Softwr

Developer Tools · head to head

Penpot vs Zeta

Penpot logo

Penpot

Developer Tools

Open source design and prototyping platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Zeta logo

Zeta

Technology

Cloud native credit card processing and core banking from Bhavin Turakhia's Zeta

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

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; Zeta it competes against card processors with decades of production track record, and in card processing an outage is a public event, so a shorter operational history is a genuine risk factor rather than a technicality.
  • They diverge on capability: Penpot covers Vector editing, Zeta covers Tachyon card processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Penpot and Zeta actually diverge.

Attributes where Penpot and Zeta differ
AttributePenpotZeta
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, LinuxWeb, API, Cloud, iOS, Android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsTechnology
Founded2021Unknown

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 Penpot

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

Only in Zeta

  • Tachyon card processing
  • Real time authorisation
  • Rewards and offers engine
  • Core banking modules
  • Programme configuration
  • Mobile and web SDKs
  • Fraud and controls

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Penpot

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

Zeta

  • A United States bank whose card platform makes launching a new rewards product a multi quarter vendor projectnot Penpot
  • An issuer that wants authorisation level controls and real time data rather than end of day filesnot Penpot
  • A large fintech launching a credit card programme at scale with custom product logicnot Penpot
  • A bank consolidating card and deposit processing onto one modern platformnot 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

Zeta

  • It competes against card processors with decades of production track record, and in card processing an outage is a public event, so a shorter operational history is a genuine risk factor rather than a technicality.
  • Contracts are enterprise scale and quoted with volume minimums, which puts it out of reach of small issuers who would otherwise benefit most from modern tooling.
  • A card portfolio migration runs twelve to twenty four months at minimum, during which the issuer runs two platforms and pays for both.
  • Zeta is a processor rather than a licence holder, so network membership, BIN sponsorship and regulatory obligations remain entirely with the issuer.
  • Public references for large live United States production volumes are fewer than the announcements imply, so diligence should insist on active account counts and uptime history rather than partnership press releases.

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

Zeta

On request
  • Tachyon platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per institution, commonly on active accounts or transaction volume
    • Implementation for a card portfolio migration measured in quarters to years
    • Minimum volume commitments typical on enterprise contracts

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 Zeta if

  • You need tachyon card processing.
  • You work on Web, API, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want real time authorisation.
Zeta review

Questions people ask

Is Penpot or Zeta better?
Neither clearly leads. Penpot starts at Free and Zeta at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Penpot or Zeta?
Penpot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Penpot and On request for Zeta.
Does Penpot or Zeta run on more platforms?
Penpot runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux. Zeta runs on Web, API, Cloud, iOS, Android.
Can I use Penpot for free?
Yes. Penpot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zeta starts at On request.
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 Zeta is typically brought in for.
What can Penpot do that Zeta cannot?
Penpot covers Vector editing, Interactive prototyping, Design systems, Components & libraries. Zeta covers Tachyon card processing, Real time authorisation, Rewards and offers engine, Core banking modules. Both handle Cloud 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
Zeta: Which Zeta is this?

The banking technology company founded by Bhavin Turakhia, which builds the Tachyon card processing and core banking platform. Not any similarly named payroll or accounting product.

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
Zeta: What is its strongest use case?

United States credit card issuing and processing, where legacy platforms make product changes slow and expensive.

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
Zeta: Does Zeta provide the BIN or licence?

No. It processes. Network membership, BIN sponsorship and regulatory obligations stay with the issuer.

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 Zeta

Keep looking

Other head to heads