What Is Google Stitch? A Beginner's Guide (2026)

Designing user interfaces has traditionally required hours of manual work in tools like Figma, moving elements pixel by pixel until the layout feels right.

Google Stitch takes a different approach. It's an experimental AI-powered design tool from Google Labs that generates complete UI designs and frontend code from simple text descriptions or uploaded images.

Announced at Google I/O 2025 in May 2025, Stitch aims to bridge the gap between design ideation and development. Instead of starting with a blank canvas, you describe what you want in plain English, and Stitch produces multiple design variants in minutes.

You can then refine those designs through conversational prompts, export them to Figma with Auto Layout intact, or download clean HTML and CSS code.

The tool leverages Google's multimodal AI capabilities, specifically Gemini 2.5 Pro and Gemini 2.5 Flash, to interpret both text and visual inputs. This means you can upload a whiteboard sketch, a wireframe, or even a screenshot of an existing interface, and Stitch will generate a corresponding digital design.

Stitch is currently free to use with monthly generation limits, and it's positioned as an experiment rather than a production-ready tool. That said, it's already being tested by designers and developers looking to accelerate early-stage UI work.

Key Takeaways

• Google Stitch is an AI-powered UI design tool from Google Labs that generates interface designs and frontend code from text prompts or images
• The tool uses Gemini 2.5 Pro and Gemini 2.5 Flash models to create mobile and web app layouts in minutes
• You can export designs directly to Figma with Auto Layout or download HTML/CSS code for development
• Stitch offers two modes: Standard (350 generations/month) and Experimental (50 generations/month with image input support)
• While fast for early-stage ideation, Stitch-generated designs often require manual refinement for production use
• The tool is currently free and experimental, best suited for rapid prototyping rather than final design work

What Is Google Stitch?

Google Stitch is an experimental AI design tool that transforms natural language descriptions or visual references (sketches, wireframes, screenshots) into complete user interface designs with corresponding frontend code.

Built by Google Labs and powered by Gemini AI models, it enables designers and developers to generate, iterate, and export UI layouts without manually creating each element from scratch.

How Google Stitch Works

Stitch operates through a straightforward three-step process: input, generation, and export.

You start by describing your desired interface in plain English or uploading a visual reference. For example, you might write, "Design a mobile finance app with a dashboard showing today's spending, top categories, and recent transactions."

Stitch processes this input using its underlying AI models to understand layout requirements, component hierarchy, and visual direction.

The tool then generates multiple design variants based on your description. Each variant explores different layouts, component arrangements, and visual treatments. Generation typically takes 60 to 90 seconds, depending on complexity and which AI mode you're using.

Once you have designs, you can refine them through conversational prompts. You might ask Stitch to "make the background darker" or "add a search bar to the header." The tool maintains context from previous prompts, allowing iterative improvements without starting over.

Standard Vs. Experimental Mode

Stitch offers two operational modes with different capabilities. Standard Mode uses Gemini 2.5 Flash for faster generation and allows 350 designs per month. It accepts text prompts only and supports Figma export.

Experimental Mode runs on Gemini 2.5 Pro, offering higher-fidelity results with a limit of 50 generations monthly. This mode accepts image inputs (sketches, wireframes, screenshots) in addition to text. However, Figma export isn't available when you generate designs from images.

The AI Behind the Tool

Stitch leverages multimodal AI capabilities to process both text and visual information. The Gemini models analyze your input to identify UI patterns, component types, layout structures, and design conventions. They then synthesize this understanding into concrete interface designs.

The tool doesn't simply template-match or fill in predefined layouts. It interprets your requirements and generates custom arrangements based on what you've described, though the results tend toward conventional design patterns rather than highly creative solutions.

Core Features and Capabilities

Text-to-ui Generation

Stitch's primary feature is generating complete interface designs from natural language descriptions. You describe the application type, target users, key screens, desired visual style, and any specific requirements. The tool produces full layouts with appropriate components, typography, spacing, and color schemes.

The quality of output depends heavily on prompt specificity. Vague descriptions yield generic results, while detailed prompts that specify hierarchy, component types, and visual direction produce more useful designs. Designer Nick Babich recommends using a "Zoom-Out-Zoom-In" framework: start with product context and target users, then zoom into specific screen goals, layout requirements, and design constraints.

