Figma

Open source design you can host yourself

Penpot is open source and can be self hosted instead of run through Figma's servers, with a free tier and paid plans starting at $7 a month.

Interface design with a one-time licence

Sketch is sold as a licence rather than a per-seat subscription, from $12 on a trial with no permanent free tier, for a team that wants to own the tool rather than rent seats forever.

Free vector drawing that writes plain SVG

Inkscape is free vector drawing software that writes plain SVG, with no seat pricing at all, for vector illustration work rather than the interface prototyping Figma is built for.

A logo and brand kit from a few answers

Looka at $20 produces a logo and brand kit from a few answers, settling identity work without opening a design tool.

Decks, docs and sites generated from a prompt

Gamma generates decks, docs and sites from a prompt, from $9 with a free tier, for people who want the artefact rather than the canvas.

Diagrams where viewers cost nothing

Whimsical does not charge for viewers on a diagram, only editors, starting at $10 a month, for flowcharts and docs rather than the interface prototyping Figma centers on.

Thumbnails, covers and posts without a designer

Canva gets a finished thumbnail or cover out of a template in minutes without design skill, where Figma expects you to build the layout, from $14.99 a month with a free tier.

Works with YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest