Zeplin vs Figma
Zeplin was one of the first tools to formalize the design-to-development handoff process, generating specs, assets, and style guides automatically. Figma's Dev Mode has increasingly encroached on Zeplin's territory by offering inspection and code generation natively. Many teams have consolidated onto Figma alone.
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Design handoff and collaboration vs The collaborative interface design tool.
| Feature | Zeplin | Figma |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing from | Free–$17/member/mo | Free–$45/editor/mo |
| Pricing | Free (1 project); Starter $8/member/mo; Team $17/member/mo | Dev seats available at reduced cost via Dev Mode |
| Best for | Teams wanting dedicated handoff with deep code integration | Teams preferring an all-in-one design platform |
| Code generation | CSS, Swift, Android XML, React Native | CSS, iOS, Android snippets in Dev Mode |
| Styleguide | Auto-generated from design files | Design tokens in Figma Variables |
| Version history | Yes, with comparison view | Yes, on paid plans |
| Integrations | Jira, Slack, GitHub, Trello | Broader integration ecosystem |
The third option most teams miss
Picking between Zeplin and Figma isn't the only choice.
Appaca bridges design and engineering by automating spec documentation generation from Figma or Zeplin and syncing design tokens directly to your codebase. Eliminate the manual translation layer between designers and developers.
- No code, no deployment, no devops
- Built-in database, dashboards, team access
- Refine with chat as your needs change
- Free to start, no per-seat pricing surprises
Common questions
For many teams, Figma's Dev Mode has replaced the need for Zeplin. Zeplin still adds value for teams that need dedicated version management, code snippets in specific frameworks, or prefer a separation of design and dev environments.
Yes, Figma Dev Mode requires Dev seats, which are available at reduced cost compared to full editor seats. As of 2024, Dev Mode access starts at $0 for viewers with limited features and full Dev Mode at around $5/dev/mo.
Yes, Zeplin supports direct import from Figma via the Figma plugin. Designs are synced to Zeplin for handoff while designers continue working in Figma.