Figma covers interface design, prototyping, shared components and developer handoff in one browser tool. Only Penpot targets that whole workflow in open source, but a handful of other projects cover parts of it: vector illustration, whiteboarding, usability testing or code-first design.
Each project below is under an OSI-approved licence we checked in its repository. We could not confirm the licence of Inkscape from its repository page this run, so it is left out rather than guessed. tldraw is mentioned separately because its licence is not open source.
Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.
Describes itself as the open-source design platform for teams that build digital products at scale. Offers real-time collaboration, design tokens, components and variants, an inspect mode with SVG, CSS and HTML, and a plugin system. Self-host with Docker or Kubernetes.
Strengths
+ Design tokens, components and variants
+ Real-time collaboration
+ Self-hosting with Docker or Kubernetes
Trade-offs
− Plugin and tool ecosystem is smaller than Figma's
Best for: Vector and raster graphics with a node-based engine
Describes itself as a free, open source vector and raster graphics engine, available now in alpha. Combines layer-based compositing with node-based procedural design.
Best for: Quick wireframes and whiteboard sketches
An open source virtual hand-drawn style whiteboard that is collaborative and end-to-end encrypted. Drawings save as open JSON files and the editor can be embedded in your own app.
Best for: Prototyping with built-in usability testing
A research, usability and prototyping tool for testing designs quickly and producing data-driven insights. The repo contains the front end, and the README provides a Docker Compose sample with MongoDB, a Java backend and a WebSocket server.
Best for: Visual editing for Next.js and Tailwind apps
Describes itself as an open-source, visual-first code editor with a Figma-like UI for building websites and prototypes with AI in Next.js and Tailwind. Run it locally by following the developer guide.
Strengths
+ Edits real code, not static mockups
+ Layers, components and branching
+ Apache-2.0 licence
Trade-offs
− Aimed at Next.js and Tailwind projects
− README says the hosted product is in early access
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How to choose
If you need…
Start with
A full team design tool with components and handoff
Penpot
Illustration and procedural vector art
Graphite
Quick sketches and diagrams
Excalidraw
Testing prototypes with real users
Quant-UX
Designing directly on a Next.js codebase
Onlook
Often called open source, but aren't
Public source code, but under licences the Open Source Initiative doesn't approve. Fine to use; read the terms first.
tldraw(tldraw license)
The SDK is free to use in development but its README says production use requires a licence key. The starter kits are MIT, but the core SDK is not OSI-approved.
Open-source Figma alternatives: FAQ
Quick answers to common questions
What is the best open-source alternative to Figma?
Penpot. It describes itself as the open-source design platform for teams, with components, design tokens, real-time collaboration and a self-hostable deployment.
Can I self-host Penpot?
Yes. Its README points to installation guides for Docker, Kubernetes and Elestio.
Is tldraw open source?
Not under an OSI-approved licence. Its README says development use is free but production use needs a licence key.
Can I import Figma files into these tools?
We did not verify Figma file import for any project here. Penpot works with open formats such as SVG, so export assets as SVG first.
Why is Inkscape not listed?
It is a well-known free vector editor, but its licence was not shown on the repository pages we could open this run, so we left it out.
Maintain an open-source Figma alternative?
List it on TechLogHub and we'll review it for this page.
