# Sketch — Design

Sketch by Sketch B.V. holds a panel rating of 2.5/5 from 6 AI judges (category median 2/5), as of 2026-10-15. Provenance: EU-Made; sovereignty: not determined.

- Vendor: Sketch B.V. (https://www.sketch.com)
- Category: [Design](https://whats-best.ai/software/design.md)
- Provenance (editorial classification): EU-Made
- Canonical page: https://whats-best.ai/software/design/sketch
- Alternatives: https://whats-best.ai/software/design/sketch/alternatives ([markdown](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/sketch/alternatives.md))
- Data as of: 2026-10-20 · evaluated 2026-10-15 · oldest source captured 2026-10-01

**AI-generated.** Every score, rationale and verdict here is written by a panel of AI judges from public evidence — an analysis, not a hands-on test. Every fact quotes the vendor page it was read from. No score can be bought. How scores are made: https://whats-best.ai/methodology

## At a glance

- Vendor: Sketch B.V.
- Headquarters: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 13 Oct 2026
- Data hosting: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 13 Oct 2026
- Free plan: Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 13 Oct 2026

## The panel's verdict

Sketch — a native Mac design app with a web workspace from Sketch B.V. of Eindhoven — scored at two extremes. Design and prototyping, at 5–6, documents Symbols in shared Libraries with starred versions and prototypes with overlays, triggers and scroll areas, with no public information on variables, tokens or component variants. Collaboration and handoff, at 6–7, covers browser-based inspect for all workspace members, a guest 'Can download and inspect' permission, and a local MCP server. The standout is file ownership and portability at 8–9: documents are ZIP archives of JSON, published as JSON Schema on npm with TypeScript types and versioned independently of the app. Pricing transparency is flat at 2: the page names free Viewers, 50GB per Editor, unlimited storage and custom terms from 15+ Editors, but no price figures — an annual cost cannot be computed. Brand asset governance, AI and content rights and sovereignty each scored 2–4 — no public information on a central brand library, AI training and output rights, or residency beyond the Private Cloud hosting choice — and the flagged splits show no flagged split.

**Speaks for it:**
- Documents are ZIP archives of JSON with a published JSON Schema specification and TypeScript types on npm, versioned independently of the app.
- All workspace members can inspect in the browser and guests can be granted 'Can download and inspect' permission.
- The native Mac app works offline and Figma import is documented.
- Background removal processes images on the device, with images sent to neither Sketch nor an external provider.
- The MCP server runs locally on the Mac, is disabled by default, and the user chooses which third-party AI tools connect.

**Held against it:**
- We found no per-seat price figures in the captured pages, so an annual cost cannot be computed.
- We found no public information on a central brand asset library, published guidelines, or rights and expiry metadata on licensed assets.
- We found no public information on AI training on customer files, named models, or commercial-use rights for generated output.
- We found no public information on where standard workspace files are hosted or on a subprocessor list, and the hosting location choice appears only on the Private Cloud plan.
- We found no public information on variables or tokens, component variants, or conditional logic in prototypes.

**Best for:**
- You need design files in an open, documented format you can read, validate and generate without the vendor's app.
- Your developers take handoff in the browser and need inspect open to every workspace member and to guests.
- You run an all-Mac studio and want a native app that works offline.
- You are weighing the Private Cloud plan, which adds a hosting location choice, unlimited workspaces and invoice payment.

**Avoid if:**
- You need published per-seat prices to compute an annual budget before talking to sales.
- Your team is not on macOS Sequoia (15.0.0) or newer.
- Your brand team needs a central logo and template library with licence and expiry metadata for non-designers.
- Your compliance review requires confirmed data residency and a subprocessor list on standard plans.

