Figma vs Penpot — Which One Wins?
Pick Figma if: Design teams that need real-time collaboration and seamless developer handoff
Pick Penpot if: Open-source advocates who want a self-hosted Figma alternative with no vendor lock-in
Our take: Figma for simplicity, Penpot for power users.
| Figma | Penpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free for up to 3 projects | Professional $12/editor/mo | Free and open source | Penpot Cloud Teams custom pricing |
| Features | Real-time collaboration, Auto Layout, Component variants and variables, Dev mode for handoff, FigJam whiteboard | Open source and self-hostable, SVG-native design, Real-time collaboration, Components and design systems, Interactive prototyping |
| Best for | Design teams that need real-time collaboration and seamless developer handoff | Open-source advocates who want a self-hosted Figma alternative with no vendor lock-in |
| Learning Curve | Medium | Medium |
The Real Difference
Both offer free tiers, so the real question is what you get when you start paying.
Figma stands out with Auto Layout and Dev mode for handoff. Penpot counters with Open source and self-hostable and SVG-native design.
Figma's Achilles heel: requires internet connection — offline mode is limited and the desktop app is basically a browser wrapper. Penpot's: still catching up to figma on polish and plugin ecosystem — feels rough around the edges. Pick whichever weakness you can live with.
Bottom Line
If you value auto layout and design teams that need, go with Figma. If open-source advocates who want matters more, Penpot is your pick. Neither is a bad choice — but one will fit your workflow better.