InVision vs Penpot — Which One Wins?
Pick InVision if: Teams that need lightweight prototyping and whiteboarding alongside existing design tools
Pick Penpot if: Open-source advocates who want a self-hosted Figma alternative with no vendor lock-in
Our take: InVision is easier to pick up, but Penpot is more powerful long-term.
| InVision | Penpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan with 3 documents | Pro $7.95/mo | Free and open source | Penpot Cloud Teams custom pricing |
| Features | Freehand whiteboard, Prototyping and animations, Design system manager, Inspect for developer handoff, Presentation mode | Open source and self-hostable, SVG-native design, Real-time collaboration, Components and design systems, Interactive prototyping |
| Best for | Teams that need lightweight prototyping and whiteboarding alongside existing design tools | Open-source advocates who want a self-hosted Figma alternative with no vendor lock-in |
| Learning Curve | Easy | Medium |
The Real Difference
Both offer free tiers, so the real question is what you get when you start paying.
InVision stands out with Freehand whiteboard and Inspect for developer handoff. Penpot counters with Open source and self-hostable and SVG-native design.
InVision's Achilles heel: shut down its core studio product — effectively pivoted to freehand only. most teams have moved to figma. 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 freehand whiteboard and teams that need lightweight, go with InVision. If open-source advocates who want matters more, Penpot is your pick. Neither is a bad choice — but one will fit your workflow better.