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Kite vs PaperA Paper alternative your agents design in.

Kite is a design tool your agents reach from anywhere, with components, variants, modes, version history and roles for your whole team. Paper has no components, and its agents work only through a local server while its desktop app is open.

Start designingPricing

  • Kite is best for

    Teams that want components, version history and agents connected from anywhere.

  • Kite costs

    Free to start. Pro $20 per editor a month, $16 billed yearly. No AI credits.

Key differences.

9 things Kite does that Paper doesn't, or does less.

FeatureKitePaper
Big filesSmooth on a 19,600-layer page: frames far off screen are drawn as picturesKeeps every layer on the page live
ComponentsComponents with variants, properties and instance swapNo
VariablesVariables with modes, like light and dark, set per frameTokens, in code
Hosted MCP serverAny agent connects from anywhere, signing in with OAuthNo, local only
Jobs from comments@-mention an agent in a comment and it makes the changeNo
Version historyAutosaves every 10 minutes, plus named versions to go back toNo, use git
ExportPNG, JPG, WebP, AVIF, SVG and PDF, or copy as HTML, React or TailwindPNG, PDF, SVG
FigmaPaste to and from Figma, or import a whole file by its linkPaste in from Figma
Workspaces and rolesWorkspaces with owner, editor and viewer rolesShare links; admin controls only on Organizations

Your design system. Read before every draw.

Colours, type and spacing as variables, your parts as components, the rules in plain words as skills. Agents read all of it before they draw, so their work looks like yours, not like everyone's.

Design systems
  • Around· 2 modesAround
    NameLightDark
    colour
    page#F4EFE6#F4EFE6
    ink#0A0A0A#0A0A0A
    accent#12683E#12683E
    radius
    card1818
    type
    nameINTER 600INTER 600
    Around

    Design system

    Colours
    TypeInter 600
    Corners18

    In it

    Variables24
    Styles6
    Skills4
    Loukman

    Around — Profile

    Loukman Nacik

    @loukman · 3 guides

    Chasing the perfect negroni and a quiet corner table. Bangkok → everywhere.

    Follow

    GuidesPlacesCities

    Speakeasy bars in BangkokBest rooftop bars in BangkokTasting menus worth the wait

    One design, any systemYour agent draws with the system's variables, not fixed values. Switch the system, or change one value, and every frame drawn with it follows.

  • Components, placed, not redrawnMake a part once, with its variants. Agents place copies that follow it, instead of drawing a new card.
  • Light and dark, one setA variable holds a value for each mode. Switch a frame to Dark and every colour drawn with it follows.
  • Skills, in plain wordsThe brand's look, a guardrail, how posts are made. Agents follow the skills that fit the job.
  • One library for every filePublish a file's components to the workspace. Their copies, in every file, follow when you update.

Leave a comment. Your agent does it.

Pin a comment where the change belongs and mention your agent. It reads the frame and the layer you clicked, does the work and answers in the thread.

Comments

  • Around · Guide

    Speakeasy bars in Bangkok

    TAX★ 4.7 · Bar · Chinatown · $$$
    Lennon's★ 4.8 · Bar · Lumpini · $$$$
    Root Bar★ 4.6 · Bar · Lat Phrao · $$
    BLESSING SHOPHOUSE★ 4.5 · Bar · Sukhumvit · $$$
    OpenTAX★ 4.7 · Bar · Chinatown · $$$
    OpenLennon's★ 4.8 · Bar · Lumpini · $$$$
    OpenRoot Bar★ 4.6 · Bar · Lat Phrao · $$
    OpenBLESSING SHOPHOUSE★ 4.5 · Bar · Sukhumvit · $$$
    Claude

    @Claude turn this list into cards

    Run with Claude Code when sent

    Loukmannow

    @Claude turn this list into cards

    Claude is working…Done by Claude

    Claudenow

    Done: a Place card for each bar, its photo at 3:4 with the Open chip on it.

    Ask in a comment, get it doneMention your agent on the frame and send. In Kite for Mac it starts at once with Claude Code or Codex, does the work, and answers in the thread.

  • do my Kite requests

    3 requests waiting, oldest first.

    • Turn this list into cards
    • A phone version of this screen
    • Try a warmer hero photo

    Done, each answered in its thread.

    Do my Kite requestsIn a browser, requests wait on their comments. Say this to your agent and it works through every one.

  • OpenTAX★ 4.7 · Bar · Chinatown · $$$
    Place cardPhoto at 3:4, the Open chip on it.
    Warmer photo?

    Notes on the boardSticky notes and annotations sit beside the work. Agents read them, and leave their own.

Works with what you have. Figma, and your Mac.

Bring your Figma files in and send frames back the other way. Keep Kite in its own app, where a request in a comment runs on your Mac.

Figma

  • Import from Figma

    figma.com/design/Around-AppImport

    • Create component
    • Copy
    • Copy/Paste as
    • Copy as PNG
    • Copy for agent
    • Copy to Figma
    • Copy as Tailwind

    Figma, both waysPaste frames from Figma, or import a whole file by its link. Right-click any frame for Copy to Figma, and it pastes in Figma as layers.

  • Claude finished your Kite requestnowIt answered on the comment.

    Kite for MacA tab per file, a mark on the tab an agent is working in, and requests that run with Claude Code or Codex on your Mac. It tells you when they're done.

Why teams switch from Paper.

What changes the day your agents design in Kite.

  • Faster on big files: Kite stays smooth on a 19,600-layer page by drawing frames far off screen as pictures, where Paper keeps every layer live.
  • Owner, editor and viewer roles in every workspace. Paper shares by link, with admin controls only on its Organizations plan.
  • Components with variants. Paper has no components.
  • A hosted server, so an agent in the browser or on another machine can connect. Paper's runs only on your machine, with its app open.
  • Version history built in. Paper points to git.
  • @-mention an agent in a comment and it makes the change.
  • Variables with modes, like light and dark.

Questions.

About Kite and Paper.

Is Kite a good Paper alternative?

Yes. Kite is a design tool your agents reach from anywhere, with components, variants, modes, version history and roles for your whole team.

How much does Kite cost?

Kite is free to start, with 1 editor and 3 files. Pro is $20 per editor a month, or $16 billed yearly. There are no AI credits: your agent runs on the plan you already pay for, so you never pay twice for the AI.

Which AI agents work with Kite?

Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Codex and any other MCP client that signs in with OAuth. They connect to Kite's hosted server, or to the local one in Kite for Mac.

More comparisons

Checked against each tool's own docs and pricing in October 2026. Something out of date? Tell us at hello@kite.new.

You and your agents,on one board.

In your browser, or in Kite for Mac. Bring the agent you already use.

Start designingDownload for Mac