## Scores by judge and criterion

Scores out of 5, each judge scoring independently against the published rubric (v1). "n/r" = not rated: the vendor publishes no price.

| Criterion | The Product Designer | The Frontend Engineer | The Brand Marketer | The Agency Owner | The Data Protection Officer | The Skeptic |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Design, prototyping & design systems | 3/5 | 2.5/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 2.5/5 | 3/5 |
| Collaboration, review & developer handoff | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 |
| Brand assets & governance | 1/5 | 1/5 | 2/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| Files, formats & portability | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| AI features & rights to the work | 2/5 | 1.5/5 | 1/5 | 1.5/5 | 1/5 | 2/5 |
| European sovereignty | 2/5 | 1.5/5 | 1/5 | 2/5 | 1.5/5 | 1.5/5 |
| Pricing transparency | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 |
| **Weighted verdict** | **3/5** | **3/5** | **2/5** | **2.5/5** | **2/5** | **2.5/5** |

### The judges

- **The Product Designer** (v1.0): Owns the design system of a B2B software product. Wants components with variants, tokens with modes, prototypes that test a real flow, and library releases that are versioned and reviewable — a design system is a product, not a page of nicely arranged buttons.
- **The Frontend Engineer** (v1.0): Turns the designs into code and gets the ticket when they disagree. Wants an inspect mode without a paid seat, tokens exported in a documented format, components mapped to the code ones, and an API that reads the whole file rather than a screenshot of it.
- **The Brand Marketer** (v1.0): Keeps the brand consistent across twelve sales offices that make their own flyers. Wants locked templates non-designers can use, guidelines inside the tool, licence and expiry dates on every stock image, and a clear answer on whether a generated image may go on a trade-fair stand.
- **The Agency Owner** (v1.0): Runs a design agency of fifteen and hands every project over to the client at the end. Wants files that export with layers and components intact, guests who are not billed as editors, and terms that say the client owns the work — and what happens to it after a cancellation.
- **The Data Protection Officer** (v1.0): Reviews every tool where unreleased products, customer screenshots and employee photos end up. Wants the contracting entity and hosting region named, the AI providers on the subprocessor list, and training on customer files excluded for the whole organisation in the terms — not behind a toggle each user has to find.
- **The Skeptic** (v1.0): Has read "free for viewers", "commercially safe AI" and "export anytime" on every page in this category. Reads instead for the click that turns a reviewer into a billed editor, the plan the IP indemnity actually covers, and whether the export keeps a single component.

## European sovereignty — proven facts

Built only from facts on the vendor's own pages; a dimension we could not prove is left open, never scored as zero. Headline: not determined.

| Dimension | Finding | Points | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Not determined | — | — |
| Ownership | Not determined | — | — |
| Data residency | Not determined | — | — |
| Subprocessors | Not determined | — | — |

## Key facts

Each fact is the vendor's own statement, cited to the source page it was read from ([S*n*] → Sources).

**Compliance**
- Breach notification: yes [S3]
- Breach notification: yes [S3]
- Currency inference: no · currency display at checkout [S3]
- Data portability: yes [S3]
- GDPR rights: information · access · rectification · erasure · restriction · objection · data_portability [S3]
- Ip country no cookies: country estimation for relevant pricing · no [S3]
- Marketing optout: yes [S3]
- No data sale: no [S3]
- Scc transfers: yes [S3]
- Security measures: yes [S4]
- Subprocessors list: Subprocessor list published; categories include IT and data hosting services, payment service providers, communication service providers [S3]

**Data**
- Collected types: contact_and_communication_details · account_details · payment_information · support_communication_records · proof_of_student_status · ip_address [S3]
- Ip country pricing: country estimation for relevant pricing · no · no [S3]
- Legal bases: contractual_obligation · legal_obligation · legitimate_interest · consent [S3]
- Marketing opt out: yes [S3]
- Payment information: card_owner_full_name · last_four_digits · expiration_date · card_type · issuing_bank · country_of_origin [S3]
- Privacy contact email:  [S3]
- Retention legal claims: 10 [S3]
- Retention legal claims: 10 [S3]
- Retention marketing consent: 24 [S3]
- Retention marketing consent: last interaction or complete inactivity · 24 [S3]
- Retention oss: 10 · 7 [S3]
- Retention oss: 10 · 7 [S3]
- Sale of data: no [S3]

