Compare Pencil Project and Microsoft Designer on pricing, features, platforms, and ratings — both Graphic Design tools, Open Source vs Freemium pricing to…
At a Glance
Pencil Project
Microsoft Designer
Primary category
Graphic Design
Graphic Design
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Open Source
Freemium
Starting price
Free
Free
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Not documented
Not documented
Platforms
Mac, Windows
Web, iOS, Android, Windows
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Yes
Public API
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Pencil Project
Open Source — Free N/A
Microsoft Designer
Free — Free N/A
Microsoft 365 Personal — $9.99/month Monthly
Microsoft 365 Premium — $19.99/month Monthly
Pros & Cons
Pencil Project
Pros
Completely free with no subscription or account required
Works fully offline as a native desktop application
Simple, low-fidelity sketch style is fast for early-stage wireframing
Open source under GPL, so the code can be inspected or modified
Lightweight compared to full cloud design suites
Cons
No real-time multiplayer collaboration found in modern tools like Figma or Penpot
Development pace has historically been slow, with long gaps between releases
Lacks design tokens, component variants and advanced prototyping interactions
Interface and stencil library feel dated compared with current design tools
No official cloud sync, version history or team management features
Microsoft Designer
Pros
Free tier accessible to any Microsoft account holder
DALL-E 3 image generation built directly into the design workflow
Integrates natively into PowerPoint, Word, and Microsoft Photos
AI editing tools (Restyle, background removal, object erase) go beyond basic template editing
Simple, prompt-based workflow lowers the skill barrier for non-designers
Cons
Free tier credit allowance (around 15/month) is limiting for frequent use
Full credit benefits require a paid Microsoft 365 subscription
Design customization is less deep than long-established tools like Canva or Adobe Express
Smaller third-party template and asset marketplace compared to Canva
AI-generated layouts sometimes need manual cleanup for brand-specific requirements
Use Cases
Pencil Project
Early-stage wireframing — Designers and developers use Pencil to quickly rough out screen layouts before moving to higher-fidelity tools.
Student and academic projects — Students use Pencil's free, offline tool to create UI mockups and diagrams for coursework without needing paid software.
Lightweight diagramming — Small teams use Pencil's general shape libraries to sketch flowcharts and simple process diagrams.
Microsoft Designer
Social media content creation — Marketers and creators generate on-brand social posts and stories quickly using text prompts instead of manual layout work.
Presentation slide design — Users generate polished visuals and layouts for PowerPoint presentations directly within the app.
Marketing materials for small businesses — Small businesses create flyers, invitations, and promotional graphics without hiring a designer or learning complex design software.