Image and Wireframe Input

In Experimental Mode, you can upload visual references instead of writing text prompts. This works with hand-drawn sketches, digital wireframes, or screenshots of existing interfaces. Stitch analyzes the visual structure and generates a corresponding digital UI.

This capability is particularly useful when you have rough ideas sketched on paper or whiteboard photos from brainstorming sessions. The tool interprets layout structure, component placement, and relative sizing to produce a digital equivalent.

Iterative Design Exploration

Stitch supports rapid iteration by letting you branch from any generated screen. You can select a specific design, describe changes in natural language, and generate new variants without overwriting your original. This encourages exploration of different design directions.

You can also use multi-select functionality to apply changes across multiple screens simultaneously. Hold Shift, click several screens, then submit a single prompt or theme adjustment to maintain consistency across your project.

Figma Integration

One of Stitch's most practical features is direct export to Figma. When you copy a design and paste it into Figma, it arrives with nested layers and Auto Layout already configured. This makes the design immediately editable and ready for collaboration with design teams.

The Figma export preserves component structure, spacing, and layout constraints. You can adjust colors, typography, and spacing using Figma's native tools without rebuilding the entire layout from scratch.

Note that Figma export is only available in Standard Mode and when generating from text prompts. Image-based designs in Experimental Mode cannot be exported to Figma.

Frontend Code Export

Stitch generates HTML and CSS code for any design you create. The code is clean and functional, providing a structural starting point for development. While you'll still need to implement interactivity, connect to backends, and handle state management, the exported code gives you a working layout foundation.

The code quality is reasonable for prototyping but typically requires refinement for production use. Component naming, semantic HTML structure, and CSS organization may need adjustment to match your team's conventions.

Theme and Style Controls

Stitch provides basic editing controls through a modal interface. You can adjust color palettes using preset options or a color picker, select from a handful of Google Fonts, and modify corner radius values.

These controls are limited compared to full-featured design tools but sufficient for quick theme adjustments.

For more substantial changes, you're better off using conversational prompts or exporting to Figma for detailed refinement.

Practical Use Cases

Rapid Prototyping and Concept Validation

Stitch excels at generating quick mockups when you need to visualize an idea fast. If you're in a meeting and someone suggests a new feature, you can describe it to Stitch and have a visual representation in minutes. This speeds up early-stage discussions and helps teams align on direction before investing in detailed design work.

Designers report that Stitch is particularly valuable for escaping the blank canvas problem. Instead of staring at an empty artboard, you get a starting point that you can critique and refine.

Design Handoff Acceleration

The combination of Figma export and code generation makes Stitch useful for bridging design and development workflows. Designers can generate initial layouts, export them to Figma for refinement, then provide developers with both the Figma file and corresponding HTML/CSS as reference.

This doesn't eliminate the need for proper design systems or component libraries, but it can speed up the creation of one-off screens or experimental features that don't yet have established patterns.

Wireframe Digitization

Teams that prefer sketching on whiteboards or paper can use Stitch to quickly digitize their ideas.

Upload a photo of your sketch, and Stitch generates a clean digital version that you can iterate on or export to Figma.

This is faster than manually recreating sketches in design tools and preserves the original layout intent while making it editable.

Learning and Exploration

For designers learning UI patterns or exploring unfamiliar domains, Stitch can generate examples to study. If you're designing a finance app for the first time, you can prompt Stitch to create various dashboard layouts and examine how it structures information hierarchy, component selection, and visual organization.

This isn't a replacement for proper research and competitive analysis, but it provides quick reference points for common patterns.

Client Presentations and Stakeholder Reviews

When you need to present multiple design directions quickly, Stitch can generate variants faster than manual design work. You can show stakeholders different approaches to layout, information architecture, or visual style without spending hours on each option.

Keep in mind that Stitch-generated designs often look somewhat generic and may lack the polish expected in final presentations. They work better as discussion starters than finished deliverables.

Strengths and Benefits

Speed and Efficiency

Stitch's most obvious advantage is speed. Generating a complete UI design in 60 to 90 seconds is dramatically faster than manual design work. This acceleration is most valuable in early project phases when you're exploring concepts rather than finalizing details.

Low Barrier to Entry

You don't need design expertise to use Stitch effectively. Developers, product managers, or anyone who can describe an interface in plain English can generate usable layouts. This democratizes UI creation and enables non-designers to participate more actively in design discussions.

