Design comparison
Two of the best design tools, compared side-by-side. Here’s how each one stacks up.
The browser-based design tool everyone uses.
🎯 Why it’s useful
Universal lingua franca for design. Every designer you hire already knows it.
💜 Why we like it
Auto Layout + Variables make design tokens that actually work for engineers.
Open-source design and prototyping platform for cross-functional teams.
🎯 Why it’s useful
Perfect for bootstrapped startups who want professional design capabilities without expensive Figma licenses. Self-hosting option gives you full control over your design assets and data.
💜 Why we like it
It's genuinely free and open-source without the usual catch. The fact that developers can inspect CSS directly from designs makes handoff way smoother than traditional tools.
| Figma | Penpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| Category | Design | Design |
| Editor’s Pick | ★ Yes | — |
| Tagline | The browser-based design tool everyone uses. | Open-source design and prototyping platform for cross-functional teams. |
| Website | figma.com ↗ | penpot.app ↗ |
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