PENPOT
Design & PrototypingOpen-source design and prototyping platform
ABOUT PENPOT
Penpot is an open-source design and prototyping platform. Self-host for free or use their cloud service for collaborative design work.
DESIGN AND PROTOTYPING DECISION FRAMEWORK
Design tools should match the fidelity and collaboration level of the work. Quick marketing assets, product UI systems, and workshop boards are different jobs.
What to check before choosing Penpot
- ✦Design system support
- ✦Collaboration model
- ✦Developer handoff
- ✦Template speed
- ✦Export and ownership
Strong fit signal
The tool helps the team move from idea to approved asset without recreating work in another platform.
Watch out
A powerful design surface may be overkill if most users only need templates, quick mockups, or simple presentation assets.
For Penpot, start by testing one real workflow from your backlog instead of comparing screenshots. Build the smallest version that includes data entry, permissions, publishing or deployment, and the handoff to whoever maintains it next month.
Our Take on Penpot
Verdict: Penpot is the leading open-source alternative to Figma. It runs in the browser, works with open standards (SVG, CSS) and can be self-hosted. Its free cloud plan has no feature restrictions for up to 8 editors, which makes it a real option for budget-conscious teams and organisations that need data control. Its plugin ecosystem and community resources are smaller than Figma's.
Pricing (cloud)
| Plan | Price | Editors | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional | Free | Up to 8 editors, unlimited viewers | 10GB |
| Unlimited | $7/editor/mo, capped at $175/mo | Unlimited | 25GB |
| Enterprise | $25/member/mo | Unlimited | 25GB, governance |
| Private Server | $50,000/yr | Unlimited | Dedicated infrastructure |
Self-hosting the open-source version is free. Discounts are available for non-profits, education and open-source projects.
Versus Figma: a team of 6 designers pays $0 on Penpot Professional versus $96/month on Figma Professional Full seats. Penpot's Unlimited plan caps at $175/month however large the team.
Where Penpot shines
- Open source and self-hostable. No vendor lock-in.
- Generous free plan with all features.
- Developer-friendly output built on web standards.
Where it falls short
- Smaller plugin and community ecosystem than Figma.
- Fewer integrations with no-code builders.
Choose Penpot if
- You want a capable design tool for free, or self-hosted
- Data sovereignty or open source matters to your organisation
Avoid Penpot if
- Your workflow depends on Figma plugins or Figma-to-code tools. Stay on Figma
Sources (checked 2026-10-09)
KEY FEATURES
- ✦Open source
- ✦Self-hostable
- ✦Design tools
- ✦Prototyping
- ✦CSS grid layout
- ✦Design tokens
PROS & CONS
Pros
- ✓Free and open source
- ✓Self-hostable
- ✓Growing features
- ✓Good for teams
Cons
- ✗Smaller community
- ✗Fewer plugins
- ✗Less polish than Figma
- ✗Limited templates
Quick Info
- Price
- $0
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- ★4.6
- Category
- Design & Prototyping
Free up to 8 editors; Unlimited $7/editor (capped $175/mo)