Pencil Project
Pencil Project is a free, open-source desktop tool for creating GUI mockups, wireframes, and diagrams.
What Pencil Project is
Pencil Project is a free, open-source desktop tool for creating GUI mockups, wireframes, and diagrams. Built-in stencil collections provide shapes for desktop, web, Android, and iOS interfaces; connectors and flowchart shapes support diagramming. Elements can link to other pages in the same document, with those links becoming hyperlinks in web exports. Export formats include PNG, web pages, OpenOffice or LibreOffice text documents, Inkscape SVG, and Adobe PDF. A clipart browser connected to OpenClipart.org lets users add vector clipart by drag and drop, and stencil collections and export templates can be installed as add-ons. Pencil runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with a universal macOS DMG for Intel and Apple Silicon. It is published under GNU General Public License version 2, and Evolus also describes a commercial source-code license. The site identifies version 3.1.1 as the latest stable release and warns that nightly development builds are unstable. The free plan costs nothing.
Good
- Stencil collections cover desktop, web, Android, and iOS.
- Exports to PNG, web pages, SVG, and PDF.
- Mockup elements can link to other document pages.
- Clipart can be added by drag and drop.
Watch out
- Nightly development builds are described as unstable.
- A commercial source-code license is separate from its GPL version 2 publication.
Who it suits
Pencil Project suits people creating interface mockups, wireframes, or flowcharts on a desktop computer. It supports Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Verdict
Pencil Project combines interface stencils, diagramming, interactive mockups, and several export formats in a free desktop app. Users should distinguish the latest stable release from unstable nightly builds.
Plans and prices
From Pencil Project's own pricing page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Pencil | Free | Completely free; desktop app |
The facts
Each one read from Pencil Project's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Add-ons
- Stencil collections and export templates can be installed into Pencil as add-ons.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Build stability
- The site warns that nightly development builds are unstable and should be used at the user's own risk.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Clipart integration
- The clipart browser integrates with OpenClipart.org and supports adding vector clipart by drag and drop.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Diagramming
- Connectors and flowchart shapes can be used to draw diagrams.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Diagram types
- GUI mockups,wireframes,flowcharts,desktop UI,web UI,Android UI,iOS UIchecked 20 Sep 2026
- Download verification
- The downloads page provides a SHA-1 checksum link for verifying downloads.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Export formats
- Drawings can be exported as PNG files, web pages, OpenOffice or LibreOffice text documents, Inkscape SVG, and Adobe PDF.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Interactive mockups
- Elements can link to pages in the same document, and those links become hyperlinks in web exports.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Interface stencils
- Built-in shape collections cover desktop, web, Android, and iOS interfaces.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Latest stable release
- The home page identifies version 3.1.1 as the latest stable release and says it contains stability fixes and new features.checked 8 Oct 2026
- License
- Pencil is published under GNU General Public License version 2; the page also describes a commercial source-code license available from Evolus.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Pencil is a free, open-source GUI prototyping tool for creating mockups.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- The site invites users to support continued development through donations.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Supported systems
- The downloads page lists builds for Fedora and Ubuntu Linux, other GNU/Linux distributions, Windows, and macOS.checked 8 Oct 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 20 Sep 2026
Where it runs
- macOS support
- The downloads page offers a universal macOS DMG for Intel and Apple Silicon.checked 8 Oct 2026
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