Penpot
The real open-source answer: browser UI design, components, tokens, prototypes, comments, and multiplayer without pretending a whiteboard is Figma.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-08-11
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- MPL-2.0
- Hosting Model
- Local or hosted (your machine or their cloud)
- Platforms
- webself-hostedthey host it
- Installation
- Use the hosted signup, or download the official Docker Compose file and run docker compose up -d
- Operational Setup
- Self-hosting requires Docker Compose, DNS and reverse-proxy/TLS knowledge; hosted signup has no setup blocker
- Where Your Data Lives
- Hosted files in Penpot Cloud; self-hosted data in Docker volumes for PostgreSQL and uploaded assets, with exports based on SVG/CSS/HTML/JSON and open standards
- The Catch / Trade-off
- Its plugin ecosystem, Figma-file fidelity and hosted free-team/history limits are still behind Figma's mature collaborative platform.
Replaces 2 paid apps
up to $32/mo ($384/yr) in subscriptions
Penpot FAQ
Common questions
Is Penpot free and open source?+
Penpot is an open-source tool licensed under MPL-2.0 that runs on local or hosted. The real open-source answer: browser UI design, components, tokens, prototypes, comments, and multiplayer without pretending a whiteboard is Figma.
What paid software does Penpot replace?+
Penpot serves as a free replacement for 2 paid SaaS applications: Figma, Sketch, saving up to $32/month ($384/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up Penpot?+
Installation: Use the hosted signup, or download the official Docker Compose file and run docker compose up -d. Setup notes: Self-hosting requires Docker Compose, DNS and reverse-proxy/TLS knowledge; hosted signup has no setup blocker
What is the catch or trade-off with Penpot?+
Its plugin ecosystem, Figma-file fidelity and hosted free-team/history limits are still behind Figma's mature collaborative platform.