Pencil
Pencil (pen.dev) is a local-first design canvas with agents: frames live in .pen files, and you can design with a hosted model or your own Claude / Codex key.
OUR TAKE
Pick Pencil for designers who want agents on a local canvas and will export HTML or hand off via MCP. Free agent time is 5 days / month, not unlimited.
Good fit
Designers who want agents on a local canvas and will export HTML or hand off via MCP.
Poor fit
A team that must design on the production React repo (Subframe).
Free · Pro $16 · Ultra $48
USD, before tax · Checked 2026-10-28 · pen.dev/pricing
Compare:
OUR TAKE
Pick Pencil for designers who want agents on a local canvas and will export HTML or hand off via MCP. Free agent time is 5 days / month, not unlimited.
Good fit
Designers who want agents on a local canvas and will export HTML or hand off via MCP.
Poor fit
A team that must design on the production React repo (Subframe).
Free · Pro $16 · Ultra $48
USD, before tax · Checked 2026-10-28 · pen.dev/pricing
Compare:
What it costs
USD, before tax · Checked 2026-10-28 · pen.dev/pricing
Free
25 image/SVG generations / month. 5 agent days / month. 1 agent at a time. Limited hosted models. Bring your own key
$0
Pro
/ user / month. 350 image/SVG generations. Agents every day. Up to 3 parallel agents. Org developer keys
Lowest paid
$16
Ultra
/ user / month. 750 image/SVG generations. Up to 6 parallel agents. Shared usage pool. Team roles
$48
Enterprise
Not published by the vendor
Not published by the vendor
Checked 2026-10-28·pen.dev/pricing
Before you pay
Good fit
Designers who want agents on a local canvas and will export HTML or hand off via MCP.
Poor fit
A team that must design on the production React repo (Subframe).
Watch out
Free agent time is 5 days / month, not unlimited.
Instead, try
Onlook if visual edits on a real Next.js app at $0 self-host; Uizard if Autodesigner screens when you do not want a local .pen file
Compare Pencil with
Limits, in full
- 01
Free agent time is 5 days / month, not unlimited.
- 02
Your Claude / Codex bill is extra. when you bring a key.
- 03
The cover still shows “Loading canvas…”. on an empty frame — that is the live editor, not a finished mock.
- 04
pencil.dev is now pen.dev. Same product.
If Pencil isn't it
Why: visual edits on a real Next.js app at $0 self-host.
Free· open source,Apache-2.0
Hosted is quote-onlyChecked 2026-10-28·onlook.com/pricing
vs Pencil
Why: Autodesigner screens when you do not want a local .pen file.
Free· paid from$12/mo yearly
Free is 3 AI generations / monthChecked 2026-10-22·uizard.io/pricing
vs PencilLimits & alternatives4 limits · Onlook, Uizard instead
Limits, in full
- 01
Free agent time is 5 days / month, not unlimited.
- 02
Your Claude / Codex bill is extra. when you bring a key.
- 03
The cover still shows “Loading canvas…”. on an empty frame — that is the live editor, not a finished mock.
- 04
pencil.dev is now pen.dev. Same product.
If Pencil isn't it
Why: visual edits on a real Next.js app at $0 self-host.
Free· open source,Apache-2.0
Hosted is quote-onlyChecked 2026-10-28·onlook.com/pricing
vs PencilWhy: Autodesigner screens when you do not want a local .pen file.
Free· paid from$12/mo yearly
Free is 3 AI generations / monthChecked 2026-10-22·uizard.io/pricing
vs Pencil