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Developer Tools · head to head

Penpot vs ToolJet

Penpot logo

Penpot

Developer Tools

Open source design and prototyping platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
ToolJet logo

ToolJet

No-Code

Open-source low-code platform for building internal tools and business apps

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Penpot smaller user base and community compared to Figma means fewer templates and resources; ToolJet free and Pro tiers cap end users at 50, which may be too low for apps needing broad internal distribution.
  • They diverge on capability: Penpot covers Vector editing, ToolJet covers Drag-and-drop app builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Penpot and ToolJet actually diverge.

Attributes where Penpot and ToolJet differ
AttributePenpotToolJet
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, Linuxweb, api, linux, windows, mac
CategoryDeveloper ToolsNo-Code
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 ToolJet

  • Drag-and-drop app builder
  • AI-assisted generation
  • Database and API connectors
  • Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment
  • Multi-instance deployments
  • Dedicated support manager

What people use each for

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

Penpot

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

ToolJet

  • Building internal admin dashboards and appsnot Penpot
  • Self-hosted or air-gapped internal tool deploymentnot Penpot
  • AI-assisted rapid app prototypingnot Penpot
  • Connecting multiple data sources into one appnot 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

ToolJet

  • Free and Pro tiers cap end users at 50, which may be too low for apps needing broad internal distribution.
  • Enterprise pricing starts at a steep $3,000/month, a large jump from the $199/month Team plan.
  • AI credits reset monthly and do not roll over, penalizing uneven month-to-month usage.
  • Smaller integration and community ecosystem than more established players like Retool.

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

ToolJet

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 builders
    • 50 end users
    • 2 apps
  • Pro$79/month
    • Unlimited builders (per-builder pricing)
    • 50 end users
    • 5 apps
  • Team$199/month
    • Unlimited builders (per-builder pricing)
    • 100 end users
    • Unlimited apps
  • Enterprise$3000/month
    • Unlimited end users
    • Custom AI credits
    • Dedicated support manager

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 ToolJet if

  • You need drag-and-drop app builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
  • You also want ai-assisted generation.
ToolJet review

Questions people ask

Is Penpot or ToolJet better?
Neither clearly leads. Penpot starts at Free and ToolJet at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Penpot or ToolJet?
Penpot starts at Free and ToolJet at Free.
Does Penpot or ToolJet run on more platforms?
Penpot runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. ToolJet runs on web, api, linux, windows, mac.
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 ToolJet is typically brought in for.
What can Penpot do that ToolJet cannot?
Penpot covers Vector editing, Interactive prototyping, Design systems, Components & libraries. ToolJet covers Drag-and-drop app builder, AI-assisted generation, Database and API connectors, Self-hosted and air-gapped deployment.

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
ToolJet: What happens if I run out of AI credits?

Users can continue using all other ToolJet features as normal and can contact support to purchase additional AI credits when the monthly allotment runs out.

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
ToolJet: Do unused AI credits roll over?

No, AI credits reset every month and unused credits do not carry over, which ToolJet says helps maintain consistent service quality.

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
ToolJet: Can ToolJet be deployed on-premise?

Yes, both the community and enterprise editions support on-premise and air-gapped deployments, typically completed in under 30 minutes.

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
ToolJet: Is there a free trial for paid plans?

ToolJet offers a 14-day free trial for both its business and enterprise editions.

Source
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