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Cybersecurity · head to head

Netwrix vs Penpot

Netwrix logo

Netwrix

Cybersecurity

Data access governance and change auditing across Active Directory, file shares and Microsoft 365

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Penpot logo

Penpot

Developer Tools

Open source design and prototyping platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Penpot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Netwrix the portfolio is assembled from acquisitions, so consoles, agents and licensing metrics differ between products and the platform story is ahead of the engineering reality.; Penpot smaller user base and community compared to Figma means fewer templates and resources
  • They diverge on capability: Netwrix covers Change auditing, Penpot covers Vector editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Netwrix and Penpot actually diverge.

Attributes where Netwrix and Penpot differ
AttributeNetwrixPenpot
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, WebWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
FoundedUnknown2021

Identical on both: 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 Netwrix

  • Change auditing
  • Effective permissions
  • Data classification
  • Access remediation
  • Threat detection
  • Group policy management

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.

Netwrix

  • An organisation that cannot tell an auditor who has access to a sensitive file share and needs an answer with evidencenot Penpot
  • A security team reducing ransomware blast radius by removing Everyone and Domain Users permissions from sensitive datanot Penpot
  • An IT team investigating an unexplained Active Directory change and needing the exact account, time and previous valuenot Penpot
  • A company responding to GDPR data subject access requests that must first locate personal data scattered across legacy sharesnot Penpot

Penpot

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

Where each one falls short

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

Netwrix

  • The portfolio is assembled from acquisitions, so consoles, agents and licensing metrics differ between products and the platform story is ahead of the engineering reality.
  • Licensing metrics vary by product, per enabled user for some and per managed asset for others, which makes assembling a multi-product quote unusually difficult to compare against a single-vendor competitor.
  • Auditing agents and collectors add load to domain controllers and file servers, and large estates need careful sizing to avoid degrading the systems being monitored.
  • It reports and remediates but does not enforce access decisions at request time, so it complements rather than replaces identity governance and buyers still need an IGA tool for certification workflows.
  • Coverage is strongest on Microsoft estates; Linux, NAS appliances and non-Microsoft SaaS are supported unevenly and often need additional modules or trail behind on feature parity.

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

Netwrix

On request
  • Netwrix Platform$undefined/year
    • Priced per enabled user or per managed asset depending on the product
    • Auditing, data classification, privileged access and threat products licensed separately
    • Netwrix 1Secure SaaS console with a 14-day free trial

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 Netwrix if

  • You need change auditing.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want effective permissions.
Netwrix 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 Netwrix or Penpot better?
Neither clearly leads. Netwrix starts at On request and Penpot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Netwrix or Penpot?
Penpot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Netwrix and Free for Penpot.
Does Netwrix or Penpot run on more platforms?
Netwrix runs on Windows, Web. 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. Netwrix starts at On request.
What is Netwrix best used for?
Netwrix is most often used for an organisation that cannot tell an auditor who has access to a sensitive file share and needs an answer with evidence, a security team reducing ransomware blast radius by removing everyone and domain users permissions from sensitive data, an it team investigating an unexplained active directory change and needing the exact account, time and previous value, a company responding to gdpr data subject access requests that must first locate personal data scattered across legacy shares. Of those, an organisation that cannot tell an auditor who has access to a sensitive file share and needs an answer with evidence and a security team reducing ransomware blast radius by removing everyone and domain users permissions from sensitive data are not what Penpot is typically brought in for.
What can Netwrix do that Penpot cannot?
Netwrix covers Change auditing, Effective permissions, Data classification, Access remediation. Penpot covers Vector editing, Interactive prototyping, Design systems, Components & libraries.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Netwrix: Does it replace identity governance?

No. It shows you who has access and lets you fix it, but recertification campaigns and access request workflow are an IGA product.

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
Netwrix: Is there a SaaS option?

Netwrix 1Secure is the cloud console covering data and identity visibility, with a 14-day free trial including full access.

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
Netwrix: How is it priced?

Per enabled user or per managed asset depending on the product, quoted rather than published. Assume separate line items per module.

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
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