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Design · head to head

Figma vs Krita

Figma logo

Figma

Design

The collaborative interface design tool

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit FigmaFull review
Krita logo

Krita

Design

Free and open-source digital painting software

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit KritaFull review

The short version

  • Figma is a cloud-based design tool; Krita is a professional free and open-source painting program.
  • Krita is free; Figma starts at $12/mo.
  • Only Figma lists real-time collaboration; only Krita lists digital painting.
  • Where Figma falls short: no offline editing capability, can only view and create new files when disconnected.
  • Where Krita falls short: not portable across Windows/macOS/Linux with consistent performance.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Figma and Krita actually diverge.

Attributes where Figma and Krita differ
AttributeFigmaKrita
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidWindows, macOS, Linux
Founded20121999

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), category (Design).

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 Krita

  • Digital painting
  • Brush engines
  • Layer management
  • Animation
  • Vector tools
  • OpenEXR
  • PSD files
  • Graphics tablets

What people use each for

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

Figma

  • UI/UX designnot Krita
  • Design systemsnot Krita
  • Prototypingnot Krita
  • Design collaborationnot Krita
  • Developer handoffnot Krita

Krita

  • Digital paintingnot Figma
  • Concept artnot Figma
  • Character designnot Figma
  • 2D animationnot Figma
  • Texture paintingnot 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

Krita

  • Not portable across Windows/macOS/Linux with consistent performance
  • Performance limits on large projects with many layers compared to professional software
  • Requires system administrator privileges for installation on managed systems
  • Limited professional support compared to commercial alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

Figma

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Unlimited drafts
    • 3 Figma files
    • 3 FigJam boards
  • Professional$12/mo
    • Unlimited files and folders
    • Team libraries
    • Advanced prototyping
  • Organization$55/mo
    • Unlimited teams
    • Shared libraries
    • Design system theming
  • Enterprise$90/mo
    • Custom workspaces
    • API access
    • SCIM seat management

Krita

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Krita review.

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.
Figma review

Choose Krita if

  • You need digital painting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want brush engines.
Krita review

Questions people ask

Is Figma or Krita better?
Neither clearly leads. Figma starts at Free and Krita at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Figma or Krita?
Figma starts at Free and Krita at Free.
Does Figma or Krita run on more platforms?
Figma runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Krita runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Figma for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Krita is typically brought in for.
What can Figma do that Krita cannot?
Figma covers Real-time collaboration, Vector networks, Auto-layout, Components & variants. Krita covers Digital painting, Brush engines, Layer management, Animation.

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.

Source
Krita: Is Krita free and open source?

Yes, Krita is completely free and open source software developed by the KDE community. It is distributed under the LGPL license with no licensing fees.

Source
Figma: 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.

Source
Krita: What platforms does Krita support?

Krita is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can be downloaded from krita.org or installed via package managers on Linux distributions.

Source
Figma: 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.

Source
Krita: What animation capabilities does Krita have?

Krita supports frame-by-frame animation with onion skin view, timeline management, and export to video formats for creating animated sequences.

Source
Figma: 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.

Source
Figma: 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.

Source
Figma: 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
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