The 8 Best Figma Alternatives in 2026 (Free, Open Source and AI)
Most people looking for Figma alternatives want one of four things: a free or cheaper tool, an open source tool they can host themselves, a native desktop app, or a tool that does something Figma does not, such as code-based prototypes or interactive UI that ships in an app. The best choice depends on which of those you need.
We make ExodeUI, which is on this list for interactive and animated UI. For static UI design and design systems, the other tools here are the closer replacements and we say so.
The best Figma alternative for most teams is Penpot: it is open source, runs in the browser, can be self-hosted, and is free with all core features. Sketch is the best choice for Mac users who want a native app, and Lunacy is a free native app for Windows, macOS and Linux that imports Figma files. If you want working prototypes or interactive UI rather than static screens, look at UXPin, ProtoPie or ExodeUI.
Quick picks by job
| If you need | Use |
|---|---|
| Best free and open source alternative | Penpot |
| Best native app for Mac | Sketch |
| Best free desktop app for Windows and Linux | Lunacy |
| Design and publish a website in one tool | Framer |
| Prototypes built from real code components | UXPin |
| High-fidelity prototypes with sensors and logic | ProtoPie |
| Interactive and animated UI that ships in your app | ExodeUI |
| Generate a first UI draft from a prompt | Google Stitch |
Side-by-side comparison
| Tool | Free option | Platforms | Best at | MCP server |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penpot | Yes, all core features | Browser, self-hosted | UI design and design systems | Yes, free and open |
| Sketch | 30-day trial | Mac app, web for viewing | Native Mac UI design | Not verified |
| Lunacy | Free app | Windows, macOS, Linux, browser | Offline desktop UI design | Icons8 MCP (assets) |
| Framer | Free plan | Browser, desktop | Designing and publishing websites | Not verified |
| UXPin | Free plan (2 prototypes) | Browser | Code-based prototypes | Not verified |
| ProtoPie | Free plan (2 prototypes) | Browser, desktop | Advanced interactive prototypes | Not verified |
| ExodeUI | Free Community plan | Browser, desktop | Interactive UI and animation for production | Yes |
| Google Stitch | Google Labs experiment | Browser | AI-generated UI drafts | Not verified |
How we compared them
- Which part of Figma it replaces: UI design, prototyping, handoff or website building
- Whether the free option is usable for real projects, not only a trial
- Platforms, including Linux, offline use and self-hosting
- Whether AI agents can read and edit the files, for example through an MCP server
- How hard it is to move existing Figma work across
The 8 best Figma alternatives
1. Penpot
Best for: Teams that want an open source, browser-based replacement for Figma
- Platforms
- Browser; self-hosted on your own server
- Price
- Free with all core features; Unlimited $7 per editor per month (capped at $175); Enterprise $25 per member per month
- Output
- Design files and prototypes, with code inspection for developers
Penpot is the closest thing to an open source Figma. It runs in the browser, supports components, flex and grid layouts and real-time collaboration, and you can host it yourself so your files never leave your servers. Its layout model follows CSS, which many developers find easier to hand off. Penpot also has a free, open MCP server, so AI agents such as Claude, Cursor and Codex can read and edit Penpot files.
Pros and cons
- Free plan has no feature limits
- Open source and self-hostable, so no vendor lock-in
- Layouts map closely to CSS flex and grid
- Free MCP server for AI agents
- Smaller plugin and community file ecosystem than Figma
- Importing complex Figma files can need cleanup
- Fewer third-party tutorials
2. Sketch
Best for: Mac users who want a fast, native design app
- Platforms
- macOS app; web app for viewing, version history and developer handoff; iPhone and iPad app for previews
- Price
- 30-day free trial, then a subscription or a one-time Mac-only license
- Output
- Design files, prototypes and developer handoff
Sketch was the standard UI design tool before Figma, and it is still a strong choice on the Mac. It is a native app that works offline, with real-time collaboration, symbols, design systems and prototyping. Viewers and developers can inspect files in the browser for free. You can also buy a one-time license if you only need the Mac app without collaboration.
Pros and cons
- Native Mac app that works offline
- One-time license option, not only a subscription
- Free viewers and developer handoff in the browser
- Editing requires a Mac
- No permanent free plan
- Smaller community than Figma today
3. Lunacy
Best for: A free native design app on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux; now also in the browser
- Price
- Free to download and use
- Output
- Design files and clickable prototypes; .sketch format
Lunacy from Icons8 is a native desktop design app that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, online or offline. It has auto layout, components, variables, prototyping and real-time collaboration, plus built-in icons, illustrations and photos. It can import Figma files, which makes it an easy tool to try if you are leaving Figma and do not want to work in a browser.
Pros and cons
- Free, native app on all three desktop systems
- Works fully offline
- Imports Figma files
- Built-in icons, illustrations and photos
- Smaller team and plugin ecosystem
- Fewer tutorials than Figma or Sketch
- Icons8 MCP covers assets, not design file editing
4. Framer
Best for: Designers who want to design and publish a website without handing off to developers
- Platforms
- Browser, desktop
- Price
- Free plan; paid plans per site
- Output
- Published websites with CMS, hosting and analytics
Framer is a website builder with a design canvas that feels familiar to Figma users. Instead of handing a design to developers, you publish it as a live site with a CMS, localisation and hosting. Paid plans include monthly credits for its AI agents. It is a Figma alternative for marketing sites and landing pages, not for designing app screens that developers will build.
