Moqups vs Pencil Project (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Pencil Project grades higher than Moqups: 3.0 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Moqups grades higher on platforms. Pencil Project grades higher on value for money, the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Moqups
Wireframes, diagrams and whiteboards in one browser app
Pencil Project
Free open-source desktop tool for GUI mockups and diagrams
Which one is for you
Pick Moqups if
- Fits if you sketch wireframes and diagrams in one browser app
- Works for a small team that wants Jira and Confluence links
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, since 2 projects and 400 objects per project is the limit
- Watch out: team roles, live collaboration and SSO need Business
- Watch out: SAML and SCIM need the $103 Unlimited plan
- Watch out: the page shows crossed-out prices with no end date for the discount
- Skip it if you want a desktop or phone app, as none is listed
Pick Pencil Project if
- Fits if you sketch app or website mockups offline
- Works for people who want a free desktop alternative to subscription whiteboards
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need real-time collaboration, because it's single-user
- Not for you if you want a web or phone version, as none is listed
- Too light for an infinite freehand whiteboard: it's for mockups and diagrams
- Watch out: it's offered as standalone packages, so sharing means exporting files
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAMoqupsFair | 3.0GPAPencil ProjectVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$7 a month for one seat billed annually, between the category's cheaper quarter at $5 and its middle at $8. Business is $18 for 3 seats and Unlimited is $103. | AFree to download and use, and open source. The category's middle for paid plans is $8. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe free plan gives 1 seat, 2 projects and 400 objects per project, with no card needed. | AFree outright with no account or cap; the project accepts voluntary support. |
| Features | CWireframes, prototypes, diagrams, mind maps and an MCP server for AI tools. Gap the listing shows: live collaboration and team roles need Business. | CShape collections, connectors, page links and export to PNG, PDF and SVG. It does the mockup job fully, but it's a smaller job, and it has no collaboration. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You design each wireframe or diagram yourself. | BNo store rating on record, but you install it and start drawing with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Jira, Confluence, Cursor and VS Code connections listed. No desktop or phone app. | CPrograms for Mac, Windows and Linux only. No web, iPhone or Android version, and OpenClipart is the one connection named. |
| Best for | wireframes, diagrams and whiteboards in one browser app | free offline mockups and diagrams on a desktop |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Moqups and Pencil Project. How we grade
Price against what you get
Moqups starts at $7 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Pencil Project has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Pencil Project starts $7 a month lower. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, 13 score higher than Moqups for less, and none scores higher than Pencil Project for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Pencil Project is open source, according to its own site.
- Moqups also covers whiteboard.
- Pencil Project also covers templates.
At a glance
| Moqups | Pencil Project | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $7 per month for 1 seat, billed annually ($11 billed monthly) | Free |
| Free plan | 2 projects with 400 objects each, 150+ templates, synced components and 20+ icon sets. | Free to download and use; the project accepts voluntary support. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Moqups | Evolus |
| Price read from | moqups.com | pencil.evolus.vn |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Moqups
- The Free plan stops at 2 projects and 400 objects per project.
- Team roles, live collaboration and SSO need the Business plan; SAML and SCIM need Unlimited.
- The pricing page shows discounted prices with the regular ones crossed out and gives no end date for the discount.
- It runs in a browser; the pricing and homepage pages list no desktop or mobile app.
Pencil Project
- It is a single-user desktop app; the pages read describe no real-time collaboration or hosted version.
- It is a mockup and diagram tool, not an infinite freehand whiteboard.
- The Linux, macOS and Windows builds are standalone packages; no web, iOS or Android version is listed.
Key features
Moqups
- Wireframes and prototypes
- Pages can be linked with interactions to make clickable prototypes, with templates and icon sets to start from.
- Diagrams and mind maps
- Flowcharts, mind maps, sitemaps, user journeys, org charts, network diagrams and UML or ERD diagrams are all drawn in the same app.
- Synced components
- Elements can be created once and kept in sync across every instance inside a project.
- Team roles and live collaboration
- The Business plan adds Admin, Manager, Member and Reviewer roles and live collaboration; Starter allows unlimited guests.
- MCP server for AI tools
- Connected AI tools such as Cursor and VS Code can read and edit projects, with monthly call limits that rise by plan.
Pencil Project
- GUI prototyping shapes
- Built-in collections cover general shapes, flowchart elements, desktop and web UI parts, and Android and iOS interface elements.
- Diagrams with connectors
- Connectors wire shapes together, and the flowchart shape collection supports basic diagram drawing.
- Inter-page linking
- Elements can link to another page in the same document, which helps define the flow of an app or website mockup.
- Export formats
- Documents export as PNG files, a web page, OpenOffice or LibreOffice text documents, Inkscape SVG and PDF.
- AI assistants through MCP
- Since version 4.0.0 a built-in Model Context Protocol server lets AI assistants insert and edit shapes in open documents.
Plans
Moqups
Free$0
1 seat, 2 projects, 400 objects per project, no credit card needed.
Starter$7
per month for 1 seat, billed annually ($11 billed monthly)
Unlimited projects and objects, unlimited guests and exports, premium templates, 500 MCP calls per month. Shown crossed out from $9 and $12.
Business$18
per month for 3 seats, billed annually ($24 billed monthly)
Seats are chosen in steps (3, 5 or 9 plus 1 bonus). Adds team roles, live collaboration, SSO, Jira and Confluence integration. Crossed-out price $21 and $27.
Unlimited$103
per month for unlimited seats, billed annually ($139 billed monthly)
Multiple teams, SAML SSO, SCIM provisioning and 10,000 MCP calls per month per seat. Crossed-out price $129 and $169.
Pencil Project
Free$0
The full application is free and open source, with no paid plans listed.
Ways to pay less
Moqups
- Annual discount
Lower prices with annual billing
Starter is $7 per month billed annually against $11 billed monthly; Business is $18 against $24 and Unlimited is $103 against $139.
Pencil Project
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Moqups or Pencil Project?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Pencil Project is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $7 a month for Moqups. Moqups starts at $7 per month for 1 seat, billed annually ($11 billed monthly), and Pencil Project is free.
Which has a free plan, Moqups or Pencil Project?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Moqups and Pencil Project have a free plan.
Which platforms do Moqups and Pencil Project run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Moqups lists a web app and only Pencil Project lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.