Pencil Project vs yEd (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Pencil Project grades higher than yEd: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Pencil Project grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Pencil Project
Free open-source desktop tool for GUI mockups and diagrams
Which one is for you
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
Pick yEd if
- Fits if you lay out large graphs or networks
- Works for people who want a free desktop diagram editor
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want people editing the same diagram live
- Skip it if you want phone or tablet apps, as none are listed
- Watch out: you must accept a license agreement before the installer is offered
- Watch out: the paid side of its maker is the yFiles SDK, so don't expect support from a plan
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAPencil ProjectVery good | 2.8GPAyEdGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree to download and use, and open source. The category's middle for paid plans is $8. | AFree to download, against $5 to $10 a month for most whiteboards. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright with no account or cap; the project accepts voluntary support. | AThe whole editor is free on Windows, macOS and Linux, and there's a browser version, yEd Live. |
| Features | 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. | CAutomatic layout, Excel and XML import and several export formats. The product page describes no live multi-user editing. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but you install it and start drawing with nothing to set up. | CNo store rating on record, and you work out the layout tools and data import yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | CPrograms for Mac, Windows and Linux only. No web, iPhone or Android version, and OpenClipart is the one connection named. | CDesktop on three operating systems plus yEd Live in a browser. The only integration listed is Excel. |
| Best for | free offline mockups and diagrams on a desktop | a free desktop graph editor |
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: Pencil Project and yEd. How we grade
Price against what you get
Pencil Project has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. yEd has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
Pencil Project scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, none scores higher than Pencil Project for less, and none scores higher than yEd 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.
- Pencil Project also covers templates.
At a glance
| Pencil Project | yEd | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free to download and use; the project accepts voluntary support. | yEd is freely available for Windows, macOS and Linux, and a browser version, yEd Live, is offered. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Evolus | yWorks |
| Price read from | pencil.evolus.vn | yworks.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
yEd
- It is a desktop editor first; the product page describes no live multi-user editing.
- The download requires accepting a license agreement before the installer is offered.
- yWorks's paid business is its yFiles SDK, and its Confluence editor Graphity is sold separately in the Atlassian Marketplace.
- The latest release shown is 3.25.1.
Key features
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.
yEd
- Automatic layout
- Layout algorithms arrange the elements of even large diagrams at the press of a button.
- Data import
- Diagrams can be built by hand or from imported Excel (.xls) or XML data.
- Export formats
- Diagrams export as PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF and SWF.
- Diagram types
- The product page shows BPMN diagrams, semantic networks, family trees, flowcharts and social networks as examples.
- yEd Live in the browser
- The download page links to yEd Live, a version that runs in a browser without installing an app.
Plans
Pencil Project
Free$0
The full application is free and open source, with no paid plans listed.
yEd
Free$0
The yEd desktop editor, free to download after accepting the license agreement.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Pencil Project or yEd?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Pencil Project and yEd are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Pencil Project or yEd?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Pencil Project and yEd have a free plan.
Which platforms do Pencil Project and yEd run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only yEd lists a web app. Both list 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.