Sima.
Figma vs. Adobe XD (2025): Which Design Platform Wins for Agencies?
By Sima Team | June 7, 2025
TL;DR – Figma keeps accelerating with AI-powered workflows (Figma Make, Grid v2, Dev-Mode MCP server) and a 40 %+ market share, while Adobe XD is in maintenance mode, nudged aside by Adobe Firefly for AI-driven ideation. If you need a future-proof, collaborative canvas, Figma delivers ~32 % faster brief-to-prototype cycles; if you're locked into Creative Cloud and light prototyping is enough, XD/Firebase+Firefly remains serviceable, but note Adobe's publicly confirmed sunset timeline.
Why Re-Evaluate in 2025?
- Major Figma launches. Config 2025 introduced Figma Make, Grid, and Draw, pushing prompt-to-code and rich vector expression straight into the core editor (figma.com). A week later, Figma shipped the Dev-Mode MCP Server (beta) enabling AI agents like Copilot and Claude to pull live design tokens into code (figma.com).
- Adobe pivots to Firefly. Adobe announced XD's gradual sunset in 2024; 2025 messaging steers users towards Firefly—its all-in-one generative platform for images, vectors, video, and "AI-first" mood-boards (uxness.in, news.adobe.com).
- Market adoption diverges. Figma captured 40.6 % of the design-software market by Q1-2025, eclipsing XD's single-digit share (cropink.com).
Quick Verdict
| Scenario | Best Pick | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Collaborative product teams / agencies | Figma | Multiplayer cursor, FigJam whiteboards, live dev-mode hand-off + MCP server for AI code-gen |
| Creative Cloud-centric studios | XD (+Firefly) | Deep Photoshop/Illustrator round-trip and Firefly Boards for AI mood-boarding |
| Budget-constrained freelancers | Figma Starter (free) | Unlimited files on community plans; vast plugin ecosystem |
| Stakeholder hand-off only (design done elsewhere) | XD | Lightweight prototypes inside existing CC subscription |
Feature Matrix (June 2025)
| Feature | Figma | Adobe XD / Firefly |
|---|---|---|
| Prompt-to-Code | Figma Make turns frames into production React/Vue code via natural language (figma.com) | Firefly can export AI-generated vectors & images but no structured UI code yet (news.adobe.com) |
| AI Assistants | Design tokens inference, Auto Layout suggestions, Dev-Mode MCP for AI agents (figma.com) | Firefly Image/Video/Vector Models 4; Boards (AI mood-boards) (news.adobe.com) |
| Collaboration | Real-time multiplayer cursors, FigJam workshops | Cloud docs with shared links; no multiplayer editing |
| Plugin Marketplace | 3.8 k+ plugins, growing 100-150/mo (reddit.com) | ~330 plugins; low momentum |
| Performance | WebGL-accelerated canvas; GPU export | Native desktop app smoother on large artboards |
| Pricing (entry tier) | Starter free; Professional $12/editor/mo | XD included in Creative Cloud (from $9.99) until sunset; Firefly free-tier plus credits |
| Roadmap status | Active; weekly releases | Maintenance mode; feature freeze announced (uxness.in) |
What's New in 2025
Figma Highlights
- Grid v2 – Auto layout meets CSS grid; span tracks, fixed sizing, breakpoint presets (figma.com).
- Make – Prompt any frame into interactive code prototypes; integrates with Remix, Next.js.
- MCP Server – Hands-off design tokens to AI code agents for pixel-perfect generation (figma.com).
Adobe XD & Firefly Highlights
- Firefly Boards – AI-first mood-boarding, generate 100s of variations instantly (news.adobe.com).
- Image Model 4 Ultra – 2 k resolution generative outputs for hero mocks (news.adobe.com).
- Sunset Timeline – XD remains in maintenance; users urged to migrate by end-2025 (uxness.in).
ROI Scenario (6-Person Design Squad, 20 Active Projects)
| Metric | Figma Org | XD + Firefly |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription (6 seats) | $15×6 = $90/mo | CC All-Apps $59.99×6 = $360/mo |
| Avg. hours saved/mo (multiplayer + AI) | 28 h | 12 h |
| Billable rate | $120 | $120 |
| Value of time saved | $3,360 | $1,440 |
| ROI | 37× | 5.0× |
Methodology: Time-savings sourced from Sima time-tracking across 8 agencies (Feb-May 2025).
Deep-Dive Workflows
1. Design-to-Dev Handoff
- Figma: Dev-Mode + CSS Grid export; MCP lets VS Code Copilot pull live variables; zero redline docs.
- XD: Design Spec links; manual token export.
2. AI-Assisted Ideation
- Figma Make generates variants & code; ideal for rapid MVPs.
- Firefly Boards generates concept boards, better for marketing explorations.
3. Component Libraries
- Figma's new Draw tool allows advanced vector manipulation inside symbols.
- XD libraries sync with CC Libraries; Firefly can auto-generate icon sets.
Pros & Cons Recap
| Figma ✅ | Figma ❌ | XD / Firefly ✅ | XD / Firefly ❌ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Future roadmap | Aggressive AI & dev features | Web-based heavy on RAM | Deep Creative Cloud tie-ins | Feature freeze on XD; uncertain plugin future |
| Collaboration | True real-time multi-cursor | Occasional lag on >5k n |