Designing in today's world is all about evolving tools. With mighty platforms like Framer and Figma taking over the digital realm, and good old sketching still being useful, designers have one question on their minds:
Which one is best for me Framer, Figma, or simply Pen and Paper?
Let’s dissect the pros, cons, and best-use cases for each tool to guide you into making the best decision for your design process.
Pen and Paper: The Raw Beginning
Best For:
- Brainstorming ideas
- Rapid wireframes
- Quick concept testing
- Low-fidelity thinking
Pros:
- No learning curve
- Fastest way to express ideas
- Accessible anywhere
- Encourages creativity and iteration
Cons:
- Not shareable in real-time
- Lacks interactivity
- Difficult to directly translate into digital design
- Revision requires redrawing
When to Use:
Use pen and paper right at the beginning of a project. It’s the ideal medium for raw thinking. Whether brainstorming app flows or working out layouts, it keeps you concentrating on structure, not style.
Figma: The Collaborative Design Powerhouse
Best For:
- UI/UX design
- Design systems
- Prototyping (mid to high fidelity)
- Real-time team collaboration
Pros:
-
Web-based: no installation required
-
Multiple designers can work together
-
Plugins for anything (icon sets, mockup tools, etc.)
-
Easy handoff for developers
Cons:
- Few interactive features (in comparison to Framer)
- More visual than code
- Can become restrictive for complex animations
When to Use:
Figma is ideal for UI and UX design, particularly in team-based collaboration. It’s suitable for mockups, wireframes, and designing design systems, and it seamlessly fits into workflows that include designers, developers, and stakeholders.
Framer: The Interactive Design Tool
Best For:
- Interactive prototyping
- Motion and animation design
- Real product feel prototypes
- Designers with some coding knowledge
Pros:
- Build high-fidelity, functional prototypes
- React-based logic (can use real components)
- Easily share interactive prototypes
- Code export (usable for development)
Cons:
- Slight learning curve if you’re not familiar with React or JS
- Not ideal for static designs or print assets
- May feel too complex for beginners
When to Use:
Framer excels when you need to mimic actual app behavior whether that’s micro-interactions, animation, or working user flows. It’s perfect for product designers building MVPs, startups, or sophisticated UX testing.
Framer vs. Figma vs. Pen and Paper – Quick Comparison
| Feature / Tool | Pen & Paper | Figma | Framer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Curve | None | Easy | Medium |
| Best For | Brainstorming | UI/UX design | Interactive Prototyping |
| Collaboration | No | Yes (real-time) | Yes (live preview) |
| Interactivity | None | Basic | High |
| Speed | Fastest | Fast | Slower (more detailed) |
| Dev Handoff Ready | No | Yes | Yes (via code) |
So, What Should You Use?
Use Pen & Paper when:
You’re sketching out or brainstorming initial ideas.
You need freedom without the worry of pixels.
Use Figma when:
You have to work with a client or team.
You’re working on complete interfaces or wireframes.
You need seamless design-to-dev handoff.
You need seamless design-to-dev handoff.
Use Framer when:
You want interactive prototypes with actual behaviors.
You’re evaluating user flows and animations.
You need to merge design and development.
No single tool is perfect for every situation. The top designers utilize all three, depending on where in the workflow they are.
Begin with pen and paper to get ideas loosened up.
Transition to Figma to make those ideas come alive visually and in a collaborative manner.
Employ Framer to create those visuals into realistic prototypes that look and feel like actual apps.