Adobe Creative Cloud vs Figma: UI/UX Design Comparison (2025)
Quick Comparison Summary
Figma has become the dominant force in UI/UX design with superior collaboration and prototyping features, while Adobe Creative Cloud offers broader creative capabilities beyond UI design. With CheapCC's pricing, Adobe CC provides excellent value for teams needing both UI design and comprehensive creative tools.
Introduction
The landscape of UI/UX design tools has shifted dramatically in recent years, with Figma emerging as the preferred choice for many design teams, challenging Adobe's long-standing dominance in the creative space.
While Adobe XD was positioned as Adobe's answer to modern UI/UX design needs, Figma's collaborative approach and cloud-native architecture have resonated strongly with design teams working on digital products. However, Adobe Creative Cloud's comprehensive suite offers capabilities that extend far beyond UI design.
This comparison examines both platforms from the perspective of UI/UX design workflows, team collaboration, prototyping capabilities, and integration with broader creative processes. We'll also consider how CheapCC's pricing affects the value equation for creative teams.
Price Comparison
| Pricing Option | Adobe Creative Cloud (XD + Suite) (Official) | Adobe Creative Cloud (XD + Suite) via CheapCC | Figma |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $79.99 | $14.99 | $15.00 |
| Annual Price | $599.88 | $89.99 | $144.00 |
| Savings vs Adobe (Annual) | - | $509.89 (85%) | $455.88 (76%) |
| Payment Model | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription |
| Value Score | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Adobe Creative Cloud (XD + Suite) | Figma | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
Real-time Collaboration Multiple designers working simultaneously | Figma Figma pioneered real-time collaborative design editing, while Adobe XD's collaboration features are more limited. | ||
Prototyping Capabilities Interactive prototype creation and testing | Figma Figma offers more intuitive and powerful prototyping with better interaction options and micro-animations. | ||
Design Systems Component libraries and design tokens | Figma Figma's component system and design tokens are more robust and easier to maintain at scale. | ||
Vector Editing Precision vector graphic creation | Adobe Creative Cloud (XD + Suite) Adobe Illustrator provides superior vector editing capabilities for complex illustrations and icons. | ||
Asset Integration Working with photos, illustrations, and graphics | Adobe Creative Cloud (XD + Suite) Adobe CC excels with Photoshop integration for photo editing and Illustrator for custom graphics. | ||
Developer Handoff Design-to-development workflow | Figma Figma's dev mode and inspection tools provide superior developer handoff experience. | ||
Platform Accessibility Cross-platform availability and performance | Figma Figma works seamlessly across all platforms via web browser, while Adobe apps require installation. | ||
Animation Capabilities Motion design and advanced animations | Adobe Creative Cloud (XD + Suite) Adobe After Effects provides professional-grade animation capabilities beyond UI prototyping. |
UI & Learning Curve
Adobe Creative Cloud (XD + Suite) Interface
Adobe XD features a clean, modern interface similar to other Adobe products. The learning curve is moderate for those familiar with Adobe tools. However, the broader Adobe CC suite requires mastering multiple applications with different interfaces and workflows.
Figma Interface
Figma offers an intuitive, web-based interface that's easy to learn and consistent across all platforms. The interface is designed for collaboration with clear visual indicators of other users' activities. Everything is accessible through a single application.
Ecosystem & Integration
Plugin Availability
Adobe Creative Cloud (XD + Suite)
Adobe XD has a growing plugin ecosystem, and the broader Creative Cloud suite offers extensive third-party integrations. The ability to move seamlessly between Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, and After Effects creates powerful workflows for complex projects.
Figma
Figma has a robust and rapidly growing plugin ecosystem with thousands of community-created plugins. The platform also integrates well with development tools, project management software, and design handoff tools.
File Compatibility
Adobe Creative Cloud works with industry-standard formats and can handle complex file types across applications. Figma primarily works with its native format but offers good import/export capabilities for common design formats.
Industry Standard Status
Figma has become the de facto standard for UI/UX design teams, especially in tech companies and startups. Adobe Creative Cloud remains dominant in broader creative industries but has lost significant ground in pure UI/UX design workflows.
Professional Usage
What Professionals Say
"Figma transformed how our design team collaborates. The real-time editing and commenting features have eliminated so many workflow bottlenecks. It's hard to imagine going back to file-based design tools."
— Alex Chen, Senior UX Designer, Tech Startup
"While we use Figma for UI design, our brand and marketing work still requires the full Adobe suite. CheapCC's pricing lets us maintain both toolsets cost-effectively, giving our team maximum flexibility."
— Maria Rodriguez, Design Director, Digital Agency
"For our product design workflow, Figma is unmatched. The component system and design tokens keep our design system consistent across a large team, and developers love the handoff process."
— James Kim, Lead Product Designer, SaaS Company
Real-World Applications
Figma dominates modern UI/UX design workflows, especially in tech companies, startups, and digital product teams. It's particularly strong for teams working on web and mobile applications. Adobe Creative Cloud remains essential for organizations requiring comprehensive creative capabilities including brand design, print materials, video content, and complex illustrations alongside UI design work.
Job Market Demand
Figma skills are now required for most UI/UX design positions, especially in tech companies. Adobe XD demand has decreased, but broader Adobe CC skills remain valuable for comprehensive design roles. Many job postings now specifically mention Figma as a requirement.
Conclusion
The choice between Adobe Creative Cloud and Figma largely depends on your team's specific needs and the scope of your creative work.
Choose Figma if: Your primary focus is UI/UX design for digital products, you need superior collaboration features, work with development teams regularly, or want the simplicity of a single, web-based tool. Figma has clearly won the UI/UX design tool battle.
Choose Adobe Creative Cloud if: You need comprehensive creative capabilities beyond UI design, work on brand design and marketing materials, require advanced photo editing or illustration capabilities, or need professional video and motion graphics tools. With CheapCC's pricing, you get the full creative suite at a competitive price.
Many successful design teams use both tools strategically: Figma for UI/UX design and prototyping, and Adobe Creative Cloud for brand assets, marketing materials, and advanced creative work. This hybrid approach leverages the strengths of both platforms while providing maximum flexibility for diverse creative needs.