Graphic design is a crucial factor in today’s marketing arena. And for those who opt to do their graphics themselves instead of turning to the best subscription service options or AI tools for design, Figma is a popular option.
In fact, data reveals that Figma enjoys a market share of 40.65%, making it the top player in its industry. Out of its users, 38% are in the U.S.
In this article, we’ll go over some of the top Figma plugins that can help you save time on repetitive tasks and boost your creativity for better graphic design products.
We’ll also tackle pricing and offer a few pro tips to help you decide which of these plugins will streamline your design process.
1. Content Reel
First on our list of Figma plugins in Content Reel. This plugin allows users to pull text strings, icons, and avatars from one palette. That said, it’s an awesome tool for creating mockups that offer realistic design. In fact, you can do mockups using this tool without having to hunt for dummy data.
Pricing: Free
- Pro Tip: You can use this tool to make your own content sets for frequently used placeholders. Doing so will allow you to save time and effort every time you need a new content set.
2. Unsplash
Next on our list is Unsplash. This plugin provides users access to high-quality stock photos they can use in their Figma designs. How does it help? For one, you won’t need to search outside Figma to find the stock photos you need. In addition, it can also speed up the process of designing prototypes using real images.
Pricing: Free
- Pro Tip: When creating mockups, use Unsplash photos right away during the draft process to get a clear vision of how the design would look in action.
3. Iconify
If you need icons in many of your designs, check out Iconify. This plugin offers icons that are all open-source and come in a wide range of designs. In fact, it provides more than 150 icon sets, and all its icons reach over 200,000. Because they’re open-source, you can use them without additional costs. With this plugin, you won’t need to manually download and upload icons, helping you save time.
Pricing: Free
- Pro Tip: To save time when designing, make sure to save your commonly used icon packs within your Figma library.
4. Autoflow
If you’re a UX designer, installing Autoflow will make your life easier. This tool allows users to quickly create flow arrows between frames. With the help of Autoflow, you can create diagrams, graphics, or flows in a minimalist style or a hand-drawn style. Some of its features include custom routing for paths, text annotations along paths, and smart obstacle detection.
Pricing: Free for up to fifty flows (per file), individual lifetime access costs $29 (one-time fee)
- Pro Tip: When creating presentations that involve various levels or steps that need to be differentiated from one another, use different arrow styles to make them distinct.
5. Figmotion
If you want to make your animation creation process more efficient, consider Figmotion. This tool makes it faster and easier to add motion design, all without having to use a separate tool like After Effects, Haiku, or Principle. With Figmotion, you can use the editor in a separate window, allowing you to place your timeline where you’re most comfortable. This feature makes it easier to navigate the tool, especially for those who use multiple monitors or split screens. Animations can be exported to various formats, such as MP4, GIF, and WEBM.
Pricing: Free
- Pro Tip: When using for your prototypes, try to keep your animations simple and subtle. Doing so will keep your visual asset looking more professional instead of amateur and cluttered.
6. Stark
Next up is Stark, which is a contrast and accessibility checker. Stark allows users to do away with manually checking spreadsheets or post-delivery retrofitting. This plugin uses a suite of tools that make one’s accessibility workflow a breeze. It also allows you to test accessible software quickly, whether you’re working on an ecommerce shop, a mobile app, or a SaaS product. With this tool, you can rest assured that your designs comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and that all of them are inclusive.
Pricing: Free plan available; paid individual plans start at $21 per month
- Pro Tip: To avoid reworking on your designs later, include a Stark run among your final checklist before delivering the designs to your client.
7. Remove BG
If you find yourself wasting precious time removing backgrounds in your projects, Remove BG can be a lifesaver. This tool allows users to take out the background in no less than one click. That said, it has many use cases, including preparing product photos or creating profile photos. Note, however, that you’ll need a remove.bg account to use the plugin in Figma.
Pricing: The platform has a pay-as-you-go package that comes with 3 credits for $3. Its higher tiers start at $9 for up to 40 credits per month.
- Pro Tip: You can use Remove BG on product mockups to come up with cleaner brand assets to use for your projects.
8. Blush
Blush, meanwhile, is a great weapon in your arsenal if you find yourself in need of illustrations to add personality to your designs. Though the illustrations may not be as on-point as custom illustrations tailor-made by human designers, it’s an easy solution for any user. All you need to do is select a collection, choose a composition, and put it in your canvas. You can rearrange the elements and test out variations until you find the best fit for your project.
Pricing: The platform’s free plan offers unlimited downloads, with up to 5 savable designs for reuse. The Pro Plan, meanwhile, costs $12 per month, with unlimited downloads, unlimited savable designs for reuse, and features like one-click color customization tools.
- Pro Tip: To stay consistent with your brand, stick to one illustration pack. Doing so will make your design look more polished and cohesive.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by George Milton from Pexels
Plugin screenshots from Figma community plugins
