Inkscape vs Lunacy
Both are alternatives to Figma. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as Lunacy vs Inkscape — same comparison, one verdict.
Inkscape is open source (GPL-2.0 / GPL-3.0) and Lunacy is not (Proprietary (free)) — so the real question is whether you want to own the design & prototyping stack or rent it.
Inkscape
Professional vector editing, free for twenty years.
Inkscape is a mature desktop vector editor — the open answer to Illustrator rather than to Figma. Precise path editing, full SVG support, extensions and a two-decade track record. For icon work, illustration and print-bound vector output it is genuinely professional. It is on this page because a meaningful slice of Figma seats are bought by people who only ever draw vectors, and a desktop tool with no per-seat fee serves them better. GPL, installed rather than browser-based, and single-player by design.
Lunacy
Free desktop UI design that opens Sketch and Figma files.
Lunacy is a free desktop design app from Icons8 that reads and writes Sketch files and imports Figma documents, with built-in icons, illustrations and photos. It runs natively on Windows, macOS and Linux, and works offline — useful where a browser-based tool is not an option. It is proprietary and free rather than open source, which is why it scores where it does: you are not paying, but you are still depending on a company's decision to keep it free.
Side by side
6 points of comparison, every one read from a verified field. Green marks the side that wins a row outright. A dash means we do not hold that fact — never that it is zero.
| Inkscape | Lunacy | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty ScoreOur transparent 0–100 composite for data ownership and exit cost. | 96 | 48 |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
| Local-first data | Yes | Yes |
| License | GPL-2.0 / GPL-3.0 | Proprietary (free) |
| Pricing | Free and open source. Desktop install, no accounts. | Free. Paid Icons8 subscription only for premium asset libraries. |
Inkscape edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
Weighing both against staying on Figma? Is Figma free? What it actually costs →
Inkscape
Strengths
- +Deep, precise vector editing — better than Figma at pure illustration
- +Native SVG throughout; files open anywhere
- +Runs entirely offline with no account of any kind
- +Twenty years of development and a large extension library
Trade-offs
- −No collaboration — this is a single-player desktop tool
- −No prototyping, components or developer handoff
- −Interface feels dated next to browser-native tools
- −Wrong tool for designing product screens
Lunacy
Strengths
- +Genuinely free with no seat limit
- +Opens Sketch files natively and imports from Figma
- +Runs offline as a native desktop app on all three platforms
- +Built-in asset libraries save real time
Trade-offs
- −Proprietary — free today is a business decision, not a licence
- −No self-hosting and no source access
- −Collaboration is weaker than Figma or Penpot
- −Tied to Icons8's ecosystem and its commercial direction
Which one fits you
The trade-offs above, turned into a decision. Find the line that describes your team.
Choose Inkscape
if you want the source and the option to fork it, and you would rather run it on your own hardware, and deep, precise vector editing — better than Figma at pure illustration.
Choose Lunacy
if genuinely free with no seat limit.
Neither, yet
if both carry a real cost you should weigh first — no collaboration — this is a single-player desktop tool, and proprietary — free today is a business decision, not a licence. If either of those is a dealbreaker for your team, the shortlist is wrong rather than the choice.
Inkscape vs Lunacy — common questions
Is Inkscape a better fit than Lunacy for design & prototyping?
It depends on what you are optimising for, and the honest split is this: Inkscape scores 96 to Lunacy's 48 on data ownership and exit cost, so it is the safer choice if you care about being able to leave. Lunacy earns its place on a different axis — genuinely free with no seat limit. Neither is a wrong answer for every team; the table above is the actual comparison.
What happens if we want to switch later?
Inkscape keeps its data local or in open formats, so leaving is an export rather than a negotiation. Lunacy keeps your data on its own infrastructure, which is the part to plan for: confirm the export path before you commit, not when you are already trying to leave.
Can I self-host Inkscape?
Inkscape can be self-hosted; Lunacy cannot, so it stays on the vendor's infrastructure whatever you do.
Are Inkscape and Lunacy both alternatives to Figma?
Yes — both appear in our Figma comparison, which is why they are worth putting side by side. People usually arrive here already having decided to move off Figma and now choosing between the two replacements, which is a narrower and much easier question.
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Facts verified 2026-08-07. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.