Google Stitch vs Claude Design
Google Labs canvas powered by Gemini 3.0 vs Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.7 conversational designer.
Last updated: April 2026
Key differences
- 1Model — Stitch runs on Gemini 3.0 Flash and Gemini 3.0 Pro; Claude Design runs on Claude Opus 4.7, Anthropic's strongest vision model.
- 2Scope — Stitch is UI-focused (web + mobile screens). Claude Design generates UI plus decks, visuals, and shareable PPTX/PDF/URL artefacts.
- 3Pricing — Stitch is free with a Google account. Claude Design is bundled with paid Claude plans (Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise).
- 4Handoff — Stitch exports HTML/CSS, DESIGN.md, and Figma-pasteable layers. Claude Design packages a "handoff bundle" that Claude Code can turn into production code in one instruction.
- 5Design system awareness — Claude Design can read your codebase and existing design files to match your team's visual style. Stitch relies on DESIGN.md + explicit prompts.
Feature-by-feature
| Dimension | Google Stitch | Claude Design |
|---|---|---|
| Release | I/O 2025 · redesign March 19, 2026 | Launched April 17, 2026 (Claude Opus 4.7 wave) |
| Backing model | Gemini 3.0 Flash / 3.0 Pro | Claude Opus 4.7 (vision) |
| Pricing | Free with a Google account | Included with Claude Pro/Max/Team/Enterprise |
| Free quota | 550 generations per month | Gated behind a paid Claude subscription |
| Input modes | Text, image, sketch, voice (Voice Canvas) | Text, inline comments, dynamic controls, direct edits |
| Primary output | UI screens · HTML/CSS · DESIGN.md · Figma paste | UI · slides · PDFs · URLs · PPTX · Canva export |
| Multi-screen flow | Up to 5 linked screens + Play prototype | Project-level refinement with comment-style feedback |
| Design-system awareness | Via DESIGN.md and prompt context | Reads team codebase + existing design files |
| Code handoff | MCP server · Stitch SDK · Claude Code/Cursor | Handoff bundle → Claude Code (closed loop) |
| Ecosystem | Google Labs · Gemini · MCP ecosystem | Anthropic · Claude Code · Canva partnership |
Workflow & handoff
Stitch's loop is exploration-heavy: prompt → 5 screens → variants → Play prototype → MCP handoff to any coding agent. Claude Design's loop is conversation-heavy: prompt → initial visual → inline comments and dynamic controls → handoff bundle → Claude Code turns it into production code. The Canva export path means Claude Design is also useful for non-UI deliverables like decks and one-pagers, which Stitch does not target.
Pricing & quotas
Stitch has a zero-dollar floor: any Google account gets 350 Standard + 200 Experimental generations every month. Claude Design ships inside Anthropic's paid tiers — Claude Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise — with access rolled out gradually after the April 17, 2026 launch. If you already pay for Claude to use Claude Code, Claude Design has effectively no marginal cost; if you do not, Stitch is the obvious free starting point.
When to choose each
Choose Google Stitch when…
You want a free tool, you're exploring UI ideas rather than decks or general visuals, you need multi-screen flows and clickable prototypes, or your coding agent is outside Anthropic's stack (Cursor, Gemini CLI, Antigravity, custom MCP clients).
Choose Claude Design when…
You already subscribe to Claude, your handoff target is Claude Code, you need both UI and slide/visual deliverables, you want AI that can read your actual codebase to match house style, or you live in the Anthropic ecosystem and want a closed exploration-to-production loop.
Bottom line
Stitch is the neutral, free, multi-vendor option. Claude Design is the premium, Anthropic-native option with broader deliverables. If you already use Claude Code daily, Claude Design's handoff bundle is hard to beat; if not, Stitch gets you 90% of the UI-generation value at $0.
Frequently asked questions
When did Claude Design launch?
Anthropic launched Claude Design on April 17, 2026, alongside the Claude Opus 4.7 model release. Rollout went gradually to Claude Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise subscribers.
Is Claude Design free like Google Stitch?
No. Claude Design requires a paid Claude subscription (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise). Google Stitch is free for anyone with a Google account, with 550 generations per month across Standard and Experimental modes.
Can Claude Design generate the same HTML/CSS that Stitch does?
Claude Design focuses on producing visuals and a handoff bundle that Claude Code converts into production code in one step. Stitch directly exports HTML/CSS and DESIGN.md for any coding workflow. The end result is similar, but the export format and handoff model differ.
Which tool is better for marketing decks and visuals?
Claude Design. It supports PPTX, PDF, shareable URLs, and a one-click export to Canva for further editing. Google Stitch is purpose-built for UI and does not target decks or general visual design.
Can I use Stitch designs with Claude Code?
Yes. Stitch ships an MCP server and SDK specifically so Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini CLI, and Antigravity can pull designs and turn them into code. That makes Stitch a vendor-neutral front end for any MCP-capable agent.