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Head-to-head · Designing Solutions

Affinity vs Penpot

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Affinity #3 in Designing Solutions 9.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit Affinity
Penpot #6 in Designing Solutions 8.8/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Penpot

Affinity leads on 0 checks, Penpot on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreAffinity · 9.1/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly Penpot
  • Most featuresAffinity · 2 of 4

Affinity scores higher on our rubric for designing solutions: 9.1 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #6.

Affinity is the better fit for designers seeking a free, broad desktop suite. Penpot is the better fit for teams sharing UI design and prototyping work.

  • Affinity fits best

    Designers seeking a free, broad desktop suite

  • Penpot fits best

    Teams sharing UI design and prototyping work

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Affinity 9.1/10 Visit ↗ Penpot 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.1 8.8
Ranking #3 in Designing Solutions #6 in Designing Solutions
Best for Designers seeking a free, broad desktop suite Teams sharing UI design and prototyping work
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free $7/user/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — 14 days
Deployment Desktop Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Windows, macOS Web
Support Docs Email, Community, Docs
Integrations 5 integrations 3 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Affinity 2/4 · Penpot 1/4
Real-time collaboration ✓ ✓
Interactive prototyping Not checked yet Not checked yet
Vector editing Not checked yet Not checked yet
Templates included ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Primary design type Not checked yet Not checked yet
Supported platforms Not checked yet Not checked yet
Cloud storage Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Combines vector design, pixel photo editing, and page layout.
  • Imports PSD, AI, PDF, SVG, IDML, DWG, and other formats.
  • Supports print-ready output with CMYK, spot colors, preflight, and bleed.
  • Real-time collaboration, reusable components, and shared libraries
  • Responsive CSS Flex and Grid layouts with interactive prototypes
  • Open source, with cloud and self-hosted deployment options
Cons
  • Available on Windows and macOS desktop only; no mobile app is listed.
  • Requires a Canva account for individual use.
  • Canva premium plans are needed for additional AI tools.
  • No desktop app; the listed platform is web
  • Unlimited costs $7 per editor monthly, while Enterprise is $25 per member monthly
  • Private Server calls for dedicated private infrastructure management
Our verdict

Affinity brings vector design, pixel-based photo editing, and page layout into one desktop application. It is aimed at designers who want to handle illustration, logo work, image editing, typography, and multi-page layouts in the same…

Read the review →

Penpot brings interface design, prototyping, and developer inspection into a web-based workspace for designers, developers, and product teams. Its open-source design files use SVG, while responsive CSS Flex and Grid layouts support…

Read the review →
  1. AffinityDesigning Solutions 9.1Free plan
  2. PenpotDesigning Solutions 8.8Free plan · 14-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Affinity — where it wins

    • Combines vector design, pixel photo editing, and page layout.
    • Imports PSD, AI, PDF, SVG, IDML, DWG, and other formats.
    • Supports print-ready output with CMYK, spot colors, preflight, and bleed.

    Where it doesn't

    • Available on Windows and macOS desktop only; no mobile app is listed.
    • Requires a Canva account for individual use.
    • Canva premium plans are needed for additional AI tools.

  • Penpot — where it wins

    • Real-time collaboration, reusable components, and shared libraries
    • Responsive CSS Flex and Grid layouts with interactive prototypes
    • Open source, with cloud and self-hosted deployment options

    Where it doesn't

    • No desktop app; the listed platform is web
    • Unlimited costs $7 per editor monthly, while Enterprise is $25 per member monthly
    • Private Server calls for dedicated private infrastructure management
  • Affinity9.1/10 · Free plan

    A free desktop suite for designers who want vector, pixel, and layout tools together.

    Visit AffinityFull verdict →
  • Penpot8.8/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

    A collaborative, open-source design workspace with responsive layouts and developer inspection.

    Visit PenpotFull verdict →

More comparisons

All designing solutions comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update