Adobe XD
A solid UX/UI prototyping tool that got left behind. Adobe put it in maintenance mode, and the industry has moved to Figma.
Adobe XD Ratings Breakdown
Ease of Use
How intuitive and easy to learn the interface is.
Features
Breadth and depth of functionality provided.
Value for Money
Whether the pricing is justified by the features.
Customer Support
Quality and responsiveness of support channels.
Integrations
Ability to connect with other tools in your stack.
Pros & Cons
What We Liked
- Free starter plan is genuinely usable (no time limit)
- Tight integration with Photoshop and Illustrator
- Clean, intuitive interface — easier to learn than Figma
- Auto-animate for micro-interaction prototyping
- Voice prototyping and speech playback built in
What Could Be Better
- Adobe has stopped adding major features (maintenance mode since 2022)
- No real-time collaboration on the free plan
- Plugin ecosystem is small and stagnant
- Adobe ecosystem dependency (subscription fatigue)
- Industry momentum has fully shifted to Figma
Adobe XD Review: A Good Tool Adobe Left to Die
Adobe XD came out in 2016 as Adobe's answer to Sketch. It was decent, gained a following, and for a while it looked like it might bridge the Adobe ecosystem with modern UI design. Then Figma happened. Adobe tried to buy Figma for $20 billion in 2022. Regulators blocked it. And somewhere in that mess, Adobe quietly stopped putting resources into XD.
What Is Adobe XD?
It is a vector-based design and prototyping tool for UX/UI work. You design app screens, websites, and interactive prototypes. Works on both Windows and macOS. Has a free tier that does not expire.
Key Features
1. Design Tools
XD keeps things simple. No Photoshop-level clutter. The features that matter:
- Repeat Grid — duplicate list items or photo grids fast
- Responsive Resize — layouts adapt when you resize artboards
- Components — reusable elements, like Symbols in Sketch
- Shared Libraries — teams share colors, text styles, and components
2. Prototyping
This is still XD's strength. Link artboards, add transitions, auto-animate micro-interactions. Preview on your phone via the XD app. The voice prototyping feature — users speak commands and you design the response — was ahead of its time.
3. Adobe Integration
If you are on Creative Cloud, XD fits right in. Import from Photoshop and Illustrator. Export to After Effects. Use Typekit fonts. Makes sense for existing Adobe users.
4. Coediting
Yes, multiple designers can work on the same document at the same time. It works. But it is not as fluid as Figma's multiplayer. And the free plan caps you at one shared document.
Where XD Falls Behind
Adobe Stopped Investing
This is the real story. Through 2021-2022, XD got regular updates. Since then? Bug fixes only. Adobe never announced they are killing it, but they do not need to. The roadmap says more than any announcement would.
Plugin Ecosystem
Figma's plugin marketplace is thriving. XD's has a fraction of the options, and many plugins are abandoned. New ones ship for Figma first. If they come to XD at all, it is later.
Collaboration Is Capped
One shared document on the free plan. Figma gives unlimited real-time collaboration for free. For any team, that comparison ends the conversation.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free | 1 shared doc, basic prototyping, desktop + mobile |
| Individual | $9.99/mo | Unlimited shared docs, more storage |
| Creative Cloud | $54.99/mo (All Apps) | XD + Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. |
The Starter plan is useful and genuinely free forever. Rare for Adobe. But collaboration costs you.
Adobe XD vs Figma
| Feature | Adobe XD | Figma |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Windows + macOS | Browser (all OS) |
| Real-time collaboration | 1 doc free, then pay | Free and unlimited |
| Plugin ecosystem | Stagnant | Thriving |
| Future development | Maintenance mode | Active |
| Learning curve | Gentle | Moderate |
| Price | Free starter, $9.99/mo | Free, $15/editor/mo |
| Auto-animate | Excellent | Good |
| Adobe integration | Tight | None |
Our Verdict
Adobe XD is not a bad tool. It is an abandoned one. The prototyping features are solid, the interface is clean, and the free starter plan is unusually generous for Adobe. If you are learning UX design on your own and want something free with no time bomb, XD works.
But for teams, for collaboration, for anyone who wants their skills to matter in five years — Figma is the obvious choice. It is not close.
Score: 6.5/10 — A capable tool Adobe left in maintenance mode. Fine for solo learning. Do not build your career around it.
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