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Software · head to head

Sketch vs Whimsical

Sketch logo

Sketch

Software

The digital design toolkit

From
$12/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Whimsical logo

Whimsical

Software

Where great ideas take shape

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Whimsical 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; Whimsical the free plan is capped at 3 team boards, 3 teams and 10 guest seats
  • They diverge on capability: Sketch covers Vector editing, Whimsical covers Flowcharts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Sketch and Whimsical actually diverge.

Attributes where Sketch and Whimsical differ
AttributeSketchWhimsical
Starting price$12/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsmacOS, Web, iOS, iPadWeb
Founded20102017

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 Sketch

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

Only in Whimsical

  • Flowcharts
  • Wireframes
  • Mind maps
  • Sticky notes
  • Docs
  • Templates
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Notion

Both cover

  • Real-time collaboration
  • Jira
  • SSL
  • 2FA

What people use each for

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

Sketch

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

Whimsical

  • Product planningnot Sketch
  • UI/UX designnot Sketch
  • Brainstormingnot Sketch
  • Process documentationnot Sketch
  • Project visualizationnot 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

Whimsical

  • The free plan is capped at 3 team boards, 3 teams and 10 guest seats
  • File uploads are limited to 5MB per file and 1GB in total on the free plan
  • Version history on the free plan goes back 7 days
  • Voting, the timer, private teams, the GitHub integration, password-protected files and watermark removal all need Pro at $10 per editor per month
  • SSO and SAML are Business tier only at $20 per editor per month

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

Whimsical

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Up to 4 boards
    • Unlimited viewers
    • 7-day version history
  • Pro$10/month
    • Unlimited boards
    • Unlimited version history
    • Advanced permissions
  • Org$20/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • SSO
    • User management

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 Whimsical if

  • You need flowcharts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want wireframes.
Whimsical review

Questions people ask

Is Sketch or Whimsical better?
Neither clearly leads. Sketch starts at $12/month and Whimsical at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Sketch or Whimsical?
Whimsical has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/month for Sketch and Free for Whimsical.
Does Sketch or Whimsical run on more platforms?
Sketch runs on macOS, Web, iOS, iPad. Whimsical runs on Web.
Can I use Whimsical for free?
Yes. Whimsical 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 Whimsical is typically brought in for.
What can Sketch do that Whimsical cannot?
Sketch covers Vector editing, Symbols & components, Prototyping, Developer handoff. Whimsical covers Flowcharts, Wireframes, Mind maps, Sticky notes. Both handle Real-time collaboration, Jira, SSL, 2FA.

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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