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Pencil vs Unprompt: Features, Pricing & Which Is Better (2026)

A side-by-side comparison of Pencil and Unprompt — features, pricing, and ideal use cases — to help you decide which AI tool fits your workflow.

Pencil logo

Pencil

Pencil (Pencil Works)

Freemium

In-IDE design canvas that lets engineers design UI and convert designs directly into code to speed development.

Key features

  • In-IDE Design Canvas: Provides a visual design canvas embedded inside developers' IDEs so users can create and edit UI designs without context switching to external design apps.
  • Design-to-Code Export: Converts designs into code-friendly artifacts or components (land in code) to reduce manual implementation and speed delivery of production UI.
  • Local MCP Server & Discovery: Runs a local MCP-style service that writes config (e.g., ~/.claude.json) so external tools and agents can discover Pencil, read its port/command, and integrate programmatically.
  • Auto-Configuration & Port Sync: Supports auto-setup and auto-sync behaviors (project or global scope) so integrations (like OpenCode) automatically add Pencil to their configs and update ports when Pencil restarts.
  • Project-Scoped Integration: Can be configured per-project or globally, allowing teams to make Pencil available only within specific repositories or across all projects for consistent workflows.
  • Tooling & CLI Support: Exposes status, setup, and sync actions for partner tools and agent plugins (e.g., pencil_status, pencil_setup, pencil_sync) to manage connectivity and lifecycle programmatically.
  • Canvas-based UI design embedded into developer workflows/IDEs
  • Design-to-code export so visual designs can be converted into code artifacts
  • Runs a local MCP/config server and writes runtime config to a file (e.g., ~/.claude.json) for tooling integrations
  • Integration plugins (example: OpenCode pencil-sync) that auto-setup Pencil in project/global configs and auto-sync ports after restarts
  • CLI/tools for status, setup and sync (pencil_status, pencil_setup, pencil_sync) to manage Pencil integration lifecycle
  • Support for project or global scope configuration (config added to ~/.config/opencode/opencode.jsonc or ./opencode.json)
  • Automatic port/config backup and validation when updating third-party tool configs

Best for

  • IDE-native UI Implementation: Designers and engineers create UI layouts directly inside an IDE and export components to the codebase, eliminating design handoffs and manual translation.
  • Agent-enabled Code Generation: Integrate with developer agents or automation (via Pencil's MCP config) to let bots generate, update, or wire up UI code from canvas designs automatically.
  • Project-scoped Tooling Integration: Add Pencil to a single project's config to enable team members to access the same design-canvas tooling and keep design artifacts synchronized with that repository.
  • Auto-recovery After Restarts: Use automatic port-sync and setup tools so external tooling (like OpenCode) recovers connectivity after Pencil restarts without manual reconfiguration.
  • Rapid Prototyping and Iteration: Quickly prototype UI ideas inside the IDE, iterate in-context with code, and validate implementations faster by seeing designs translate to code artifacts immediately.
  • Cross-tool Workflow Automation: Connect Pencil with CI, linters, or component libraries via its MCP endpoint to automate tasks like component registration, export, or style enforcement from designs.
  • Embed visual design work directly inside developers' IDEs to reduce context switching
  • Automatically export or convert canvas designs into code components or project assets
  • Auto-configure developer tools and agents to use the locally running Pencil service
  • Keep IDE/tooling configurations in sync when Pencil restarts or changes port
  • Integrate Pencil with automation agents or local development frameworks to enable programmatic access to designs
View Pencil details
Unprompt logo

Unprompt

Polymorph

Freemium

iPhone and Mac app that measures your AI usage in tokens, API-rate cost and water, without judging it.

Key features

  • Automatic Measurement: Mac reads local AI tool logs and iPhone uses Screen Time, so there is nothing to count manually.
  • Evening Check-In: A one-tap daily confirmation of personal versus work AI use, with adjustments allowed.
  • Pixel Calendar: Each day becomes a pixel colored against your own average, with streaks and a full-year band.
  • Usage and Cost (Premium): Tokens, the API-rate cost and estimated water use over today, 30 days and full history.
  • Codex Quotas and Widgets (Premium): Quota countdowns plus USAGE and LIMITS widgets.
  • Milestones and Friends: 62 milestones and friend trends via QR code or link with no account needed.
  • Private by Design: Data stays on device and in your iCloud, with no conversation read and no ads or tracking.

Best for

  • Self-Awareness: See how much you rely on AI day to day without being blocked or lectured.
  • Cost Tracking: Estimate what your token use would cost at API rates.
  • Environmental Awareness: View an estimate of the water behind your AI usage.
  • Work-Life Separation: Separate personal AI use from work-hours use.
  • Quota Planning: Watch Codex limits and reset countdowns to avoid wasting capacity.
  • Group Accountability: Compare trends with friends without sharing exact numbers.
View Unprompt details