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OpenPencil alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 1, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave OpenPencil: young project; plugins and polish lag behind Figma, and hosted team workspace is still waitlist-only. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces OpenPencil, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Figma currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Figma logoFigmaFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS7 of 783.8
2Penpot logoPenpotOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted3 of 364.8
3Sketch logoSketchPaidNomacOS, Web7 of 759.4
  1. Figma logo

    1. FigmaTop pick

    Best for: Product teams designing and prototyping interfaces together

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS

    83.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from OpenPencil

    The industry standard, with the most plugins, libraries and real-time team features, if cloud lock-in is fine.

    Pros

    • Real-time multiplayer editing
    • Powerful components and variables
    • Dev Mode for handoff

    Cons

    • Paid seats add up for large teams
    • Requires an internet connection for most work
    Visit Figma Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Figma a good OpenPencil alternative?

    Verified facts

    7 of 7 verified
    Free plan
    Yes (Starter)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026figma.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Real-time collaboration
    Yes
    Checked Oct 29, 2026figma.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Dev Mode
    Yes
    Checked Oct 29, 2026figma.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $3 per Collab seat/month (Professional)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026figma.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Professional plan
    $16 per full seat/month
    Checked Nov 1, 2026figma.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Organization plan
    $55 per full seat/month, billed annually
    Checked Nov 1, 2026figma.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise plan
    $90 per full seat/month, billed annually
    Checked Nov 1, 2026figma.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Penpot logo

    2. Penpot

    Best for: Teams that want a Figma-like tool without lock-in

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from OpenPencil

    More mature open-source design tool with self-hosting and team workspaces, built on open web standards.

    Pros

    • Open source and self-hostable
    • Built on open web standards
    • Real-time collaboration

    Cons

    • Smaller plugin and community ecosystem
    • Fewer advanced prototyping features
    Visit Penpot Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Penpot a good OpenPencil alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 29, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 29, 2026penpot.app(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 29, 2026penpot.app(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Sketch logo

    3. Sketch

    Best for: Mac-based designers who prefer a native, offline-capable app

    PaidmacOS, Web

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from OpenPencil

    Native Mac design app with a long track record, if you work only on macOS and want a polished editor.

    Pros

    • Fast native Mac editor
    • Works offline
    • Mature symbols and libraries

    Cons

    • Editor is Mac-only
    • No free plan
    Visit Sketch Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Sketch a good OpenPencil alternative?

    Verified facts

    7 of 7 verified
    Platform
    macOS (plus web for sharing)
    Checked Oct 29, 2026sketch.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    30 days, no credit card needed
    Checked Nov 1, 2026sketch.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pricing model
    Subscription or Mac license
    Checked Oct 29, 2026sketch.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $12 per editor/month, billed annually (Standard)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026sketch.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Professional plan
    $24 per editor/month, billed annually
    Checked Nov 1, 2026sketch.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise plan
    $44 per editor/month, billed annually
    Checked Nov 1, 2026sketch.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Mac-only license
    $120 per seat, includes one year of updates
    Checked Nov 1, 2026sketch.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best OpenPencil alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Figma logo

Best OpenPencil alternative for most people

Figma

The industry standard, with the most plugins, libraries and real-time team features, if cloud lock-in is fine.

Penpot logo

Best OpenPencil alternative for a free option

Penpot

More mature open-source design tool with self-hosting and team workspaces, built on open web standards.

Lunacy logo

Best OpenPencil alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Lunacy

Free design app that also opens Figma and Sketch files, with built-in icon and photo assets.

Penpot logo

Best OpenPencil alternative for open source

Penpot

More mature open-source design tool with self-hosting and team workspaces, built on open web standards.

Penpot logo

Best OpenPencil alternative for self-hosting

Penpot

More mature open-source design tool with self-hosting and team workspaces, built on open web standards.

Sketch logo

Best OpenPencil alternative for Mac

Sketch

Native Mac design app with a long track record, if you work only on macOS and want a polished editor.

Figma logo

Best OpenPencil alternative for Windows

Figma

The industry standard, with the most plugins, libraries and real-time team features, if cloud lock-in is fine.

Lunacy logo

Best OpenPencil alternative for Linux

Lunacy

Free design app that also opens Figma and Sketch files, with built-in icon and photo assets.

Figma logo

Best OpenPencil alternative for working in the browser

Figma

The industry standard, with the most plugins, libraries and real-time team features, if cloud lock-in is fine.

OpenPencil alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to OpenPencil?

Figma ranks first right now. The industry standard, with the most plugins, libraries and real-time team features, if cloud lock-in is fine. Penpot and Lunacy follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to OpenPencil?

Yes. Figma (free plan + paid), Penpot (open source) and Lunacy (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to OpenPencil?

Yes: Penpot. Penpot can also be self-hosted.

Which OpenPencil alternatives work on Linux?

Lunacy runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from OpenPencil?

The complaints we hear most: young project; plugins and polish lag behind Figma; hosted team workspace is still waitlist-only; built-in AI needs your own provider API key.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces OpenPencil, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.