Figma and Sketch are both powerful interface design tools, but they take fundamentally different approaches to browser-based access and cross-platform compatibility. Understanding these differences is key when choosing the right tool for a distributed, cross-OS design team.

Core difference: web-first vs. desktop-first

Figma is a collaborative web application designed to run primarily in the browser, with optional desktop apps for macOS and Windows. Sketch, by contrast, is a native macOS application with no full-featured browser-based editor.

This foundational difference drives how each tool handles access, platforms, and collaboration.

Browser-based access: Figma vs. Sketch

Figma: full-featured design in the browser

Figma’s core experience lives in the browser:

• Runs in any modern browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari) with no installation required.
• Same feature set across web and desktop: design, prototyping, vector editing, and real-time collaboration all work from the browser.
• Easy access from managed or locked-down devices: team members can log in via a URL, even if they can’t install desktop apps.
• Always up to date: updates are deployed server-side, so everyone uses the latest version without manual upgrades.

Because Figma is web-based, it behaves much like other cloud productivity tools: open a link, sign in, and you’re working in the same file as everyone else.

Sketch: browser for sharing, not for editing

Sketch’s primary workspace is still the macOS app. Browser access is limited to a companion experience:

• View-only and commenting in the browser: stakeholders can review and comment on designs via Sketch Cloud.
• No full editor in the browser: you can’t create or deeply edit designs purely online; serious work still requires the Mac app.
• Sharing focuses on review, not creation: URLs are mainly for handoff and feedback, not collaborative authoring.

In practice, this means Sketch’s browser features are an extension of a desktop-first workflow, while Figma’s browser is the main workspace.

Cross-platform compatibility: operating systems and devices

Figma: truly cross-platform

Figma is built for cross-platform compatibility:

• Works on macOS, Windows, Linux (via browser)
• Desktop apps for macOS and Windows with additional offline capabilities
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android to view and interact with prototypes in real time on phones and tablets

As long as a device runs a modern browser, users can access Figma. Designers, developers, and stakeholders on different operating systems all work in the same environment without needing platform-specific software.

Sketch: macOS-centered

Sketch’s core design app is macOS-only:

• Designing requires a Mac: no Windows or Linux editor, and no iPad/Android editor equivalent.
• Browser and mobile: limited to viewing, commenting, and some handoff features via Sketch Cloud and mobile viewers (where available).
• Team limitations: Windows-based developers or stakeholders cannot open or tweak design files natively; they rely on exports or the web viewer.

This makes Sketch best suited for teams that are primarily or exclusively on macOS.

Collaboration implications

Figma’s shared, web-based canvas

Figma’s web-first model enables:

• Real-time multi-user editing directly in the browser
• Live cursors so you can see teammates’ activity in the same file
• Instant sharing with a link across OS platforms
• Prototyping and interactions available to anyone via the browser

Because the entire experience is browser-native, cross-functional teams can participate equally—designers, developers, PMs, and stakeholders all have consistent access.

Sketch’s collaboration model

Sketch’s collaboration is improving but remains constrained by macOS:

• Real-time collaboration features exist, but only for Mac users within the app.
• Cross-platform collaboration relies on sharing to Sketch Cloud for viewing and commenting.
• No full editing from Windows or Linux; non-Mac teammates are observers rather than co-editors.

For teams with mixed operating systems, this creates a divide between those who can contribute directly and those who can’t.

Prototyping and mobile access

Figma’s proto and mobile experience

Figma includes robust prototyping tools as part of its web and desktop apps. For mobile:

• Figma mobile apps for Android and iOS allow stakeholders to:
  • View Figma files
  • Interact with prototypes in real time
• Prototypes open directly from links or from your Figma account, making it easy to test designs on the actual device form factor.

Because these are connected to Figma’s live files, changes in the browser or desktop app update the prototype experience instantly.

Sketch’s prototyping in context

Sketch supports prototyping flows in the Mac app, but:

• The primary creation and editing still happens on macOS.
• Prototypes are usually shared via the browser in view-only mode for stakeholders.
• Live, editable prototypes from non-macOS devices are not part of the core workflow.

This reinforces the pattern: Sketch’s browser layer is for viewing and feedback; Figma’s is for creation and interaction.

Offline and desktop considerations

Figma

Even though Figma is web-first, it offers:

• Desktop apps for macOS and Windows,
• Offline capabilities so you can keep working without a connection; files sync back when you’re online.

This lets teams use Figma as either a browser-based tool, a desktop app, or a mix—without losing cross-platform parity.

Sketch

Sketch’s offline story is straightforward:

• Local, native macOS app designed to work fully offline.
• Cloud and browser features kick in once you connect, primarily for sharing and feedback.

If your workflow is heavily Mac-based and offline, Sketch fits well; however, browser-based editing isn’t part of that picture.

Choosing between Figma and Sketch for browser-based and cross-platform needs

When deciding based on browser-based access and cross-platform compatibility:

• Choose Figma if:

  • Your team is mixed OS (macOS, Windows, Linux).
  • You want full-featured design and prototyping in the browser.
  • You need real-time, web-based collaboration and cross-device prototype viewing (web, iOS, Android).
  • You prefer not to manage per-device installs and updates.

• Choose Sketch if:

  • Your design team is exclusively or overwhelmingly on macOS.
  • You’re comfortable with a desktop-first workflow.
  • Browser access for stakeholders as viewers/commenters is sufficient.
  • You prioritize native Mac performance and a traditional file-based workflow.

Summary: key distinctions at a glance

• Browser-based access
  • Figma: Full, professional-grade editor in the browser.
  • Sketch: Browser for viewing and commenting; editing is Mac-only.
• Cross-platform compatibility
  • Figma: Works across macOS, Windows, Linux (via browser) plus mobile apps for Android and iOS.
  • Sketch: Core app is macOS-only, with web access limited to review/handoff.
• Team experience
  • Figma: Equal participation across platforms, ideal for distributed, mixed-OS teams.
  • Sketch: Best fit for Mac-centric teams, with non-Mac users mostly in a reviewer role.

For teams evaluating tools with “browser-based access and cross-platform compatibility” as top criteria, Figma’s web-first, OS-agnostic approach offers broader access and more flexible collaboration than Sketch’s macOS-centered model.