**Integrations**
- Json schema: JSON Schema specification provided [S9]
- Json schema package: JSON Schema · sketch-file-format [S10]
- Surface: yes · yes [S1]
- Typescript package: TypeScript types · sketch-file-format-ts · yes [S10]
- Typescript types: TypeScript types provided [S9]

**Legal**
- Controller role: yes [S3]
- Cookie policy: yes [S4]
- Copyright: Sketch B.V. [S5]
- Copyright: 2026 · Sketch B.V. [S10]
- Copyright entity: Sketch B.V. [S9]
- Copyright entity: Sketch B.V. [S12]
- DPA available:  [S3]
- DPA available: yes [S4]
- Entity: Sketch B.V. [S1]
- Entity: Sketch B.V. [S2]
- Entity: Sketch B.V. · Flight Forum 40, Ground floor, 5657 DB Eindhoven, the Netherlands · Netherlands · NL8538.75.273.B01 · 60360461 [S3]
- Entity: Sketch B.V. [S1]
- Entity: Sketch B.V. · controller · Flight Forum 40, Ground floor, 5657 DB Eindhoven · Netherlands · NL8538.75.273.B01 · 60360461 [S3]
- Entity: Sketch B.V. [S11]
- Entity name: Sketch B.V. [S4]
- Privacy statement: yes [S4]
- Privacy version date: 2025-07-10 [S3]
- Security page:  [S3]
- Subprocessors page:  [S3]
- Supervisory complaint: yes [S3]
- Version: 06 October 2026 [S3]

**Pricing**
- Developer inspect free: no · yes [S8]
- Direct purchase note: Prices on other platforms may vary [S2]
- Education free: yes [S2]
- Enterprise: 44 [S2]
- Enterprise features: SCIM provisioning, BYOK encryption, Dedicated support, Custom reviews and terms [S2]
- Free for education: yes [S1]
- Macos license: one year of updates · 108 [S2]
- Private cloud features: Private cloud environment, Choice of hosting locations, Unlimited Workspaces, SCIM provisioning, BYOK encryption [S2]
- Private cloud pricing: yes [S2]
- Private cloud setup fee: yes [S2]
- Professional: 22 [S2]
- Professional features: SSO, Project archiving, Permissions groups [S2]
- Standard: 11 [S2]
- Standard features: Real-time collaboration, Unlimited documents, Unlimited free viewers, Document version history, Free developer handoff [S2]
- Trial: 30 · no [S2]

