Excalidraw vs Penpot — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Excalidraw and Penpot both start at $7/mo on their entry tier.
See price history: Excalidraw · Penpot
Open-source hand-drawn-style whiteboard for sketching diagrams, wireframes, and architecture flows. Positioned as the alternative to Miro/FigJam for engineers and technical folks who want low-fidelity 'thinking together' tools that don't feel like corporate whiteboards. Distinctive charmingly-imperfect aesthetic (looks like a sharpie sketch). Base tool is free forever; Excalidraw+ at $7/mo adds cloud storage + collaboration. Popular with engineering teams and technical Twitter.
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 | Excalidraw monthly | Excalidraw annual | Penpot monthly | Penpot annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free / Free (Professional) | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Plus / Unlimited | $7 | $6 | $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
Excalidraw is worth it if… engineers, PMs, and designers who need whiteboarding + diagrams + collaborative sketches with a distinctive hand-drawn aesthetic — particularly for technical architecture docs and lightweight wireframes. Free (open-source) covers unlimited use; Plus tier adds cloud storage, versioning, and team libraries.
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 Excalidraw over Penpot if…
Choose Excalidraw if…
- You're comfortable with Excalidraw's from $7/mo entry point.
- You match the profile Excalidraw is built for: engineers, PMs, and designers who need whiteboarding + diagrams + collaborative sketches with a distinctive hand-drawn aesthetic — particularly for technical architecture docs and lightweight wireframes.
- 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
| Excalidraw | Penpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $7/mo | $7/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Freemium |
| Last verified | September 15, 2026 | September 19, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 19, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
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Common questions about Excalidraw and Penpot
- How much does Excalidraw cost in 2026?
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- How much does Penpot cost in 2026?
- Does Penpot have a free plan?
- How often does Penpot change prices?
- What are the best Penpot alternatives in 2026?