Sketch The European alternative to Figma

Sketch is a UI/UX design tool from the Dutch company Sketch B.V. in The Hague, founded in 2010. The software offers a vector editor with stack layouts, nestable frames, infinite canvas, Smart Animate prototyping, real-time co-editing, component libraries, and developer handoff. Sketch runs as a native macOS app, prototypes can be tested on iOS and web. Designs remain on the device when used locally.

Sketch B.V. is a Dutch EU company and subject to the GDPR. For cloud workspace features, Sketch uses AWS (Amazon Web Services) as hosting provider, which is a US corporation. Since Sketch primarily runs as a native Mac app, designs remain on the device when used locally and are only synchronized when using cloud workspaces. The AWS data centers for Sketch data are ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certified. Whether data is stored in EU AWS regions is not publicly documented.

Sketch runs natively on macOS and works offline, while Figma is browser-based and requires internet. Sketch is a Dutch EU company, Figma is a US company. Figma has the larger market share and stronger collaboration for mixed platforms (Windows/Mac). Sketch is often preferred by Mac designers who value performance and local file control.