Is Penpot better than Lunacy?

Penpot ranks higher in our list of UI design tools (#2 against #6, score 88.0 against 80.5). Lunacy is best for: free desktop UI design with offline use. Penpot is best for: open-source design you can self-host.

Which is cheaper, Lunacy or Penpot?

Lunacy: Free download; a paid license is also listed. Penpot: Free to sign up and self-host; open source under MPL-2.0.

Do Lunacy and Penpot run on the same platforms?

Lunacy supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Web. Penpot supports Web, Self-hosted.

Lunacy vs Penpot: Which Is Better? (2026)

80.5
Editorial score
88.0
4
Platforms
2
Yes
Free to use
Yes
No
Open source
Yes

Which should you choose?

Choose Lunacy if you want

Free desktop UI design with offline use.

A free UI design app with native builds for Windows, macOS and Linux, plus auto layout, prototyping and offline use. The site names a free and a paid license without explaining the difference, so check the terms before commercial use.

Choose Penpot if you want

Open-source design you can self-host.

An open-source design platform that runs in the browser or on your own servers, under the MPL-2.0 license. Its feature set and community are smaller than Figma's.

The main differences

Only Lunacy runs on Linux.
Only Lunacy runs on Windows.
Only Lunacy runs on macOS.
Penpot is open source; Lunacy is not.

Side by side

	Lunacy	Penpot
Score	80.5	88.0
Rank in list	#6 of 10	#2 of 10
Price	Free plan, paid upgradesFree download; a paid license is also listed	Free and open sourceFree to sign up and self-host; open source under MPL-2.0
Free to use	Yes	Yes
Open source	No	Yes
Platforms	WindowsmacOSLinuxWebWindows, macOS, Linux, Web	WebSelf-hostedWeb, Self-hosted
Made by	Icons8	Not stated
Best for	Free desktop UI design with offline use	Open-source design you can self-host
Strengths	Free desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux Works offline as well as in the browser Built-in icons, illustrations and UI kits	Open source under MPL-2.0 Can be self-hosted on your own servers
Limits	Free and paid license terms are named but not explained on the page Self-hosted Lunacy Cloud needs your own server or VPS	Smaller plugin ecosystem than Figma
Links	Visit site	Visit site

Questions about Lunacy vs Penpot

Is Penpot better than Lunacy?: Penpot ranks higher in our list of UI design tools (#2 against #6, score 88.0 against 80.5). Lunacy is best for: free desktop UI design with offline use. Penpot is best for: open-source design you can self-host.
Which is cheaper, Lunacy or Penpot?: Lunacy: Free download; a paid license is also listed. Penpot: Free to sign up and self-host; open source under MPL-2.0.
Do Lunacy and Penpot run on the same platforms?: Lunacy supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Web. Penpot supports Web, Self-hosted.