Choose Penpot if you're a privacy-conscious team or an open-source advocate looking for a self-hostable design tool with real-time collaboration. It’s better suited for those who need a designer-developer friendly environment and can compromise on polish and plugin availability compared to Figma. However, avoid it if you require a more extensive plugin ecosystem or need the highest quality in your designs.
Opt for Excalidraw when you want a simple, charming platform for quick sketches and brainstorming sessions. Its hand-drawn aesthetic excels for informal and conceptual work, making it ideal for developers sketching out architecture or teams needing quick visual communication. That said, don’t choose Excalidraw if you need high-fidelity designs or a robust set of features for comprehensive design projects.