February 6, 2026
Built for love, not bloat
Show HN: I spent 4 years building a UI design tool with only the features I use
Indie UI tool built for “just what I use” has designers cheering — and asking about Penpot
TLDR: A solo designer launched Vecti after four years, promising a fast, privacy‑friendly design tool. Commenters cheered the polish and persistence, while the big question—how it compares to open‑source Penpot—sparked curiosity over whether this indie underdog can challenge the heavyweights.
A four‑year solo build just landed: Vecti, a browser‑based design tool promising speed, privacy, and no‑bloat basics. The crowd’s first reaction? “It’s beautiful.” Multiple users swooned over the clean look and calm vibe—“Beautiful design!”—which, honestly, is the ultimate flex for a tool made by a UI veteran. The maker’s pitch is simple: real‑time collaboration, a shared asset library, and pay‑per‑editor pricing, all wrapped in EU privacy values.
But every love story needs a plot twist. The immediate compare game started: “How does it compare to Penpot?” That open‑source favorite became the yardstick, nudging a classic showdown: indie underdog vs community‑powered alternative. Is Vecti a lighter, faster answer to the big names, or just another tab in a designer’s app graveyard? The thread didn’t explode into a fight, but you could feel the room lean in.
Then came the industry war stories. One veteran confessed they tried to build a tool like this for years and made “almost 40 prototypes.” That admission became the soul of the comments—respect for the grind. Another summed up the mood with a grin: “Fun submission, will have a look :)” The verdict so far: big respect, real curiosity, and a hint of “prove it” energy. Designers want the dream tool. Vecti’s asking for their hearts—and their tabs.
Key Points
- •Vecti is a browser-based UI design tool focused on performance, privacy, and creative freedom.
- •It supports real-time collaboration with simultaneous editing and shared assets across teams.
- •Features include a high-performance rendering engine, reusable UI elements, and a shared asset library with permissions and presentation mode.
- •Pricing uses a pay-per-editor model with free tier access (no card required), monthly/annual billing, and up to 20% annual discount.
- •Support is provided via email Mon–Fri (8:00–18:00 GMT) with 24–48 business hour response targets; cookies are used for experience and marketing.