Adobe Illustrator wrote the book on vector graphics software. It is the gold standard for professionally designed logos, artwork, infographics, icons, and much more. You can work from a freehand sketch to a vector image that is scalable to any size. Adobe Illustrator handles graphics in a unique way, employing mathematical formulas rather than pixels for seamless resizing.
Adobe Illustrator provides a seven-day free trial, but you must first provide a credit card. If you choose the annual plan, paid monthly, the cost is $20.99 per month. Otherwise, the monthly plan will cost you $31.49 per month. It's costly in either case. Adobe Illustrator, on the other hand, is one of those products that will keep you learning new things all the time, even if it isn't the most user-friendly software available.
Key Features:
Adobe Sensei AI: Match the colors from a photograph with auto-extracting
Extensive library: Adobe Stock templates, including 90 million images and icons and thousands of fonts
Creative Cloud: Manage your projects anywhere
Data merge: Infographic data stays current with the stats
Social media: Tutorials to get the most out of your marketing
Pros:
Integration with other editing tools in the Adobe family
True-to-its-roots interface
Start from scratch or choose a template
Wide range of vector design tools
Cons:
Resource-heavy
Expensive subscription plans
High learning curve
Platform:Windows, Mac, iPad, Androidd mobile apps, as well as support for Linux and Chrome OS.
The bewildering array of editing tools can make selecting the best graphic design software difficult. Our roundup includes some oldies but goodies, such as Adobe Photoshop, as well as some newcomers, such as Affinity Photo.
Adobe Photoshop has long been the desktop publishing industry standard. It is a popular choice among graphic designers for good reason. Its collection of image editing tools caters to everyone from the novice to the expert, with a user-friendly interface and a wealth of well-written tutorials. From the canvas size to the artistic filter, the graphic design software gives you complete control.
Photoshop, like Adobe Illustrator, provides a seven-day free trial. Surprisingly, Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom are less expensive. Photoshop trial includes 100 GB of cloud storage, while Lightroom trial includes 1 TB. Adobe Fresco, its paint application, and Adobe Spark, its storytelling programme, provide additional functionality. The collaboration between the programmes is exceptional.
Key features:
Suite of design tools: Includes several eye-catching effects, such as 3D and Keith Haring brushes
Content-aware fill: Focus on your message without the distractions
Timesaving features: Streamlines the workflow with batch operations and automation scripts
Pros:
Complimentary mobile apps with a subscription plan
Extensive library of stock images, templates, fonts, videos, and icons
Excellent integration with other Adobe programs
Support for multiple file formats, including JPG and PNG
With its simple user interface, Affinity Designer is an excellent choice for personal projects or inexperienced graphic designers. It's a worthy rival to Adobe Illustrator, with a comparable set of design tools and new user-friendly features. It's a good fit for people who want a low-cost option without sacrificing functionality.
Affinity Designer has a 1,000,000 percent zoom, putting it squarely in the CAD category. If that's too fine a resolution for you, you can adjust the levels to your liking. Another notable feature is its version history. Because you can go back up to 8,000 steps, it's an excellent choice for working with clients. That, combined with the zoom, puts you in charge of revisions.
Key features:
Color management: Supports a variety of formats, including ICC, CMYK, and RGB
Timesaving tools: Consistent branding in your workspace
Real-time changes: Preview edits and blends on the fly
Procreate bills itself as a full-fledged art studio designed specifically for the iPad and Apple Pencil. There is no free trial or version available, and it is a one-time purchase. You immediately dive into its vast collection of templates, fonts, and customizable brushes. You can also import your favorite Photoshop images into the app, which will run faster thanks to the Valkyrie engine. The designers went above and beyond to make it user-friendly.
One of its distinguishing characteristics is its ability to work in 3D and preview it in real time in AR. If you've ever wanted to try your hand at animation, Procreate is a great place to start. However, the app contains so many tools and functions that beginners may find it overwhelming. If you select one type of brush, you will be presented with several options. Every time you use it, you'll learn something new.
Key features:
Editing tools: 200 customizable brushes
Color management: Intuitive selection of complementary colors and ColorDrop tool for fill
Finishing filters: Unifying image management for creating the perfect look
Affinity Photo is a low-cost alternative to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator for image touch-ups. It uses layers and filters to produce stunning effects with vector and raster images. Like CorelDRAW, the software supports the SVG file format. While templates can be created, none are included with the programme. It is, however, lightweight, with a generous 90-day free trial.
