organisation with inconsistent repository conventions spends its first quarter cleaning data before any scorecard means anything
  • Scorecards create political friction: publishing a per-team grade turns an engineering standard into a performance metric, and teams will game the rules rather than fix the underlying issue
  • It is closed source and hosted, so organisations with strict data residency or air-gap requirements have limited options compared with running Backstage themselves
  • Value scales with organisation size, so a company with fifty engineers and thirty services will find the catalogue tells them nothing they did not already know while still paying an enterprise contract

InVision

  • Service discontinued as of end of 2024; no longer available or supported
  • Workflow required constant switching between design software (Sketch/Photoshop) and InVision for prototyping, creating inefficiency
  • Performance issues and glitches reported, especially with larger projects
  • Limited development capabilities; required additional hosting and developer support for deployment
  • Could not export working web or mobile applications without additional development

Pricing, plan by plan

Cortex

On request
  • CortexOn request
    • Service catalogue and ownership mapping
    • Scorecards and initiatives
    • Self-service templates

InVision

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the InVision review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Cortex if

  • You need service catalogue.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want scorecards.
Cortex review

Choose InVision if

  • You need interactive prototypes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want design collaboration.
InVision review

Questions people ask

Is Cortex or InVision better?
Neither clearly leads. Cortex starts at On request and InVision at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cortex or InVision?
InVision has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cortex and Free for InVision.
Does Cortex or InVision run on more platforms?
Cortex runs on Web, API. InVision runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
Can I use InVision for free?
Yes. InVision has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cortex starts at On request.
What is Cortex best used for?
Cortex is most often used for a platform team that needs to prove to leadership how far a kubernetes or framework migration has actually progressed across hundreds of services, an organisation where ownership of production services is genuinely unknown after reorganisations or acquisitions, enforcing production readiness standards on new services at creation time rather than at incident review, replacing a self-hosted backstage that is consuming a full-time engineer or two just to stay upgraded. Of those, a platform team that needs to prove to leadership how far a kubernetes or framework migration has actually progressed across hundreds of services and an organisation where ownership of production services is genuinely unknown after reorganisations or acquisitions are not what InVision is typically brought in for.
What can Cortex do that InVision cannot?
Cortex covers Service catalogue, Scorecards, Initiatives, Self-service templates. InVision covers Interactive prototypes, Design collaboration, Freehand whiteboarding, Design system manager.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cortex: How is Cortex different from Backstage?

Backstage is an open source framework you build and staff. Cortex is a hosted product with scorecards and initiatives out of the box and no platform team required to keep it running.

InVision: Is InVision still active and supported in 2026?

No. InVision announced discontinuation of all services by end of 2024. The platform is no longer available or supported.

Source
Cortex: Is pricing published?

No. Cortex requires a sales conversation and prepares a custom proposal.

InVision: What were InVision's core features?

InVision allowed designers to transform designs into interactive prototypes and mockups for web and mobile. It supported Craft Player for Sketch, Craft Sync for Photoshop, and preview mode in Studio, enabling design-to-prototype workflows.

Source
Cortex: Can it self-host?

It is offered as a hosted product; on-premise arrangements are handled through sales rather than published.

InVision: What were InVision's pricing plans?

InVision offered Free ($0), Starter ($25/month), Professional ($99/month), and Team plans. Annual billing provided a 10% discount. Free plan included basic prototyping; paid plans added collaboration and file access.

Source
Cortex: What is the main adoption risk?

Bad or missing service metadata. The catalogue and every scorecard on top of it inherit whatever quality your repositories already have.

InVision: Why did InVision fail in the market?

InVision's market position was disrupted by Figma, which unified design, prototyping, and collaboration in a single web-based platform. InVision required switching between design software and prototyping, creating friction and reducing competitiveness.

Source
InVision: What integrations did InVision support?

InVision integrated with design tools like Sketch and Photoshop, and supported sharing and collaboration workflows. The platform did not support deployment or direct development integration.

Source
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