Software · head to head
Zeplin vs Abstract
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Zeplin the free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace; Abstract the product appears to be gone. Its documentation path 404s, goabstract.com no longer resolves, and abstract.com now belongs to an unrelated venture capital firm
- They diverge on capability: Zeplin covers Design specs, Abstract covers Branching & merging.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Zeplin and Abstract actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), 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 Zeplin
- Design specs
- Asset export
- Code snippets
- Handoff workflow
- Accessibility checks
- Adobe XD
- GitLab
- Trello
Only in Abstract
- Branching & merging
- Asset library
- Collaboration
- File management
- Activity tracking
- Notion
- Zapier
- SSO
Both cover
- Design tokens
- Comments
- Version control
- Figma
- Sketch
- Jira
- Slack
- GitHub
- SOC2
- 2FA
- GDPR
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Zeplin
- Handing off design specs from Figma or Sketch to developersnot Abstract
- Sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering teamnot Abstract
- Reviewing and commenting on design versionsnot Abstract
Abstract
- Design systemsnot Zeplin
- Version controlnot Zeplin
- Asset managementnot Zeplin
- Team collaborationnot Zeplin
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Zeplin
- The free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
- Free plan AI reviews are capped at 3 per week
- Role based permissions require the Advanced plan or higher
- Single sign on, multi factor authentication, activity logs and invoiced billing are Enterprise only
- Priority 24 hour support is Enterprise only
- Basic plan caps screens at 1,000 per project and is priced per project rather than per seat
- Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate
Abstract
- The product appears to be gone. Its documentation path 404s, goabstract.com no longer resolves, and abstract.com now belongs to an unrelated venture capital firm
- Built around Sketch files, so it never covered teams that moved to Figma
Pricing, plan by plan
Zeplin
Free- FreeFree
- 1 project
- 1 workspace
- Basic specs
- Starter$19/month
- Unlimited projects
- Multiple workspaces
- Advanced specs
- Professional$49/month
- Everything in Starter
- Team collaboration
- Admin controls
Abstract
Free- FreeFree
- 1 shared library
- Basic version control
- 2 team members
- Pro$12/month
- Unlimited libraries
- Full version control
- Unlimited team members
- Enterprise$50/month
- Everything in Pro
- Advanced admin controls
- Compliance & security
Which should you pick?
Choose Zeplin if
- You need design specs.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want asset export.
Choose Abstract if
- You need branching & merging.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Macos, Web.
- You also want asset library.
Questions people ask
- Is Zeplin or Abstract better?
- Neither clearly leads. Zeplin starts at Free and Abstract at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Zeplin or Abstract?
- Zeplin starts at Free and Abstract at Free.
- Does Zeplin or Abstract run on more platforms?
- Zeplin runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Abstract runs on Macos, Web.
- Can I use Zeplin for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Zeplin best used for?
- Zeplin is most often used for handing off design specs from figma or sketch to developers, sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering team, reviewing and commenting on design versions. Of those, handing off design specs from figma or sketch to developers and sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering team are not what Abstract is typically brought in for.
- What can Zeplin do that Abstract cannot?
- Zeplin covers Design specs, Asset export, Code snippets, Handoff workflow. Abstract covers Branching & merging, Asset library, Collaboration, File management. Both handle Design tokens, Comments, Version control, Figma.