Because of its versatility and functionality, Affinity Photo has received numerous awards in recent years. For the price, it has a lot of features. With its 360-degree image editing, panoramic stitching, and HDR merge, you can perform sophisticated editing. It offers real-time editing without the clutter. PSD files can also be used. It also supports nondestructive live filter layers for maximum creative freedom.
Key features:
Powerful digital editing tools: Includes HDR merge, raw editing, and layer editing
One-time purchase: No subscription plans or in-app purchases
Optional overlay packs: Offers additional editing tools free with registration
Canva is a one-stop shop for creating a wide range of projects, including infographics, web design, and T-shirts. It employs an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that is simple to use even for those with no prior experience in graphic design. To get started, the programme includes a plethora of images, templates, backgrounds, and fonts. While some of these items are available for free on Canva, many of the images and graphics require in-app purchases.
.Canva excels in that it can work with a wide range of industries thanks to its extensive template library. The samples we saw appeared professional and provided excellent starting points for brainstorming. There are three pricing plans available, including one that is free for individuals and small teams. The paid plans include everything, but only 100 GB of cloud storage.
Key features:
Drag-and-drop design: User-friendly interface to start creating right away
Collaboration tools: Makes it easy to share projects with team folders and real-time collaboration
Social media integration: Can create posts that go straight to popular platforms
Gravit Designer is more than just an image editor; it's also a vector illustration programme and a GNU image manipulation programme. Gravit Designer's best feature is how customizable and user-friendly it is, as its HTML-based programme is compatible with the majority of platforms. Gravit Designer's free plan includes 500 MB of cloud storage, while the pro version includes unlimited storage.
Gravit Designer supports RGB colour space, with HSB and CMYK added at the professional level. You can work with touch-enabled devices and work offline with the pro version. The pro plan includes export options up to 300 dpi, making it more useful for print work. Gravit Designers' pro version also includes the ability to assign reviewer and approval roles.
Key features:
Outstanding compatibility: Works on all platforms, supporting many devices, such as Apple Pencil and touch-enabled devices
Customizable features: Includes dark theme and support for 14 languages
Excellent user support: Includes comprehensive documentation and helpful tool tips
Extensive free-use options: Comes with premade design assets, fonts, and POD templates
InDesign is Adobe's answer to a standalone desktop publishing programmer. While it is compatible with other Adobe programmers, it speaks a different language that some users may find difficult to understand. It works best for posters with a lot of images, presentations, and documents. It is possible to create a house style on the fly, which is a great time saver.
The help documentation is useful. It is, however, a resource hog, as are most Adobe programmes. InDesign provides a comprehensive set of tools, ranging from resizing to subject-aware text wrapping to colour placement. The software is certainly useful, but it can be difficult to find the right setting at times. Users may discover that they do not use all of the available functions, which is unfortunate given the price.
Key features:
Paragraph style setup: Allows users to create a house style to ensure consistent branding
Adobe Creative Cloud integration: Taps into the rich resource library of images, templates, fonts, and more
Ebook creation: Offers a user-friendly setup guide and templates for creating professional-looking ebooks
Pixlr is an image editing web app that you can use in your browser for desktop work or in mobile apps for iOS and Android. It's a simple programme that's ideal if you only need the essential editing tools and don't want to deal with the bells and whistles (and learning curves) of more advanced options.
Pixlr, which was previously part of the Autodesk family, is now on its own. It has some of the appealing features found in many similar apps, such as its ecosystem of complementary programmes. It accepts a variety of file formats, including SVG and PSD. This web-based design app is also reasonably priced. It comes with a free trial and a free version. Unfortunately, the free version is heavily ad-supported.
Key features:
Drag-and-drop interface: Easy to use without a lot of editing or image design experience
Template library: Includes professional-looking templates with collage options and market-driven ones, such as ads in a variety of sizes, flyers, and business cards
Social media content: Choose from Facebook event covers, Pinterest pins, and LinkedIn company posts, among others
For free graphic design software, Figma has a lot of features. One of the most impressive features of the free version is the unlimited cloud storage. Its strength is in vector graphics, and it has an impressive set of tools. To access invite-only private projects, you'll need to upgrade to the professional plan. Otherwise, you can collaborate by sharing a link.
