Canva vs Penpot — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Canva starts at $18/mo. Penpot starts at $7/mo. Penpot is $11/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Canva.
Template-first design tool for non-designers, valued $40B private (2024). Distinctive for making Adobe's professional tools feel overengineered for 80% of visual content needs. Popular with SMBs, educators, and social media managers who need decent design without hiring a designer. Free tier is genuinely generous; paid tiers add brand kits, background remover, and Magic Studio AI. IPO expected 2026-2027. Launched an MCP integration with ChatGPT in June 2026.
Open-source design tool positioned as the alternative to Figma for teams that want self-hosting, on-premise deployment, or vendor-lock-in escape. Distinctive for using open web standards (SVG-native, not proprietary format) so files are portable across tools. Fully free when self-hosted; cloud tier launching. Backed by Kaleidos (Spanish OSS studio). Popular with government agencies, enterprises with data residency needs, and open-source purists.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Canva monthly | Canva annual | Penpot monthly | Penpot annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free / Free (Professional) | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Pro / Unlimited | $18 | $12 | $7 | $7 |
| Teams | Business / — | $20 | $16.67 | — | — |
| Enterprise | — / Enterprise | — | — | $950 | $950 |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Canva is worth it if… non-designers and small marketing teams (1-50 people) that need to produce social posts, presentations, and simple video without hiring a designer or learning Adobe. Free tier is genuinely usable; Pro unlocks brand kits, Magic Studio AI, and background remover; Business adds team management.
Penpot is worth it if… open-source-oriented design teams that want Figma-alternative UI/UX design with SVG-native files and full self-host option — particularly if data sovereignty or budget matter. Free forever for hosted use; Enterprise for self-hosted deployments.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Canva over Penpot if…
Choose Canva if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (freemium, from $18/mo).
- You match the profile Canva is built for: non-designers and small marketing teams (1-50 people) that need to produce social posts, presentations, and simple video without hiring a designer or learning Adobe.
- You need a general-purpose design & creative option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Penpot if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (freemium, from $7/mo).
- You match the profile Penpot is built for: open-source-oriented design teams that want Figma-alternative UI/UX design with SVG-native files and full self-host option — particularly if data sovereignty or budget matter.
- You need a general-purpose design & creative option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Canva | Penpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $18/mo | $7/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Last verified | September 11, 2026 | September 19, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 19, 2026. Tracked daily.