3 open source alternatives to Figma
Collaborative interface design in the browser. Here are the open source projects real teams use instead — ranked by fit, with honest pros and cons for each.
What people don't love about Figma
- Cloud-only — no self-hosted option for confidential work.
- Adobe acquisition (later abandoned) shook trust.
- Pricing jumps once teams grow.
Current Figma pricing (for reference): Free tier; Professional from $15/editor/month.
Quick comparison
| Alternative | Best for | License | Self-host | Hosted cloud? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Penpot Open source Figma alternative for design-dev collaboration. |
The most Figma-like open source design tool today. | MPL-2.0 | ★★★☆☆ | Yes |
|
Excalidraw Virtual whiteboard for sketchy diagrams. |
Quick wireframes and sketch-style diagrams. | MIT | ★☆☆☆☆ | Yes |
|
Inkscape Open source vector design — SVG-first. |
When you need precision SVG work instead of UI screens. | GPL-3.0 | ★☆☆☆☆ | Self-host only |
1. Penpot — The most Figma-like open source design tool today.
Open source Figma alternative for design-dev collaboration.
Strengths
- Strong Figma-like UX with design tokens.
- SVG-native — developer-friendly exports.
- Self-hostable for confidential work.
Weaknesses
- Plugin ecosystem is newer.
- Performance on very large files lags Figma.
- Collaboration UX still maturing.
2. Excalidraw — Quick wireframes and sketch-style diagrams.
Virtual whiteboard for sketchy diagrams.
Strengths
- Great for wireframes and brainstorms.
- End-to-end encrypted rooms on official instance.
- Embeddable in docs and wikis.
Weaknesses
- Not a full design tool — sketch-style only.
- Limited component/library system.
- Real-time plus is behind a paid tier.
Excalidraw homepage · Source on GitHub · Figma vs Excalidraw →
3. Inkscape — When you need precision SVG work instead of UI screens.
Open source vector design — SVG-first.
Strengths
- Native SVG handling — perfect for developers.
- Strong path editing and typography.
- Huge hobbyist and professional community.
Weaknesses
- Not as polished as Adobe Illustrator.
- Large files can slow the UI.
- Limited macro/script discoverability.
Not what you're looking for?
Browse other tools in Design & Creative Tools, or check out open source projects by category on the full category index.
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