Softwr

Design · head to head

Lunacy vs Whimsical

Lunacy logo

Lunacy

Design

Free design software that keeps your flow

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Whimsical logo

Whimsical

Technology

Where great ideas take shape

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lunacy desktop application only, not cloud-based like Figma, limiting accessibility across different computers; Whimsical the free plan is capped at 3 team boards, 3 teams and 10 guest seats
  • They diverge on capability: Lunacy covers Vector editing, Whimsical covers Flowcharts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lunacy and Whimsical actually diverge.

Attributes where Lunacy and Whimsical differ
AttributeLunacyWhimsical
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb
CategoryDesignTechnology
Founded20162017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Lunacy

  • Vector editing
  • Auto layouts
  • Components
  • Built-in photos & icons
  • AI background remover
  • AI upscaler
  • Sketch file support
  • Sketch files

Only in Whimsical

  • Flowcharts
  • Wireframes
  • Mind maps
  • Sticky notes
  • Docs
  • Templates
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Notion

Both cover

  • Real-time collaboration
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Lunacy

  • UI/UX design
  • Web designnot Whimsical
  • Mobile app designnot Whimsical
  • Icon designnot Whimsical
  • Marketing graphicsnot Whimsical

Whimsical

  • Product planningnot Lunacy
  • UI/UX design
  • Brainstormingnot Lunacy
  • Process documentationnot Lunacy
  • Project visualizationnot Lunacy

Both are used for ui/ux design, 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.

Lunacy

  • Desktop application only, not cloud-based like Figma, limiting accessibility across different computers
  • Animation capabilities are basic, lacking timeline-based animation editing or spring physics available in modern design tools
  • Paid collaboration features, unlike Figma's free cloud-based team collaboration

Whimsical

  • The free plan is capped at 3 team boards, 3 teams and 10 guest seats
  • File uploads are limited to 5MB per file and 1GB in total on the free plan
  • Version history on the free plan goes back 7 days
  • Voting, the timer, private teams, the GitHub integration, password-protected files and watermark removal all need Pro at $10 per editor per month
  • SSO and SAML are Business tier only at $20 per editor per month

Pricing, plan by plan

Lunacy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Lunacy review.

Whimsical

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Up to 4 boards
    • Unlimited viewers
    • 7-day version history
  • Pro$10/month
    • Unlimited boards
    • Unlimited version history
    • Advanced permissions
  • Org$20/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • SSO
    • User management

Which should you pick?

Choose Lunacy if

  • You need vector editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want auto layouts.
Lunacy review

Choose Whimsical if

  • You need flowcharts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want wireframes.
Whimsical review

Questions people ask

Is Lunacy or Whimsical better?
Neither clearly leads. Lunacy starts at Free and Whimsical at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lunacy or Whimsical?
Lunacy starts at Free and Whimsical at Free.
Does Lunacy or Whimsical run on more platforms?
Lunacy runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Whimsical runs on Web.
Can I use Lunacy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lunacy best used for?
Lunacy is most often used for ui/ux design, web design, mobile app design, icon design. Of those, web design and mobile app design are not what Whimsical is typically brought in for.
What can Lunacy do that Whimsical cannot?
Lunacy covers Vector editing, Auto layouts, Components, Built-in photos & icons. Whimsical covers Flowcharts, Wireframes, Mind maps, Sticky notes. Both handle Real-time collaboration, Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lunacy: Is Lunacy free to use?

Yes. Lunacy is absolutely free for personal and commercial use. There is no subscription required or trial period limitation.

Source
Whimsical: What are Whimsical's pricing tiers?

Whimsical offers three plans: Free at 0 dollars per month per editor, Pro at 10 dollars per month per editor, and Business at 20 dollars per month per editor.

Source
Lunacy: Can Lunacy open and work with Sketch files?

Yes. Lunacy has smooth integration with Sketch files, allowing designers to import and collaborate on Sketch projects without requiring a Sketch subscription.

Source
Whimsical: What is included in the Free plan?

The Free plan allows creation of up to 50 board objects and 50 doc blocks per month, includes watermarked exports, and provides 7-day version history. Storage is limited to 1GB.

Source
Lunacy: Does Lunacy require internet connection to work?

No. Lunacy can work offline, allowing designers to work without an internet connection. It is a desktop application that runs locally on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Source
Whimsical: What features unlock in the Pro plan?

The Pro plan removes the object creation limits, provides unlimited board objects and doc blocks, removes watermarks from exports, extends version history to 90 days, and offers 100GB of storage.

Source
Lunacy: What are Lunacy's hardware requirements?

Lunacy is not demanding on hardware and runs smoothly even on moderate laptops. It has minimal system requirements compared to resource-intensive design tools.

Source
Whimsical: What security and team features come with Business?

The Business plan adds private teams, SAML single sign-on, SCIM and advanced security controls, unlimited version history, priority support, and a dedicated success manager. Storage starts at 2TB.

Source
Whimsical: Do discounts apply for annual billing?

Yes, annual billing offers a 17 percent discount compared to monthly rates. Additionally, nonprofits receive a 20 percent discount and students and teachers get full access.

Source
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