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PenpotCreate & Publish Content

STOA rating

7.1 / 10

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Free plan availableFree plan

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Open-source design platform for collaboration between designers and developers. Browser-based with SVG, CSS, and HTML open standards. Create interfaces, prototypes, and design systems. Free cloud or self-host. Free open source. Team: capped at $175/month. Self-hosted: free.

Strengths

Completely free and open source with no feature paywalls
Uses open web standards (SVG, CSS, HTML) — no proprietary lock-in
CSS Grid and Flex layout means designs match how the web works
MCP server integration for AI-powered design-to-code workflows

Weaknesses

Smaller plugin and community ecosystem than Figma
Performance can lag on large files or complex prototypes
Learning curve if coming from Figma or Sketch
Some advanced features still maturing vs Figma

Key features

Design with CSS Grid and Flex layouts that translate to production code
Interactive prototypes with animated transitions and overlays
Code Inspect generates production-ready CSS and HTML
Real-time collaboration in browser — 30+ languages
Self-host for full data control or use managed cloud

STOA verdict

Penpot is a great pick if you have a small design team that wants a free, professional tool for creating app interfaces, prototypes, and design systems without paying Figma's monthly fees. The biggest win is that it's completely free for most small teams, and you can even host it yourself for full data control. The downside is that it's not as polished as Figma yet, and your team may hit a learning curve if they're switching from other tools.