Comparison of Figma and Penpot

Introduction

Penpot: New interface design tool used by 880,000 teams (including Microsoft, Mozilla, IBM, and Google).
- Over 400,000 users since its launch in 2022.
- Saw 5-6% spike in new users when Adobe announced plans to acquire Figma.
- Open-source design tool in subtle competition with Figma.
Objective: Discussing why designers are switching from Figma to Penpot and comparing features, ease of use, community, pricing, and design to development flow.
Ratings on a scale of 1 to 10.
Conclusion: Thoughts on Penpot replacing Figma.

Open Source: Code is publicly available for anyone to view, use, modify, and distribute.
Self-Hosting: Users can self-host the tool to ensure data protection.
Differentiator from other interface design tools.

Penpot: Web-based with essential features for interactive prototypes (components, interactions, transitions, real-time collaboration, etc.).
- Lacks a robust design system feature compared to Figma but is developing fast.
Figma: More mature with a wider range of features.
Rating: Figma 9, Penpot 5.

Penpot:
- Slightly overwhelming interface, similar to Webflow.
- Designed to be more developer-friendly than designer-friendly.
- Could hinder initial adoption for designers familiar with Figma.
Figma: Intuitive for designers but becoming complex with new features like variables.
Rating: Figma 8, Penpot 5.

Figma:
- Active community with a dedicated community tab.
- Designers can share and monetize resources.
- Hosts “Config,” a major design event.
Penpot: Active community contributing to development, reflecting the open-source nature.
- Diverse contributions from various countries.
- Hosts “Penpot Fest,” a rapidly growing event.
Rating: Figma 8, Penpot 7.

Figma:
- Free starter plan with limited features.
- Professional plan at £14/month per seat, Organization plan at £40/month per seat, and Dev Mode at £22/month per seat.
Penpot: Free for all users with paid tiers for storage thresholds or enterprise-ready builds.
Rating: Figma 6, Penpot 9.

Figma: Recently launched Dev Mode, monetized by charging per developer seat.
Penpot:
- Developer-friendly features baked in from day one.
- Flex and Grid CSS layout for easier handoff.
Rating: Figma 6, Penpot 8.

Figma is still superior, but Penpot is rapidly closing the gap, especially appealing to freelancers and small teams due to its free nature.
Three Reasons Designers Switch:
1. Cost: Penpot is free while Figma becomes more expensive.
2. Ownership: Concerns over Adobe’s acquisition of Figma.
3. Open Source Support: Ethical considerations and support for open-source projects.
Future Outlook: Penpot will gain market share but likely won’t fully replace Figma as the ultimate design tool due to differences in feature maturity and attention to detail.