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Software · head to head

Mural vs Sketch

Mural logo

Mural

Software

The digital workspace for visual collaboration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sketch logo

Sketch

Software

The digital design toolkit

From
$12/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mural has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mural the free plan allows 3 editable murals at a time, so working on a fourth means archiving one; Sketch macOS-only for editing, blocking Windows and Linux users from accessing design features
  • They diverge on capability: Mural covers Infinite canvas, Sketch covers Vector editing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mural and Sketch actually diverge.

Attributes where Mural and Sketch differ
AttributeMuralSketch
Starting priceFree$12/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidmacOS, Web, iOS, iPad
Founded20112010

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Mural

  • Infinite canvas
  • Sticky notes
  • Shapes & connectors
  • Image uploads
  • Templates
  • Voting & feedback
  • Slack
  • Microsoft Teams

Only in Sketch

  • Vector editing
  • Symbols & components
  • Prototyping
  • Developer handoff
  • Plugins ecosystem
  • Cloud sync
  • Version history
  • InVision

Both cover

  • Real-time collaboration
  • Jira

What people use each for

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

Mural

  • Running collaborative workshops and retrospectives on a shared whiteboardnot Sketch
  • Mapping journeys and diagrams with a distributed teamnot Sketch

Sketch

  • UI designnot Mural
  • Mobile app designnot Mural
  • Web designnot Mural
  • Design systemsnot Mural
  • Prototypingnot Mural

Where each one falls short

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

Mural

  • The free plan allows 3 editable murals at a time, so working on a fourth means archiving one
  • Mural AI and the Zoom and Webex integrations require Team+ at $9.99 per member per month billed annually
  • SSO and the Okta, Azure and GitHub integrations are Business only at $17.99 per member per month
  • Multiple workspaces, SCIM, audit logs and enforced 2FA are Enterprise only with no published price

Sketch

  • macOS-only for editing, blocking Windows and Linux users from accessing design features
  • Real-time collaboration feels less seamless than Figma with occasional sync delays
  • Limited built-in image editing capabilities, requiring external software for bitmap work
  • Subscription required for cloud features and collaboration, losing access if subscription lapses

Pricing, plan by plan

Mural

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 mural
    • Basic shapes
    • File uploads
  • Team$16/month
    • Unlimited murals
    • Advanced templates
    • Team collaboration

Sketch

$12/month
  • Standard$12/month
    • Real-time collaboration
    • Unlimited documents
    • Unlimited free viewers
  • Professional$24/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Single Sign-On (SSO)
    • Project archiving
  • Enterprise$44/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • SCIM provisioning
    • BYOK encryption
  • Mac-only License$120/perpetual
    • Native Mac app
    • Offline access
    • Local file saving

Which should you pick?

Choose Mural if

  • You need infinite canvas.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want sticky notes.
Mural review

Choose Sketch if

  • You need vector editing.
  • You work on macOS, Web, iOS, iPad.
  • You also want symbols & components.
Sketch review

Questions people ask

Is Mural or Sketch better?
Neither clearly leads. Mural starts at Free and Sketch at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mural or Sketch?
Mural has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mural and $12/month for Sketch.
Does Mural or Sketch run on more platforms?
Mural runs on Web, Ios, Android. Sketch runs on macOS, Web, iOS, iPad.
Can I use Mural for free?
Yes. Mural has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sketch starts at $12/month.
What is Mural best used for?
Mural is most often used for running collaborative workshops and retrospectives on a shared whiteboard, mapping journeys and diagrams with a distributed team. Of those, running collaborative workshops and retrospectives on a shared whiteboard and mapping journeys and diagrams with a distributed team are not what Sketch is typically brought in for.
What can Mural do that Sketch cannot?
Mural covers Infinite canvas, Sticky notes, Shapes & connectors, Image uploads. Sketch covers Vector editing, Symbols & components, Prototyping, Developer handoff. Both handle Real-time collaboration, Jira.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Sketch: Is Sketch available for Windows or Linux?

No. Sketch is macOS-only for the design and prototyping features. Web and mobile apps provide viewing and collaboration, but editing requires macOS 14.0 or later.

Source
Sketch: Does Sketch offer a free trial?

Yes. Sketch provides a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. You can also purchase a one-time Mac-only license for $120 per seat instead of subscribing.

Source
Sketch: What collaboration features does Sketch include?

Sketch supports real-time collaboration, unlimited document sharing, unlimited viewers, and version history on all paid subscription plans (Standard $12/month, Professional $24/month, Enterprise $44/month).

Source
Sketch: Can I use Sketch offline?

Yes. The one-time Mac-only license ($120) allows you to use Sketch offline and save files locally, but it excludes cloud collaboration and iOS previewing features.

Source
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