Penpot describes itself as an open-source design platform for teams. It is made by KALEIDOS, runs in the browser, and can also be installed on your own server. The details below come from Penpot's own website and help pages, checked on October 29, 2026. Plans and limits can change, so check the pricing page before you rely on them.
What you need to know in 10 seconds
- What it is: a browser-based design tool for interfaces, wireframes and prototypes
- Price: the Professional plan is $0 per user per month, with up to 8 team members and unlimited viewers
- To start: an email address, no credit card mentioned on the sign-up page
- Best for: website and app designs, wireframes, clickable prototypes and design handoff
- Not ideal for: quick social posts from ready-made templates, where Canva is easier
What Is Penpot?
Penpot is a design platform where you draw screens, wireframes and layouts, link them into a clickable prototype, and share them with a team or a client. It focuses on open standards: designs use CSS, HTML, SVG and JSON, and Penpot has its own open file format. That makes it popular with people who work with developers.
Its main features, according to its website, include CSS Grid and Flex layouts, components, native design tokens, shared libraries, prototyping and a code inspection view.
Penpot Free Plan: What You Get
- | Plan | Price on the pricing page |
- | Professional | $0 per user per month |
- | Unlimited | $7 per editor per month, capped at $175 per month |
- | Enterprise | $25 per member per month, with a 14-day free trial |
- Free plan: the page says "No limits, no missing tools", with no file limit, unlimited teams, up to 8 team members and unlimited viewers
- Storage and version history: the pricing table lists several values (such as 10 GB and 25 GB, and 7, 30 and 90 days) without clearly showing which plan gets which. Open the pricing page and read the table before you plan a big project
- Self-hosting: you can run Penpot on your own server, and Penpot says private instances only need basic Docker knowledge
Step 1: Create Your Free Account
- Go to penpot.app and click Sign up, it's free
- Create your account with your email address
- Open design.penpot.app to start designing
- Use the latest Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for the best experience. Safari is also supported
Step 2: Learn the Screen
Penpot has three main areas: the Dashboard, the Workspace and View mode.
Dashboard
Where your files live. It has Teams, Projects (folders for files) and Drafts (files not in a project).
Workspace
Where you design. The Viewport is the endless canvas, the Toolbar holds the tools, and Layers lists everything on the page.
Design properties
The side panel for the size, color and settings of the layer you selected. This is also where you export.
View mode
Present your design or test the prototype. You can also leave Comments on a design.
Step 3: Make Your First Design
Let's build a simple 1080 by 1080 pixel post to learn the basics.
- In the Dashboard, create a project, then create a new file inside it
- In the Toolbar, choose the Board tool and draw a board on the canvas. A board is like a page or frame
- With the board selected, open Design properties and type 1080 for the width and 1080 for the height
- Add a rectangle from the shapes in the Toolbar and set its color in Design properties
- Add a text layer, type your headline, and change the font and size in Design properties
- Use Layers to see, rename and reorder everything on your board
Tip
Rename your layers early, for example "Headline" or "Background". It saves a lot of time when a design grows. Penpot's help center also lists keyboard shortcuts you can learn as you go.
Step 4: Export Your Design
- Select the board or layer you want to export
- In Design properties, find the Export section and click the + button
- Pick a size, an optional suffix and a file format
- Click the export button to download the file
Penpot can export PNG, JPEG, WEBP, SVG and PDF. You can add several export settings to one layer to get different sizes or formats at the same time. A PDF of a whole page is exported from the file menu.
Penpot vs Canva: Which Should You Use?
Penpot's own comparison page says it is built for designers and developers, and it lists features it says Canva lacks, such as open source, self-hosting, CSS Flex and Grid layouts and native design tokens. That is Penpot's view of itself. The two tools simply aim at different jobs.
- Choose Penpot for website and app screens, wireframes, prototypes, design systems, and working with developers
- Choose Canva for fast social posts, flyers and presentations from ready-made templates
- Use both if you do both kinds of work, since they are free to try
Tips for Beginners
- Start with one small project, such as a landing page or a single post
- Name your files, boards and layers clearly
- Try Penpot's templates and libraries to learn how others build designs
- Export your work often and keep a copy of important files
- If you work with a client, use Share and Comments instead of sending screenshots
- Check the pricing page again before you invite a larger team
Keep Exploring
Looking for more free tools? See our list of hidden websites with free tools, the 15 free AI websites nobody talks about, and our Nano Banana AI tutorial for free image editing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Penpot really free?
Yes, Penpot has a free plan. Its pricing page lists the Professional plan at $0 per user per month, with up to 8 team members and unlimited viewers. Paid plans exist for larger needs, so check the current limits on the pricing page.
Do I need to install Penpot?
No. Penpot Cloud runs in your browser at design.penpot.app. You can also install it on your own server if you want to host it yourself.
Is Penpot a good Figma alternative?
Penpot positions itself as an open-source alternative for teams that design interfaces, prototypes and design systems. Try it with a small project and see if the tools you use most are there.