Figma gives businesses a lot of customization options, especially at the organisational level. You have the ability to create and manage private plugins. In comparison, it is a reasonably priced plan.
Key features:
Collection of creative tools: Hundreds of freebies to enhance your work, including shapes, fonts, and colors
Small business-friendly: Gives a lot of latitude for small teams, with unlimited cloud storage and drafts for free
Pros:
Excellent features in pricing plans
Private plugins at organization-level plan
Cross-platform at the free tier
Cons:
No shared fonts at lower-price tiers
No extra security features until organization level
Sketch is a Mac-only vector editing software that manages your workflow well with a customizable interface that makes use of your plugins. With these limitations, it's a bare-bones photo editor that snubs Microsoft with its Mac-only use — which can be a deal-breaker for some. Sketch, on the other hand, succeeds as a web design software due to its user-friendly interface. It's actually enjoyable to use!
Sketch provides basic functionality, and the fact that there is such a strong community support to provide solutions for when the software falls short is a godsend. The plugins that are available are useful. Sketch provides a 30-day free trial but no free tier for individuals. The business option necessitates contacting Sketch, which can be advantageous or disadvantageous depending on your size or needs.
Key features:
Uncluttered interface: Gets you up and running quickly without the distractions
Mobile design: Makes it easy to create mobile interfaces
Guest collaboration: Adds the ability to create temporary project access with freelancers
Pros:
Ease to use for beginners
Excellent support documentation
Strong community support
Cons:
Mac only
No version comparison feature
Expensive subscription model for its limitations and only one install
Crello is an excellent choice for a personal video editing app that can handle all of your social media needs, whether you prefer YouTube, Square, Instagram, or Twitter. It includes a good selection of drawing tools for animation and photo or video editing. If marketing is your thing, the pro version allows you to create brand kits, remove backgrounds, and send out team invitations.
Crello's free version offers a plethora of benefits, including access to an unlimited image library and over 50,000 templates. You are only allowed five downloads per month. You can download as many files as you want with the premium plan. Crello is available on nearly every platform and on the web, making it a versatile marketing solution.
Key features:
Lots of goodies: Provides access even at the free level to its images and templates
Decent options for marketing: Create coupons, logos, brochures, gift certificates, social media ads, and more
Krita is a free and open-source digital art programme that supports a wide range of media, including animation, BMP files, and 2D drawing. As a free tool, it's extremely useful. It does basic photo editing well, albeit with a dated user interface that isn't always intuitive. Krita is best suited for people who are new to illustration and want to get their feet wet without signing up for a subscription.
Because digital artists are behind the project, the platform will appeal to them. Krita includes a good selection of brushes, vector tools, and brush stabilisers. The platform is frequently updated by the developers, which is both good and bad. Unfortunately, there isn't enough documentation to explain all of the new features as they are added. Having said that, it is an excellent learning tool.
Key features:
Excellent compatibility: Covers all the bases, including touch-enabled devices
Artist created: Built for artists by artists, with a UI that isn’t Photoshop-like
Inkscape is an open-source vector graphics tool that offers a lot of functionality for free. The trick is learning it because the UI isn't as user-friendly as it is in paid programmes. However, the developers provide documentation as well as a forum for questions and answers. Because of its flexibility and file support, it's an excellent companion software for similar programmes like Adobe Illustrator.
Inkscape has a lot going for it, especially since it's free. AI and CorelDRAW files can be imported. Its cross-platform compatibility makes it an excellent collaboration tool that does not rely on proprietary formats. It's not pretty, but it's functional.
Key features:
Useful text tools: Provides support for line spacing, multi-lines, and letter spacing
Choosing the best graphic design software for your needs
When you look for the best graphic design software, you’ll find everything from free, open-source, web-based offerings to full-blown image editing programs with steep learning curves that make them suitable for professionals — and everything in-between.
As you consider which software to go with, start with your current needs and what capabilities you anticipate as you grow your business and skill set. Many software packages are expensive, particularly those using subscription models. Buy for what you need to find the best value with these programs.
Features, such as real-time collaboration, version history, and master page setups, are most useful for businesses to work efficiently with their clients. Most of the platforms on our list include the basic functionality of design tools, such as the ability to resize, image editing, gradients, and overlays.
