Figma > Photoshop

I designed everything in Photoshop for almost four years. Posters, social media graphics, UI mockups — all of it. Photoshop was just what you used. Nobody questioned it.

I opened Figma for the first time in 2021 because a team I was collaborating with used it. I thought it'd be a temporary thing. I'd do the collab in Figma, then go back to my real tool. That didn't happen.

Within two weeks I moved everything over. It wasn't a gradual transition. It was more like realizing you've been driving with the parking brake on.

Auto-layout is the single biggest quality of life improvement I've ever experienced in a design tool. In Photoshop, if a client wanted to change a button label from "Submit" to "Submit Application", I'd have to manually resize the button, reposition the text, adjust the container, move everything below it. In Figma, the text updates and everything reflows. Done.

Components in Figma actually work. Smart Objects in Photoshop were always clunky — you'd double-click, edit in a new tab, save, go back, and hope the overrides stuck. Figma components with variants just make sense. I can swap states, change properties, and everything stays connected.

And then there's collaboration. Sharing a Photoshop file meant exporting a PSD, uploading it somewhere, having someone download it, open it (if they had the right version), and send feedback via a separate channel. In Figma I just share a link. Someone can comment directly on the design. It sounds small but it changed how fast I can iterate.

Photo manipulation. Obviously. Figma isn't trying to be Photoshop for photo editing, and it shouldn't. When I need to do actual image work — compositing, color grading, retouching — I still open Photoshop. Or Affinity Photo, which is honestly great and doesn't require a subscription.

Filters and effects. Photoshop's layer styles and blending modes are still unmatched. Figma's blur and shadow options are fine for UI work, but if I want a complex texture or distortion effect, Photoshop wins.

The pen tool in Photoshop is better for complex vector work. Figma's vector tools are adequate for icons and simple shapes, but for anything complex I'd rather use Illustrator or Affinity Designer.

Photoshop was built for graphic design and photo editing. People started using it for UI design because there wasn't anything better. Figma was built specifically for interface design from the start. That matters.

Every decision in Figma — the frame model, auto-layout, components, prototyping — is oriented around building interfaces. Photoshop's pixel grid, layer system, and export workflow were all designed for print and photo work. We just forced it to do UI.

Using Figma for UI after Photoshop feels like switching from a Swiss Army knife to a purpose-built tool. The Swiss Army knife can technically do it all, but the dedicated tool does the job so much better that you wonder why you spent so long using the wrong one.

Figma for everything UI — wireframes, components, prototypes, design systems. It's open all day, every day.

Photoshop or Affinity Photo when I need actual photo editing. Maybe twice a month.

Figma + code for anything that needs real interaction. I'll design the structure in Figma, then build it in Next.js because some things you can only feel in a browser. Hover states, scroll behavior, timing — those need to be coded to get right.

I don't think Photoshop is bad. It's incredible software. I just think using it for UI design in 2026 is like using a sledgehammer to hang a picture frame. It works, but there's a better option.