Softwr

Design · head to head

Principle vs Quill

P

Principle

Design

Animate your ideas, design better apps

From
$129/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Quill logo

Quill

AR VR

VR illustration and animation tool

From
$24.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Principle macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available; Quill no pricing information published on the main website; users directed to contact for pricing
  • They diverge on capability: Principle covers Timeline-based animation, Quill covers VR illustration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Principle and Quill actually diverge.

Attributes where Principle and Quill differ
AttributePrincipleQuill
Starting price$129/one-time$24.99/one-time
Pricing modelUnknownone-time
PlatformsmacOSVr, Quest
CategoryDesignAR VR
Founded20152021

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Principle

  • Timeline-based animation
  • Interactive prototypes
  • Touch gestures
  • Component reuse
  • Sketch import
  • Figma import
  • Driver animations
  • Sketch

Only in Quill

  • VR illustration
  • Animation timeline
  • Layers
  • Brushes
  • FBX export
  • Alembic
  • Vr support
  • Quest support

Both cover

  • Video export
  • Video export

What people use each for

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

Principle

  • Mobile app prototypesnot Quill
  • Micro-interactionsnot Quill
  • Animation designnot Quill
  • User flow designnot Quill
  • Gesture-based interfacesnot Quill

Quill

  • VR Gamingnot Principle
  • AR Marketingnot Principle
  • Virtual Trainingnot Principle
  • 3D Visualizationnot Principle
  • Immersive Experiencesnot Principle

Where each one falls short

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

Principle

  • macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available
  • No vector morphing capability for complex shape transformations
  • Limited asset creation tools; cannot create vectors or shapes directly within Principle
  • Sketch import flattens certain properties including paths, fills, borders, masks, blur effects, and text layers
  • Limited variable support, logical loops, and data input capabilities compared to tools like ProtoPie or Origami

Quill

  • No pricing information published on the main website; users directed to contact for pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Principle

$129/one-time
  • License$129/one-time
    • One year of upgrades
    • Full access to all features
  • Upgrade License$99/year
    • Annual renewal for ongoing upgrades

Quill

$24.99/one-time
  • Quill$24.99/one-time
    • VR illustration
    • Animation
    • Export

Which should you pick?

Choose Principle if

  • You need timeline-based animation.
  • You work on macOS.
  • You also want interactive prototypes.
Principle review

Choose Quill if

  • You need vr illustration.
  • You work on Vr, Quest.
  • You also want animation timeline.
Quill review

Questions people ask

Is Principle or Quill better?
Neither clearly leads. Principle starts at $129/one-time and Quill at $24.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Principle or Quill?
Principle starts at $129/one-time and Quill at $24.99/one-time.
Does Principle or Quill run on more platforms?
Principle runs on macOS. Quill runs on Vr, Quest.
What is Principle best used for?
Principle is most often used for mobile app prototypes, micro-interactions, animation design, user flow design. Of those, mobile app prototypes and micro-interactions are not what Quill is typically brought in for.
What can Principle do that Quill cannot?
Principle covers Timeline-based animation, Interactive prototypes, Touch gestures, Component reuse. Quill covers VR illustration, Animation timeline, Layers, Brushes. Both handle Video export, Video export.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Principle: Does Principle run on Windows or Linux?

No. Principle is macOS only and runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. There is no Windows or Linux editor available; however, prototypes can be shared and viewed on any platform via web link.

Source
Quill: How much does Quill cost?

Quill does not publish pricing information on its website. Interested users are directed to contact the team at [email protected] or visit the Get Quill section to inquire about pricing and licensing options.

Source
Principle: What is the cost of Principle?

Principle costs $129 for a one-time purchase with 1 year of upgrades included. After 1 year, upgrade licenses cost $99/year. A 14-day free trial is available with all features included.

Source
Quill: Is Quill free to use?

The Quill website does not indicate whether the VR illustration and animation tool is free, paid, or subscription-based. Pricing details require contacting the company directly.

Source
Principle: Can I import designs from Figma or Sketch into Principle?

Yes. Principle supports importing designs from Figma and Sketch with intelligent merging of re-imported files. Some Sketch properties such as paths, fills, borders, blur effects, masks, and text layers are flattened upon import.

Source
Principle: How do I share Principle prototypes with others?

Prototypes can be shared via web link with one click (File > Export > Share to Web). Recipients can view and interact with prototypes in any browser on any platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS. No installation required.

Source
Principle: Can I create vector shapes and morphing animations in Principle?

Principle does not support vector morphing, where vector objects transform into other vector shapes. It also has limited asset creation capabilities and editing is restricted to basic operations like scale and rotate.

Source
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