Figma vs Penpot (2026): Is Open Source Ready?

Creating a modern tech stack requires choosing the right tools. In this guide, we compare Figma and Penpot to help you decide.

Quick Verdict

If you want Industry standard for UI/UX design — huge community, go with Figma. If you need Open Source, choose Penpot.

At a Glance

| Feature | Figma | Penpot | | ------------ | --------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | | Pricing | Free Tier | Free Tier | | Best For | Industry standard for UI/UX design — huge community | Open Source | | Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.6/5 |

Figma vs Penpot: Deep Dive

Figma

Figma conquered design by being browser-first and collaboration-native. Dev Mode has transformed designer-developer handoff from a pain point to a genuinely smooth workflow. The acquisition by Adobe was blocked, keeping Figma independent — which most users celebrate. The free tier (3 Figma + 3 FigJam files) is tight but workable for solo projects.

Pros:

• Industry standard for UI/UX design — huge community
• Real-time collaboration (multiple designers in one file)
• Free tier is enough for solo projects (3 files)
• Dev Mode for clean CSS/code export
• Thousands of community plugins and templates

Cons:

• Free tier limited to 3 files (need paid for more)
• Requires internet — no offline editing
• Pro plan is $15/editor/mo (expensive if whole team needs access)
• Performance drops with very complex files
• Learning curve for developers without design background

Penpot

The only viable open-source alternative to Figma. Code export is cleaner.

Pros:

• Open Source
• SVG Native
• Free
• Browser-based

Cons:

• Less plugins than Figma
• Smaller community

Pricing Comparison

Figma: 3 Figma and 3 FigJam files. Unlimited personal drafts. Basic prototyping. 1 project.. Penpot: Unlimited everything.

Conclusion

Choose Figma if:

• You need Industry standard for UI/UX design — huge community
• You prefer modern tools

Choose Penpot if:

• You need Open Source
• You prefer flexibility