Penpot: Open-Source Free Figma Alternative — A Full-Stack Design and Code Collaboration Platform

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Are you hesitant about Figma’s paid plans? Does your team need a self-hosted design platform free from vendor lock-in? Or do you need a developer-friendly design tool that translates directly into usable code?

That is the problem Penpot solves. It is not another “free trial, premium paid” tool — it is a completely open-source, completely free design platform built on open standards like SVG, supporting self-hosting, giving teams full control over their design infrastructure.

What is Penpot? Penpot is an open-source design and prototyping platform developed by Spanish company Kaleidos, licensed under MPL-2.0. Built on SVG, CSS, HTML, and JSON open standards, it supports real-time collaboration, self-hosted deployment, Design Tokens, MCP Server, and CSS Grid/Flex layout — serving as a Figma alternative.

Key Data:

  • 🌟 GitHub Stars: 53,200+ (Repository)
  • 🍴 Forks: 3,400+
  • ⚖️ License: MPL-2.0
  • 🧠 Core Feature: Open Standards — Built on SVG, CSS, HTML, JSON with no proprietary format dependency
  • 📦 Core Feature: Self-Hosting — Deploy on your own servers with complete data control
  • 🔧 Core Feature: Design Tokens — Single source of truth between design and development
  • 🤖 Core Feature: MCP Server — Multi-directional workflows between design and code
  • 📐 Core Feature: CSS Grid/Flex Layout — Design is code, what you see is what you get
  • 🆓 Core Feature: Completely Free — No paid plans, all features free to use

Prerequisites

Before getting started with Penpot, you need:

  • A modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
  • A registered Penpot cloud account, or Docker environment for self-hosting

💡 Tip: Penpot offers a free cloud service (https://design.penpot.app) — no installation required to get started. Self-hosting requires Docker or Kubernetes.

Overview

This article provides a comprehensive look at Penpot, covering:

  1. Core features and advantages
  2. Getting started: cloud usage and self-hosted deployment
  3. Key features deep-dive: Design Tokens, MCP Server, CSS Grid/Flex
  4. Comparison with alternatives
  5. Use cases and advanced tips

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Getting Started — Cloud Usage

The simplest way is to use Penpot’s free cloud service:

  1. Visit https://design.penpot.app
  2. Register an account (supports email, Google, GitHub login)
  3. Create a new project and start designing

💡 Tip: The cloud version is completely free, with no limits on project count or collaborators.

Step 2: Self-Hosted Deployment

If you need full data control or must meet compliance requirements, self-host:

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# Deploy with Docker Compose
git clone https://github.com/penpot/penpot.git
cd penpot/docker
docker compose -p penpot -f docker-compose.yaml up -d

After deployment, visit http://localhost:9001 to use Penpot.

Self-hosting advantages:

  • Data stays on your own servers
  • Meets enterprise compliance and security requirements
  • No network latency — faster access on local networks
  • Customizable configuration and extensions

Step 3: Core Features

Design Tokens

Penpot’s Design Tokens provide a single source of truth between design and development:

  • Color Tokens — Define brand and semantic colors with global management
  • Typography Tokens — Font family, size, line height, and other typographic specs
  • Spacing Tokens — Spacing, border radius, shadows, and spatial specifications
  • Component Variants — Attribute-driven component variant system

Modify one Token, and all components using that Token update automatically.

MCP Server

Penpot’s MCP Server enables multi-directional workflows between design and code:

  • Designer modifies design → Developer side auto-syncs
  • Developer modifies code → Design side updates in real-time
  • AI Agents can interact with Penpot via MCP protocol
  • Supports automated workflows and integrations

CSS Grid and Flex Layout

Penpot includes native CSS Grid and Flex layout systems:

  • Designers use Grid/Flex layouts directly on the canvas
  • Layout behavior matches real code
  • Developers can copy CSS code directly
  • Supports responsive design prototyping

Plugin System

Penpot supports plugin extensions:

  • Visit Penpothub for official plugins
  • Custom plugin development supported
  • Integrates with other tools

Inspect Mode

Developers can get code directly from design files:

  • One-click SVG code viewing
  • Automatic CSS style generation
  • HTML structure export
  • No extra annotation tools needed

Step 4: Team Collaboration

Penpot supports real-time multi-user collaboration:

  • Multiple people editing the same file simultaneously
  • See teammates’ cursors and actions in real-time
  • Comment and annotation features
  • Version history

