Alternatives / Paper
Looking for an open source Paper alternative? We compared 6 open source design and prototyping tools by license, collaboration, vector editing, AI features, and platforms. They range from full browser-based design platforms to vector editors and prototyping tools.
Written by Maxime DERAME
Last updated:
| Alternative | Best for | License |
|---|---|---|
| Penpot | Closest full design and prototyping platform | MPL-2.0 |
| OpenPencil | Figma-compatible editor with AI chat | MIT |
| Graphite | Procedural vector graphics (alpha) | Apache-2.0 |
| Inkscape | Mature vector illustration | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Grida | Canvas editor with a developer SDK | Apache-2.0 |
| Quant-UX | Prototyping and user testing | GPL-3.0 |
We looked for open-source tools that overlap with Paper's core: drawing and designing interfaces on a canvas and sharing them with a team. We verified each project's license, recent activity, stars, and platforms in its repository. Paper is a design tool, so we compare full design platforms, vector editors, and prototyping tools, and flag projects that are still in alpha. See our methodology for the full criteria.
Graphite is a browser-based vector and procedural graphics editor built on a node graph, with nondestructive editing. It is in alpha, desktop apps are still in late development, and raster editing and live collaboration are not available yet, so it is not a daily replacement for a full design tool.
Penpot is the closest: a browser-based design and prototyping platform with real-time collaboration, developer handoff, and self-hosting. OpenPencil is an AI-native, Figma-compatible editor with built-in AI chat and peer-to-peer collaboration, and Grida is a canvas editor with Figma import and export and a developer SDK.
Inkscape is a mature cross-platform vector editor using SVG as its native format, with raster editing and video work needing other software. Quant-UX focuses on interactive prototyping, user testing, and UX analytics rather than general visual design.
Penpot is MPL-2.0, Graphite and Grida are Apache-2.0, OpenPencil is MIT, and Quant-UX is GPL-3.0. Inkscape is GPL-2.0-or-later.
Penpot, Graphite, OpenPencil, Grida, and Quant-UX had commits within days of this update. Inkscape is developed on GitLab, where it was active in October 2026, and the GitHub repository is only a mirror.
Paper is a proprietary design tool that keeps your files on its platform and charges per seat. Open-source alternatives let you self-host, open files in standard formats such as SVG, avoid per-seat pricing, and extend the tool, at the cost of fewer polished features and a smaller plugin ecosystem than the leading commercial design tools.
Penpot is an MPL-2.0 browser-based design platform for collaborative interface design, prototypes, components, design systems, responsive layouts, design tokens, and developer handoff. It can be self-hosted and uses open standards such as SVG, CSS, HTML, and JSON.
Pricing: Open source and self-hostable under MPL-2.0; hosted plans may be available separately.
Graphite is an MIT/Apache-2.0 graphics editor combining traditional layers with procedural nodes. It runs in the browser and is evolving toward a broader 2D content-creation platform for illustration, graphic design, motion, image editing, and publishing workflows.
Pricing: Free and open source under MIT or Apache-2.0; the project is actively developing its broader desktop and local workflows.
OpenPencil is an MIT design editor focused on direct .fig file support, copy/paste interoperability with Figma, AI tools, MCP, a headless CLI, SDKs, and peer-to-peer collaboration.
Pricing: Free and open source under MIT; verify current project hosting and builds.
Inkscape is a mature, GPL-2.0-or-later vector graphics editor for Linux, Windows, and macOS, with Bézier and Spiro curves, a node editor, a text tool, and broad import and export support, using SVG as its native format. It is developed on GitLab, and the GitHub repository is a mirror. It does not match every niche Adobe Illustrator feature, and raster editing and video work need other software.
Pricing: Free and open source.
Quant-UX is a GPL-3.0 prototyping platform focused on interactive UI widgets, user testing, behavioral analytics, and data-driven UX research with self-hosting and Docker support.
Pricing: Free and self-hostable under GPL-3.0.
Grida is an Apache-2.0 canvas and application-building platform combining UI/UX design, SVG editing, forms, databases, AI tools, developer SDKs, and design-to-code workflows.
Pricing: Free and open source under Apache-2.0; hosted services may be offered separately.
| Alternative | Type | License | Self-hosted | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penpot | Design platform | MPL-2.0 | Yes | Teams and developer handoff |
| OpenPencil | AI-native editor | MIT | Yes | Figma-compatible design |
| Graphite | Vector editor | Apache-2.0 | Browser app | Procedural graphics |
| Inkscape | Vector editor | GPL-2.0-or-later | Desktop app | Illustration |
| Grida | Canvas editor | Apache-2.0 | Yes | Designers and developers |
| Quant-UX | Prototyping tool | GPL-3.0 | Yes | User testing |
Want a full open-source design platform
Penpot offers design, prototyping, collaboration, and developer handoff in the browser, under MPL-2.0 with self-hosting.
Want a Figma-compatible editor with AI
OpenPencil is MIT-licensed with AI chat, a headless CLI, and peer-to-peer collaboration.
Want mature vector illustration
Inkscape is a cross-platform vector editor with SVG as its native format, but it does not cover raster editing or video.
Want to prototype and test with users
Quant-UX provides interactive prototyping, user testing, and UX analytics under GPL-3.0.
Want a canvas editor with an SDK
Grida offers Figma import and export, AI tools, and a React component and SDK for developers.