Design Tools · head to head
Marvel vs Zeplin
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Marvel pricing is not shown on the product pages; Zeplin the free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
- They diverge on capability: Marvel covers Drag-and-drop prototyping, Zeplin covers Design specs.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Marvel and Zeplin actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design Tools).
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 Marvel
- Drag-and-drop prototyping
- User testing
- Animations
- Interactions
- User research
- Analytics
- Handoff tools
- Feedback
Only in Zeplin
- Design specs
- Asset export
- Code snippets
- Design tokens
- Comments
- Version control
- Handoff workflow
- Accessibility checks
Both cover
- Slack
- Jira
- Trello
- Sketch
- Adobe XD
- Figma
- SOC2
- 2FA
- GDPR
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Marvel
- Wireframing and clickable prototypesnot Zeplin
- User testing on a prototype before buildnot Zeplin
- Developer handoff with automatic design specsnot Zeplin
- Sharing prototypes with stakeholders for feedbacknot Zeplin
Zeplin
- Handing off design specs from Figma or Sketch to developersnot Marvel
- Sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering teamnot Marvel
- Reviewing and commenting on design versionsnot Marvel
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Marvel
- Pricing is not shown on the product pages
- User research capability comes through Ballpark rather than being native to Marvel
Zeplin
- The free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
- Free plan AI reviews are capped at 3 per week
- Role based permissions require the Advanced plan or higher
- Single sign on, multi factor authentication, activity logs and invoiced billing are Enterprise only
- Priority 24 hour support is Enterprise only
- Basic plan caps screens at 1,000 per project and is priced per project rather than per seat
- Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate
Pricing, plan by plan
Marvel
Free- FreeFree
- 1 project
- Unlimited screens
- Basic prototyping
- Professional$12/month
- Unlimited projects
- Unlimited screens
- Advanced prototyping
- Team$80/month
- Everything in Professional
- Unlimited users
- Team workspace
Zeplin
Free- FreeFree
- 1 project
- 1 workspace
- Basic specs
- Starter$19/month
- Unlimited projects
- Multiple workspaces
- Advanced specs
- Professional$49/month
- Everything in Starter
- Team collaboration
- Admin controls
Which should you pick?
Choose Marvel if
- You need drag-and-drop prototyping.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want user testing.
Choose Zeplin if
- You need design specs.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want asset export.
Questions people ask
- Is Marvel or Zeplin better?
- Neither clearly leads. Marvel starts at Free and Zeplin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Marvel or Zeplin?
- Marvel starts at Free and Zeplin at Free.
- Does Marvel or Zeplin run on more platforms?
- Marvel runs on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android. Zeplin runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- Can I use Marvel for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Marvel best used for?
- Marvel is most often used for wireframing and clickable prototypes, user testing on a prototype before build, developer handoff with automatic design specs, sharing prototypes with stakeholders for feedback. Of those, wireframing and clickable prototypes and user testing on a prototype before build are not what Zeplin is typically brought in for.
- What can Marvel do that Zeplin cannot?
- Marvel covers Drag-and-drop prototyping, User testing, Animations, Interactions. Zeplin covers Design specs, Asset export, Code snippets, Design tokens. Both handle Slack, Jira, Trello, Sketch.