When you need a design and prototyping tool, the choice often narrows to Figma and Startups. Both claim to speed up UI work, support collaboration, and integrate with developer hand‑off. This guide breaks down each platform’s strengths, pricing, and real‑world use cases. Read on to see which solution matches your team’s workflow and budget.
Figma is a cloud‑based design tool launched in 2016. It runs in the browser and offers native desktop apps for Windows and macOS. Real‑time editing lets multiple designers work on the same file simultaneously. Figma also provides a robust plugin ecosystem and integrates with tools like Jira, Slack, and Zeplin.
Startups is a newer competitor aimed at early‑stage companies. It combines design, wireframing, and basic project management in one SaaS product. The interface mimics familiar sketching tools, and the platform emphasizes simplicity over deep customization.
Both services use tiered subscription models. Below is a snapshot of the most common plans as of June 2026.
| Plan | Figma | Startups |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 3 projects, unlimited editors, 30‑day version history | 1 project, 2 editors, 7‑day version history |
| Professional | $12 per editor/mo (billed annually) | $8 per editor/mo (billed annually) |
| Organization | $45 per editor/mo, SSO, advanced permissions | $30 per editor/mo, SSO, custom branding |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing, dedicated support, audit logs | Custom pricing, dedicated account manager, API access |
For teams of 5–10 members, Startups saves roughly $20–$30 per month. Larger teams benefit from Figma’s advanced security and admin controls, which can reduce compliance costs.
Figma shines with live cursors, comment threads, and instant sync. Startups provides comment threads but only updates when a user saves the file.
Both tools support interactive prototypes. Figma includes device preview, overlay animations, and a built‑in sharing link. Startups offers basic click‑through flows but lacks overlay support.
Figma’s Styles, Components, and Libraries let you publish a central design system across files. Startups has a “Component Library” feature but does not support versioned libraries.
Figma generates CSS, iOS, and Android code snippets automatically. Startups requires a third‑party plugin (e.g., “Exportify”) to produce similar code.
Figma’s community hosts over 600 plugins, ranging from content generation to accessibility checks. Startups’ marketplace lists about 120 plugins, mainly focused on workflow automation.
| Feature | Figma | Startups |
|---|---|---|
| Live multi‑user editing | ✓ | ✗ (save‑on‑exit) |
| Free tier projects | 3 | 1 |
| Unlimited editors (free) | ✓ | ✗ (2 max) |
| Design system libraries | ✓ | Limited |
| Component auto‑layout | ✓ | ✗ |
| Code export (CSS, iOS, Android) | ✓ | Plugin required |
| Plugin marketplace size | 600+ | 120 |
| Project board integration | Via plugins | Built‑in |
| SSO / 2FA | ✓ (Org plan) | ✓ (Org plan) |
| Enterprise pricing | Custom | Custom |
Figma offers real‑time collaboration, unlimited edit history, and robust version control, which generally outperforms Startups' async comment system for fully remote teams.
Figma’s free tier allows three projects and unlimited editors, while Startups’ free tier limits you to one project and two editors.
For teams under 10 users, Startups is cheaper at $8 per user per month versus Figma’s $12. Larger teams may find Figma’s discounts and enterprise features more cost‑effective.
Both Figma and Startups support SVG, PNG, and PDF exports. Figma also provides native iOS/Android code snippets, while Startups requires a third‑party plugin for the same.
Figma hosts over 600 community plugins covering everything from data population to animation. Startups has a smaller marketplace with about 120 plugins, focusing mainly on workflow automation.
Both Figma and Startups have their place. Figma excels in collaboration, design system depth, and developer hand‑off. Startups wins on cost, simplicity, and built‑in task tracking. Evaluate your team size, workflow complexity, and budget to decide which tool aligns with your goals.