Figma vs Photopea
Pricing
Figma: Free for individuals, Pro from $15/mo
Photopea: Free with ads, Premium $5/mo
Description
Figma: The industry-standard interface design tool: runs in the browser, no install needed
Photopea: Free browser-based image editor that supports PSD, XD, Sketch, and AI files (no install, no account needed)
Pros
- Free tier is fully functional for individual use, not a crippled trial
- Massive plugin ecosystem for everything from icons to wireframing
- Runs in the browser, so it works on any machine
- Opens real PSD files with layers intact, the only free tool that does this reliably
- Runs entirely in the browser with no signup, no download, no waiting
- Supports an absurd range of formats: PSD, XD, Sketch, AI, WEBP, SVG, PDF
Cons
- Performance suffers with large files (100+ frames)
- Real learning curve if you have never used a design tool before
- Dev Mode (for developer handoff) now requires a paid seat
- Ad-supported free tier shows banner ads that can distract during work
- Performance drops with large files (200MB+) since everything runs client-side in the browser
- Built by one developer: bus factor of one for a tool you might rely on
Details
Figma is where most of the internet gets designed these days. It runs in the browser, which means no installing heavy software. Just open a tab and start designing. The free tier gives you 3 projects with unlimited files, which is enough for most solo founders.
Even if you are not a designer, Figma is worth learning because the community files are incredible. Need a landing page design? There are hundreds of free templates. Need icons? Plugins handle it. The learning curve is real if you have never used design tools, but a weekend of tutorials gets you to a productive level for basic UI work.
Photopea is what you reach for when someone sends you a PSD file and you do not have Photoshop. It opens in a browser tab and handles Photoshop files with layers, masks, and effects intact. It also opens Sketch, XD, and Illustrator files, which makes it the universal translator of design file formats.
Built and maintained by a single developer, Ivan Kutskir, Photopea earns roughly $1M per year from ads alone. The $5/month premium removes ads and gives you higher-resolution export options. For solo founders who need occasional image editing but cannot justify Adobe’s $23/month Photography plan, this covers 90% of what Photoshop does at a fraction of the cost, or free.
Verified
