Technology · head to head
Figma vs Aha!
The short version
- Only Figma has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Figma no offline editing capability, can only view and create new files when disconnected; Aha! sold as eight separate products rather than one subscription, so Roadmaps, Discovery, Ideas, Whiteboards, Builder, Develop, Teamwork and Knowledge are each priced per user
- They diverge on capability: Figma covers Real-time collaboration, Aha! covers Strategic roadmaps.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Figma and Aha! actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).
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 Figma
- Real-time collaboration
- Vector networks
- Auto-layout
- Components & variants
- Prototyping
- Design systems
- Developer handoff
- Version control
Only in Aha!
- Strategic roadmaps
- Release planning
- Idea management
- Requirements & user stories
- Visual workflows
- Gantt charts
- Pivot tables
- Custom scorecards
Both cover
- Slack
- Microsoft Teams
- Jira
- GitHub
- SOC2
- GDPR
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Figma
- UI/UX designnot Aha!
- Design systemsnot Aha!
- Prototypingnot Aha!
- Design collaborationnot Aha!
- Developer handoffnot Aha!
Aha!
- Product roadmapping linked to strategy and goalsnot Figma
- Collecting and scoring customer feedback through Ideasnot Figma
- Customer research and interview analysis with Discoverynot Figma
- Agile delivery tracking with Developnot Figma
- Internal product documentation with Knowledgenot Figma
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Figma
- No offline editing capability, can only view and create new files when disconnected
- Mobile apps are read-only, cannot edit designs on iOS or Android
- No self-hosted option, requires cloud connectivity and internet access
- Performance degradation with large files containing thousands of layers
- Library components and unloaded pages not accessible offline
Aha!
- Sold as eight separate products rather than one subscription, so Roadmaps, Discovery, Ideas, Whiteboards, Builder, Develop, Teamwork and Knowledge are each priced per user
- Roadmaps at $59 per user per month is expensive next to general project tools, and Discovery and Ideas add $39 each
- The Develop integration with Roadmaps requires the Enterprise or Enterprise+ tier
- Annual billing is by invoice only; monthly is card
Pricing, plan by plan
Figma
Free- StarterFree
- Unlimited drafts
- 3 Figma files
- 3 FigJam boards
- Professional$12/month
- Unlimited files and folders
- Team libraries
- Advanced prototyping
- Organization$55/month
- Unlimited teams
- Shared libraries
- Design system theming
- Enterprise$90/month
- Custom workspaces
- API access
- SCIM seat management
Aha!
$59/month- Startup$29/month
- All premium features
- Discounted pricing for early-stage startups
- Premium$59/month
- Strategy setting
- Roadmap creation
- Feature prioritization
- Enterprise$null/month
- Unlimited reviewers and viewers
- Advanced features
- Enterprise+$null/month
- Everything in Enterprise plus workflow automation
- Capacity planning
- Concierge support
Which should you pick?
Choose Figma if
- You need real-time collaboration.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
- You also want vector networks.
Questions people ask
- Is Figma or Aha! better?
- Neither clearly leads. Figma starts at Free and Aha! at $59/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Figma or Aha!?
- Figma has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Figma and $59/month for Aha!.
- Does Figma or Aha! run on more platforms?
- Figma runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Aha! runs on Web.
- Can I use Figma for free?
- Yes. Figma has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aha! starts at $59/month.
- What is Figma best used for?
- Figma is most often used for ui/ux design, design systems, prototyping, design collaboration. Of those, ui/ux design and design systems are not what Aha! is typically brought in for.
- What can Figma do that Aha! cannot?
- Figma covers Real-time collaboration, Vector networks, Auto-layout, Components & variants. Aha! covers Strategic roadmaps, Release planning, Idea management, Requirements & user stories. Both handle Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, GitHub.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Figma: What's included in Figma's free tier?
Figma's Starter plan is free forever and includes unlimited drafts, up to 3 Figma files, 3 FigJam boards, core design features (vector editing, auto layout, components, prototyping), basic developer handoff (inspect), and 150 AI credits per day up to 500 per month. Maximum 2 editors per file.
SourceAha!: Does Aha! have a free tier?
No. Aha! offers a 30-day free trial without requiring a credit card, but there is no permanent free plan. Pricing starts at $59/user/month for Aha! Roadmaps.
SourceFigma: Does Figma work offline?
Figma has very limited offline support. You can create one new file and edit currently loaded pages, but cannot open previously created files, access new pages, search for library components, or see real-time collaboration. Changes are cached locally for up to 30 days and sync when you reconnect.
SourceAha!: How is Aha! pricing structured?
Aha! uses per-user billing. Premium plan charges all users equally regardless of permission level. Enterprise plans only charge for workspace owners and contributors, with unlimited reviewers and viewers at no additional cost.
SourceFigma: Can you self-host Figma?
No. Figma is a closed, cloud-only platform with no option to self-host or run on your own servers.
SourceAha!: Can I use Aha! offline?
Aha! is a cloud-based SaaS platform with no offline mode mentioned in documentation. All features require internet connectivity to the cloud servers.
SourceFigma: What export formats does Figma support?
Figma exports to PNG, JPEG, SVG (at 1x scale only), and PDF (at 1x scale only). Export settings allow customization of resolution, quality, and scale.
SourceAha!: What does Enterprise+ plan include?
Enterprise+ includes workflow automation, capacity planning, custom tables and calculations, advanced license management, account backup and export, anti-virus scanning, IP access control, and concierge white-glove support.
SourceFigma: What platforms does Figma support?
Figma is available as a web app (all platforms), desktop apps for macOS and Windows, and mobile apps for iOS and Android. Linux users can access Figma through the web browser only.
SourceAha!: How many integrations does Aha! support?
Aha! Roadmaps offers 40+ integrations including Jira, Azure DevOps, Slack, Salesforce, and Zendesk. Salesforce and Zendesk require additional add-on purchases.
SourceFigma: What are Figma's integrations?
Figma integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Asana, Linear, Notion, VS Code, Zapier, and hundreds of other tools. Integration categories include collaboration, project management, developer handoff, prototyping, and AI/code generation.
Source