**Product**
- Archive structure: JSON document data · bitmap images · document preview [S9]
- Collected data: Contact & communication details, account details, payment information, support records, proof of student status, IP address for country estimation [S3]
- Command bar symbol browsing: Library Symbols can be browsed and inserted via the Command Bar (⌘K), or ⌃Y to insert Symbols directly [S6]
- Comment copy link: yes [S7]
- Comment edit delete permissions: yes · yes [S7]
- Comment follow webapp: web app · yes [S7]
- Comment formatting: yes · yes · yes [S7]
- Comment inbox: comments · replies · mentions · yes [S7]
- Comment mark all read: Mac app · yes [S7]
- Comment markdown syntax: italic, bold, inline code, code blocks, quotes, ordered and unordered lists [S7]
- Comment notifications scopes: thread · single frame or selection · whole document · yes [S7]
- Comment on prototypes: yes [S7]
- Comment pin colors: orange=unread from others, blue=just added, black=read, green checkmark=resolved [S7]
- Comment public link login required: yes · yes · yes [S7]
- Comment resolve: yes · yes · yes [S7]
- Comment resolved show shortcut: ⌃⇧N [S7]
- Comment share permissions: Viewers · Guests · yes [S7]
- Comment shortcuts: N · C [S7]
- Comment show hide shortcut: ^N [S7]
- Comment threads: yes [S7]
- Commenting platforms: Canvas · individual frame · web app · Mac app [S7]
- Cookie consent: yes · consent required [S3]
- Custom terms: Enterprise for 15+ Editors [S2]
- Custom user info field: userInfo object for custom data per document and layer [S9]
- Customer success manager: Enterprise · Private Cloud [S2]
- Developer handoff browser: Browser-based handoff tools let developers inspect any part of a design [S8]
- Developer platform: Developer Platform available [S1]
- Document json: common data for all pages, shared styles [S9]
- Dynamic generation: yes [S9]
- Feature surface: Design · Collaboration · Prototyping · Developer Handoff · AI · View & Mirror on iOS (Beta) [S1]
- Figma import: Figma to Sketch import offered [S1]
- File format introduced sketch 43: Sketch 43 [S9]
- File format specification: Sketch publishes a file format specification for valid Sketch document JSON [S10]
- File format zip json: Sketch documents are ZIP archives containing JSON encoded data [S9]
- Free tier available: yes [S1]
- Guest inspect permission: Can download and inspect [S8]
- Handoff features: Inspect · Export · MCP Server [S8]
- Hosting location choice: Private Cloud [S2]
- Images folder original scales: bitmaps stored at original scales [S9]
- Independent company: yes [S1]
- Ios app: yes [S2]
- Ios view mirror: View & Mirror on iOS app [S1]
- Json schema standard: JSON Schema · npm [S10]
- Library starred versions: Library versions can be starred to control which changes are shared with team members [S6]
- Library update notifications: Editors get notified about Library changes and choose which Library updates to pull in [S6]
- License manager admin access: yes [S12]
- License type: Mac app users are governed by a License Agreement (EULA) alongside the Terms of Service [S4]
- License type check location: License type visible in Sketch > Settings > Account in the Mac app [S12]
- Mac app: yes [S2]
- Mac only license key prefix: Mac-only license keys start with SK3 [S12]
- Marketing email frequency: Marketing emails rarely more than one per month [S1]
- Mcp server: yes · yes · yes · no [S3]
- Meta json: document metadata: pages, artboards, Sketch version, fonts [S9]
- Onsite background removal: on-device · no [S3]
- Os requirement: macOS Sequoia (15.0.0) [S1]
- Pages folder: pages folder [S9]
- Pay by invoice: Enterprise · Private Cloud [S2]
- Platform: macOS · Sequoia (15.0.0) [S1]
- Platform components:  [S3]
- Plugins integrations: Plugins & Integrations offered [S1]
- Preview inspect share: Can create a preview with inspecting enabled for specific pages or prototypes [S8]
- Previews folder 2048: previews folder · 2048 [S9]
- Priority support: Enterprise for 15+ Editors [S2]
- Private cloud workspaces: Private Cloud has unlimited workspaces; other plans have 1 Workspace [S2]
- Prototype animations: Animations supported in prototypes [S5]
- Prototype fixed elements: Pinning fixed elements to scrolling prototypes [S5]
- Prototype layer visibility: Custom layer visibility options in prototypes [S5]
- Prototype links: Links and Hotspots to navigate between frames or trigger Overlays [S5]
- Prototype overlays: Overlays triggered by click, press or hover [S5]
- Prototype preview platforms: Mac app, web app, iOS app [S5]
- Prototype scroll areas: Scroll areas vertically, horizontally or in multiple directions [S5]
- Prototype scrolling frames: Frame templates for Scrolling Frames maintaining scroll position between frames [S5]
- Prototype sharing: Prototype sharing supported [S5]
- Prototype start points: Multiple Start Points per prototype [S5]
- Prototype triggers: hover, press and toggle triggers [S5]
- Subscription signin method: Subscription sign-in uses email and password for Mac and web apps [S12]
- Symbol edit in library: Library Symbols can be edited in their source Library or unlinked into a local Symbol [S6]
- Symbol instance customization: Symbol instances can be customized (text, colors, images, nested Symbols) without changing the Symbol Source [S6]
- Symbol multi insert: Multiple Symbols can be inserted at once by holding Shift and clicking thumbnails [S6]
- Third party partners: yes [S2]
- Use cases: server and command-line applications, types, GraphQL schemas, model code, document validation [S10]
- User json: user metadata: viewport, zoom, UI metadata, Sketch Cloud upload status [S9]
- Versioning: yes [S10]
- Web app: yes [S2]
- Workspace members inspect: yes [S8]
- Workspace storage standard: 50GB per Editor · Unlimited [S2]

