Figma alternatives: 3 free & open-source picks
Curated, verified, and actually free. No trials, no crippled tiers. Star counts and last-activity dates checked by hand, not scraped and forgotten.
The real open-source answer: browser UI design, components, tokens, prototypes, comments, and multiplayer without pretending a whiteboard is Figma.
licenseMPL-2.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installUse the hosted signup, or download the official Docker Compose file and run docker compose up -d
dataHosted files in Penpot Cloud; self-hosted data in Docker volumes for PostgreSQL and uploaded assets, with exports based on SVG/CSS/HTML/JSON and open standards
vs FigmaIts plugin ecosystem, Figma-file fidelity and hosted free-team/history limits are still behind Figma's mature collaborative platform.
setupSelf-hosting requires Docker Compose, DNS and reverse-proxy/TLS knowledge; hosted signup has no setup blocker
facts verified 2026-08-11
Browser prototypes, collaboration, user tests, and analytics in one product; weaker than Figma for pixel-perfect design systems.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installUse the hosted Quant-UX signup, or run its multi-container Docker Compose stack
dataHosted projects in Quant-UX's service; self-hosted prototypes and tests in MongoDB with uploaded images in mapped data directories
vs FigmaIt is primarily a prototyping and user-testing tool, not a production-grade vector editor and design-system workspace on Figma's level.
setupSelf-hosting needs several containers plus MongoDB, SMTP, a JWT secret, WebSocket URL and reverse-proxy/TLS configuration
facts verified 2026-08-11
A polished free desktop UI editor with components, prototypes, cloud documents, and native apps; collaboration limits are small-team sized.
licenseproprietary, free
runsyour machine or their cloud
installInstall a native Windows, macOS or Linux package, or open Lunacy in a browser
enginesIcons8-hosted AI tools for background removal, upscaling, generated text and avatars; avatar generation integrates Generated Photos, while underlying model names are not disclosed
dataLocal designs are .sketch files on disk; cloud documents live on Icons8 servers and can be saved back as local .sketch files
vs FigmaIts free cloud collaboration is small-team limited, and Figma's plugin ecosystem, browser collaboration and import fidelity remain stronger.
setupno real blockers; verified to install clean
facts verified 2026-08-11
last updated 2026-08-11 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
ExcalidrawExcellent collaborative sketching, but hand-drawn boxes are not a component library, vector UI editor, or production design system.
OpenPencilPromising and properly open source, but its own README says it is under active development and not production-ready.
Pencil ProjectThe classic recommendation is stale: the repository's last commit was January 2023, well outside the maintenance bar.
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penpot | MPL-2.0 | they host it | web, self-hosted | 58,200 | 2026-08 |
| Quant-UX | GPL-3.0 | they host it | web, self-hosted | 2,700 | 2026-05 |
| Lunacy | proprietary, free | one-click install | macos, windows, linux | — | — |
They pay because entire product/design teams coordinate inside the file, not because drawing rectangles is hard. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $240 a year.
Is there a free alternative to Figma?
Yes: Penpot, Quant-UX, Lunacy. Every tool on this page is either open source or genuinely free to use long-term: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Should I just build my own Figma?
Our verdict is NOT REALLY. You can make a small drawing/prototyping tool, but Figma's moat is real-time multiplayer editing, plugin ecosystem, design-system workflows, performance, and enterprise trust. If you'd rather build, the exact one-shot prompt is free at canivibecodeit.com/figma.
