UI/UX design holds paramount importance in SaaS development. Cloud solutions with complex interfaces result in poor user experiences. Eventually, churn rates increase rapidly and negatively affect overall app performance.
Hence, SaaS development companies take designing very seriously considering its significance to improve user retention.
Several UI/UX design tools are available in the market to develop prototype wireframes. Two prominent platforms are Figma and Axure. Figma offers simple navigation, thanks to intuitive and seamless UX. Axure, on the other hand, is best for creating near-production prototypes.
While Axure and Figma both offer remarkable performance, they have certain strengths and weaknesses. Designers’ choice depends on factors like project complexity, type of wireframes, and required skills.
In this article, we bring you a detailed Axure vs Figma comparison highlighting their exclusive features and ideal applications in the UI/UX design process.
Let’s explore.
Axure vs Figma: A Brief Overview
What is Axure?
Axure is a cloud-based wireframe and prototyping software. Design teams love this platform’s ability to create realistic and interactive prototypes. Besides, Axure can also produce working software wireframes for a range of applications without coding.
Key Features
Axure offers several key features, such as:
- Note creation
- Widget library,
- Revision history tracking
- Live editing
- Animations
Applications
Axure is used for:
- Prototyping
- Wireframing
- Code export
- Diagramming
- Dynamic interactions
- Creating customer journeys
- Conditional logic
- Automated redlines
- Animation effects
Strengths
- With Axure, UI/UX designers can adjust their interfaces to various screen sizes and devices like PCs, laptops, tablets, etc.
- Can create functional software prototypes without coding
- Professionals often use Axure for complex prototyping
- Offers various sources to get customer support including help desk, forum, email, chat, phone, etc.
- Allows users to share artboards and prototypes on Axure Cloud
Weaknesses
- Takes more time to create designs for specific screens and pages
- Some features are complex and require additional skills to get the desired results
- Fixing bugs can be difficult due to prototype crashing
- Not good for pixel-level designs
- Lacks precision and fine-grained control
What is Figma?
Figma is also a cloud-based UI designing application that focuses on team collaboration. Several team members of design teams can use Figma to develop creative interfaces together and edit or test product designs. Besides, the platform can also be integrated with third-party tools like Trello, Maze, Slack, Zeplin, and Jira for seamless collaboration.
Key Features
Some of the key features of Figma are:
- User-based permissions
- Project management
- Plugin creation
- Version History
- Single sign-on (SSO)
- Designer’s feedback
- Online sticky notes and whiteboards
Applications
Figma is best for:
- UI/UX designing
- Prototyping
- Wireframing
- Agile workflows
- Strategic planning
- Mind/concept mapping
- Team collaboration
Strengths
- Best for teamwork and collaboration between professional designers.
- Offers real-time multi-user collaboration for more creativity and innovation
- Users can create, edit, and deliver interfaces from any device via the cloud
- Simple interface makes features more accessible for beginners
- Compatible with multiple operating systems and devices
Weaknesses
- Lacks version history which makes it difficult to track changes in designs
- No animation capabilities or video tutorials for quick learning
- Users cannot add custom shapes, gradients, or patterns
- Designers often report sudden application crashes or freeze
- Limited text and search capabilities.
Axure vs Figma: 3 Major Differences
Below are three core differences between Axure and Figma:
1. Ease of Use
When we compare the learning curve, Figma wins the race because it is more user-friendly than Axure. Figma has an intuitive and easy-to-use interface. All features are organized properly which makes the platform more approachable.
On the other hand, Axure focuses more on complex interactions and prototyping. Its complex features demand advanced skills and expertise. Therefore, beginners and design professionals with limited knowledge prefer Figma at the start of their careers.
2. Team Collaboration
The design process involves extensive discussions, brainstorming, and ideation. Figma has built-in features that allow design teams to work together, share feedback, and develop interfaces that create a long-lasting impression. Options like sticky notes, whiteboards, and commenting promote real-time collaboration for better outcomes.
However, no such functionalities are offered in Axure. Although cloud-based sharing is an option in Axure, Figma offers advanced real-time sharing capabilities. Designers, therefore, love Figma for a smooth co-editing experience.
3. Scope of Application
Although Figma and Axure are UI/UX design tools, their scope of application is different. Figma focuses more on UI designing and allows users to create visually appealing interfaces.
Conversely, Axure specializes in wireframing and prototyping. Designers can also create detailed workflows using this cloud-based platform and test user interaction scenarios to achieve design perfection.
Conclusion
The above discussion offers three key takeaways.
First, the choice of UI/UX design tool depends on the designer’s proficiency and expertise. Figma has a linear learning curve that makes it easy for beginners to understand the basic design concepts quickly. Hence, new designers with limited experience should start with Figma. They can proceed to Axure later on when they have advanced capabilities.
The second takeaway is that project scope and complexity should also be considered to select the right tool. Projects that require basic prototyping can be handled by Figma, while complex projects need robust and feature-rich tools like Axure.
Lastly, the salability factor is also very important. If you start with a small team, Figma should be your preferred choice. It is user-friendly, easy to use, and promotes team collaboration. However, as your project needs evolve, Axure can fulfill your requirements.