Figma vs. Photoshop – What Are The Differences?

From the first version of Adobe Photoshop to Sketch to Webflow, and now, Figma – technology has been booming. We are all seeing it, especially in the UI UX design world. 

Now, the process of app design or website design is easier than ever. What was once a task that took years to complete can now be done in months, sometimes even weeks. And it’s all thanks to the evolution of these design tools that completely changed the websites and app design process. But with so many software editing tools available, as UI UX designers, it’s difficult to know which one we actually need and when. 

Yes, this is the case for Figma and Photoshop as well. What exactly is the difference between Figma vs Photoshop? In what design projects should we use Figma? And when should Adobe Photoshop be used? Can we use them at the same time as well?

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Figma is a tool that can help you create design interfaces all while collaborating with anyone involved in the design process. It helps build products, app designs, websites, and prototypes, and it can also gather information and feedback regarding the design. It is the place where UI UX designers, product managers, copywriters, project managers, engineers, and well.. pretty much everyone can collaborate and see real-time updates and changes regarding the design. 

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“Our goal is to be Figma, not Adobe.” Dylan Field kept his word – even now, after Adobe acquired Figma. Why? Well, what makes Figma so different from Photoshop and any other Adobe product, for that matter, is the idea of collaboration that Figma is based on. It’s the place where you can seamlessly work together and deliver faster results. Figma has plugins, design systems, or UI kits that can help any designer create innovative projects regarding their level of knowledge. So, if you are just starting your design career, Figma can be the place where you can develop and feel safe to learn. 

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Photoshop is the famous editing software for editing and bringing your photos to the next level. Where designers can create their illustrations and edit and control certain designs and other digital art. This tool has an enormous notoriety surrounding it, and when we think about editing photos, we instantly imagine Photoshop. 

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But while Figma is more for UI UX designs – app or website design, Photoshop is more focused on editing images and animations. It’s the go-to tool for photographers, illustrators, and graphic designers who need to have specific visual effects. But it’s also for designers looking to create logos, posters, or even banners. And Photoshop’s design tools, filters, layers, and so on help us achieve exactly that. 

• Purpose of Figma vs Photoshop

When it comes to finding differences between the two of them, it’s important to understand that Figma doesn’t want to be like Adobe Photoshop. The biggest difference lies in the answer to the question of, “Where can I use Figma, and where can I use Photoshop?”. While Figma can be used to create an app or a website – visually and functionality-wise, Photoshop is mainly for editing the visuals for your platform. 

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• Usability of Figma vs Photoshop

When it comes to comparing the two platforms, Figma is the one that has an easy-to-use platform ready to interact with anyone, regardless of their experience levels. Figma has a user-friendly interface, helping us become familiar with the app from the start. And it makes sense why it has become the most popular UI/UX design platform available. On the other hand, Photoshop is not the easiest app you could use. It’s more technical, and you may require some tutorials first. And we must warn you! It might even be more overwhelming than you realize if you’re at the beginning of your career - Figma is definitely easier than Photoshop.. 

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• Collaboration of Figma vs Photoshop

What makes Figma different from any other design tool is precisely the possibility of teamwork. Do you know how the Google Workspace works? That’s how Figma works, as well – with no other extra steps from us needed. And the truth is that it was a game changer for all UI UX designers. Now, we can communicate with one another, leave comments, see the changes in real life, and work together on the same project – all directly in the app. Photoshop has a collaborative feature as well. But it’s not as advanced as Figma was able to achieve. 

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• Components of Figma vs Photoshop

Unfortunately, Photoshop doesn’t have built-in design component libraries. For this reason, we, as designers, must manually duplicate and update elements to maintain consistency. On the other hand, Figma’s component system allows us to create reusable design elements (buttons, icons, etc.). And the best part is that even the smallest changes of a component will automatically update all the other components as well.

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We at uinkits understand the importance of great user experiences in creating amazing UI designs. That’s why we’ve developed a Figma UI Kit with design components that include the essential UI elements that enable you to design intuitive and user-friendly interfaces effortlessly.  

“You press the button, we do the rest,” – Kodak.

Inspired by this iconic tagline from Kodak, we believe in simplifying the design process for you. Our Figma UI Kit, uinkits, is a complete design system with UI components that allows you, as a UI UX designer, to create your products as quickly as pressing a button. 

Our design system includes UI components, variables, cards, buttons, and everything you need for your design process. All you have to do is take your UI design component needed, and you’re ready to use it in your designs!