Software · head to head
Adobe XD vs Penpot
Adobe XD
Software
Design, prototype, and share user experiences
- From
- $54.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Penpot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Adobe XD standalone subscription eliminated - now requires expensive Creative Cloud All Apps plan; Penpot smaller user base and community compared to Figma means fewer templates and resources
- They diverge on capability: Adobe XD covers Vector design tools, Penpot covers Vector editing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Adobe XD and Penpot actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Adobe XD
- Vector design tools
- Responsive resize
- Auto-animate
- Voice prototyping
- 3D transforms
- Component states
- Coediting
- Creative Cloud
Only in Penpot
- Vector editing
- Interactive prototyping
- Components & libraries
- Real-time collaboration
- SVG support
- CSS Grid & Flexbox
- Code export
- Figma import
Both cover
- Design systems
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Adobe XD
- Web designnot Penpot
- Mobile app designnot Penpot
- Design systems
- Interactive prototypesnot Penpot
- User testingnot Penpot
Penpot
- UI/UX designnot Adobe XD
- Prototypingnot Adobe XD
- Design systems
- Developer handoffnot Adobe XD
- Open source projectsnot Adobe XD
Both are used for design systems, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Adobe XD
- Standalone subscription eliminated - now requires expensive Creative Cloud All Apps plan
- Mac-first design tool with more limited Windows support
- Collaboration features are less mature compared to Figma
- Not open source unlike alternatives like Penpot
- Higher price point than competing standalone design tools
Penpot
- Smaller user base and community compared to Figma means fewer templates and resources
- Self-hosting requires Linux server and Docker knowledge for technical setup
- Real-time collaboration features may have performance issues with very large design files
Pricing, plan by plan
Adobe XD
$54.99/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Adobe XD review.
Penpot
Free- FreeFree
- Cloud-based design
- Real-time collaboration
- Components and variants
- Unlimited$7/month
- All free features
- Priority support
- Advanced cloud features
- Enterprise$950/month
- Custom enterprise features
- Dedicated support
- Advanced security
Which should you pick?
Choose Adobe XD if
- You need vector design tools.
- You work on Web, macOS, Windows.
- You also want responsive resize.
Choose Penpot if
- You need vector editing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
- You also want interactive prototyping.
Questions people ask
- Is Adobe XD or Penpot better?
- Neither clearly leads. Adobe XD starts at $54.99/month and Penpot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Adobe XD or Penpot?
- Penpot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $54.99/month for Adobe XD and Free for Penpot.
- Does Adobe XD or Penpot run on more platforms?
- Adobe XD runs on Web, macOS, Windows. Penpot runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
- Can I use Penpot for free?
- Yes. Penpot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Adobe XD starts at $54.99/month.
- What is Adobe XD best used for?
- Adobe XD is most often used for web design, mobile app design, design systems, interactive prototypes. Of those, web design and mobile app design are not what Penpot is typically brought in for.
- What can Adobe XD do that Penpot cannot?
- Adobe XD covers Vector design tools, Responsive resize, Auto-animate, Voice prototyping. Penpot covers Vector editing, Interactive prototyping, Components & libraries, Real-time collaboration. Both handle Design systems.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Adobe XD: Can I use Adobe XD without a full Creative Cloud subscription?
No. Adobe XD is no longer available as a standalone subscription. It is only available as part of Creative Cloud All Apps plan priced from $54.99 to $69.99 per month.
SourcePenpot: Is Penpot really free?
Yes. Penpot is completely free with no feature gates. The open-source version can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure for zero cost beyond server expenses.
SourceAdobe XD: What file formats does Adobe XD support?
Adobe XD supports XD format natively, with import/export capabilities for other design formats and vector graphics.
SourcePenpot: Can I self-host Penpot?
Yes. Penpot can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure with no licensing costs. Organizations with specific privacy or governance needs can run Penpot on their own servers.
SourcePenpot: What are the paid plans if I use Penpot cloud?
Penpot's cloud service offers a free tier, Unlimited plan at $7 per user per month for professionals and medium teams, and Enterprise starting at $950 per month for larger organizations.
SourcePenpot: What platforms does Penpot support?
Penpot runs in the browser, so it works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and any OS with a web browser. No platform-specific downloads required.
Source