Figma Integration Quality

The Auto Layout preservation when exporting to Figma is genuinely useful. Many AI design tools export flat images or poorly structured layers. Stitch exports properly nested components with layout constraints intact, making the designs immediately editable in Figma.

Free Access

Stitch is currently free to use with generous monthly limits (350 generations in Standard Mode, 50 in Experimental). This makes it accessible for experimentation without financial commitment.

Multimodal Input

The ability to work from both text descriptions and visual references provides flexibility. You can start with a sketch, refine with text prompts, then export to Figma for final adjustments. This accommodates different working styles and project phases.

Limitations and Drawbacks

Generic Visual Output

Stitch-generated designs tend toward conventional, safe layouts. They lack the distinctive visual character and thoughtful details that experienced designers bring to their work. Colors, typography, and spacing are functional but rarely inspired.

The tool is better at generating mid-fidelity mockups than high-fidelity final designs. You'll almost always need manual refinement to achieve production quality.

Inconsistent Results

Components don't always align properly, colors sometimes drift from specified brand systems, and complex flows often lack cohesion across screens. The same prompt can produce significantly different results on different runs, making it difficult to achieve consistency.

Limited Design Control

The editing interface provides only basic controls: a few color options, limited font choices, and simple corner radius adjustments. For anything beyond surface-level changes, you need to either write new prompts or export to Figma.

This makes iterative refinement within Stitch itself frustrating. The tool is better suited for generating starting points than for detailed design work.

Experimental Mode Restrictions

Figma export isn't available when generating from images in Experimental Mode.

This is a significant limitation because image-based generation is one of Stitch's most interesting features. If you want to digitize a sketch and then refine it in Figma, you'll need to manually recreate the design.

Generation Limits

While 350 monthly generations in Standard Mode sounds generous, you can burn through that quota quickly when iterating on designs. Experimental Mode's 50-generation limit is more restrictive, especially given that image-based generation often requires multiple attempts to get usable results.

Code Quality Concerns

The exported HTML and CSS provides a structural foundation but typically needs significant refinement for production use. Component naming, semantic structure, accessibility considerations, and CSS organization often require developer intervention.

Stitch is better at generating layout code than production-ready components.

Experimental Status

As a Google Labs experiment, Stitch's future is uncertain.

Google has a history of discontinuing experimental products. Building critical workflows around Stitch carries risk if the tool is eventually shut down or significantly changed.

Pricing Overview

Google Stitch is currently free to use with the following monthly generation limits:

Standard Mode (Gemini 2.5 Flash): 350 generations per month

Experimental Mode (Gemini 2.5 Pro): 50 generations per month

There are no paid tiers or premium features at this time. Access is available to anyone with a Google account.

Because Stitch is an experimental product from Google Labs, pricing and availability may change. Google has not announced plans for commercial pricing or enterprise features.

Alternatives to Google Stitch

Several other tools address similar design-to-code workflows, each with different strengths.

UX Pilot

UX Pilot is an AI-powered design tool that generates UI designs from prompts and exports to Figma with full integration support.

Unlike Stitch, UX Pilot supports Figma export for all generation types, including image-based designs. It offers more consistent output quality and better design system integration.

Figma

Figma itself has introduced AI features for design generation and automation.

While not as focused on text-to-UI generation as Stitch, Figma's native AI capabilities work within the full design tool ecosystem, providing more control and integration with existing workflows.

Uxpin

UXPin focuses on design systems and code-based design. It generates production-ready code from designs and maintains better consistency with established component libraries.

UXPin is more mature and production-focused than Stitch but requires more setup and design system investment.

Zeplin

Zeplin specializes in design handoff, generating specs and code snippets from designs created in Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD.

It doesn't generate designs from prompts but excels at translating finished designs into developer-friendly documentation and code.

V0 by Vercel

v0 generates React components from text descriptions, focusing on production-ready code rather than visual design exploration.

It's better suited for developers who want functional components than for designers exploring visual concepts.

Galileo AI

Galileo AI (which Google acquired and integrated into Stitch) was a standalone text-to-UI tool. The technology now powers Stitch, so they're essentially the same product under different branding.

Who Should Use Google Stitch?

Ideal Users

Early-stage founders and product managers who need to visualize ideas quickly without hiring designers will find Stitch valuable. You can generate mockups for pitch decks, user testing, or internal discussions.

Developers building side projects can use Stitch to create decent-looking interfaces without deep design skills. The code export provides a structural starting point that you can customize.