Pros and cons
- Design and publish in one place
- Free plan to learn and build templates
- Built-in CMS, localisation and hosting
- Built for websites, not for app UI handoff
- Your site is hosted on Framer
- Costs grow with traffic, pages and add-ons
5. UXPin
Best for: Product teams that want prototypes built from real code components
- Platforms
- Browser
- Price
- Free plan with 2 prototypes; paid plans per seat
- Output
- Interactive prototypes built from coded components, with an AI prototyping assistant
UXPin builds prototypes from coded component libraries, including MUI, Bootstrap, Tailwind and Ant Design, or your own design system through its Storybook and Git integrations. Prototypes can use states, variables, conditional logic and expressions, so they behave much more like the real product than a Figma prototype. It also has an AI assistant that generates layouts from prompts.
Pros and cons
- Prototypes use real components, so handoff is closer to production
- Logic, variables and conditions without code
- AI prototyping assistant
- Free plan is limited to 2 prototypes
- Less suited to freeform visual design and illustration
- Learning curve for the code-based features
6. ProtoPie
Best for: Designers who need very realistic prototypes with sensors, conditions and multiple devices
- Platforms
- Browser, desktop
- Price
- Free plan with 2 prototypes; paid plans available
- Output
- Interactive prototypes you test on real devices
ProtoPie is not a full replacement for Figma's design tools. Many teams design screens in Figma or another editor and then build prototypes in ProtoPie, because it handles variables, conditions, device sensors, voice and multi-screen flows that Figma prototypes cannot. If you are leaving Figma because its prototypes feel too limited, ProtoPie is worth a look.
Pros and cons
- Very realistic prototypes, including sensors and multiple devices
- Logic and variables without code
- Tests on real devices
- Not a UI design tool on its own
- Prototypes are not production code
- Free plan is limited to 2 prototypes
7. ExodeUI
Best for: Teams designing interactive or animated UI that has to ship in a real app
- Platforms
- Browser, desktop
- Price
- Free Community plan; Professional $29/month
- Output
- One open .exode JSON file played by runtimes for React, Vue, Svelte, Angular, Solid, React Native, SwiftUI and Flutter
ExodeUI is not a drop-in replacement for Figma's static screen design. It is for the part Figma leaves to developers: buttons, toggles, loaders, onboarding screens and other UI that changes with state and user input. You build it with states, spring physics, inputs and events, and the same file runs in your app instead of being rebuilt by hand. An MCP server lets Claude Code, Cursor and other AI coding tools create and edit animations from plain-language prompts.
Pros and cons
- What you design is what ships, with no rebuild step
- State machines, spring physics, inputs and events your code controls
- Open JSON file that developers and AI agents can edit
- MCP server for AI coding tools
- Not a replacement for Figma for static screens, wireframes or whiteboarding
- Newer, with a smaller community and fewer tutorials
- Your app needs the ExodeUI runtime package to play the files
8. Google Stitch
Best for: Getting a first UI draft from a text prompt or a sketch
- Platforms
- Browser
- Price
- Google Labs experiment
- Output
- Generated UI designs and front-end code; paste into Figma
Stitch is an experiment from Google Labs that turns a text prompt, screenshot or wireframe into UI designs and front-end code, and lets you generate several variants to compare. It is useful for exploring ideas quickly. It does not replace a design tool for refining and maintaining a product, and Google itself positions it as a step before Figma, with a "paste to Figma" option.
Pros and cons
- Fast first drafts from prompts or images
- Generates several layout variants
- Exports front-end code
- An experiment, so features and access can change
- Not built for design systems or team collaboration
- Output needs design review before it ships
You have read the list. The one we make is one click away.
Free Community plan. One open .exode file that runs in React, Vue, Svelte, Angular, Solid, React Native, SwiftUI and Flutter.
Also worth a look
Free design tools
Everything you can do for $0, including Figma's own free plan.
AI prototyping tools
Tools that turn prompts into working prototypes.
Claude Design alternatives
If you are comparing AI design tools from model providers.
Figma Motion alternatives
If what you need is better animation and prototyping than Figma has.
Best free Figma alternatives
Penpot is the best free Figma alternative: its free plan includes every core feature, and you can self-host it. Lunacy is a free native desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux. Framer, UXPin, ProtoPie and ExodeUI all have free plans, but those plans are limited and each tool covers a narrower job than Figma. Figma itself also has a free Starter plan, which is enough for many individuals.
Open source Figma alternatives
Penpot is the main open source Figma alternative that is still actively developed. You can use the hosted version or run it on your own server, which matters for companies that cannot store design files in a third-party cloud.
Figma alternatives for Linux
Figma runs in the browser on Linux, but there is no official Linux desktop app. Lunacy has a native Linux app that works offline, and Penpot runs in any browser or on your own Linux server.
Figma alternatives with an MCP server
MCP (Model Context Protocol) lets AI coding tools such as Claude Code and Cursor read and edit design files. Figma has its own MCP server, available on its Starter and paid plans, so you do not have to leave Figma to get this. Among the alternatives:
- Penpot: a free, open MCP server that works with Claude, Cursor, VS Code and OpenAI Codex
- ExodeUI: an MCP server that lets AI coding tools create and edit interactive animations from prompts
- Lunacy: Icons8 offers an MCP server for its icons and illustrations, not for editing Lunacy files
When you should stay on Figma
If your team depends on Figma's plugins, community files, Dev Mode or FigJam, or your clients send you Figma files, switching costs more than it saves. Figma is still the most widely used UI design tool. A common setup is to keep Figma for screens and add a second tool for the job Figma does poorly, such as ProtoPie for advanced prototypes or ExodeUI for interactive UI that ships in code.