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Software · head to head

Sketch vs Amplitude

Sketch logo

Sketch

Software

The digital design toolkit

From
$12/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Amplitude logo

Amplitude

Software

The digital analytics platform to understand your users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Amplitude has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Sketch macOS-only for editing, blocking Windows and Linux users from accessing design features; Amplitude metered on event volume, so instrumenting more of a product raises the bill even if the audience does not grow
  • They diverge on capability: Sketch covers Vector editing, Amplitude covers Event tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Sketch and Amplitude actually diverge.

Attributes where Sketch and Amplitude differ
AttributeSketchAmplitude
Starting price$12/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsmacOS, Web, iOS, iPadWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20102012

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Sketch

  • Vector editing
  • Symbols & components
  • Prototyping
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Developer handoff
  • Plugins ecosystem
  • Cloud sync
  • Version history

Only in Amplitude

  • Event tracking
  • User segmentation
  • Funnel analysis
  • Retention analysis
  • Cohort analysis
  • A/B testing
  • Revenue analytics
  • Predictive analytics

Both cover

  • Encryption

What people use each for

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

Sketch

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

Amplitude

  • User behavior analysisnot Sketch
  • Feature adoption trackingnot Sketch
  • Conversion rate optimizationnot Sketch
  • Customer journey mappingnot Sketch
  • Retention improvementnot Sketch

Where each one falls short

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

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

Amplitude

  • Metered on event volume, so instrumenting more of a product raises the bill even if the audience does not grow
  • The free plan covers 2M events a month
  • The Plus plan scales to 70M events, above which pricing is custom
  • Growth and Enterprise pricing is not published

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Amplitude

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 2 million events per month
  • Plus$49/month
    • $0.049 per MTU
    • Up to 300k MTUs
    • Advanced analytics
  • GrowthFree
    • Causal insights
    • Feature experimentation
    • Real-time streaming
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Cross-product analysis
    • Advanced permissions
    • Dedicated account manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Sketch if

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

Choose Amplitude if

  • You need event tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want user segmentation.
Amplitude review

Questions people ask

Is Sketch or Amplitude better?
Neither clearly leads. Sketch starts at $12/month and Amplitude at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Sketch or Amplitude?
Amplitude has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/month for Sketch and Free for Amplitude.
Does Sketch or Amplitude run on more platforms?
Sketch runs on macOS, Web, iOS, iPad. Amplitude runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Amplitude for free?
Yes. Amplitude has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sketch starts at $12/month.
What is Sketch best used for?
Sketch is most often used for ui design, mobile app design, web design, design systems. Of those, ui design and mobile app design are not what Amplitude is typically brought in for.
What can Sketch do that Amplitude cannot?
Sketch covers Vector editing, Symbols & components, Prototyping, Real-time collaboration. Amplitude covers Event tracking, User segmentation, Funnel analysis, Retention analysis. Both handle Encryption.

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
Amplitude: Does Amplitude have a free plan?

Yes, Amplitude offers a free Starter plan with 2 million events per month and access to the entire platform including analytics, session replay, and experimentation features.

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
Amplitude: What is Amplitude's pricing based on?

Amplitude's pricing is based on the number of monthly tracked users (MTUs), data volume, and advanced features selected. The Plus plan starts at $49 per month with a rate of $0.049 per MTU.

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
Amplitude: What analytics features does every Amplitude plan include?

Every plan includes access to the full platform: analytics, session replay, feature experimentation, web experimentation, guides and surveys, activation, and AI tools like AI Feedback and AI Assistant.

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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