In the ever-evolving world of digital design, responsive design is no longer a luxury — it's a necessity. Whether you're crafting a sleek e-commerce website, designing a mobile-first app, or creating a cross-platform user interface, ensuring your design looks and works great on all screen sizes is critical. That’s where responsive design tools come in — and two of the biggest names in this space are Figma and Adobe XD.
Both Figma and Adobe XD offer powerful features tailored for modern UI/UX designers. But when it comes down to responsive design specifically — which one truly delivers a smoother, smarter, and more scalable experience?
This comparison isn’t just about features on paper. It’s about how each tool performs in real-world design workflows: how easily you can adapt layouts, collaborate with teams, and hand off projects to developers. Figma has gained immense popularity for its cloud-first approach and powerful Auto Layout system, while Adobe XD continues to appeal to many creatives within the Adobe ecosystem thanks to features like Responsive Resize and deep integration with other Adobe tools.
In this blog, we’ll dive deep into the strengths and weaknesses of both platforms, particularly through the lens of responsive design. We’ll explore how their core features stack up, evaluate usability for different types of teams, and help you figure out which tool makes more sense for your design needs in 2025 and beyond.
Whether you're a freelance UI/UX designer, a startup product team, or part of a large design organization — this post is here to give you clarity.
So, let’s get into it: Adobe XD vs. Figma — which is better for responsive design?
Responsive design is the art and science of ensuring that a digital product — whether it's a website, app, or platform — adapts smoothly to any screen size or device. In today’s multi-device world, users might interact with your design on a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or even a smartwatch. If your layout doesn’t adapt, your user experience suffers — fast.
Imagine a beautifully designed website that looks amazing on desktop but turns into a jumbled mess on mobile. Or a signup form that fits perfectly on a tablet but breaks awkwardly on a smaller phone screen. These issues can frustrate users, reduce engagement, and even lead to lost business. That’s why responsive design is no longer optional — it's expected.
From a UI/UX perspective, responsive design isn't just about resizing content. It's about ensuring usability, clarity, and consistency across breakpoints. That includes adapting navigation menus, scaling images, adjusting font sizes, and maintaining spacing and hierarchy across devices. The best designs feel intuitive and comfortable — no matter how or where they're viewed.
To create truly responsive designs, the tools we use need to support smart layout behavior and flexibility. This is where platforms like Figma and Adobe XD aim to make a difference.
Key features that matter most in a responsive design tool include:
Auto Layout & Constraints: Tools like Figma use Auto Layout to make elements react to content changes and screen sizes automatically. Adobe XD’s Responsive Resize helps in adjusting designs without breaking alignment.
Breakpoints & Previews: The ability to define different screen sizes and preview how a design responds is crucial for quality control.
Component-based Design: Reusable components and design systems ensure that changes scale consistently across a project.
Developer Handoff: A good tool should also help teams translate responsive designs into clean, understandable code — with pixel-perfect specs and dynamic behavior in mind.
Both Figma and Adobe XD offer many of these features — but they go about it in very different ways, which we’ll break down next.
When it comes to responsive design, layout behavior is a major deciding factor. This is where Figma and Adobe XD take distinctly different approaches.
Figma’s Auto Layout is arguably one of its strongest features. It allows designers to build dynamic frames where elements automatically adjust based on content or screen size. Need a button that grows when text expands? Or a form that stacks vertically on mobile? Auto Layout handles it beautifully. It’s especially useful when creating reusable components — think cards, navbars, and modals — that need to adapt responsively.
On the other hand, Adobe XD’s Responsive Resize feature provides a more visual, manual way of achieving similar results. It uses smart algorithms to predict how objects should scale and move when resized. While this is helpful for quick mockups and basic resizing, it lacks the precision and control that Auto Layout offers, especially in more complex responsive interfaces.
Designers often find that Figma’s system feels more modern and flexible, especially for large-scale, component-driven projects.
Figma’s web-based platform is a game-changer for collaboration. Since it runs in the browser, there’s no need to download software or worry about version control. Multiple designers (and even developers or stakeholders) can jump into the same file in real-time — whether they’re across the office or across the world. It’s like Google Docs, but for design.
Adobe XD, in contrast, is a desktop-based tool. It does offer cloud sharing, but real-time collaboration is more limited and tends to feel clunkier. For teams working in fast-paced, agile environments — especially remote ones — Figma often wins hands down in terms of accessibility and team efficiency.
That said, Adobe XD performs well offline, which can be a plus in certain environments or for freelancers who prefer to work locally without relying on an internet connection.
When it comes to extending design capabilities, both tools support plugins — but Figma’s ecosystem is far more robust.
Figma has a vast library of community-built plugins that can automate tasks, speed up workflows, and integrate with tools like Jira, Notion, or Storybook. From color palettes and accessibility checkers to AI-powered layout generators, there’s a plugin for almost everything.
