Comparison

Figma vs Affinity Designer 2 for iPad

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Figma

Access and review design files, prototypes, and presentations on your mobile device. Collaborate with teammates by adding and replying to comments, sharing files, and managing permissions. Mirror designs in real-time and explore prototypes with interactive features.

Highlights
  • Access design, FigJam, prototype, and slides files
  • Create and reply to comments
  • Share files with collaborators
  • Play and replay prototypes
  • Mirror designs in real-time
  • Manage file permissions
Read full description

Create, prototype, and collaborate on the go. View, share, mirror, and build in just a few taps with Figma’s official mobile app. REVIEW YOUR FILES * Access Figma Design, Make, Slides, and FigJam files. * Search for files by name or browse your recent files. * Move between pages and flows with ease. COMMENT AND REPLY * Add comments and mention teammates across Figma Design, Slides, and FigJam files. * Get notified for new comments and replies. * Resolve and reply to comments on the go. * See every comment thread in one place. SHARE FILES WITH YOUR TEAM * Invite collaborators and share links to your files. PLAY DESIGN PROTOTYPES * Play and replay prototypes in full screen. * Adjust prototype scaling. * Toggle hotspot hints. MIRROR DESIGNS IN REAL-TIME * Sync selected frames from desktop to your mobile device. * Watch live desktop edits reflected on your device. * Preview designs scaled to a device screen. PROTOTYPE AND REVIEW WITH MAKE * Test mobile prototypes and validate on-device interactions * Share Makes with collaborators for review and approval EXPLORE SLIDES EFFORTLESSLY * View and comment on decks in both landscape and portrait mode. MANAGE PERMISSIONS ON THE FLY * Update file permissions to control who can view or edit your work. BROWSE AND SWITCH WORKSPACES AND ACCOUNTS * Navigate between teams, plans, projects, and accounts. On iPad, you can also use FigJam to: * Sketch with the Apple Pencil to explore and iterate on ideas more fluidly. * Share and riff on early thinking with your team. * Annotate designs to share feedback. * Jot down ideas whenever inspiration strikes.

About

Affinity Designer 2 for iPad

Create stunning illustrations, branding, logos, UI/UX designs, and more with a powerful touch-focused vector graphics app. Optimized for iPad and Apple Pencil, it offers real-time performance and precise tools for both vector and raster workflows.

Highlights
  • Vector Warp
  • Shape Builder Tool
  • Knife Tool
  • Drawing scale
  • Vector Flood Fill
  • Switch between vector and raster workspaces
  • Sophisticated typography
Features
Read full description

Affinity Designer 2 for iPad takes the power and precision of the Apple Design Award-winning desktop app and converts it into an incredible touch-focused creative experience. Packed with tons of new features and hundreds of enhancements to optimize your workflow, the graphic design app has everything you need to seamlessly create stunning illustrations, branding, logos, icons, UI/UX designs, print projects, typography, posters, labels, flyers, stickers, concept art, digital art, and much more – all completely free from the confines of your desk. OPTIMIZED FOR IPAD • Fully integrated and optimized iPad gesture controls to speed up your workflow • iOS16 ready, including optimization for virtual memory swap, dramatically increasing performance on large documents. • Sensitive to pressure, tilt, and angle, the app harnesses the full power and precision of Apple Pencil • Command controller hosting on-screen modifiers • Quick Menu for context-sensitive access to commands • Use as your very own digital sketchbook, canvas, logo maker, sticker maker, flyer maker, and more POWERFUL TOOLS & FUNCTIONALITY • Vector Warp • Shape Builder Tool • Knife Tool • DXF/DWF import • Measure & Area tools • Drawing scale – including ability for different scales set per artboard • X-ray, hide effects, and greyscale view modes • Multiple shadow, outline, and overlay layer effects per object • Powerful grids and guides • Transform Tool • Vector Flood Fill • Spiral Tool REAL-TIME PERFORMANCE • Pan and zoom at 120fps • Live gradients, transforms, effects, and adjustments • Optimized for documents of any complexity, zoom to over 1,000,000% for absolute precision • Live pixel, retina, wireframe, and x-ray views of vector artwork in and out of split screen mode • Live Pattern Preview • Seamless switching between tools and editing modes for frustration-free design • Incredibly accurate results with minimal nodes PRECISE VECTOR TOOLS • Rock solid vector tools that work just the way you want them to • The best Pen Tool, Node Tool, curve editing, and smart shape tools available • Powerful Contour Tool to create abstract objects or increase the width of single open curves • Pencil and brush stabilization for drawing super-smooth curves freehand • Non-destructive Boolean operations • Live effects, blend modes, and image adjustments • Incredibly smooth gradient and transparency controls RASTER OR VECTOR, YOU DECIDE • Switch between fully-featured vector and raster workspaces with a single tap – paint, draw, or sketch in raster and then create cool, custom vector art • High quality raster tools for painting, texturing, masking, finishing artwork, or even creating tattoo designs • Use raster brushes, edit single pixels on icons, mask and add grain to your crisp vectors, enclose and clip pixel layers – it’s true creative freedom not found in other software or drawing apps SOPHISTICATED TYPOGRAPHY • Flexible text handling including comprehensive support for OpenType • Artistic text and text frames • Full control over character and paragraph styles • Flow text and type along any drawn path • Extensive library of free fonts BUILT FOR YOUR WORKFLOW • Unlimited artboards • Savable history with alternate futures • Customizable shortcuts with attached keyboard or new quick menu • Adobe Illustrator ® (Ai files), PSD, PDF, EPS, SVG, JPG, JPEG XL, TIFF, EXR, DXF, and DWG file support • Linked symbols and constraints • Save documents as template files to re-use time and time again • Quickly access royalty free images through the Stock Panel or import files from Affinity Photo or other photo editor • Select Same and Select Object functions PERFECT COLOR & OUTPUT • Professional CMYK, LAB, RGB, PANTONE© and Greyscale color models • Full 16-bit per channel editing • End-to-end ICC color management • Slice export for exporting multiple elements in a single tap • Live pixel preview to see exactly how your design will export

