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Design · head to head

Principle vs RAD Studio

P

Principle

Design

Animate your ideas, design better apps

From
$129/one-time
Free plan
No
Visit PrincipleFull review
RAD Studio logo

RAD Studio

Developer Tools

Cross-platform native app development with Delphi and C++Builder

From
$2000/perpetual
Free plan
No
Visit RAD StudioFull review

The short version

  • RAD Studio is a cross-platform IDE.
  • Principle starts at $129 one-off, RAD Studio at $2000/mo.
  • Where Principle falls short: macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available.
  • Where RAD Studio falls short: professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Principle and RAD Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Principle and RAD Studio differ
AttributePrincipleRAD Studio
Starting price$129/one-time$2000/perpetual
PlatformsmacOSWeb
CategoryDesignDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: free tier (No).

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Principle, founded for RAD Studio.

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
  • Video export
  • Sketch import
  • Figma import
  • Driver animations

Only in RAD Studio

Nothing recorded that Principle does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Principle

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

RAD Studio

  • Building Windows desktop applications with VCL componentsnot Principle
  • Creating iOS and Android apps from shared Delphi codebasenot Principle
  • Connecting to Oracle databases through FireDAC connectivitynot Principle
  • Building REST web services that run on Linux serversnot 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

RAD Studio

  • Professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
  • Enterprise edition steps up to $3,400 license plus $1,199 maintenance, and Architect edition to $4,416 license plus $2,183 maintenance
  • The perpetual license only entitles the buyer to updates for one year; continued access to new updates and upgrades requires an annually renewable Update Subscription

Pricing, plan by plan

Principle

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

RAD Studio

$2000/perpetual
  • Professional Edition$2,000 one-off
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $599
    • Total $2,599 + Tax
  • Enterprise Edition$3,400 one-off
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $1,199
    • Total $4,599 + Tax
  • Architect Edition$4,416 one-off
    • Perpetual License
    • First year maintenance $2,183
    • Total $6,599 + Tax

Which should you pick?

Choose Principle if

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

Choose RAD Studio if

Nothing in the data separates RAD Studio from Principle on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

RAD Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Principle or RAD Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Principle starts at $129/one-time and RAD Studio at $2000/perpetual, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Principle or RAD Studio?
Principle starts at $129/one-time and RAD Studio at $2000/perpetual.
Does Principle or RAD Studio run on more platforms?
Principle runs on macOS. RAD Studio runs on Web.
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 RAD Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Principle do that RAD Studio cannot?
Principle covers Timeline-based animation, Interactive prototypes, Touch gestures, Component reuse.

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
RAD Studio: How much does RAD Studio cost?

RAD Studio uses perpetual licensing: Professional Edition $2,000 perpetual license + $599 first year maintenance ($2,599 total + tax). Enterprise Edition $3,400 license + $1,199 maintenance ($4,599 total + tax). Architect Edition $4,416 license + $2,183 maintenance ($6,599 total + tax).

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
RAD Studio: What is the difference between RAD Studio editions?

Professional Edition ($2,599 total + tax) targets individual developers. Enterprise Edition ($4,599 total + tax) adds multi-tier app capabilities. Architect Edition ($6,599 total + tax) includes advanced database and cloud features. All three include perpetual licenses.

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
RAD Studio: Does RAD Studio offer Kai AI integration and discounts?

Yes, adding Kai AI to any edition provides discounts: 25% off Professional ($2,136 + tax), 30% off Enterprise ($3,394 + tax), and 40% off Architect ($4,109 + tax). This promotion is active through August 31, 2026.

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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