There are a lot of good graphic design software out there luckily for us. luckily for you, we’ve got a list of them! There is a wide range of programs and applications available on the market and its often hard to know which one is right for you. This article will outline the best graphic design software options according to what you want to achieve and how much you’d like to spend. We’ll also mention some best free graphic design software on the market as well as some tips on how to get started with all this.
Listed below are 15 effective graphic design software that every beginner should consider in coming up with attractive models, images, and texts for their websites.
1. Photoshop
With its flexibility in the application of Windows and Mac devices, Photoshop is an effective photo-editing tool for beginners. It enables one to convert a simple photo to an intriguing masterpiece work of art. Photoshop is quite popular with the millennial as most viral photos on the internet are courtesy of its simple sharing platform that covers popular social media platforms like Facebook, twitter, and Instagram. The user is able to remove/crop out or add images and combine several images together. It has numerous filters with auto fix mode on elements such as color & enables photo rotation.
2. FILMORA
FILMORA possesses simple video editing tools enabling the user to crop, rotate, flip, merge videos among others. It provides over three hundred effects great for converting video into other file formats and readily applicable motion elements. It enables the creation of animated beautiful texts and titles for attractive headings, easy selection of music from the music library and sound effect to enhance specific scenes, and effective overlays and filters.
3. CANVA
A free online web design software with simple features for dragging and dropping. Its fonts and layouts selection is wide with numerous shapes, photos, and icons for achieving attractive images applicable in both social platforms and presentations.
4. Affinity
Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer are relatively new competitors in the world of graphic design software. As you might expect, Affinity Photo is focused on photo editing, while Affinity Designer is vector graphic design software great for branding work, concept art, print projects, icons, and web mockups. Affinity software is designed to be fast regardless of the size or complexity of your work. It’s also highly customizable, with an intuitive, modern interface, advanced layer controls, the ability to undo up to 8,000 steps, and standard file format compatibility. This software is available on Windows or Mac at the reasonable price of $50 each.
5. VECTR
It is easily accessible through downloading on the desktop or website as an app with no charges. VECTR best suits beginners in vector graphics offering easily usable graphic design tools and editing options including filters and easily accessible platforms for sharing one’s work enhancing collaboration.
6. Adobe Premiere Pro
Through Adobe’s customer’s satisfaction aim, the software is equipped with effective video editing tools depending on the user’s specification that vary from movies to short commercial clips and even music videos.
7. Sketch
While it’s only available for Mac users, the vector editor software Sketch is quickly becoming a favorite for many in the design industry, especially those focused on web, app, user experience, or interface design. Priced at $100, this graphic design software is comparable in many ways to Illustrator and, in some aspects, Photoshop as well. Features include support for multiple pages and artboards, symbols and styles that can be easily repeated and updated across a design, and the ability to edit and merge vectors without destroying their original shapes. Sketch however is not a photo editing tool or ideal for print work, so you’ll have to rely on something else for that.
8. Director Suite
It’s a flexible professional video editing software that focuses on photos, audio, color, and video enhancing one’s creativity. Its cost is reasonable compared to the vast array of services and specialization it possesses.
9. INKSCAPE
It enables flexibility in the application in Mac devices, Windows, Linux among others. Its free services are effective for web designers specializing in logo creation and branding services. INKSCAPE scalable vectors and drawings are flexible. It possesses a unique alphabet transparency feature.
10. PAINT.NET
It is available through windows enhancing the simple application of photo and image editing tools for effective designs. It enables adjustment of graphics layers acting as a substitute for Microsoft Photo editor among other software.
11. CorelDraw
Best for designing fantastic vector images.
This is a leading vector graphic design and manipulation tool that comes with several tools that allow you to create realistic and incredible illustrations.
Features:
- Huge interactive sliders.
- LiveSketch tool for sketching.
- Import legacy workspaces.
- Enhanced Vector previews, Handles, and Nodes for easy creation and editing.
- Font search and addition.
- Ability to use a touch stylus to draw on the screen.
Cons: This software is only available for Windows.
Verdict: When you want to create professional and life-like vector images, CorelDraw is the best graphic design software to use. It has a steep learning curve but quite wonderful once you master it.
Price: One-time purchase price is $785 or you can opt for an Annual Subscription of $399.
12. Adobe Indesign
Its application favors both mobile phone and desktop accessories. Its specialization is focused on the creation of layout designs. Adobe Indesign is effective for web designers specialized in the printing press for books and digital magazines. One can easily transfer and share work from both desktop and Smartphone enabling application of available phone and desktop apps for an effective outcome.
13. Xara Xtreme
An effective photo editing software specifically helpful to photographers in editing different features ranging from photo texture to color. One can easily resize an image by following the easily explained rules concerning its available image editing tools. A good example is its ability to correct errors caused by the lens.
14. Instasize
Instasize is a free mobile app that removes some of the complexities that come with photo editing in favor of a user-friendly interface and simple slide and touch controls. The app is available on both the App Store and Google Play, and has a complete suite of basic tools that include filters, text, borders, and even beauty tools and video editing on iOS.
15. Lucidpress
Best for online creation and manipulation of illustrations and images.
Lucid Press is online graphic design software that you can use to create and manipulate images and illustrations. It has a large database of templates to start with.
Features:
- An online tool that you can use anywhere.
- A lot of templates to edit and customize.
- Drag and drop usability.
- Extremely simple user interface.
Cons: It does not have a comprehensive image database, especially PNG icons.
Verdict: This tool is great for people who want to create simple graphics for social media and basic brand identity. The image database is basic for those starting.
Price: Free Basic plan, Pro plan starting from $10 per user, Team plan starting from $12 for a team of 3 users, and a custom Business plan based on the number of users.
Conclusion:
So if you’re just starting out with graphic design software, or perhaps its been a while since you’ve used one, then that can be a bit of a chore. So take it from an old hand that at least in the short-term, being able to save money on applications is better!