The Pencil Project Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Pencil Project in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Pencil Project
The Insider’s Guide
Free open-source desktop tool for GUI mockups and diagrams
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among whiteboard and mind map tools, read from Pencil Project’s own pages.
Made by Evolus · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Pencil Project’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Pencil Project’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 85 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Pencil Project, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, but you install it and start drawing with nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for free offline mockups and diagrams on a desktop
It's single-user with no real-time collaboration, there's no web or phone version, and it isn't a freehand whiteboard.
- 2
It is free
Pencil Project has no paid plan at all. Free to download and use; the project accepts voluntary support.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 4
GUI prototyping shapes
Built-in collections cover general shapes, flowchart elements, desktop and web UI parts, and Android and iOS interface elements.
- 5
Diagrams with connectors
Connectors wire shapes together, and the flowchart shape collection supports basic diagram drawing.
- 6
Inter-page linking
Elements can link to another page in the same document, which helps define the flow of an app or website mockup.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 85 of 98
That is against the other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Pencil Project is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Pencil Project at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Evolus
- Category
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for free offline mockups and diagrams on a desktop
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.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Pencil Project is for
- Fits if you sketch app or website mockups offline
- Works for people who want a free desktop alternative to subscription whiteboards
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Pencil Project is free to use.
Free to download and use, and open source.
Free
$0
The full application is free and open source, with no paid plans listed.
The free plan
Free to download and use; the project accepts voluntary support.
Read from pencil.evolus.vn on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Free open-source desktop tool for GUI mockups and diagrams. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, AI features, templates, diagrams.
Shape collections, connectors, page links and export to PNG, PDF and SVG.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- OpenClipart
Pencil Project is made by Evolus.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
85/98
Other whiteboard and mind map tools it is graded above
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.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 99 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Pencil Project’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 74 of 98
- AFree plan and trialAbove 83 of 98
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 98
- BEase of useAbove 79 of 98
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 98
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 88 whiteboard and mind map tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Pencil Project is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
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.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A diagram editor.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Pencil Project’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Moqups, draw.io, Excalidraw, yEd and MockFlow
The 5 tools Pencil Project is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Moqups
Free plan · from $7/mo
Wireframes, diagrams and whiteboards in one browser app.
- Only Pencil Project lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Moqups lists a web app.
- Pencil Project is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
draw.io
Free
Free diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose.
- Only draw.io lists a web app.
- draw.io is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Excalidraw
Free plan · from $6/mo
Open-source whiteboard for hand-drawn style sketches and diagrams.
- Only Pencil Project lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Excalidraw lists a web app.
- Excalidraw is self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
yEd
Free
Free desktop graph editor with automatic diagram layout.
- Only yEd lists a web app.
- Pencil Project is open source, according to its own site.
- Pencil Project also covers templates.
- 2.2GPA
MockFlow
Free plan · from $9/mo
Whiteboard, diagram and wireframe workspace with an AI helper.
- Only Pencil Project lists a Linux app.
- Only MockFlow lists a web app.
- Only MockFlow lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Pencil Project free?
Yes. Pencil Project is free to use.
How much does Pencil Project cost?
Pencil Project lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Pencil Project work on?
Pencil Project is available on macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Pencil Project have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Pencil Project is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Pencil Project have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Pencil Project is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is Pencil Project open source?
Yes. Pencil Project is open source, according to its own site.
What does Pencil Project integrate with?
Pencil Project's listing names OpenClipart. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Pencil Project?
Pencil Project is made by Evolus.
What are the alternatives to Pencil Project?
The closest alternatives to Pencil Project in our directory are Moqups, draw.io, Excalidraw, yEd and MockFlow.
How does Pencil Project compare with other 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.
Is Pencil Project good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Pencil Project A for value for money. Pencil Project has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Pencil Project?
Pencil Project is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Pencil Project’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. 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.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Evolus. Prices change, so check pencil.evolus.vn before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Pencil Project, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/pencil-project
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Pencil Project: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/pencil-project
Know someone choosing between whiteboard and mind map tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/pencil-project/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded whiteboard and mind map tools after Pencil Project, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 99 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft Whiteboard Insider's GuideFree collaborative canvas built into Microsoft 365 and Teams3.4 GPA
- draw.io Insider's GuideFree diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose3.2 GPA
- tldraw Insider's GuideFree online whiteboard with a local desktop app3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Pencil Project’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Pencil Project is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Evolus. Prices and plans change: check pencil.evolus.vn before you buy.