# Microsoft Designer vs Adobe Firefly

Microsoft Designer and Adobe Firefly both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 76% of Microsoft Designer's written reviews are positive against 33% of Adobe Firefly's. Adobe Firefly's advantage is ratings volume (11K vs 557). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft Designer sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Adobe Firefly sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Adobe Firefly holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Adobe Firefly has 11K ratings behind it against 557, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Microsoft Designer's written reviews are positive against 33% of Adobe Firefly's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Microsoft Designer ships an update every 3 weeks, Adobe Firefly fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft Designer | Adobe Firefly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (557 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-designer/id6448308247/reviews) | **[4.7 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adobe-firefly-ai-generator/id6742595426/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 557 | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | **76.1% of reviews** | 32.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #146 | **#50** |
| Size | 76 MB | 169 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [Adobe Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/331646274) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft Designer

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

**Currently charting:** #146 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 (6)**

| 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 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


### Adobe Firefly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adobe-firefly-ai-generator/id6742595426)

**Currently charting:** #50 Top Free · Graphics & Design, #71 Top Grossing · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

This app uses AI to generate images, videos, and sound effects from text prompts. It offers tools for editing, background removal, and animating still images, all optimized for mobile use. Seamlessly integrate your creations with Creative Cloud.

**Highlights:** Generate images from text, Create AI videos from text, AI background remover, Animate still images, Generate sound effects, Seamless Creative Cloud integration

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adobe Firefly Mobile Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| 500 Credits | $4.99 | per month |
| 1,500 Credits | $14.99 | per month |
| 3,000 Credits | $29.99 | per month |
| Adobe Firefly Mobile Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| 500 Credits | $49.99 | per year |
| 5,000 Credits | $49.99 | per month |
| 1,500 Credits | $149.99 | per year |
| 3,000 Credits | $299.99 | per year |
| 5,000 Credits | $499.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive experience
- 🚀 Impressive level of detail and realism
- 💡 Opened up new creative possibilities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model with limited credits
- 🐛 Frequent errors and app instability
- 🤔 Mediocre features compared to other apps

**Reported bugs**

- Error messages when trying to create requests
- Compatibility issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- Option to refine or redo projects without using credits
- Ability to purchase additional credits


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft Designer free?

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

### Is Adobe Firefly free?

Adobe Firefly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Microsoft Designer or Adobe Firefly?

Adobe Firefly is rated higher. Microsoft Designer averages 4.5 out of 5 from 557 ratings, while Adobe Firefly averages 4.7 from 11K ratings.

### Do Microsoft Designer or Adobe Firefly have ads?

Neither Microsoft Designer nor Adobe Firefly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft Designer or Adobe Firefly?

Microsoft Designer ships an update every 3 weeks, and Adobe Firefly fortnightly. Most recently, Microsoft Designer was updated on November 10, 2026 and Adobe Firefly on November 10, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Microsoft Designer or Adobe Firefly?

Microsoft Designer currently peaks at #146 in the App Store charts, and Adobe Firefly at #50. 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.*