The prototyping tool market is gaining heat. This article takes a look at the Adobe XD and Sketch from various aspects, not aiming to decide a winner but to generate a clear view to help you make a choice.

Let’s begin with establishing the basic concept: we all understand what these tools both do. They are made specifically for software user interface design. That means they are competing with other on detailed design capabilities, prototyping abilities, sharing convenience and inspecting accuracy. We will base the companions on these aspects.

Adobe XD

Adobe XD is developed by Adobe company started in 2015 under the name “project comet”, as a response to popular software of Sketch. The first public beta was released in March 2016 for Mac OS, in December they released to Windows. About a year later they made the announcement that XD was officially out of beta.

Core software feature:

• Prototyping abilities

Adobe XD is a vector based editing tool, but different from Adobe’s other vector based software, XD has a clear focuses on software interface design, adorned with multiple page transitioning interactions, previewing with easy sharing options. There’s something sketch doesn't (yet) have: component level prototyping ability. In XD you can assign interaction down to the component level.

• Extremely beginner-friendly

If those previously mentioned functions sounds too standard to you, that’s probably because they indeed are becoming the standards. But adobe XD still shines with its simplicity and a truly enjoyable interface design. First time users are often greeted with a step-by-step guide to start wire framing.

What it’s lacking:

• Detailed design ability

Although starter friendly, adobe XD’s design ability still reminds somewhat primary. When designers seek that pixel perfect detailed adjustment or are nostalgic to the competence other Adobe visual software offer, XD does come a little short-handed.

But what’s noteworthy is XD’s updating speed, they roll out updates every month. Marching steadily to a more powerful software. One can of course draw evidence of Adobe’s producing ability — if that’s indeed true, then Adobe XD’s best days are still yet to come.

Price: $9.99/month with a free plan option

The price essentially purchases document sharing, collaborators and Adobe Cloud storage space (up to 100GB)

Sketch

Sketch was first released in September in 2010 by a Dutch company: Sketch B.V.. The software has been wildly successful, gaining Sketch the position to establish quite a few industry standard for user interface software. It was awarded Apple Design Award in 2012.

Core software feature:

• The Infamous Symbols

Also vector based, Sketch pioneered in “symbols”, which is essentially a selection of elements grouped together to create a “symbol”. This symbol can then be easily reused. It truly shines when minor changes needs to be made — change only the original symbol, every reused one are automatically updated.

The symbol methods as a software function is a good example of how Sketch is shaping the industry — Figma, InVision, Mockplus, Adobe XD all has their own version of a component.

• Solid Design Capabilities

Sketch has far detailed design capability than Adobe XD , that fulfills high-fidelity work demands. The desktop software has been in the process of being improved constantly for over a 10 years now with a large amount of users world-wide.

What it’s lacking:

• Mac Only

Maybe the most obvious blemish with Sketch is that it’s not Windows friendly. Sketch has always been only for Mac users and so far seems no other plans are visible on the horizon. So if you are a windows user, likely you’ll need to search for alternatives.

“ the most obvious blemish with Sketch is that it’s not Windows friendly”

• Lacking collaborative powers

Sketch wasn’t designed for collaborative editing to begin with, in comparison now, Its collaborative power falls quite a bit shorter than competitors.

Price: $9/month for teams

$99 for a permanent individual license with 30 days free trial

Other Alternatives

Figma

Unlike Sketch or Adobe XD, Figma is a web-based design tool therefore not platform specific. Being web-based also makes it easier generally for sharing since there’s no need to pass around files, or worse, versions of files. History version controls and design systems are both automatic and well-performing.

These features really bring forth the impression of a stable software for Figma.

As an extra option, Figma comes with a desktop application where you can choose to save design files in .fig unto your local drive. The desktop app syncs automatically with the web app, that means it supports collaborative design in real time (with two mouses moving at the same time, quite a nice sight to see). If you are editing offline, all changes will be synced as soon as internet connection is back.

Design ability wise, Figma certainly fulfills basic demands without too much of a hassle, it certainly makes a solid alternative to Adobe XD. Overall, it’s overall a balanced design tool that’s worth a try.

Mockplus Cloud

Mockplus Cloud is developed by a small group of passionate developers with care and attention to details. As a web based design tool, it has all the perks a web-based tool has — automatic saving, self-generating historic version.

The software is well-rounded for web and mobile app prototyping and collaboration. Your entire product design workflow is united just in one app.

It integrates with popular design tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe Photoshop, XD and Axure, offering features to import static designs and turn them into interactive prototypes with drag-and-drop, review and collaborate on them, leave comments and hand off them to developers with auto-generated specs, assets and code snippets.

Perhaps what really makes Mockplus Cloud a solid alternative is its functional capability. On top of being a pretty solid design tool, Mockplus also supports assigning tasks within a project, tracking revision progress, confirming status down to each individual page.

More, It includes a full-view storyboard mode, on which interaction connections and logic in between are clear. As if that’s not enough, an online product requirement document editor is there in case you need to layout the functions in text. All text files, documents can be freely referenced though out a design process.

If you are looking for a software that does almost everything you need, give Mockplus Cloud a try with a rather generous free plan.

Should I learn Adobe XD or sketch?

If you want to have a quick start, a straightforward interface and better transition animation support, go head and give Adobe XD a shot. If the majority of your work consists of extremely detailed design, then Sketch makes for better match.

Can Adobe XD open Sketch files?

No, they each support their own platform only.

Will Adobe XD kill sketch and InVision?

Unlikely, Sketch and InVision each have their segmented functions and product focus. Sketch has an established name and user base, InVision’s collaboration products are truly one of a kind. Adobe XD is a bit of a later arrival to the party, its true ability still remains to be seen.

Is Adobe XD better than Figma?

it depends on from which angle you are looking at, Figma is a web-based tool as opposed to Adobe XD.

Is Adobe XD just for prototyping and wireframing?

It is designed for that purpose but who’s to say other things aren’t legitimate possibilities.

Related readings:

Read more about Sketch vs Figma

Read more about Axure vs Mockplus

Read more about Mockplus vs InVision