vs
Figma vs Lunacy
Figma vs Lunacy: the collaborative standard vs the free offline tool
Lunacy by Icons8 is a completely free, fast desktop design tool with built-in assets and offline use. Figma is the collaborative cloud standard. Here's the fit.
Updated June 2026 · Written by Shaheer Malik, who ships in both
Quick answer
Lunacy by Icons8 is a completely free, native desktop design tool that works offline, bundles Icons8 assets and opens Sketch files — ideal for solo, offline or budget work. Figma is the cloud-native standard with best-in-class real-time collaboration and a huge plugin ecosystem. Choose Lunacy for free offline design; choose Figma for team collaboration.
Lunacy by Icons8 is a genuinely free, native desktop design app for Windows, macOS and Linux — it works offline, includes built-in Icons8 assets (icons, photos, illustrations) and opens Sketch files natively. Figma is the cloud-native, real-time-collaborative industry standard with a vast plugin ecosystem.
The split is free-and-offline vs collaborative-and-connected. Solo designers and the budget-conscious are drawn to Lunacy; teams that live in shared files default to Figma.
| Dimension |  Figma |  Lunacy |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free tier; paid per editor | Completely free |
| Offline use | Cloud-first (limited offline) | Full native offline |
| Built-in assets | Via plugins/community | Icons8 assets built in |
| Real-time collaboration | Best-in-class | Limited |
| Ecosystem & plugins | Huge | Small |
| Sketch compatibility | Via import | Opens .sketch natively |
| Team workflow / handoff | Deep (Dev Mode) | Basic |
| Best for | Teams & collaboration | Solo, offline, budget work |
Choose Figma if…
- You work in a team on shared files
- Real-time collaboration and handoff matter
- You rely on the plugin ecosystem
- Cloud access from anywhere is important
Choose Lunacy if…
- You want a capable design tool for free
- You need real offline, native-app performance
- Built-in Icons8 assets save you time
- You open Sketch files or work mostly solo
The honest verdict
Lunacy is a remarkable free tool — native, fast, fully offline, with built-in assets and Sketch support. For solo designers, students, or anyone who wants a capable app without a subscription or a cloud dependency, it's hard to argue with free.
Figma wins the moment collaboration enters the picture: real-time multiplayer editing, deep handoff and a massive ecosystem are what teams need, and Lunacy can't match that. Choose Lunacy for free, offline, solo work; choose Figma for team collaboration.
Common questions
Figma vs Lunacy, answered
Yes — Lunacy by Icons8 is free, with no per-editor cost, and it bundles Icons8 icons, photos and illustrations. That makes it one of the most capable no-cost design tools available.
More comparisons