OpenPencil: free design editing, paid AI costs and file checks
OpenPencil is an independent, open-source design editor that reads Figma files and includes AI design tools. The editor is free under its MIT licence. AI providers, optional services and your own computing can still cost money.
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What is OpenPencil?
OpenPencil is a design editor, not a product made by Figma. The project says it opens native .fig files and supported .pen files. You can work with shapes, text, reusable components, layout and images, then export assets or code.
Its website lists an approximately 7 MB desktop app and a browser version. Treat the size as a project description, not a promise for every installer and dependency. The current repository covers macOS, Windows and Linux. The browser route avoids an installation, but browser support and file access still need testing.
The AI chat can create and change design objects. The website describes about 90 tools, while parts of the repository describe more than 100. These changing counts do not prove every tool will work on your file. What matters is whether the version you use performs the required operation correctly.
Who might use it in India?
A student in Kerala could make a poster, prototype a college website or inspect a design file. A small shop could prepare a product banner. Start with a copy of a simple design before moving an important client project.
Reading the .fig format does not prove perfect compatibility with every Figma feature. Compare text, fonts, images, components, effects and layout after importing and after saving. Keep the original untouched so a failed conversion does not become the only copy.
How to try it safely
- Open the official project site and choose the browser editor or a desktop download for your system. Check the release and current setup notes.
- Make a copy of a non-sensitive sample file. Open it through the editor's file menu or supported drag-and-drop route.
- Inspect fonts, spacing and image placement. Make one small manual change and save it as a new file.
- For AI, open the assistant and configure only a provider you intend to use. Read the provider's price and privacy rules before adding your own API key.
- Ask for a small change, such as a heading style or layout adjustment. Inspect the result rather than assuming the AI chose the right object.
- Export a sample PNG or SVG. For code, review the JSX or Tailwind output before putting it in a real application.
- If you use collaboration, share the link only with the intended people and test how access works. Do not start with confidential client files.
Free or paid?
The actual licence file is MIT. It permits reuse under its conditions and includes a warranty disclaimer; preserve the required notices. A no-account editor is not the same as free AI computing.
OpenPencil's AI connection uses your chosen provider or separately configured local agent. Providers can charge for model requests, and optional image services can have their own bills. No fixed Indian AI-use price is established here. Check the selected model and account limits first.
The repository describes desktop agent integrations with Claude Code, Codex and Gemini CLI, plus an optional companion for Pi. These are separate setups and dependencies, not a promise that installing the editor includes every agent or subscription.
Privacy and collaboration
The editor presents itself as local and uses peer-to-peer WebRTC collaboration. But sending a design to an external AI provider is a separate data flow. Do not repeat a broad "data never leaves your machine" claim as a guarantee when AI calls or collaboration are enabled.
A design can contain private customer details, unpublished branding or licensed images. Check the provider, sharing route and permissions before using them. Keep keys out of public source code and screenshots.
What changed since the original post?
The MIT licence, native-file support, exports and peer collaboration are supported by current project material. Tool counts differ between pages, so this guide does not freeze them as an exact capability promise. Active development and rough edges remain important. No app was installed and no Figma round-trip was tested for this review.
Frequently asked questions
Is it made by Figma?
No. It is an independent open-source project.
Is AI use free?
Not necessarily. Your chosen provider or service may charge.
Will every .fig file look identical?
That was not tested. Compare a copy against the original before relying on it.
Can I export a website?
The project supports design-to-code exports, including JSX and Tailwind. The output still needs development, testing and review.
Sources: Official OpenPencil website · Current repository · Actual MIT licence · Compatibility roadmap. Checked 7 October 2026.