Compare Pencil Project and RelayThat on pricing, features, platforms, and ratings — both Graphic Design tools, Open Source vs Subscription, billed per user…
At a Glance
Pencil Project
RelayThat
Primary category
Graphic Design
Graphic Design
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Open Source
Subscription, billed per user per month
Starting price
Free
$15/month
Free plan
Yes
Not documented
Free trial
Not documented
Not documented
Platforms
Mac, Windows
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Not documented
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
RelayThat
Pro — $15 per user, per month
Pro+ Plus — $25 per month (includes 2 users)
Enterprise — Custom Contact for pricing
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
RelayThat
Pros
Generates dozens of on-brand, correctly sized graphics from a single set of brand inputs
Large built-in stock image library included in paid plans
No design skill required to produce consistent multi-channel creative
Affordable entry price for solo marketers and very small teams
Cons
Rigid SmartLayout templates limit creative control and custom element placement
No undo history, according to multiple independent reviews
Entry-level plans cap out at just one or two users before requiring a custom Enterprise quote
Narrower feature set than general-purpose design tools like Canva or Adobe Express
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.
RelayThat
Multi-channel ad production — Marketing managers use RelayThat to produce dozens of correctly sized display and social ad variations from one brand kit.
Agency client asset production — Agencies manage multiple brand workspaces to quickly generate on-brand creative for different clients.
Consistent social media graphics — Solo creators and small businesses generate consistent, on-brand social posts without hiring a designer.