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Figma vs Penpot
Figma vs Penpot
A side-by-side look at Figma (the paid SaaS) and Penpot (the open source alternative). Use this page to decide if the switch fits your team and workflow.
| Figma | Penpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Collaborative interface design in the browser. | Open source Figma alternative for design-dev collaboration. |
| License | Proprietary SaaS | MPL-2.0 |
| Pricing | Free tier; Professional from $15/editor/month. | Free to self-host · optional paid hosted plan |
| Self-host option | No | Yes — difficulty 3/5 |
| Hosted cloud available | Yes (only option) | Yes |
| Desktop apps | Varies by product | Web only |
| Mobile apps | Official apps typically available | None official |
Ad slot — between tables
Best for
The most Figma-like open source design tool today.
Penpot strengths
- Strong Figma-like UX with design tokens.
- SVG-native — developer-friendly exports.
- Self-hostable for confidential work.
Penpot weaknesses
- Plugin ecosystem is newer.
- Performance on very large files lags Figma.
- Collaboration UX still maturing.
What's the catch with Figma?
- Cloud-only — no self-hosted option for confidential work.
- Adobe acquisition (later abandoned) shook trust.
- Pricing jumps once teams grow.
Still unsure?
Check the full list of alternatives to Figma: see Figma alternatives, or learn more about Penpot on its project page.
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