In terms of developer handoff, Figma’s Dev Mode is especially popular. It allows developers to inspect elements, export assets, and copy CSS/snippets — all without needing external tools. XD also offers developer sharing, but again, its functionality and adoption trail behind Figma’s.
Finally, community support matters. Figma has an active, growing design community that frequently shares templates, tips, and updates. Adobe XD’s community, while still present, has slowed somewhat — especially with uncertainty around Adobe’s future plans for XD after the failed Figma acquisition.
Design teams today are more distributed than ever — working across time zones, collaborating asynchronously, and pushing updates in rapid sprints. In this kind of environment, Figma thrives.
Thanks to its cloud-first architecture, Figma allows real-time editing from any device with a browser. No need to worry about versioning issues or sending updated files via email. Team members, developers, and even clients can jump into a design file, leave comments, make changes (if permitted), or inspect elements without needing to install anything. This flexibility makes Figma a top choice for remote-first startups, agencies, and product teams.
Figma also integrates seamlessly with project management tools like Jira, Trello, and Slack — keeping workflows efficient and centralized. The ability to set permissions, track changes, and use shared libraries enhances collaboration even further.
By contrast, Adobe XD’s desktop-based structure can slow things down in a team setting. While Adobe has made efforts to improve collaboration via cloud documents and shared links, it lacks the real-time finesse that Figma delivers. Teams often find themselves relying on external apps for feedback and communication, which adds extra steps to the workflow.
If you’re working in a fast-moving, collaborative environment — Figma usually wins hands down.
Despite the growing buzz around Figma, Adobe XD still holds value, especially in specific use cases.
For one, XD works well offline — ideal for designers in areas with unreliable internet or those who prefer local file handling. It’s also tightly integrated with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects. If your design workflow involves switching between these tools — say, pulling in custom illustrations or animating screen transitions — XD might be the more seamless choice.
Adobe XD also offers advanced animation features, such as timeline-based transitions and voice prototyping, which are missing or limited in Figma. If you're building interactive prototypes or motion-heavy experiences, XD gives you more control in some areas.
Finally, for designers who’ve been part of the Adobe ecosystem for years, the familiar interface and asset syncing with Creative Cloud can feel more natural and productive.
That said, as Adobe shifts focus away from XD’s development, long-term support remains uncertain — something teams and individuals should weigh when choosing a primary design tool.
Throughout this comparison, we’ve explored how Figma and Adobe XD stack up when it comes to creating responsive designs — and the differences are clear.
Figma offers an intuitive, flexible approach with Auto Layout, making it easy to build interfaces that adapt beautifully across devices. Its real-time collaboration, plugin library, and cloud-first setup give it a modern edge, especially for teams working remotely or at scale.
Adobe XD, while still capable, relies on Responsive Resize, which works well for basic adjustments but lacks the depth of Figma’s layout controls. However, it shines with offline usability, tight Creative Cloud integration, and advanced prototyping features — including voice and timed interactions.
Both tools support component-based design, developer handoff, and responsive previews — but they differ significantly in how they deliver these features and how well they fit into different workflows.
So, which one should you choose?
If you're a remote team, startup, or collaborative design agency — Figma will likely suit your workflow better. Its real-time editing, ease of access, and auto layout tools are ideal for dynamic, responsive UI/UX projects.
If you're a freelancer, Adobe Suite power user, or you often work offline or create animated prototypes — Adobe XD might still serve you well. Especially if your process is heavily integrated with Photoshop, Illustrator, or After Effects.
Ultimately, both tools can handle responsive design — but Figma does it more intuitively, efficiently, and collaboratively.
If responsive design is a top priority, and you want a tool that evolves with modern design needs, Figma is the clear winner in 2025.
In today’s multi-device world, responsive design isn’t a “nice-to-have” — it’s a must. Whether you're creating an app, website, dashboard, or landing page, your design needs to look good and function flawlessly across screen sizes. That’s why choosing the right tool matters.
After exploring both platforms, it's clear that Figma and Adobe XD each bring valuable features to the table. Adobe XD offers a familiar environment for long-time Adobe users, with great animation and offline access. But when it comes to responsiveness, collaboration, and overall modern UI/UX workflow efficiency**, Figma has taken the lead.
Figma’s Auto Layout system, real-time collaboration, cloud accessibility, and rich plugin ecosystem make it the go-to platform for teams that prioritize speed, flexibility, and responsiveness. Adobe XD still holds value for specific use cases, especially within the Creative Cloud ecosystem, but it’s facing an uncertain future in terms of ongoing support and innovation.
If you're serious about designing for responsiveness — especially in collaborative or fast-paced environments — Figma is the better bet in 2025.
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5 August 2025
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