For open-source advocates or privacy-conscious teams, Penpot is the clear choice. It allows for self-hosting and is built on open standards, making it ideal for those who prioritize transparency and control over their design tools. However, if you require a robust plugin ecosystem and a more polished user experience, then Penpot may not suffice due to its smaller marketplace and occasional performance issues.
On the other hand, if you are part of a design team or a product designer looking for a collaborative environment, Figma is the way to go. Its real-time multiplayer capabilities and extensive design-system support make it a standard in the industry. While costs can escalate for larger teams and performance may falter on lower-end machines, the benefits of a rich plugin ecosystem and community resources heavily outweigh these drawbacks for most users. Avoid Figma if you specifically need an open-source solution or require fully offline functionality.