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Software · head to head

InVision vs Penpot

InVision logo

InVision

Software

Digital product design platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Penpot logo

Penpot

Software

Open source design and prototyping platform

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: InVision service discontinued as of end of 2024; no longer available or supported; Penpot smaller user base and community compared to Figma means fewer templates and resources
  • They diverge on capability: InVision covers Interactive prototypes, Penpot covers Vector editing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which InVision and Penpot actually diverge.

Attributes where InVision and Penpot differ
AttributeInVisionPenpot
PlatformsWeb, Macos, Windows, Ios, AndroidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux
Founded20112021

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), 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 InVision

  • Interactive prototypes
  • Design collaboration
  • Freehand whiteboarding
  • Design system manager
  • Inspect mode
  • Comments & feedback
  • Version control
  • User testing

Only in Penpot

  • Vector editing
  • Interactive prototyping
  • Design systems
  • Components & libraries
  • Real-time collaboration
  • SVG support
  • CSS Grid & Flexbox
  • Code export

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

InVision

  • Prototype creationnot Penpot
  • Design feedbacknot Penpot
  • Whiteboarding sessionsnot Penpot
  • Design handoffnot Penpot
  • User testingnot Penpot

Penpot

  • UI/UX designnot InVision
  • Prototypingnot InVision
  • Design systemsnot InVision
  • Developer handoffnot InVision
  • Open source projectsnot InVision

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

InVision

  • Service discontinued as of end of 2024; no longer available or supported
  • Workflow required constant switching between design software (Sketch/Photoshop) and InVision for prototyping, creating inefficiency
  • Performance issues and glitches reported, especially with larger projects
  • Limited development capabilities; required additional hosting and developer support for deployment
  • Could not export working web or mobile applications without additional development

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

InVision

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the InVision 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 InVision if

  • You need interactive prototypes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Macos, Windows, Ios, Android.
  • You also want design collaboration.

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 InVision or Penpot better?
Neither clearly leads. InVision starts at Free and Penpot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, InVision or Penpot?
InVision starts at Free and Penpot at Free.
Does InVision or Penpot run on more platforms?
InVision runs on Web, Macos, Windows, Ios, Android. Penpot runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use InVision for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is InVision best used for?
InVision is most often used for prototype creation, design feedback, whiteboarding sessions, design handoff. Of those, prototype creation and design feedback are not what Penpot is typically brought in for.
What can InVision do that Penpot cannot?
InVision covers Interactive prototypes, Design collaboration, Freehand whiteboarding, Design system manager. Penpot covers Vector editing, Interactive prototyping, Design systems, Components & libraries.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

InVision: Is InVision still active and supported in 2026?

No. InVision announced discontinuation of all services by end of 2024. The platform is no longer available or supported.

Source
Penpot: 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.

Source
InVision: What were InVision's core features?

InVision allowed designers to transform designs into interactive prototypes and mockups for web and mobile. It supported Craft Player for Sketch, Craft Sync for Photoshop, and preview mode in Studio, enabling design-to-prototype workflows.

Source
Penpot: 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.

Source
InVision: What were InVision's pricing plans?

InVision offered Free ($0), Starter ($25/month), Professional ($99/month), and Team plans. Annual billing provided a 10% discount. Free plan included basic prototyping; paid plans added collaboration and file access.

Source
Penpot: 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.

Source
InVision: Why did InVision fail in the market?

InVision's market position was disrupted by Figma, which unified design, prototyping, and collaboration in a single web-based platform. InVision required switching between design software and prototyping, creating friction and reducing competitiveness.

Source
Penpot: 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
InVision: What integrations did InVision support?

InVision integrated with design tools like Sketch and Photoshop, and supported sharing and collaboration workflows. The platform did not support deployment or direct development integration.

Source

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