Sketch is a Mac-native interface design app with a companion web workspace, built for people already working inside macOS rather than a browser. Whether it suits you turns on whether you want a native Mac editor with a one-time licence option, or need a cross-platform, cloud-first tool instead.
What is Sketch?
Sketch is made by Sketch B.V., a company registered in the Netherlands. It runs as a native macOS app, with a browser-based web workspace and a companion iOS app for viewing, mirroring and playing prototypes; there is no Windows or Android version.
Its AI features work through a local MCP server rather than a model built into Sketch itself. Connecting an outside AI client such as Claude, Cursor or Codex lets that client read and write Sketch documents directly, with no separate credits or add-ons sold by Sketch for the connection.
Designing interfaces in Sketch
Prototypes can be built and shared with swipe, tap, hover and press interactions, and Libraries hold shared Symbols, Layer Styles, Color Variables and Frame templates that carry across documents. A .fig file importer, which Sketch has open sourced, lets a Figma file be dragged onto the app to bring a project across.
With an MCP-connected AI client attached, that client can generate and edit Sketch documents from a written prompt, and take a frame in Sketch and build it out in code. Developer Handoff lets developers inspect designs, download assets and copy values and CSS for free, without an MCP connection.
Working with other people
Collaborators can co-edit the same document in real time and follow each other as they present, and comments can be left directly on a design or a prototype. Sketch has an official Slack integration, alongside a directory of third-party plugins such as Notion, Jira, Zeplin and ProtoPie that Sketch does not check individually.
A Plugin API lets developers build and submit their own Sketch plugins. Single sign-on with SAML is available, and the app runs on Mac, in a browser, and on iOS for viewing prototypes.
Sketch pricing: what each plan gives
There is no free plan; Sketch offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required instead. Standard is $14 a month per editor billed monthly, or $12 a month billed yearly. Professional is $24 a month per editor, billed yearly only, with no separate monthly rate published. Enterprise is $44 a month per editor, also billed yearly only.
A Mac-only licence is sold separately as a one-time purchase of $120 per seat, which includes one year of app updates; it works offline as installed software and is yours to keep, with no collaboration features, online document sharing or iOS preview.
Privacy and support
Sketch does not itself hold a SOC 2 report; the certification on its security page belongs to AWS, the infrastructure it hosts on. Sketch complies with GDPR and extends that to customers outside the EU as well, and its terms leave content ownership with the user. Single sign-on is available on Professional and Enterprise. Support runs through email, a community Discord and a help centre.
Who Sketch suits
Sketch suits designers already working on a Mac who want a native app, real-time collaboration and a Figma import path, and who are comfortable driving AI work through an external client such as Claude or Cursor connected over MCP rather than a feature built into the app. The one-time Mac-only licence also suits someone who wants to own their copy outright and work offline.
It suits less well anyone on Windows or Android, since no native app exists for either, or anyone looking for a free tier to start on, since Sketch offers only a time-limited trial before a subscription or one-time purchase is required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sketch free to use?
No. Sketch offers a 30-day free trial, after which you choose a Standard, Professional or Enterprise subscription, or buy the Mac-only licence outright.
Can Sketch open Figma files?
Yes. Sketch has an open sourced .fig file importer that lets you drag a Figma file onto the app to bring the design across.
Does Sketch have its own AI model?
No. Sketch runs a local MCP server that connects to outside AI clients such as Claude, Cursor and Codex, and those clients read and write Sketch documents rather than Sketch running a model of its own.
Who owns the designs I make in Sketch?
You do. Sketch's terms state that you remain the owner of the content you create, and Sketch complies with GDPR for customers both inside and outside the EU.
