Penpot vs Sketch
Which design & creative tool is right for you? Compare features, pricing, and user reviews to make the best choice.
Penpot
From $7Free plan
G2 4.5 · 10 reviewsTeams that want a free, open-source Figma alternative they can self-host, and developer-heavy product teams who want layouts and design tokens that map directly to CSS.
vs
Sketch
From $12
G2 4.5 · 1,226 reviewsProduct designers and small-to-mid teams building UI/UX for web and mobile who prefer a macOS-native design tool with optional web-based collaboration and straightforward developer handoff.
Side by side
 Penpot |  Sketch | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free; paid from $7/editor/month | $12/editor/month (billed yearly) |
| G2 Rating | 4.5 (10 reviews) | 4.5 (1,226 reviews) |
| Best For | Teams that want a free, open-source Figma alternative they can self-host, and developer-heavy product teams who want layouts and design tokens that map directly to CSS. | Product designers and small-to-mid teams building UI/UX for web and mobile who prefer a macOS-native design tool with optional web-based collaboration and straightforward developer handoff. |
Pros and cons
Penpot
Pros
- Fully featured free plan with no editor or file limits
- Open source and self-hostable, so no vendor lock-in
- Layouts use real CSS Grid and Flexbox, which makes handoff cleaner
- Runs in any browser on Windows, Mac and Linux
Cons
- Smaller plugin, template and community ecosystem than Figma
- Can feel slower than native apps on very large files
- Prototyping and advanced interactions are less deep than Figma, UXPin or Axure
- Few G2 reviews so far, so there is less peer feedback to go on
Sketch
Pros
- Fast, polished macOS-native UI design workflow
- Strong component/library system for maintaining design consistency
- Good collaboration and review via web app (share links, comments)
- Large plugin ecosystem and integrations for extending workflows
Cons
- macOS-only for the desktop editor (limits cross-platform teams)
- Collaboration and prototyping are generally less comprehensive than some all-in-one competitors
- Costs can add up for larger teams when licensing editors
Emily Rodriguez