# Figma vs Microsoft Designer

Figma and Microsoft Designer both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 76% of Microsoft Designer's written reviews are positive against 29% of Figma's. Figma's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ratings volume (21K vs 556). On price, rating, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft Designer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Figma asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Figma against 4.5 for Microsoft Designer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Figma has 21K ratings behind it against 556, 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 76% of Microsoft Designer's.

Figma ships an update weekly, Microsoft Designer every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Figma | Microsoft Designer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (21K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/figma/id1152747299/reviews)** | [4.5 (556 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-designer/id6448308247/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **21K** | 556 |
| Positive reviews | 29.3% of reviews | **76.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#67** | #148 |
| Size | 72 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Figma Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1152747298) | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) |

## What reviewers say

### Figma

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/figma/id1152747299)

**Currently charting:** #67 Top Free · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Microsoft Designer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-designer/id6448308247)

**Currently charting:** #148 Top Free · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

Visually create and edit anything imaginable with AI. Generate unique images from text, design personalized cards and wallpapers, and enhance photos by removing distractions or backgrounds.

**Highlights:** AI image generation, Custom sticker creation, Generative erase tool, Background removal, Custom wallpaper design, Greeting card creation, Photo restyling

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft 365 Basic Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Premium Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Microsoft Copilot Pro | $20.00 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Microsoft 365 Family Yearly | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration with Microsoft 365
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Powerful AI-powered design capabilities
- 💡 Versatile and creative features
- 🎉 Fun and enjoyable to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Strict content guidelines
- 💰 Subscription-based model with limited free usage
- 📱 Limited functionality on iPad devices

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent performance and loading issues
- Inability to view or manage past designs on mobile
- Unexpected content restrictions and rejections

**Requested features**

- AI-powered video editing capabilities
- More advanced image editing tools
- Improved handling of diverse character designs
- Better organization and navigation of past projects


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Figma free?

Figma is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Microsoft Designer free?

Microsoft Designer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Figma or Microsoft Designer?

Figma is rated higher. Figma averages 4.6 out of 5 from 21K ratings, while Microsoft Designer averages 4.5 from 556 ratings.

### Do Figma or Microsoft Designer have ads?

Neither Figma nor Microsoft Designer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Figma or Microsoft Designer?

Figma ships an update weekly, and Microsoft Designer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Figma was updated on October 15, 2026 and Microsoft Designer on October 15, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Figma or Microsoft Designer?

Figma currently peaks at #67 in the App Store charts, and Microsoft Designer at #148. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*