Softwr

Business Intelligence · head to head

Mode vs Penpot

Mode logo

Mode

Business Intelligence

Collaborative analytics for data teams

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit ModeFull review
Penpot logo

Penpot

Developer Tools

Open source design and prototyping platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit PenpotFull review

The short version

  • Mode is a collaborative analytics platform.
  • Free plans on both; paid from $65/mo and $7/mo.
  • Only Mode lists SQL Editor; only Penpot lists vector editing.
  • Where Mode falls short: free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets.
  • Where Penpot falls short: smaller user base and community compared to Figma means fewer templates and resources.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mode and Penpot actually diverge.

Attributes where Mode and Penpot differ
AttributeModePenpot
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDeveloper Tools
Founded20132021

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes).

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Penpot.

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 Mode

  • SQL Editor
  • Python/R Notebooks
  • Interactive Reports
  • Version Control
  • Scheduling
  • Snowflake
  • Redshift
  • BigQuery

Only in Penpot

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Mode

  • Self-service analyticsnot Penpot
  • Data explorationnot Penpot
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot Penpot
  • Collaborative analysisnot Penpot
  • Embedded analyticsnot Penpot

Penpot

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

Where each one falls short

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

Mode

  • Free tier limited to 4GB RAM and 1 CPU for SQL notebooks, insufficient for large datasets
  • Requires SQL knowledge for most analysis tasks, creating dependency on technical resources
  • Paid plan pricing not publicly listed; requires sales consultation
  • Recently acquired by ThoughtSpot in 2026, creating product direction uncertainty
  • Limited customization options for visual aspects and embedded analytics

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

Mode

Free
  • FreeFree
    • SQL Editor
    • Python/R Notebooks
    • Basic Charts
  • Business$65/mo
    • Advanced Visualizations
    • Collaboration
    • Integrations

Penpot

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Cloud-based design
    • Real-time collaboration
    • Components and variants
  • Unlimited$7/mo
    • All free features
    • Priority support
    • Advanced cloud features
  • Enterprise$950/mo
    • Custom enterprise features
    • Dedicated support
    • Advanced security

Which should you pick?

Choose Mode if

  • You need sql editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want python/r notebooks.
Mode review

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.
Penpot review

Questions people ask

Is Mode or Penpot better?
Neither clearly leads. Mode 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, Mode or Penpot?
Mode starts at Free and Penpot at Free.
Does Mode or Penpot run on more platforms?
Mode runs on Web. Penpot runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Mode for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Mode best used for?
Mode is most often used for self-service analytics, data exploration, ad-hoc reporting, collaborative analysis. Of those, self-service analytics and data exploration are not what Penpot is typically brought in for.
What can Mode do that Penpot cannot?
Mode covers SQL Editor, Python/R Notebooks, Interactive Reports, Version Control. Penpot covers Vector editing, Interactive prototyping, Design systems, Components & libraries. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mode: What languages does Mode support for analysis?

Mode notebooks support SQL, Python (3.11 with pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, matplotlib), and R (4.2.0 with ggplot2, dplyr, tidyr). Both Python and R allow additional library installation at runtime.

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
Mode: Can I integrate Mode notebook results into reports?

Yes. Mode allows adding notebook cell results directly to reports, with synchronized scheduling so reports re-run to keep data current.

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
Mode: Does Mode support collaborative analysis?

Yes. Mode notebooks provide moveable code blocks and markdown cells enabling exploratory analysis and team collaboration on data queries and visualizations.

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
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
Share

Related pages

More on Mode

More on Penpot

Keep looking

Other head to heads