Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

Penpot vs Pop!_OS

Penpot logo

Penpot

Developer Tools

Open source design and prototyping platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pop!_OS logo

Pop!_OS

Operating Systems

Ubuntu-based Linux distribution tuned for developers and GPU work

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Penpot smaller user base and community compared to Figma means fewer templates and resources; Pop!_OS built primarily around System76 hardware, so other machines get less attention
  • They diverge on capability: Penpot covers Vector editing, Pop!_OS covers NVIDIA ISO.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Penpot and Pop!_OS actually diverge.

Attributes where Penpot and Pop!_OS differ
AttributePenpotPop!_OS
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, LinuxLinux, Desktop
CategoryDeveloper ToolsOperating Systems
Founded2021Unknown

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 Penpot

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

Only in Pop!_OS

  • NVIDIA ISO
  • Auto-tiling
  • Pop!_Shop
  • Ubuntu base

What people use each for

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

Penpot

  • UI/UX designnot Pop!_OS
  • Prototypingnot Pop!_OS
  • Design systemsnot Pop!_OS
  • Developer handoffnot Pop!_OS
  • Open source projectsnot Pop!_OS

Pop!_OS

  • Machine learning and graphics work needing NVIDIA drivers that work on first bootnot Penpot
  • Developers who want tiling without configuring a window managernot Penpot
  • System76 hardware, which it is built aroundnot Penpot

Where each one falls short

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

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

Pop!_OS

  • Built primarily around System76 hardware, so other machines get less attention
  • Based on Ubuntu LTS, so packages lag current upstream
  • A smaller team than Ubuntu or Fedora, and releases have sometimes slipped well behind the Ubuntu base
  • The COSMIC desktop rewrite has been a long transition with the older GNOME-based version in maintenance

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Pop!_OS

Free
  • Pop!_OSFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Pop!_OS if

  • You need nvidia iso.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Desktop.
  • You also want auto-tiling.
Pop!_OS review

Questions people ask

Is Penpot or Pop!_OS better?
Neither clearly leads. Penpot starts at Free and Pop!_OS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Penpot or Pop!_OS?
Penpot starts at Free and Pop!_OS at Free.
Does Penpot or Pop!_OS run on more platforms?
Penpot runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Pop!_OS runs on Linux, Desktop.
Can I use Penpot for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Penpot best used for?
Penpot is most often used for ui/ux design, prototyping, design systems, developer handoff. Of those, ui/ux design and prototyping are not what Pop!_OS is typically brought in for.
What can Penpot do that Pop!_OS cannot?
Penpot covers Vector editing, Interactive prototyping, Design systems, Components & libraries. Pop!_OS covers NVIDIA ISO, Auto-tiling, Pop!_Shop, Ubuntu base.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Pop!_OS: Is Pop!_OS free?

Yes, free and open source. System76 funds it through hardware sales.

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
Pop!_OS: Why is there a separate NVIDIA download?

It ships with the proprietary GPU drivers already installed and working, which removes the most common first-day failure on Linux for GPU work.

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
Pop!_OS: Is it just Ubuntu?

It is based on Ubuntu LTS and uses its repositories, with a different desktop, tiling, an NVIDIA image and System76 tuning on top.

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 Penpot

More on Pop!_OS

Keep looking

Other head to heads