Figma’s Price Hike: Is the Favourite Getting Too Comfortable?

It always seems inevitable, doesn’t it? A tool becomes the darling of the design world, winning over teams and individuals alike.

But as its popularity peaks, so do the prices.

Now it’s Figma’s turn. The collaborative design powerhouse is raising prices, and the (some) of the design community is understandably miffed.

For context, here’s the breakdown of Figma’s new pricing, which kicks in starting March 2025:

• Professional Plan: $15 per editor per month (monthly) or $12 (annually).
• Organization Plan: $45 per editor per month (annually).
• Enterprise Plan: $75 per editor per month (annually).

A 22% increase for some plans is no small change, and it’s left many wondering if they’re being squeezed after years of loyalty.

The Age-Old SaaS Playbook: Hook, Lock, Raise

Figma isn’t the first platform to adopt this strategy, and it won’t be the last.

The pattern is painfully familiar: attract users with generous free plans and competitive pricing, build critical mass, and then steadily raise costs once users are deeply integrated. It’s a classic lock-in move, and it stings.

As one designer on Reddit put it: “Every software company does this. Gather critical mass through a free plan, lock in consumers, and raise the prices more and more.”

For companies that have gone all-in on Figma, the stakes are high. One commenter pointed out that they had warned their team this would happen, and now those warnings have materialised.

To Figma’s credit, they’re not just hiking prices without justification.

Tom from Figma shared updates on changes to seat management and billing systems and teased a new “Connected Projects” feature aimed at freelancers and agencies. But does that justify the price bump?

For smaller teams and freelancers, the increase feels like a slap.

A 22% hike for tools you already use, without a significant, immediate boost in functionality, is hard to swallow. For larger teams, the value might still be there—features like organization-wide libraries and branching are powerful.

But for many, it raises a question: How much are we really willing to pay?

Is It Time to Switch?

Not really.

Figma is still a damned good UI tool, and will be until the next upstart comes along that does it better.

While frustrating, this change serves as a wake-up call: never rely too heavily on a single tool. Just a few years ago, Figma was the upstart shaking things up and pulling users away from Sketch.

Now, people are asking what’s next. Is it time to consider options like Penpot, revisit Sketch (yes, it’s still around!), or look for something completely new?

One commenter summed it up perfectly: “I love Figma, but holy shit does their pricing strategy suck.”

It’s a widely shared frustration. Loyalty has limits, especially when budgets are tight. If these price hikes become a pattern, it might just pave the way for the next major disruptor to steal the spotlight.

Figma knows its users are frustrated, and they’re trying to soften the blow by offering flexibility in billing and admin controls for teams. Whether that’s enough to keep users from seeking alternatives remains to be seen.

For now, the advice is clear: don’t lock yourself into one tool. Explore options, stay nimble, and be ready to switch when “shit hits the fan.” Figma might still be the best option for many, but a 22% hike is a strong reminder that comfort has a cost.