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Question

Automatic Billable Design Seats is a Dark Pattern


Pavel_G

Hey Figma team,

The automatic addition of a design seat (for which I get billed for) without any warning or alert is a dark pattern I really wish you’d resolve.

I pay for a pro account annually and get billed for an extra seat anytime I share a file with anyone else using the blue “Share” button. Viewers (not editors) get automatically added as full seats.

I thought the whole point of Figma is to share files easily so other people can view the work you’re doing without editting.

Your UX guides people to use the Share button to show projects to other team members who do not need to have access to Figma — just to view it. But to the actual subscriber it auto adds an extra design seat without warning and bills you at the end of the month.

This is unacceptable IMO.

Am I missing something completely? Or what is the correct flow to share files and progress to with others - artboard exports?

Thank you,

3 replies

Gayani_S
Figmate
  • Community Support
  • 1840 replies
  • December 2, 2024

Hi @Pavel_G, thank you for sharing your concerns. I completely understand how this experience has been frustrating and unexpected for you, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to explain the situation in detail.

Let me provide some clarity and guidance on how Figma’s billing works and how you can manage this going forward.

What you’re describing happens because Figma automatically counts any additional editors who interact with a file as active seats. On both monthly and annual plans, if the number of editors exceeds your subscribed seat count, additional charges are applied. This includes instances where someone invited to view a file interacts with it in a way that qualifies them as an editor.

The best way to avoid extra charges is to ensure that any added users are downgraded to “Viewer - restricted” before they begin editing. You can also manage these roles from the Members tab of your team page. Using the Design role or FigJam role filters set to “Editors” or “All” will show you exactly who is currently counted as an editor. Downgrading any extra editors to viewer roles will prevent them from being counted as billable seats.

Here are some helpful resources to guide you:

I hope this helps clarify things. I understand how frustrating this experience has been, and I’m here to help if you have any more questions or concerns. Please feel free to reach out, and I’ll do my best to assist further.


Pavel_G
  • Author
  • 1 reply
  • December 2, 2024

Thank you for the explanation. I discovered this while digging through your membership settings documentation.

However my point still stands — this is a backwards learned behaviour when clicking “share” on a project. The user is never informed that sharing a project incurs an automatic full seat. Surely we must not be forced to downgrade a viewer every single time before they “start editing” as you mentioned. What kind of a practice is that?

Having to change the default setting to restricted is also buried and not informed about.

I’m a fairly seasoned Figma user and this is quite a new learning curve for me.

Nowhere in the user flow to share a file, or during sign up to the annual account does it say that sharing a file incurs an automatic new member seat for which I pay for.

This surprise only comes with the bill at the end of the month. And I firmly believe this is an unfair business practice — especially to new users.

The LEAST your team can do is to allow the downgrading in the sharing modal. But it doesn’t — it only allows editors and viewers both of which are auto billed.

It’s a serious stretch to assume your customers have to quickly go and turn on restriction before anyone uses that shared link…

Thank you for the consideration, but this is quite a dark pattern IMO.


ahainen
  • New Participant
  • 40 replies
  • December 2, 2024

Regardless what Figma replies, you are correct: it is a dark pattern and they know it. It is evil and disgusting.


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