**Support**
- Channels: Help Center · Documentation · Request a Feature · Community Discord · Developer Platform · Service Status [S1]
- Channels: Help Center · Documentation · Request a Feature · Community Discord · Service Status · Contact Us [S1]
- Community discord: Community Discord · yes [S10]
- Docs pages: Support pages are available for further help [S6]
- Education: yes [S1]

## Questions

### Is Sketch European?

Yes. whats-best.ai classifies Sketch as EU-Made.

### Where does Sketch store data?

Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 13 Oct 2026.

### Does Sketch have a free plan?

Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 13 Oct 2026.

### What are the best alternatives to Sketch?

As of 16 Oct 2026, the panel rates [Penpot (2.5/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/penpot), [Frontify (2.5/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/frontify) and [Figma (2.5/5)](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/figma) highest among the other 13 Design products evaluated. Ratings that look equal are rounded to half stars; the order uses the unrounded rating, then the name. The highest-rated European alternative is [Penpot](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/penpot) (EU-Made). Ratings are the AI panel’s opinion, formed from public evidence: [how scores are made](https://whats-best.ai/methodology#ordering). The full list, with European products first: [Sketch alternatives](https://whats-best.ai/software/design/sketch/alternatives).

## What this page leaves out

- 37 product facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 3 compliance facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 3 pricing facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 2 legal facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 2 subprocessors facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 1 hosting fact could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and was left out of this page and of the panel’s material.
- 1 sovereignty dimension could not be confirmed on the vendor’s own pages and is shown as unknown.
- 6 of the readings below were written against an earlier fact sheet — a fact has been corrected, added or pulled since. Until the panel next runs on this product you are reading the older judgement.

## Sources

- [S1] Vendor homepage: https://www.sketch.com/ (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S2] Pricing page: https://www.sketch.com/pricing/ (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S3] Privacy policy: https://www.sketch.com/privacy/ (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S4] Terms of service: https://www.sketch.com/legal/ (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S5] Design, prototyping & design systems — found from sitemap: https://www.sketch.com/docs/prototyping/ (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S6] Design, prototyping & design systems — found from sitemap: https://www.sketch.com/docs/libraries/library-symbols/ (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S7] Collaboration, review & developer handoff — found from sitemap: https://www.sketch.com/docs/sharing-and-collaborating/commenting/ (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S8] Collaboration, review & developer handoff — found from sitemap: https://www.sketch.com/docs/developer-handoff/ (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S9] Files, formats & portability — found from sitemap: https://developer.sketch.com/file-format/ (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S10] Files, formats & portability — found from sitemap: https://developer.sketch.com/file-format/spec (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S11] AI features & rights to the work — found from sitemap: https://www.sketch.com/license/ (checked 2026-10-13)
- [S12] AI features & rights to the work — found from sitemap: https://www.sketch.com/support/general/license-or-subscription/ (checked 2026-10-13)

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Cite as: whats-best.ai, "Sketch — Design", AI panel analysis, as of 2026-10-20. https://whats-best.ai/software/design/sketch

Corrections: https://whats-best.ai/correct/599?target=page