Carrd vs Penpot — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Carrd starts at $0.75/mo. Penpot starts at $7/mo. Carrd is $6.25/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Penpot.
Single-page website builder positioned as the alternative to Squarespace and Wix for people who just want a one-page landing site (bio link, event page, product launch). Distinctive for its bootstrapped one-person-company origin (built by AJ, still solo-founder in 2026) and its cult following in the indie hacker community. Priced $19/year Pro Standard — unusually cheap. Popular with side-project launches and personal portfolios.
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 | Carrd monthly | Carrd annual | Penpot monthly | Penpot annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free / Free (Professional) | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | — / Unlimited | — | — | $7 | $7 |
| 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
Carrd is worth it if… solo entrepreneurs, indie hackers, and side-project builders who need a one-page site (landing, link-in-bio, portfolio) shipped in 30 minutes — no code, no CMS overhead. Pro Standard covers most single-site needs; Pro Plus adds forms, widgets, and multi-site management for indie project portfolios.
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: Choose based on how you want to pay — Carrd is flat rate, Penpot is freemium.
Choose Carrd over Penpot if…
Choose Carrd if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (flat rate, from $0.75/mo).
- You match the profile Carrd is built for: solo entrepreneurs, indie hackers, and side-project builders who need a one-page site (landing, link-in-bio, portfolio) shipped in 30 minutes — no code, no CMS overhead.
- 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
| Carrd | Penpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $0.75/mo | $7/mo |
| Enterprise available | No | Yes |
| Pricing model | Flat Rate | 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.