What is Penpot?

Penpot is the open-source alternative to Figma. It’s a web-based design tool with real-time collaboration, prototyping, and developer handoff — but it’s free, open-source, and uses web standards (CSS Grid, Flexbox, SVG) instead of proprietary formats.

Key Features

Real-Time Collaboration

Like Figma, Penpot supports real-time multi-user editing. Multiple designers can work on the same file simultaneously. Comments, cursors, and changes are visible to everyone in real-time.

CSS Grid and Flexbox

Penpot is built for the web. Its layout system uses CSS Grid and Flexbox — the same layout models developers use in code. What you design is what developers build. No more “that’s not possible in CSS” conversations.

Component System

Build reusable components with variants, overrides, and shared libraries. Design systems in Penpot map directly to component libraries in code.

Self-Hostable

Run Penpot on your own infrastructure with Docker. Your design files stay on your servers — no cloud dependency, no vendor lock-in.

Pricing

Penpot is completely free and open-source (AGPL v3). No paid tiers, no per-seat charges. The cloud version is free for unlimited users and files.

Who Should Use Penpot?

• Teams wanting a free Figma alternative
• Organizations needing to self-host design tools
• Web developers who want designs that match CSS reality
• Open-source advocates who prefer open standards

The Bottom Line

Penpot is the most credible Figma alternative available. It’s free, open-source, collaborative, and uniquely web-native with CSS Grid support. For teams that want design tool freedom or need to self-host, Penpot is the clear choice.