# Pencil Project review (2026): is it any good? > Free open-source desktop tool for GUI mockups and diagrams Checked Nov 13, 2026 ยท graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA. Pencil Project is a free, open-source desktop application for drawing user interface mockups and diagrams. It ships with shape collections for web, Android, iOS and flowcharts, supports connectors and page links, and exports to PNG, PDF, SVG and other formats. Version 4.0.0 added a built-in MCP server for AI assistants. - **Category:** Whiteboards & Mind Maps - **Made by:** Evolus - **Website:** https://pencil.evolus.vn - **Runs on:** macOS, Windows, Linux - **Who should skip it:** Skip it if you need real-time collaboration, because it's single-user. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 13, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 13, 2026, Pencil Project is free to use. - **Pricing model:** Free - **Free plan:** Free to download and use; the project accepts voluntary support. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | Free | $0 | The full application is free and open source, with no paid plans listed. | Read from https://pencil.evolus.vn/Downloads.html on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Pencil Project before buying. ## Key features - **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. ## Good for - Developers and designers sketching app or website mockups offline - People who want a free desktop alternative to subscription whiteboards - Users who want community stencil collections they can drag in ## Worth knowing - 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. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 3.0 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. Pencil Project is a free, open-source desktop app for drawing interface mockups and diagrams, with shape sets for web, Android, iOS and flowcharts. It's single-user with no real-time collaboration, there's no web or phone version, and it isn't a freehand whiteboard. - **Value for money: A.** Free to download and use, and open source. The category's middle for paid plans is $8. - **Free plan and trial: A.** Free outright with no account or cap; the project accepts voluntary support. - **Features: C.** Shape 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: B.** No store rating on record, but you install it and start drawing with nothing to set up. - **Platforms and integrations: C.** Programs for Mac, Windows and Linux only. No web, iPhone or Android version, and OpenClipart is the one connection named. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Evolus's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among whiteboard and mind map tools - Pencil Project's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 85 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 10. - It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 83 of 98) and worst on features (C, above 0). - Pencil Project has no paid plan. - On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price. The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/whiteboards ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** Pencil Project is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 85 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade. - You could make: Templates: an app builder makes this well. - You could not: A diagram editor. - You could not: Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other. - You could not: AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. ## Works with OpenClipart **Tags:** Open source, Diagrams, AI features, Templates ## Alternatives - [Moqups](https://toolgpa.com/tools/moqups): Wireframes, diagrams and whiteboards in one browser app. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/moqups-vs-pencil-project) - [draw.io](https://toolgpa.com/tools/draw-io): Free diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/draw-io-vs-pencil-project) - [Excalidraw](https://toolgpa.com/tools/excalidraw): Open-source whiteboard for hand-drawn style sketches and diagrams. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/excalidraw-vs-pencil-project) - [yEd](https://toolgpa.com/tools/yed): Free desktop graph editor with automatic diagram layout. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/pencil-project-vs-yed) - [MockFlow](https://toolgpa.com/tools/mockflow): Whiteboard, diagram and wireframe workspace with an AI helper. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/mockflow-vs-pencil-project) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026: - https://pencil.evolus.vn - https://pencil.evolus.vn/Downloads.html - https://pencil.evolus.vn/Features.html Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/pencil-project Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).