Adobe Photoshop vs Penpot Comparison
Compare Adobe Photoshop and Penpot side-by-side — pricing, features, scores, and which one is right for you.
The bottom line
Adobe Photoshop and Penpot are both strong contenders in the design tools space, but they serve different needs. Adobe Photoshop edges ahead with an overall score of 80/100 compared to Penpot's 74/100. Penpot is easier to get started with (7/10 for ease of use vs 6/10). On pricing, Penpot offers a free tier while Adobe Photoshop requires a paid plan from $20/mo. Penpot rates higher for value for money (10/10 vs 7/10), making it a better pick if budget is a concern.
At a glance
| Adobe Photoshop | Penpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 80/100 | 74/100 |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $7/mo |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Best for | The world's most powerful image editor | Open-source design and prototyping |
Pricing comparison
Adobe Photoshop
No free tier
Photography Plan$20/mo
Photoshop (Annual)$23/mo
Photoshop (Monthly)$35/mo
Pricing verified 2026-03-18
Calculate your cost
Adobe PhotoshopPhotography Plan
$20/mo
$240/yr
PenpotFree
Free/mo
Free/yr
Cheaper— save $240/yr
Feature comparison
core
| Feature | Adobe Photoshop | Penpot |
|---|---|---|
| Vector editing | Basic | Yes |
| Prototyping | No | Yes |
| Components | Smart objects | Yes |
| Auto-layout | No | CSS Grid |
collaboration
| Feature | Adobe Photoshop | Penpot |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time editing | Cloud docs | Yes |
| Comments | Yes | Yes |
| Version history | Yes | Yes |
| Dev handoff | No | CSS/SVG export |
advanced
| Feature | Adobe Photoshop | Penpot |
|---|---|---|
| Design systems | Libraries | Design tokens |
| Plugins | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | Timeline | Basic |
| Responsive design | Artboards | CSS Grid |
integrations
| Feature | Adobe Photoshop | Penpot |
|---|---|---|
| Illustrator | Yes | No |
| Lightroom | Yes | No |
| After Effects | Yes | No |
| Figma | Via plugin | No |
| Self-hosting | No | Yes |
| SVG export | No | Yes |
| CSS export | No | Yes |
| JSON export | No | Yes |
Ratings breakdown
Choose Adobe Photoshop if...
- You're ready to invest from $20/mo
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- You need enterprise-grade capabilities
Choose Penpot if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
