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Free Sketch alternatives
Every pick starts with a genuine free tier, which makes it the easiest way to test a full workflow for zero dollars. Start free and upgrade only when it earns it.
What is the best free alternative to Sketch?
Figma is the free Sketch alternative we recommend first. Unlike Sketch, Figma ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it. It scores 4.8 in our testing, and at $12/mo it keeps the monthly bill reasonable. See the full ranked list below to compare every pick.
5 free alternatives worth your time
Figma
4.8 out of 54.8The collaborative interface design standard.
Unlike Sketch, Figma ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it.
- Real-time collaboration with multi-player editing, the gold standard for design teamwork
- Dev Mode bridges the gap between designers and developers with inspect, code export, and section linking
Canva
4.7 out of 54.7Drag-and-drop design for everyone.
Unlike Sketch, Canva ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it.
- Massive template library covering social posts, presentations, documents, video, and print
- Magic Studio AI tools (Magic Write, Magic Design, Background Remover) save hours per project
remove.bg
4.3 out of 54.3Remove image backgrounds in one click.
Unlike Sketch, remove.bg ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it.
- Well established product with an active user base
- Regular updates and clear roadmap
Icons8
4.2 out of 54.2Icons, illustrations, photos, and music for design.
Unlike Sketch, Icons8 ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it.
- Well established product with an active user base
- Regular updates and clear roadmap
Penpot
4.1 out of 54.1Open-source, self-hostable design and prototyping.
Unlike Sketch, Penpot ships a genuine free tier, so you can start without a card and only pay once it earns it.
- Well established product with an active user base
- Regular updates and clear roadmap
Sketch vs the free alternatives
| Tool | Our score | From | Free tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sketch | 4.2 | $10/mo | No | The original Mac-native design tool. |
| Figma | 4.8 | $12/mo | Yes | Product designers, UI/UX teams, and design-forward organizations that need a real-time collaborative design system with prototyping, Dev Mode handoff, and whiteboarding in one browser-based workspace. |
| Canva | 4.7 | $12.99/mo | Yes | Non-designers, small businesses, content creators, and social media managers who need fast, template-driven visual content without learning complex design software. |
| remove.bg | 4.3 | $0.20/img | Yes | Remove image backgrounds in one click. |
| Icons8 | 4.2 | $13/mo | Yes | Icons, illustrations, photos, and music for design. |
| Penpot | 4.1 | Free | Yes | Open-source, self-hostable design and prototyping. |
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