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Technology · head to head

Figma vs Whimsical

Figma logo

Figma

Technology

The collaborative interface design tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Whimsical logo

Whimsical

Technology

Where great ideas take shape

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Figma no offline editing capability, can only view and create new files when disconnected; Whimsical the free plan is capped at 3 team boards, 3 teams and 10 guest seats
  • They diverge on capability: Figma covers Vector networks, Whimsical covers Flowcharts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Figma and Whimsical actually diverge.

Attributes where Figma and Whimsical differ
AttributeFigmaWhimsical
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded20122017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).

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 Figma

  • Vector networks
  • Auto-layout
  • Components & variants
  • Prototyping
  • Design systems
  • Developer handoff
  • Version control
  • Microsoft Teams

Only in Whimsical

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

Both cover

  • Real-time collaboration
  • Slack
  • Jira
  • GitHub
  • Notion
  • SOC2
  • 2FA
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Figma

  • UI/UX design
  • Design systemsnot Whimsical
  • Prototypingnot Whimsical
  • Design collaborationnot Whimsical
  • Developer handoffnot Whimsical

Whimsical

  • Product planningnot Figma
  • UI/UX design
  • Brainstormingnot Figma
  • Process documentationnot Figma
  • Project visualizationnot Figma

Both are used for ui/ux design, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Figma

  • No offline editing capability, can only view and create new files when disconnected
  • Mobile apps are read-only, cannot edit designs on iOS or Android
  • No self-hosted option, requires cloud connectivity and internet access
  • Performance degradation with large files containing thousands of layers
  • Library components and unloaded pages not accessible offline

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

Figma

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Unlimited drafts
    • 3 Figma files
    • 3 FigJam boards
  • Professional$12/month
    • Unlimited files and folders
    • Team libraries
    • Advanced prototyping
  • Organization$55/month
    • Unlimited teams
    • Shared libraries
    • Design system theming
  • Enterprise$90/month
    • Custom workspaces
    • API access
    • SCIM seat management

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 Figma if

  • You need vector networks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want auto-layout.
Figma review

Choose Whimsical if

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

Questions people ask

Is Figma or Whimsical better?
Neither clearly leads. Figma starts at Free and Whimsical at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Figma or Whimsical?
Figma starts at Free and Whimsical at Free.
Does Figma or Whimsical run on more platforms?
Figma runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android. Whimsical runs on Web.
Can I use Figma for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Figma best used for?
Figma is most often used for ui/ux design, design systems, prototyping, design collaboration. Of those, design systems and prototyping are not what Whimsical is typically brought in for.
What can Figma do that Whimsical cannot?
Figma covers Vector networks, Auto-layout, Components & variants, Prototyping. Whimsical covers Flowcharts, Wireframes, Mind maps, Sticky notes. Both handle Real-time collaboration, Slack, Jira, GitHub.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Figma: What's included in Figma's free tier?

Figma's Starter plan is free forever and includes unlimited drafts, up to 3 Figma files, 3 FigJam boards, core design features (vector editing, auto layout, components, prototyping), basic developer handoff (inspect), and 150 AI credits per day up to 500 per month. Maximum 2 editors per file.

Source
Whimsical: What are Whimsical's pricing tiers?

Whimsical offers three plans: Free at 0 dollars per month per editor, Pro at 10 dollars per month per editor, and Business at 20 dollars per month per editor.

Source
Figma: Does Figma work offline?

Figma has very limited offline support. You can create one new file and edit currently loaded pages, but cannot open previously created files, access new pages, search for library components, or see real-time collaboration. Changes are cached locally for up to 30 days and sync when you reconnect.

Source
Whimsical: What is included in the Free plan?

The Free plan allows creation of up to 50 board objects and 50 doc blocks per month, includes watermarked exports, and provides 7-day version history. Storage is limited to 1GB.

Source
Figma: Can you self-host Figma?

No. Figma is a closed, cloud-only platform with no option to self-host or run on your own servers.

Source
Whimsical: What features unlock in the Pro plan?

The Pro plan removes the object creation limits, provides unlimited board objects and doc blocks, removes watermarks from exports, extends version history to 90 days, and offers 100GB of storage.

Source
Figma: What export formats does Figma support?

Figma exports to PNG, JPEG, SVG (at 1x scale only), and PDF (at 1x scale only). Export settings allow customization of resolution, quality, and scale.

Source
Whimsical: What security and team features come with Business?

The Business plan adds private teams, SAML single sign-on, SCIM and advanced security controls, unlimited version history, priority support, and a dedicated success manager. Storage starts at 2TB.

Source
Figma: What platforms does Figma support?

Figma is available as a web app (all platforms), desktop apps for macOS and Windows, and mobile apps for iOS and Android. Linux users can access Figma through the web browser only.

Source
Whimsical: Do discounts apply for annual billing?

Yes, annual billing offers a 17 percent discount compared to monthly rates. Additionally, nonprofits receive a 20 percent discount and students and teachers get full access.

Source
Figma: What are Figma's integrations?

Figma integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Asana, Linear, Notion, VS Code, Zapier, and hundreds of other tools. Integration categories include collaboration, project management, developer handoff, prototyping, and AI/code generation.

Source
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