Particles UI

Overview

Particles UI is a token-governance platform for design and engineering teams coordinating shared design decisions across codebases and themes. It suits teams that need changes reviewed before release; its strongest value is pairing that workflow with broad token conversion and an accessibility gate.

Its cloud service combines token management, versioning, code and design-tool sync, governance workflows, and component documentation. The MIT-licensed CLI also supports local token management and export without an account, giving individual developers a useful path that does not depend on the hosted workflow.

For a broader look at this category, see Design System Software.

Key features

Review and accessibility controls

Changes are made on branches and reach the main token set through review, which gives teams a clear checkpoint before shared decisions change. Particles UI says contrast below WCAG AA cannot be merged or published, and the same check can run in CI. That is a meaningful release safeguard, but the WCAG release gate is included with Team rather than the lower-priced Pro plan.

Token exchange across toolchains

The CLI accepts DTCG, Tokens Studio, CSS, SCSS, TypeScript, and JavaScript token files. It exports to Tailwind v4, CSS, SCSS, Style Dictionary, DTCG, JSON, TypeScript, JavaScript, and Flutter. That range makes it a practical fit for teams moving token decisions among design and development environments; teams needing only one format may not benefit as much from its breadth.

Figma and agent workflows

Listed integrations include Figma, Tailwind, GitHub, MCP, and TypeScript. The Figma plugin needs Figma desktop version 116 or later, or Figma in a Chromium-based browser; Safari is unsupported. Free users can pull and inspect tokens but cannot push them, and creating, editing, or deleting tokens in the plugin requires Pro or above.

The MCP server exposes 42 tools for token access, search, impact analysis, WCAG contrast, documentation, releases, and governance. That can support agent-oriented workflows, but MCP access starts at Team, so it is not part of the low-cost entry point.

Security and access

Client traffic to the API uses HTTPS/TLS, and application data is stored in managed PostgreSQL databases. Studio supports GitHub and Google OAuth 2.0 as well as email magic links; organization roles and project-level authorization govern API access. Project webhooks use HMAC-SHA256 signatures, and Stripe handles card data that Particles UI says it does not store as raw card numbers.

Particles UI is not currently certified under SOC 2, PCI DSS, HITRUST, ISO 27001, or SSAE 18. Organizations that require one of those certifications should look elsewhere or confirm that their compliance requirements can be met without it.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing, billed forever. It includes one project, the main branch, three free viewers, unlimited tokens, all export formats, releases and version pinning, plus Figma pull, inspect, and one theme. It is a useful way to manage and export tokens, but the single project, absence of branches, and read-only Figma workflow limit collaboration.

Pro costs $19 a month, billed $19/ month, for one seat. It raises the allowance to five projects and five branches, adds unlimited themes and Figma variable modes, and includes a token graph / DAG explorer. A 14-day free trial is offered. Pro fits a solo owner or small team willing to keep governance lightweight; it does not include the Team plan's token requests, review and 3-way merge, WCAG release gate, webhooks, or MCP access.

Team costs $29 a month, billed $29/ editor / month. It adds token requests, review and 3-way merge, the WCAG release gate, webhooks to release-to-PR, MCP and agent recipes, and unlimited free viewer seats. This is the clearest fit for teams needing formal review, accessibility enforcement, or agent connections. Since the price is per editor, costs scale with the number of editors.

Business costs $79 a month, billed $79/ editor / month. It adds a multi-level Foundation → Brand → Product structure, pinned module releases and conflict review, a knowledge graph explorer, a 4-hour SLA and onboarding, and a dedicated Slack channel. It is aimed at organizations needing layered design systems and more support; smaller groups may find Team's governance capabilities sufficient. The free tier and a 14-day trial provide lower-risk ways to evaluate before paying.

Platforms

Particles UI lists Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. Its Figma workflow has the additional browser and version requirements described above, which can rule it out for Safari-based users relying on the plugin.

Who it's for

Choose Particles UI if your team needs a governed token pipeline spanning design and code, particularly when accessibility checks, review, and agent access are part of the release process. The local, account-free CLI also suits developers who want token management and export without adopting the hosted service. It is less suitable for teams that need Figma write access on Free, MCP below Team, or a listed security certification.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Broad import and export format support reduces friction across varied code targets.
• Pros: Branches and review provide a defined route for approving token changes before they reach the main set.
• Pros: Team combines a WCAG release gate with MCP tools and unlimited free viewer seats.
• Pros: The MIT-licensed CLI supports local token management and export without an account.
• Cons: Free Figma access is pull-only, and plugin edits require Pro or above.
• Cons: The WCAG release gate and MCP access require Team, at $29 a month billed per editor.
• Cons: Safari is unsupported for the Figma plugin, which requires desktop version 116 or a Chromium-based browser.
• Cons: It lacks the listed SOC 2, PCI DSS, HITRUST, ISO 27001, and SSAE 18 certifications.

Alternatives

• Zaklad is another freemium option, with Android, iOS, and web platforms.
• Supernova is worth considering for its free plan, which includes up to five seats and one design system.
• Terrazzo is a free option with MIT-licensed open-source tools.
• Bezel offers a free plan with one project, one theme, and up to 1,000 design tokens, though it is not yet open for signup.
• Carbon Design System is an open-source design system with no paid tiers stated.
• Spec Layer has a free plan capped at one Figma file and 10 publishing updates per month.
• UI Vault offers a free core platform with style guides and Figma-powered living guides.
• zeroheight offers a free plan with one editor, one styleguide, one token set, and MCP Standard Search capped at 500 calls per month.

Verdict

Particles UI is a strong choice for design and engineering teams that need controlled token releases across tools, with review and accessibility checks built into the workflow. Its broad format support and local CLI strengthen the case, but the key collaboration and agent features require Team pricing per editor, while Free restricts Figma to pull-only use. Look elsewhere if those costs, the Figma browser requirements, or the absence of specified security certifications conflict with your needs.