ToolAlts

Figma vs Onlook

Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings.

Feature
Figma
Onlook
Rating
★ 4.7
★ 3.5
Open Source
No
Yes
GitHub Stars
N/A
N/A
Unlimited files and projects
Team-wide design libraries
Advanced Dev Mode inspection and MCP Server
Unlimited teams
Shared libraries and fonts
Centralized admin tools
Custom team workspaces
Design system theming and APIs
SCIM seat management
Visual editing of React components
AI-powered design suggestions
Open-source and community-driven
Integrates with existing React projects

Detailed Comparison

Overview

Figma is the industry-standard collaborative interface design tool, trusted by over 15,000 reviewers with a 4.7/5 rating. It is a web-based platform for UI/UX design, prototyping, and design systems, enabling real-time collaboration between designers, developers, and stakeholders. Figma offers powerful vector editing, component libraries, and advanced developer handoff features.

Onlook is an open-source, AI-first design tool that allows designers to visually build, style, and edit React applications. It positions itself as the "Cursor for Designers," leveraging AI to streamline the design-to-code workflow. Onlook is free and community-driven, with a focus on integrating directly with existing React projects.

Feature Comparison

| Feature | Figma | Onlook |

|---------|-------|--------|

| **Type** | Web-based design platform | Open-source AI design tool |

| **Real-time Collaboration** | Yes (unlimited editors) | No (single-user focus) |

| **Design Libraries** | Team-wide shared libraries and fonts | Not available |

| **Prototyping** | Advanced interactive prototyping | Not available |

| **Dev Mode** | Advanced Dev Mode with MCP Server | Not available |

| **AI Features** | Limited (auto-layout, smart selection) | AI-powered design suggestions |

| **React Integration** | Manual export/code generation | Visual editing of React components |

| **Open Source** | No | Yes |

| **Pricing** | Free tier + paid plans ($16–$90/mo) | Free ($0) |

| **Target User** | Designers, developers, product teams | React developers and designers |

Pricing

**Figma** offers four tiers:

  • **Starter (Free)**: 3 files, basic collaboration, limited libraries
  • **Professional ($16/month)**: Unlimited files, team libraries, advanced prototyping
  • **Organization ($55/month)**: Unlimited teams, shared fonts, centralized admin tools, design system APIs
  • **Enterprise ($90/month)**: SCIM seat management, custom workspaces, advanced security

    • **Onlook** is completely free and open-source. There are no paid tiers or subscription plans. Users can download and use the tool at no cost, with the option to contribute to its development on GitHub.

    When to Choose Figma

    Choose Figma if you need a mature, enterprise-grade design platform with robust collaboration features. Figma excels in:

  • **Team collaboration**: Real-time editing, commenting, and version history for large design teams
  • **Design systems**: Centralized libraries, shared fonts, and theming APIs for consistent branding
  • **Prototyping**: Interactive flows, transitions, and animations for user testing
  • **Developer handoff**: Advanced Dev Mode with MCP Server for precise code inspection
  • **Scalability**: Unlimited files, teams, and workspaces for organizations of any size

    • Figma is ideal for product design teams, agencies, and enterprises that require a reliable, feature-rich tool with extensive integrations (e.g., Slack, Jira, Zeplin). Its 4.7/5 rating and 15,200 reviews reflect its maturity and widespread adoption.

    When to Choose Onlook

    Choose Onlook if you are a React developer or designer who wants to visually edit components directly in your codebase. Onlook is best for:

  • **React-focused workflows**: Visual editing of React components without manual code generation
  • **AI-powered design**: Smart suggestions for layout, styling, and component structure
  • **Open-source flexibility**: Customize the tool, contribute features, or fork the project
  • **Cost savings**: Completely free with no subscription fees
  • **Rapid prototyping**: Quickly iterate on UI changes within an existing React project

    • Onlook is ideal for indie developers, small teams, or startups that use React and want to bridge the gap between design and code. Its AI-first approach can accelerate the design-to-development pipeline, though it lacks the collaboration and prototyping features of Figma.

    Verdict

    Figma and Onlook serve different purposes in the design ecosystem. Figma is a comprehensive, collaborative design platform for teams that need robust prototyping, design systems, and developer handoff. It is the industry standard for a reason, with proven reliability and a vast ecosystem of plugins and integrations.

    Onlook is a niche tool for React developers who want to visually edit components with AI assistance. It is free, open-source, and integrates directly with code, making it a powerful option for React-centric workflows. However, it lacks collaboration features, prototyping, and the maturity of Figma.

    **Recommendation**: Use Figma for team-based UI/UX design, prototyping, and design system management. Use Onlook for visual React component editing and AI-assisted design within a codebase. For most professional design teams, Figma remains the better choice. For React developers seeking a free, code-integrated design tool, Onlook is worth exploring.