Design teams exploring concepts benefit from Stitch's speed when generating multiple directions for stakeholder review. It's faster than manual mockups for early-stage ideation.

Design students and learners can study Stitch-generated layouts to understand common UI patterns, component organization, and information hierarchy.

Less Suitable For

Production design work requiring polish, brand consistency, and detailed refinement. Stitch generates starting points, not finished products.

Teams with established design systems may find Stitch's generic output incompatible with their existing component libraries and visual standards.

Projects requiring accessibility compliance should not rely on Stitch-generated code without thorough review and modification. The tool doesn't prioritize accessibility in its output.

Enterprise workflows needing reliability, support, and guaranteed availability. Stitch's experimental status makes it risky for critical business processes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Use Stitch by Google?

To use Stitch, visit stitch.withgoogle.com and sign in with your Google account. Choose between Standard Mode (text prompts only) or Experimental Mode (text and image inputs). Describe your desired interface in the prompt field, specifying app type, screens, visual style, and requirements. Stitch generates designs in 60 to 90 seconds. You can then refine designs through conversational prompts, export to Figma by copying and pasting, or download HTML/CSS code. For best results, write detailed prompts that include user context, screen goals, layout hierarchy, and design constraints.

What Does the Stitch App Do?

Stitch is an AI-powered design tool that generates complete user interface designs and frontend code from text descriptions or uploaded images. It creates mobile and web app layouts with components, typography, colors, and spacing based on your requirements. You can iteratively refine designs through conversational prompts, export them to Figma with Auto Layout preserved, or download HTML and CSS code for development. Stitch aims to accelerate the early stages of UI design by eliminating the blank canvas problem and speeding up the transition from concept to working prototype.

Is Google Stitch Free to Use?

Yes, Google Stitch is currently free to use with monthly generation limits. Standard Mode (using Gemini 2.5 Flash) allows 350 generations per month, while Experimental Mode (using Gemini 2.5 Pro) provides 50 generations monthly. There are no paid tiers or premium features at this time. However, because Stitch is an experimental product from Google Labs, pricing and availability may change in the future. Access requires only a Google account.

Can I Export Stitch Designs to Figma?

Yes, you can export Stitch designs to Figma by copying the design and pasting it into your Figma canvas. The design arrives with nested layers and Auto Layout already configured, making it immediately editable. However, this feature is only available in Standard Mode when generating from text prompts. If you use Experimental Mode to generate designs from uploaded images, Figma export is not supported. You'll need to manually recreate image-based designs in Figma if you want to edit them there.

What's the Difference Between Standard and Experimental Mode in Stitch?

Standard Mode uses Gemini 2.5 Flash, allows 350 generations per month, accepts text prompts only, and supports Figma export. It's faster and better for quick iterations and early concepts. Experimental Mode uses Gemini 2.5 Pro, provides 50 generations monthly, accepts both text prompts and image inputs (sketches, wireframes, screenshots), and produces higher-fidelity results. However, Figma export is not available in Experimental Mode when generating from images. Choose Standard for speed and Figma integration, or Experimental for higher quality and image-based generation.

Is Google Stitch Better Than Figma?

Google Stitch and Figma serve different purposes and aren't direct competitors. Stitch excels at rapidly generating initial UI designs from text or image prompts, making it valuable for early-stage ideation and concept exploration. Figma is a full-featured design tool for detailed design work, collaboration, prototyping, and design system management. Most designers use Stitch to generate starting points, then export to Figma for refinement and production work. Stitch is faster for initial generation but lacks Figma's depth, precision, and collaborative features. They're complementary tools rather than alternatives.

Conclusion

Google Stitch represents an interesting experiment in AI-assisted UI design. It genuinely accelerates early-stage design work by generating usable layouts from simple descriptions in minutes. The Figma integration is well-executed, and the ability to work from both text and visual inputs provides valuable flexibility.

However, Stitch is best understood as a starting point generator rather than a complete design solution. The output quality is functional but generic, requiring manual refinement for production use. Inconsistencies, limited editing controls, and restrictions in Experimental Mode constrain its practical utility.

If you're exploring concepts, digitizing sketches, or need quick mockups for discussion, Stitch is worth trying. It's free, fast, and genuinely useful for those specific scenarios. For detailed design work, brand-consistent interfaces, or production-ready components, you'll still need traditional design tools and human expertise.

Visit stitch.withgoogle.com to experiment with the tool and see if it fits your workflow.