Screenshots

Figma4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Figma at none against Affinity Designer 2 for iPad's 4. Figma also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and chart position (#64 vs unranked). Affinity Designer 2 for iPad's advantage is review sentiment (52% vs 29%) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Affinity Designer 2 for iPad sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Figma asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Figma against 4.7 for Affinity Designer 2 for iPad. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Figma has 21K ratings behind it against 3.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 29% of Figma's written reviews are positive against 52% of Affinity Designer 2 for iPad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Figma ships an update weekly, Affinity Designer 2 for iPad every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Figma versus Affinity Designer 2 for iPad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFigmaAffinity Designer 2 for iPad
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (21K ratings)4.7 (3.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews29.4% of reviews51.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings21K — better3.2K
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreemium — betterPaid
Best chart rank#64 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPad
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB1.7 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFigma Inc.Serif (Europe) Ltd.

Customer experience

Figma

All ratings20,994 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral2.4%
Negative7.5%
Written reviews1,430 reviews
Positive29.4%
Neutral12.9%
Negative57.8%

Affinity Designer 2 for iPad

All ratings3,049 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral2.3%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews393 reviews
Positive51.7%
Neutral14.5%
Negative33.8%

User reviews

Figma

From 21K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Useful for previewing designs
  • 👍 Great for prototyping
  • 🚀 Convenient to mirror screen on a real device

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable mirroring
  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes often
  • 👎 Limited functionality compared to desktop
  • 👎 Lacks essential editing capabilities
  • 👎 Useless without editing features

Affinity Designer 2 for iPad

From 3.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful vector tools
  • 🎨 Excellent for digital art and illustration
  • 💰 Great value for the price
  • 👍 Intuitive and streamlined UI
  • 🔄 Seamless integration between iPad and desktop versions

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
  • 🔍 Cluttered and unintuitive UI in some areas
  • 🖌️ Lacking advanced brush and pencil features
  • 💾 Unreliable saving and file management
  • 🔀 Confusing transition from Affinity Designer v1

Bugs and requests

Figma

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Mirror feature doesn't work consistently
  • Prototype playback issues, like zooming in too much
  • App forgets scroll/zoom state when switching back
  • Crashes when trying to open large files
  • Login issues, constantly requiring re-login

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add editing capabilities, especially for iPad
  • Improve Apple Pencil support in FigJam
  • Allow moving the toolbox out of the way on the screen
  • Implement multi-account support
  • Add option to change sharing permissions

Affinity Designer 2 for iPad

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes when switching between vector and pixel layers
  • Exported files not retaining expected quality or format
  • Grid spacing and snapping issues
  • Disappearing or unresponsive UI elements

Requested features

5 requests
  • Vector trace tool
  • Better layer management and organization
  • Improved Apple Pencil support and pressure sensitivity
  • Ability to rename documents on creation
  • Customizable keyboard shortcuts and UI

In-app purchases

None

Figma

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Affinity Designer 2 for iPad

One-time4
  • Free 7-Day TrialFree
  • Designer 2 for iPad LicenseFree
  • Affinity Collection for iPad$36.99
Show 1 more
  • Affinity V2 Universal License$164.99

Questions

Is Figma free?
Figma is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Affinity Designer 2 for iPad free?
Affinity Designer 2 for iPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Figma or Affinity Designer 2 for iPad?
Affinity Designer 2 for iPad is rated higher. Figma averages 4.6 out of 5 from 21K ratings, while Affinity Designer 2 for iPad averages 4.7 from 3.2K ratings.
Do Figma or Affinity Designer 2 for iPad have ads?
Neither Figma nor Affinity Designer 2 for iPad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Figma or Affinity Designer 2 for iPad?
Figma ships an update weekly, and Affinity Designer 2 for iPad every 6 weeks. Most recently, Figma was updated on October 21, 2026 and Affinity Designer 2 for iPad on October 17, 2026.

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