Comparison with Alternatives

Feature Penpot Figma Canva Excalidraw Onlook
Open Source ✅ MPL-2.0 ❌ ❌ ✅ MIT ✅ Apache-2.0
Free ✅ Completely free ⚠️ Free tier ⚠️ Free tier ✅ Completely free ✅ Completely free
Self-Hosting ✅ Docker/K8s ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅
Design System ✅ Design Tokens ✅ Advanced ❌ ❌ ❌
CSS Grid/Flex ✅ Native support ✅ Auto Layout ❌ ❌ ❌
MCP Server ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Real-time Collaboration ✅ ✅ Excellent ✅ ✅ ✅
Plugin Ecosystem ⚠️ Growing ✅ Rich ✅ Rich ⚠️ Limited ⚠️ Growing
SVG Native ✅ Core format ⚠️ Export only ❌ ✅ ⚠️
GitHub Stars 53,200+ N/A N/A 126,000+ 26,000+
Positioning Full-stack design platform Professional UI design Lightweight design Whiteboard/diagrams AI design tool

Key Differences:

  1. Penpot vs Figma: Penpot is fully open-source and free with self-hosting support; Figma is more mature with a richer plugin ecosystem, but premium features are paid and self-hosting is not available.

  2. Penpot vs Canva: Penpot targets professional UI/UX design with Design Tokens and code-level layouts; Canva focuses on lightweight content creation for non-designers.

  3. Penpot vs Excalidraw: Penpot is a complete UI design tool with component systems and design specifications; Excalidraw focuses on hand-drawn whiteboards and diagrams.

  4. Penpot vs Onlook: Penpot is an open-source alternative to traditional design tools; Onlook is an AI-native design tool for visual editing directly on React code.

FAQ

Q: Is Penpot really completely free?
A: Yes. Penpot uses the MPL-2.0 open-source license with all features free to use — no paid plans. Both cloud and self-hosted are free.

Q: How does Penpot differ from Figma?
A: Penpot is open-source, supports self-hosting, and is built on SVG open standards. Figma is a commercial product with more mature features but requires payment for premium functionality and does not support self-hosting. Penpot’s Design Tokens and MCP Server are unique advantages.

Q: Can I migrate from Figma to Penpot?
A: Yes. Penpot supports importing Figma files (.fig), but complex files may require manual adjustments. A gradual migration starting with new projects is recommended.

Q: What are the technical requirements for self-hosting?
A: Docker or Kubernetes environment is required. Minimum specs: 2 CPU cores, 4GB RAM, 10GB disk. See the Penpot Technical Guide for detailed deployment docs.

Q: What file formats does Penpot support?
A: Penpot uses an SVG-based open format, supporting import of SVG, PNG, JPEG, PDF, and more. Export supports SVG, PNG, JPEG, PDF, and HTML+CSS.

Q: How is Penpot’s plugin ecosystem?
A: Penpot has a plugin system and Penpothub marketplace, but the ecosystem is still growing compared to Figma. Core features (Design Tokens, CSS Grid/Flex, MCP Server) are built-in and do not depend on plugins.

Q: What team sizes is Penpot suitable for?
A: Suitable for all sizes. Individual users can use the free cloud service; small-to-medium teams can use cloud or self-hosted; large enterprises can self-host for compliance. Penpot is certified as a Digital Public Good.

Q: What is Penpot’s MCP Server?
A: The MCP Server enables multi-directional communication between design tools, code editors, and AI Agents. When a designer modifies a design, the developer side auto-syncs; when a developer changes code, the design side updates in real-time.

Advanced Tips

Design System Best Practices

  1. Define Tokens First — Before designing, define color, typography, and spacing Design Tokens
  2. Component-Based Design — Encapsulate common elements as components with variants and attributes
  3. Shared Libraries — Create team-shared design libraries for consistency
  4. Version Management — Use Penpot’s version history to manage design iterations

Developer Workflow

  1. Inspect Mode — Get CSS and SVG code directly from design files
  2. MCP Integration — Sync with code editors via MCP Server
  3. Design Tokens Sync — Export Penpot Design Tokens as CSS variables or JSON
  4. Responsive Prototyping — Use CSS Grid/Flex to create interactive responsive prototypes

AI Tool Integration

Penpot’s MCP Server supports AI Agent integration:

  • AI can read designs and generate code
  • AI can create designs from text descriptions
  • Automated design review and optimization supported

Conclusion

Penpot is a revolutionary open-source design platform that gives teams full control over their design infrastructure through open standards and self-hosting. Whether you are an individual designer, startup team, or large enterprise, Penpot provides professional-grade design tools while avoiding vendor lock-in and subscription fees.

Key Feature Recap:

  • Completely open-source and free (MPL-2.0)
  • Built on SVG, CSS, HTML open standards
  • Self-hosted deployment support
  • Design Tokens design system
  • MCP Server design-code collaboration
  • CSS Grid/Flex layout
  • Real-time multi-user collaboration
  • 53,200+ GitHub Stars

Visit Penpot’s website to register a free account and start using this open-source design platform today!

Resources

How to cite this article: This article is based on the Penpot GitHub Repository (verified 2026-06-24). All commands and configurations are verified against the latest version. Competitor data from GitHub API (queried 2026-06-24).