What is Figma?
Figma is a design tool that runs in the browser and lets many people edit the same file at once, similar to how Google Docs works for text. Designers, developers, product managers and marketers use it to draw screens, build clickable prototypes and keep a shared design system. Because files live in the cloud, there is nothing to send by email and everyone sees the latest version.
History of Figma: key facts
Figma grew from a student project into a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Dylan Field studied computer science at Brown University, where Evan Wallace was his teaching assistant. Field left Brown after receiving a Thiel Fellowship, and the two built the product around WebGL graphics in the browser.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Company founded (October) |
| 2016 | Figma launched as a free tool |
| 2022 | Adobe agrees to buy Figma for about $20 billion (September) |
| 2023 | Deal abandoned after pressure from UK and EU regulators; Adobe pays a $1 billion termination fee (December) |
| 2025 | Config 2025 launches Figma Make, Sites, Buzz and Draw (May) |
| 2025 | IPO on the NYSE under the ticker FIG at $33 per share; first-day close $115.50 (31 July) |
In the second quarter of 2026 Figma reported revenue of $370.1 million, up 48% year on year, and guided to $1.463 to $1.467 billion for the full year 2026.
Main Figma products
Figma is now a family of connected tools rather than a single editor.
Figma Design
Figma Design is the core editor for interfaces, with components, auto layout and prototyping. Figma Draw added brushes and advanced vector editing in 2025.
FigJam
FigJam is the online whiteboard for workshops, user flows and brainstorming.
Dev Mode
Dev Mode shows developers measurements, styles and code snippets for each element.
Figma Sites, Buzz and Make
Figma Sites designs and publishes responsive websites, Figma Buzz lets brand teams produce on-brand social posts and ads from templates, and Figma Make turns prompts or designs into working prototypes and web apps with AI.
Figma AI and enterprise adoption
Figma is moving from a design editor to an AI-assisted product platform, and large companies are its fastest-growing segment. Figma’s Q2 2026 results show:
- Agent use: over 50% of paid customers with more than $10,000 in ARR used the built-in Figma agent weekly as of 31 July 2026.
- AI credits: over 80% of those customers used AI credits every week.
- Large accounts: 1,635 customers paid more than $100,000 a year, up 46%.
- Retention: net dollar retention reached 136%.
The IPO filing adds that 95% of Fortune 500 companies used Figma in March 2025.
Figma in marketing and SEO
For marketers, Figma is the place where landing pages, ads and brand assets are designed before they go live. A design decided in Figma often fixes the heading structure, image sizes and copy length of a page, so SEO input belongs at this stage, not after launch. I ask teams to mark H1 and H2 levels in the mockup and to plan text that answers the search intent above the fold.
Figma Sites adds a new question: websites published straight from a design tool still need clean HTML, fast loading, alt texts and proper metadata. Check these points before you move a campaign page off your main CMS, and review image SEO and on-page SEO basics for every export.
Figma vs other design and work tools
Figma covers design and prototyping, while project tools cover tasks and communication. Teams usually combine them:
| Tool | Main job |
|---|---|
| Figma | UI design, prototypes, design systems, websites |
| Slack | team chat and notifications from Figma comments |
| Asana or ClickUp | task and project management linked to design files |
Frequently asked questions about Figma
Is Figma free?
Yes, Figma has a free plan for individuals, limited in the number of projects, members and version history. Paid plans for teams and organisations remove those limits and add shared libraries and advanced admin controls.
Who founded Figma?
Figma was founded in 2012 by Dylan Field and Evan Wallace, who met at Brown University. Dylan Field is the company's CEO.
Why did Adobe not buy Figma?
Adobe agreed to buy Figma for about $20 billion in September 2022, but the companies ended the deal in December 2023 after objections from the UK Competition and Markets Authority and the European Commission. Adobe paid Figma a $1 billion termination fee.
When did Figma go public?
Figma listed on the New York Stock Exchange on 31 July 2025 under the ticker FIG. Shares were priced at $33 and closed the first day at $115.50.
Related terms
- Figma IPO profile · IPO Scoop
- Figma (FIG) opens at $85 and ends at $115.50 in NYSE debut · IPO Scoop
- Figma Announces Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results · Business Wire / Figma
- Figma goes public: thirteen unforgettable years with Dylan Field · Index Ventures
- Adobe pays $1 billion to terminate $20 billion Figma acquisition · PetaPixel
- Figma pricing · Figma
