Figma vs Penpot
Figma has the larger product suite and per-seat pricing; Penpot is open source (MPL-2.0), has a free plan and can be self-hosted.
Pick Figma if…
Pick Figma if your team already works in it, or you want its wider set of products such as FigJam, Slides and Dev Mode.
Pick Penpot if…
Pick Penpot if you want open-source software, a free plan, or the option to host your design files on your own servers.
Price
- Freemium
- Freemium
- Open source
Starting price
Free plan
Open source
Works on
| Feature | Collaborative design tool for interfaces, prototypes and developer handoff, in the browser and as desktop apps. | Open-source design and prototyping platform that runs in the browser and can be self-hosted. |
|---|---|---|
| Price |
|
|
| Starting price | $16 per month per Full seat (Professional plan) | $7 per editor per month (Unlimited plan, capped at $175 per month) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Works on | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Web |
| Try Figma (opens the Figma website in a new tab) | Try Penpot (opens the Penpot website in a new tab) |
Both are tools for designing interfaces and prototypes that teams use together. Figma runs in the browser and has desktop apps for Windows and macOS plus mobile apps for iOS and Android. Penpot runs in the browser at design.penpot.app, or on your own server. Its desktop app is community-contributed and not official.
On price, both have free plans. Figma's Starter plan is limited; its help center lists one team, one folder and 3 files. Penpot's Professional plan is $0 per user and Penpot describes it as free and fully featured. Paid plans differ in how they charge. Figma Professional is $16 per month for a Full seat, while Penpot Unlimited is $7 per editor per month, capped at $175 per month. Seat types differ between the two, so compare them against your own team.
Penpot's source code is on GitHub under MPL-2.0, and its self-host page lists Docker and Kubernetes (Helm chart) installs. Self-hosting the Professional plan is free but needs a Linux server and Docker knowledge. Figma's pages do not describe a self-hosted option.
Both offer components, prototyping and a way to hand designs to developers. Figma's pages describe auto layout, variables, branching and merging, and Dev Mode. Penpot lists CSS Grid and Flex layouts, native design tokens and a code view based on open standards. Try your own files in each before you commit.
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Last updated 16 October 2026. How we make money