Now that Figma is officially available and expanding in India, I’ve been wondering:
Why are subscriptions still not localized for Indian users?
Currently:
- pricing is shown in USD
- many local payment methods are unsupported
- international card payments don’t work smoothly for everyone
- currency conversion + taxes make subscriptions more expensive and confusing
For a lot of students, freelancers, and early-stage designers in India, this becomes a major barrier even if they genuinely want to pay for Figma.
Why this matters
India has one of the fastest-growing design and tech communities:
- thousands of new designers every year
- startups heavily adopting Figma
- huge student creator ecosystem
- increasing use of AI + collaborative design tools
A lot of people want to purchase Figma subscriptions legitimately, but the payment experience still feels built primarily for international users.
Things that could improve the experience
1. INR pricing
Showing plans directly in Indian Rupees would make pricing clearer and more approachable.
Example:
Instead of converting mentally from USD every time, users immediately understand affordability.
2. Local payment methods
Support for options like:
- UPI
- RuPay cards
- Net banking
- Wallets
- easier recurring payments
would make subscriptions far more accessible.
3. Regional pricing consideration
Many global software platforms already adapt pricing for local economies and student markets.
Even small regional adjustments could significantly increase adoption among:
- students
- freelancers
- small agencies
- indie creators
Why I think this is important
India is not a small market anymore for design tools, it’s one of the biggest growth opportunities.
Making purchasing easier could:
- increase paid conversions
- reduce friction
- build stronger loyalty among Indian creators
- help more people move from free plans to professional plans
Curious to know if others from India (or other regions) feel the same way.