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Design and creative software · Turkey

Zeplin

zeplin.io ↗

Zeplin turns design files into specs and code notes developers can actually use.

Protection under test
Assessed 23 July 2026 · Evidence as of 23 July 2026
Something worth protecting exists and is being tested right now.
On the recordSince 23 July 2026 · Checkable from annual Figma Config conference, mid-2026 · Every call on the record Checkpoint: Next Figma Dev Mode or Figma Make feature expansion
The call

Zeplin still runs inside real companies like Apple and Slack, but Figma now sells the exact handoff step Zeplin was built to own, and Zeplin hasn't raised money to fight back in over a decade.

Zeplin helps designers and developers work together by taking design files and turning them into code instructions that developers can actually use. The problem is that Figma, the much larger design platform that designers use first, just added its own handoff and code-generation features (Dev Mode and Figma Make), so teams no longer need a separate tool. At the same time, AI tools that automatically convert designs to code are doing what Zeplin sells without requiring any handoff tool at all. The one thing that could save Zeplin is if it finds a way to work inside Figma itself rather than compete with it, or if it becomes so good at some specific type of code generation that teams keep paying for it even when Figma's version exists.

Why
01
AI pressure: Figma Make and other design-to-code tools (Builder.io, Anima, Locofy). AI now reads a design file and writes the frontend code itself, which is the exact handoff step Zeplin charges for. Could AI do the core job? Yes, likely.
02
Bigger players: Figma. Figma built Dev Mode right into the tool everyone already designs in, so teams skip buying a separate handoff app. Could a giant copy it? Yes, easily.
03
What protects it. Thousands of teams already have Zeplin wired into their Jira, Slack, and GitHub workflows, and switching costs money and time.
What would change this call
Figma expands Dev Mode or Figma Make features over the next 12-18 months. Each expansion narrows the handoff niche Zeplin depends on.
Zeplin headcount trend reported by Latka or PitchBook continues falling below ~75. Would indicate accelerating compression rather than stabilization.
Zeplin announces new funding after eleven years without a raise. Would signal renewed capital to compete rather than managed decline.
Key numbers
  • No funding raised since $1.2M in 2015 (2015-11-24)
  • Headcount fell from 144 to as low as 75 (2025-12-01)
  • Estimated revenue ~$32M to $52M ARR, sources disagree (2024-12-18)
Named risks
  • No disclosed funding since November 2015 leaves no capital cushion to respond to Figma. Severity: high
  • Figma Dev Mode and Figma Make directly replicate Zeplin's core design handoff workflow. Severity: high
  • Third-party design-to-code AI tools (Builder.io, Anima, Locofy) automate spec-to-code, Zeplin's core value. Severity: medium
  • Employee count trackers show inconsistent figures, suggesting uncertain organizational stability. Severity: medium
Rivals, as read in July 2026
RivalDirectionEvidence
Figmalosing toDev Mode (Jan 2024) and Figma Make GA (Jul 2025) called default choice by reviewers, Jun 2026
Builder.io, Anima, Locofylosing toDesign-to-code AI tools automate spec generation Zeplin sells, per Jul 2026 comparison
AvocodecontestingCompeting third-party Figma-file handoff tool in same niche
Questions people ask
Is Zeplin profitable in 2026?
No audited financials are public for Zeplin as of July 2026. The company has not disclosed any funding round since its $1.2M seed in November 2015, and no independently verified profit or revenue figures exist, only third-party estimates of uncertain reliability.
Could AI replace Zeplin?
Figma's Dev Mode, formalized January 2024, and Figma Make, which went GA on July 24, 2025 using Anthropic's Claude Sonnet, both automate design-to-code handoff, the exact workflow Zeplin sells, putting real pressure on its core niche.
Who is Zeplin's biggest competitor?
Figma is Zeplin's biggest threat. Its native Dev Mode is described by reviewers as of June 2026 as the default choice for teams already using Figma, squeezing standalone handoff tools like Zeplin into a narrower niche.
Who founded Zeplin and who runs it?
Zeplin was founded in 2014 by Berk Cebi, Ismail Ceylan, Merih Akar, and Pelin Kenez as a Y Combinator S15 company. Pelin Kenez is listed as CEO and co-founder on Zeplin's own homepage as of June 2026.
Has Zeplin raised any funding recently?
No. Zeplin's last disclosed funding was a $1.2M angel and seed round in November 2015, backed by investors including Elad Gil and Mike Maples. No new funding round has been reported in the eleven years since.
Is Zeplin building AI features to compete?
Yes. Zeplin launched an MCP server in June 2025 letting AI coding agents like Cursor and Claude Code pull design data, and its AI Design Review and AI Organize features exited beta with Custom Categories in June 2026.
Timeline
  • 2026-06-01Zeplin takes AI Design Review and AI Organize out of beta with Custom Categories
  • 2026-03-24Zeplin launches Project Activity feature and annotation upgrades
  • 2025-07-24Figma Make goes GA, built on Anthropic Claude Sonnet
  • 2025-06-11Zeplin launches MCP server for AI coding agents like Cursor and Claude Code
  • 2025-06-03Zeplin switches to platform-neutral projects, removing fixed platform types
  • 2025-01-01Zeplin ships performance overhaul, 10x faster Figma exports
  • 2024-01-01Figma formalizes Dev Mode, targeting design handoff use case
  • 2022-09-01Zeplin crosses 5 million total users per its own about page
  • 2015-11-24Zeplin raises $1.2M seed and angel round
Revision history
23 July 2026
First assessed. Protection under test. The text above is fixed as of this date and is not edited afterwards.
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