Figma vs Penpot: Which One Fits Your Solo Dev Stack?
Free tier limits, real costs for 1-10 users, and honest "not for" warnings. The Solo Dev decision guide for Figma vs Penpot.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Figma edges ahead with a 4.8/5 rating. However, the best choice depends on your team size, budget, and workflow needs. Read on for the full breakdown.
💰 Cost by Team Size
| Team Size | Figma | Penpot |
|---|---|---|
| Solo (1 user) | $0/mo | $—/mo |
| Small (5 users) | $75/mo | $—/mo |
| Growing (10 users) | $150/mo | $—/mo |
| Free Tier | ✅ 3 Figma and 3 FigJam files. Unlimited personal drafts. Basic prototyping. 1 project. | ✅ Unlimited everything |
Pricing Plans
| Plan | Figma | Penpot |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Professional | $15/mo | — |
| Organization | $45/mo | — |
| Enterprise | $75/mo | — |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Figma | Penpot |
|---|---|---|
| Prototyping | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Collaboration | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
Pros & Cons
Figma
✅ 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
✅ Pros
- Open Source
- SVG Native
- Free
- Browser-based
❌ Cons
- Less plugins than Figma
- Smaller community
Who Should Use What?
✅ Choose Figma if...
- You are a design teams collaborating on ui/ux
- You are a solo devs who need quick mockups before coding
- You are a startups building design systems
🚫 Skip if...
- Pure developers who never do UI design
- Teams needing offline design tools (use Sketch)
- Print/raster graphics (use Photoshop/Illustrator)
✅ Choose Penpot if...
- You are a small teams
- You are a startups
- You are a developers
🚫 Skip if...
- Enterprise with complex compliance needs
🏆 Our Verdict
Both Figma (4.8/5) and Penpot (4.6/5) are excellent tools in their category. Figma takes a slight edge overall, but the best choice ultimately depends on your team's specific needs, budget, and existing tool ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Figma better than Penpot?
It depends on your needs. Figma excels in some areas while Penpot has its own strengths. Read our full comparison above to see which tool fits your specific requirements.
How does Figma pricing compare to Penpot?
Figma starts at Free / $15/mo, while Penpot starts at Free. Both offer different value propositions — check our pricing comparison section for a detailed breakdown.
Can I migrate from Figma to Penpot?
Yes, most B2B tools offer data import/export features. Penpot typically provides migration guides and sometimes even dedicated support for switching from Figma.
Which is easier to use, Figma or Penpot?
Ease of use depends on your team's experience and workflow preferences. We evaluated both tools on usability — see our feature comparison scores above for details.
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