Excalidraw vs Penpot: Which Is Better in 2026?
A side-by-side comparison of Excalidraw and Penpot, two design tools — what each does, who it's best for, and how to choose between them.
Quick verdict
Excalidraw and Penpot are both design tools, so it comes down to fit. Pick Excalidraw if you want A virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn-style diagrams — free, open-source, and instantly collaborative. Pick Penpot if you want The open-source design and prototyping tool that's free, self-hostable, and built for designer–developer collaboration.
Excalidraw
A virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn-style diagrams — free, open-source, and instantly collaborative.
- Category
- Design
- Rating
- Not yet rated
- Best for
- whiteboard, diagrams, sketching
Penpot
The open-source design and prototyping tool that's free, self-hostable, and built for designer–developer collaboration.
- Category
- Design
- Rating
- Not yet rated
- Best for
- design, open source, prototyping
| At a glance | Excalidraw | Penpot |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn-style diagrams — free, open-source, and instantly collaborative. | The open-source design and prototyping tool that's free, self-hostable, and built for designer–developer collaboration. |
| Category | Design | Design |
| Type | Software | Software |
| Best for | whiteboard, diagrams, sketching, open source | design, open source, prototyping, collaboration |
What is Excalidraw?
Excalidraw is a virtual whiteboard tool for sketching diagrams and ideas with a distinctive hand-drawn, low-fidelity style that makes everything feel approachable and unintimidating. Its charming sketchy aesthetic is intentional: rough-looking diagrams invite collaboration and feedback in a way that polished ones don't, because they clearly signal "this is a work in progress." Free, open-source, and usable instantly in the browser with no signup required, Excalidraw has become a beloved tool for anyone who needs to quickly visualize an idea.
The tool lets you draw shapes, arrows, text, and freehand sketches on an infinite canvas, building flowcharts, system diagrams, wireframes, mind maps, and quick illustrations in seconds. It's fast and frictionless — open the page and start drawing — and supports real-time collaboration so teams can sketch together live. Despite its simplicity, it's surprisingly capable, with libraries of reusable shapes, export options, and the ability to self-host since it's open source. The whole experience is designed to keep you in a creative, low-pressure flow rather than fiddling with perfect alignment.
Excalidraw is hugely popular with developers, designers, product teams, and educators who need to explain ideas visually without the overhead of heavier diagramming tools. The value is speed, simplicity, and a welcoming feel: it removes every barrier to visualizing a thought, so people actually sketch out their thinking and share it. Because it's free, open-source, and instantly usable, it's become a go-to for whiteboarding during meetings, designing systems, and teaching concepts. For anyone who wants to quickly turn an idea into a clear, friendly diagram and collaborate on it in real time, Excalidraw is a delightful and widely loved tool.
What is Penpot?
Penpot is an open-source design and prototyping platform that gives teams a powerful, collaborative design tool without lock-in or per-seat costs. As design tools have consolidated and moved fully to subscription models, Penpot offers an important alternative: it's free, open-source, and can be self-hosted, meaning teams can own their design tool and data entirely. For organisations that value openness, privacy, or simply not being dependent on a single vendor's pricing and roadmap, that independence is a compelling and increasingly rare proposition.
Functionally, Penpot delivers what modern design teams expect: real-time collaborative editing in the browser, robust vector design tools, components and design systems for consistency, and interactive prototyping to demonstrate flows. A standout aspect is its focus on the designer–developer relationship. Penpot is built on open web standards, which makes the handoff between design and code smoother and more natural, and it has invested in features that help designers and developers genuinely work from the same source of truth rather than throwing files over a wall. Because it's open source, the community actively shapes its direction, and teams with specific needs can extend or host it however they require.
Penpot appeals to design teams, developers, and organisations that prioritise open-source values, data control, and freedom from lock-in — from privacy-conscious companies to open-source projects to teams simply tired of escalating subscription costs. The trade-off compared with the most polished commercial tools is that you may invest a little more in setup if self-hosting, but in return you get a capable, continuously improving design platform that's genuinely yours. As it has matured, Penpot has become a serious option rather than just an idealistic one, proving that collaborative, professional design tooling doesn't have to be closed or expensive. For teams who want power and ownership together, it's a standout choice in a category that badly needed an open alternative.
Key differences at a glance
- Purpose: Excalidraw is A virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn-style diagrams — free, open-source, and instantly collaborative. Penpot, by contrast, is The open-source design and prototyping tool that's free, self-hostable, and built for designer–developer collaboration.
- Category & type: both sit in Design, and both are offered as software.
- Best suited for: Excalidraw leans toward whiteboard, diagrams, sketching, whereas Penpot leans toward design, open source, prototyping.
- Community rating: Excalidraw is not yet rated vs Penpot is not yet rated. Ratings are community-submitted and change over time.
Excalidraw vs Penpot: which should you choose?
Excalidraw and Penpot both serve the design space, so the best choice depends on your priorities. Choose Excalidraw if you want A virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn-style diagrams — free, open-source, and instantly collaborative. Choose Penpot if you want The open-source design and prototyping tool that's free, self-hostable, and built for designer–developer collaboration.The smartest move is to try each one's free tier or trial on a real task — that's the fastest way to feel the difference and pick the tool you'll actually stick with.
Frequently asked questions
Is Excalidraw better than Penpot?
It depends on what you need. Excalidraw is A virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn-style diagrams — free, open-source, and instantly collaborative. Penpot is The open-source design and prototyping tool that's free, self-hostable, and built for designer–developer collaboration. Both are design tools, so the right pick comes down to your specific priorities, budget and workflow.
What's the main difference between Excalidraw and Penpot?
Excalidraw focuses on A virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn-style diagrams — free, open-source, and instantly collaborative. while Penpot focuses on The open-source design and prototyping tool that's free, self-hostable, and built for designer–developer collaboration. Read the full breakdown above and check each tool's site for current features and pricing.
Can I use both Excalidraw and Penpot?
In many cases, yes — teams often use complementary tools together. Whether it makes sense depends on overlap in functionality and your budget. Try the free tier or trial of each to see how they fit your stack before committing.
Which is cheaper, Excalidraw or Penpot?
Pricing changes often, so check each tool's pricing page for the latest. Many tools offer a free tier or trial, which is the best way to evaluate value for your specific usage before you pay.