1 · Pick a layout
Choose a grid such as 2×3 or 3×3, or an asymmetric layout like wide top, L-shape or bento: 14 templates in total. Switching layouts keeps your images in order.
Multi-panel figure
Figure layout
Pick a layout, drop in your panels, export at journal size.
Figure layout
What is a multi-panel figure layout?
A multi-panel figure combines several finished plots, such as bar charts, heatmaps, volcano plots, micrographs or western blots, into one journal figure with panel labels A, B, C. Researchers usually align these by hand in PowerPoint or Illustrator and redo the layout whenever a reviewer asks for a change.
FigPad Figure Layout offers 14 templates, sizes every panel and gutter from the journal column width (for example 183 mm for a Nature double column), and shows the real resolution of each image at its placed size. Everything runs in your browser, images are never uploaded, and export is free.
How it works
How to build a multi-panel figure in FigPad
2 · Drop in your panels
Drag PNG, JPG, WebP or SVG files onto the canvas or click a cell to upload, several at once. Drag panels to swap them; extras wait in the unplaced tray.
3 · Set size and labels
Choose the journal width, spacing and panel ratio, and A/B/C or a/b/c labels with their size. Each panel shows its effective DPI and is flagged when it falls below your export resolution.
4 · Export for free
Pick PNG, TIFF, PDF or SVG at 300 or 600 DPI and sign in to export for free. DPI is written into the file so submission systems read it correctly.
Figure layout FAQ
Is FigPad Figure Layout free?
Yes. Arranging and exporting cost no credits. PNG, TIFF, PDF and SVG at 300 or 600 DPI are all free; you only need to sign in when you export.
Which journal figure sizes are supported?
Presets cover Nature (89 mm single, 183 mm double column), Cell (85, 114 and 174 mm) and Science (57, 121 and 184 mm), plus any custom width from 30 to 300 mm. Height is calculated from the layout and your images.
What formats and resolutions can I export?
PNG, TIFF and PDF export at 300 or 600 DPI, with the DPI stored in PNG and TIFF files and the PDF page set to the journal width. SVG is written in millimetres and opens for editing in Illustrator or Inkscape.
Are my images uploaded to a server?
No. Reading, arranging and exporting all happen in your browser, so unpublished data never leaves your computer. Your current layout is saved in this browser so you can pick it up after a refresh or sign-in.
What font do the panel labels use?
Labels use bold Arial/Helvetica, which most journals require. Choose A B C, a b c or no labels, 6–12 pt, placed outside or inside the panel. Click any single label on the canvas to rename it (for example A′ or B1) or clear it to hide it; empty cells are skipped when lettering.
What does the low-resolution warning mean?
Each panel shows its effective DPI at the size it is placed. A 600-pixel-wide image in a 57 mm cell is about 267 DPI, below a 300 DPI export, so it is flagged and you can swap in a higher-resolution original before a journal rejects it.
Is the exported SVG a vector file?
SVG panels you upload stay vector in the exported SVG. Raster panels such as PNG or JPG are embedded as they are and are not converted to vectors. For editable vector schematics, generate them with FigPad first, export SVG, and add them to the layout.
How is this different from PowerPoint or Illustrator?
There is no manual aligning or measuring: once you pick the journal width, panel sizes, gutters and label positions are calculated for you, the whole figure reflows when you change the layout or swap an image, and the export already meets the journal size and resolution requirements.