Abstract
Figma’s Android reviews show real frustration around login loops, laggy mirroring, broken prototype rendering, and the lack of mobile or tablet editing — but a solo builder should not try to clone Figma; the realistic wedge is a small Android-first prototype review and annotation tool, with modest revenue potential.
Background
Figma: view. comment. mirror. is Figma’s official mobile app for viewing files, commenting, sharing, playing prototypes, mirroring desktop frames, managing permissions, and switching workspaces. It is free, has a 4.2★ lifetime rating, and shows 6,542,140 installs.
What it does
It complements desktop Figma: review files, comment, play prototypes, mirror selected frames, view Slides and FigJam files, and manage sharing.
What broke
Recent reviewers describe login loops, crashes, lag, rendering glitches, prototype problems, and mirroring that gets stuck or fails to reflect changes.
Why it is soft
The mobile app is officially positioned as a companion, but some Android and tablet users now want a dependable on-device workflow when desktop access fails.
Strengths
This is not a dead incumbent. Positive reviewers still praise Figma’s desktop-quality design ecosystem, mobile project checking, collaboration, and prototype previewing. The official app also benefits from the installed Figma workflow: files, teams, comments, permissions, and prototypes already live there.
Existing habit
Designers already use Figma on desktop and expect the mobile app to extend that work, which gives the incumbent a strong retention advantage.
Real use cases still work
Some users say it is useful for reviewing projects, staying updated with a team, checking flows, and quickly looking at work from mobile.
Market gap
The complaint pattern is clear, but it points to a narrow opportunity rather than a full Figma replacement. The most common product frustration is that Android and tablet users feel stranded in a read-only companion app; other recurring pain is login failure, prototype or mirror instability, and poor performance on large or visual-heavy files.
View-only mobile workflow
Reviewers want editing, creation, tablet support, stylus use, diagrams, sessions, and dashboard actions from Android instead of only viewing and commenting.
Login and account dead ends
Several reviews say authentication loops through browser or WebView and leaves the app unusable even after permissions are granted.
Prototype and mirror reliability
Users report laggy mirroring, stuck frames, broken prototype playback, visuals appearing as squares or checkerboards, and touch interactions that do not behave like a phone.
Performance on real files
Large projects, many layers, images, and prototype rendering are described as slow, hot, or clunky on Android devices.
This application in general is excellent for web/app design, however, I am unable to provide more than one star because there is no option to log in directly from this mobile application tested multiple ways, which renders it unusable at this time on my Samsung Galaxy S24Ultra. The computer version, on the other hand, is absolutely five-star worthy. Please fix this issue and I will super happy to adjust the rating.
No Proper Tablet App. Can we have a fully functional tablet app? It is frustrating to use Figma on a browser. I have an S9 Ultra but all this app does is "View Only". Please pour some resources into developing a functional app for tablets.
After mirroring a screen for a while, the app just gets stuck on that screen. No matter what changes I make or which screen I switch to, nothing updates on the mobile app. It keeps showing the original screen in its initial state. I constantly have to close and reopen the app to get it working again. It's a really frustrating experience, especially from a company like Figma.
- Do not clone Figma; own Android review and markup. Ship screenshot/frame import, comments, redlines, hotspot links, and simple shape/text annotations instead of a full vector editor.
- Make tablet and stylus the wedge. The strongest unmet use case is not casual phone viewing; it is Android tablet users who want to mark up, present, and make lightweight edits.
- Win on reliability before breadth. Fast launch, no login dead end, offline access to imported boards, and smooth prototype playback matter more than matching every desktop feature.
Build complexity
Estimated, not derived: one part-time solo developer, no funding, no team, and no paid acquisition. This assumes a narrow Android-first prototype review app, not a Figma-compatible editor or full design suite.
| Workstream | Weeks |
|---|---|
| Android app shell, files, local projects | 2.0 |
| Image/frame import, canvas, pan/zoom | 3.0 |
| Annotations, comments, stylus-friendly markup | 3.0 |
| Prototype links, presentation mode, offline caching | 2.5 |
| Export/share, billing, onboarding | 2.0 |
| Polish, performance testing, Play launch | 1.5 |
| Total | 14.0 |
Expected revenue
Estimated, not derived: the model assumes a freemium app with a $6/month Pro plan for unlimited projects, export, and team sharing. With no paid acquisition and no official Figma distribution channel, month-12 revenue should be treated as small and uncertain.
| Month 12, monthly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Installs | 1,200 | |
| Activated | 360 | 30% assumption |
| Retained | 150 | 13% of installs assumption |
| Paid | 100 | $6/month |
| Revenue | $600 |
Biggest challenges
The hardest part is not drawing rectangles; it is distribution and expectations. Users complaining about Figma want Figma to work, not necessarily a separate tool, and any app that implies compatibility with live Figma files risks disappointing people if it only imports screenshots or static exports.
Cold-start trust
You are competing beside an official app with millions of installs and a known brand, while starting with no reviews and no team credibility.
Compatibility expectations
If users expect live Figma files, comments, permissions, or mirroring, a solo-built static workflow may feel like a workaround rather than a replacement.
Performance burden
The reviews punish lag and rendering bugs. A small app must feel visibly faster on Android tablets or it loses its main reason to exist.
AI angle
There is a limited but real AI angle: use vision models to turn an imported design screenshot into editable rough layers, labels, and suggested hotspots. That makes a lightweight review-and-iteration tool more useful without attempting true Figma file editing. AI should not be the headline, though; reviews already show some fatigue with AI features when core rendering and reliability are broken.
Useful AI
Screenshot-to-wireframe, auto-detected buttons, suggested flows, and comment summaries can reduce manual setup for reviewers.
Do not overclaim
AI does not solve Figma compatibility, live mirroring, store trust, or the demand for a full tablet design editor.
Conclusion
Skip the full competitor; build only the wedge. The pain is real, but Figma’s ecosystem moat is too large for a part-time solo clone. A narrow Android-first prototype review app is buildable and could earn a little MRR, but this is a cautious side project, not an obvious breakout.
14 weeks
Time to v1
$6/mo
Freemium Pro model
$600
Revenue at month 12
6,542,140
Figma installs define the moat