Best Figma plugins for noise, texture and effects
Noise by Dustin Mierau is the most-used Figma noise plugin, with 712K users. It's a paid plugin for pixel-perfect noise textures, useful for adding realism and masking banding in gradients. The free alternative most designers reach for is Noise & Texture by Rogie King (666K users), which also generates patterns and animated shaders and updates your layer live as you change settings.
Top 20 picks
Noise
#1 · 712K users
Quick answer
Our top picks
- #1
Most used
Noise
by Dustin Mierau
Noise generates pixel-perfect noise textures, with smoothing for clouds, smudges and wear, and depth control for hard-edged grain. It's a paid plugin that runs in Figma Design and FigJam. With a native Noise effect now in Figma, it's most useful when you need the texture styles the native effect doesn't offer.712K 11KFree + $5 - #2
Best free option
Noise & Texture
by ˗ˏˋ rogie ˎˊ˗
Noise & Texture generates tiled noise, textures, patterns, gradients and animated shaders, and your layers update live as you change settings. It's free, runs in Figma Design, Slides and FigJam, and has 15K likes, the most in this ranking. The range of options takes some exploring before you find a house style.666K 16KFree - #3
Best for shadows
Beautiful Shadows
by Alex Widua
Beautiful Shadows casts smooth shadows on your selection as you drag a light source, and outputs valid CSS box-shadow styles that developers can copy from Dev Mode. It's free, from the maker of Easing Gradients. It only does shadows, so pair it with another tool for texture.599K 11KFree
The full list
The 20 most-used Figma plugins for effects & textures
- 01712K11KFree + $5
- 02
Noise & Texture
Generate dynamic seamless noise, textures, patterns and animated shaders. Add compound effects.
Free · 16K likes
666K16KFree - 03599K11KFree
- 04
Filter / effects
Modify images more than 50 different effects right in Figma!
Free + paid · 4.2K likes
354K4.2KFree + paid - 05
352K7.1KFree - 06
334K6.2KFree - 07
221K2.6KFree - 08
151K2.6KFree - 09
SmoothShadow
Free · 2.9K likes
142K2.9KFree - 10
Halftones
Free · 2K likes
131K2KFree - 11
Shadow Maker
Free · 1.5K likes
106K1.5KFree - 12
Blurhash
Free · 210 likes
81K210Free - 13
75K2.5KFree - 14
Shadowkit
Free · 665 likes
75K665Free - 15
72K184Free - 16
63K2.1KFree - 17
Glassify
Free · 303 likes
63K303Free - 18
63K408Free - 19
TextNeon
Free · 302 likes
58K302Free - 20
Fractal Glass Effect
Add stunning fractal glass effect to your images in a single click.
Free · 1.4K likes
52K1.4KFree
Buying guide
What to look for
Figma has added several of these effects natively. The Effects section now includes Noise, Texture for roughened edges, Glass, and progressive options for layer and background blur, and the shaders beta adds grain, halftone and distortion effects. The Progressive Blur plugin's own listing now says you no longer need it. Check the native effect first, and install a plugin for looks Figma doesn't ship, like light-source shadows, fractal glass or displacement.
Shadows are the other large group. Beautiful Shadows, Shadow Maker, Shadowkit and Pretty Shadows all generate drop shadows, and Beautiful Shadows lets you drag a light source and outputs valid CSS box-shadow values.
- 01
Native effect or plugin
Noise, texture, glass and progressive blur are built into Figma. A plugin is worth it when it gives you a look or a control the native effect lacks.
- 02
Live or baked
Live effects stay editable. Plugins that bake a texture into an image fill are harder to change later, so keep the settings noted.
- 03
Export at real sizes
Grain and noise change character at 2x and 3x. Export at your delivery scale to check before handoff.
- 04
Code-friendly output
If developers will build it, prefer effects with a CSS equivalent, such as layered box-shadows, over textures that need image assets.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I add noise or grain in Figma?
Select a layer, click + in the Effects section and choose Noise. You can pick mono, duo or multi-colour noise and set its scale. For more texture styles, try Noise & Texture or Noise.
Does Figma have a glass effect?
Yes, Glass is one of Figma's native effects, with one glass effect allowed per layer; it isn't supported in Figma Sites. Plugins like Liquid Glass, Glassmorphism and Fractal Glass Effect offer other glass styles.
How do I make a progressive blur in Figma?
Add a layer blur or background blur and set its type to Progressive, then control where the blur starts and ends. You no longer need the Progressive Blur plugin for this, as its listing says.
How do I make realistic shadows in Figma?
Stack several drop shadows with increasing blur and decreasing opacity; Figma allows up to eight drop shadows per layer. Beautiful Shadows builds them from a light source you drag and gives you matching CSS.
How do I make a repeating texture or pattern in Figma?
Figma's pattern fills repeat any layer or frame as a fill or stroke. Our guide to repeating patterns in Figma covers the setup, and the pattern plugins page lists generators.
Keep exploring
Related lists and guides
Gradients
gradients and mesh gradients
See the top picks
Patterns
seamless patterns and repeat grids
See the top picks
3D
3D objects and isometric designs
See the top picksGuides
- Why Isn't the Glass Effect or Background Blur Working in Figma?Glass and background blur in Figma don't show on a layer with a 100% opacity fill. Fix it, build glassmorphism, and add grain with the Noise and Texture effect.
- How to Make a Seamless Pattern in FigmaMake a seamless pattern in Figma: pick a tile size, wrap shapes that cross an edge to the opposite side, preview with a pattern fill, and generate grids faster.