Developer Tools · head to head
Penpot vs RAD Studio
RAD Studio
Developer Tools
Cross-platform native app development with Delphi and C++Builder
- From
- $2000/perpetual
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Penpot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Penpot smaller user base and community compared to Figma means fewer templates and resources; RAD Studio professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Penpot and RAD Studio actually diverge.
| Attribute | Penpot | RAD Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $2000/perpetual |
| Pricing model | Unknown | one-time |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux | Web |
| Founded | 2021 | Unknown |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Developer Tools).
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 RAD Studio
Nothing recorded that Penpot does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Penpot
- UI/UX designnot RAD Studio
- Prototypingnot RAD Studio
- Design systemsnot RAD Studio
- Developer handoffnot RAD Studio
- Open source projectsnot RAD Studio
RAD Studio
- Building Windows desktop applications with VCL componentsnot Penpot
- Creating iOS and Android apps from shared Delphi codebasenot Penpot
- Connecting to Oracle databases through FireDAC connectivitynot Penpot
- Building REST web services that run on Linux serversnot 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
RAD Studio
- Professional edition costs $2,000 for the perpetual license plus $599 for year one maintenance, totaling $2,599 before tax
- Enterprise edition steps up to $3,400 license plus $1,199 maintenance, and Architect edition to $4,416 license plus $2,183 maintenance
- The perpetual license only entitles the buyer to updates for one year; continued access to new updates and upgrades requires an annually renewable Update Subscription
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
RAD Studio
$2000/perpetual- Professional Edition$2000/perpetual
- Perpetual License
- First year maintenance $599
- Total $2,599 + Tax
- Enterprise Edition$3400/perpetual
- Perpetual License
- First year maintenance $1,199
- Total $4,599 + Tax
- Architect Edition$4416/perpetual
- Perpetual License
- First year maintenance $2,183
- Total $6,599 + Tax
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.
Choose RAD Studio if
Nothing in the data separates RAD Studio from Penpot on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Penpot or RAD Studio better?
- Neither clearly leads. Penpot starts at Free and RAD Studio at $2000/perpetual, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Penpot or RAD Studio?
- Penpot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Penpot and $2000/perpetual for RAD Studio.
- Does Penpot or RAD Studio run on more platforms?
- Penpot runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. RAD Studio runs on Web.
- Can I use Penpot for free?
- Yes. Penpot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RAD Studio starts at $2000/perpetual.
- 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 RAD Studio is typically brought in for.
- What can Penpot do that RAD Studio cannot?
- Penpot covers Vector editing, Interactive prototyping, Design systems, Components & libraries.
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.
SourceRAD Studio: How much does RAD Studio cost?
RAD Studio uses perpetual licensing: Professional Edition $2,000 perpetual license + $599 first year maintenance ($2,599 total + tax). Enterprise Edition $3,400 license + $1,199 maintenance ($4,599 total + tax). Architect Edition $4,416 license + $2,183 maintenance ($6,599 total + tax).
SourcePenpot: 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.
SourceRAD Studio: What is the difference between RAD Studio editions?
Professional Edition ($2,599 total + tax) targets individual developers. Enterprise Edition ($4,599 total + tax) adds multi-tier app capabilities. Architect Edition ($6,599 total + tax) includes advanced database and cloud features. All three include perpetual licenses.
SourcePenpot: 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.
SourceRAD Studio: Does RAD Studio offer Kai AI integration and discounts?
Yes, adding Kai AI to any edition provides discounts: 25% off Professional ($2,136 + tax), 30% off Enterprise ($3,394 + tax), and 40% off Architect ($4,109 + tax). This promotion is active through August 31, 2026.
SourcePenpot: 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.
SourceRelated pages
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