Graphic design software is the fundamental tool for every graphic designer to create digital graphics, interfaces or marketing materials that are represented visually. And any graphic designer with the desire to make sure he/she focuses on designing beautiful and compelling images can be confident about finding top-quality tools, apps, plugins and free trials with high conversion rate.
In this review, we shall take a look at some of the best graphic tools out there.
Sketch
The sketch is a vector-based graphic design software only for Mac users. It is basically used for app, web, and interface design. Unlike Photoshop and other image editing tools, it isn’t built for photo editing purposes.
Key features:
- Low cost: It provides significantly lower prices than other software.
- Smart Layout: This feature allows objects to resize according to the content automatically.
- Screen Templates: Sketch offers an artboard library for iOS devices as well as responsive web design layouts. Designers need only choose an artboard and a device.
- Custom Plugins: It offers hundreds of custom plugins that designers can use for a specific project.
Pricing:
- Standard – US $9 per editor, monthly
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Easy collaboration with teammates | ➖ Only available for Mac users |
| ➕ Save changes automatically | ➖ While accessing the cloud screen doesn’t render in high resolution |
| ➕ Requires a low learning curve and is easy to use | |
| ➕ Optimized for screen designs |
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)
GIMP is open-source graphic design software that can run on many platforms like Linux, Windows, and Mac. GIMP includes many features provided by paid tools. Also, it does more than create graphics. You can edit images as well.
Key features
- Regular Updates: Besides being free, GIMP gets regular updates as it’s an active community of developers.
- Compatibility: Unlike some paid software, this is compatible with many platforms like Windows, Mac and Linux, BDS, and Solaris.
- Flexibility: The user interface of the tool is customizable. If you know how to code, you can customize it according to your needs and take it to a higher level.
- GEGL Scripts: This feature makes GIMP an open image processing platform.
Pricing:
- FREE
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Tutorials provided for every feature | ➖ Updates are provided at a slower pace |
| ➕ Easy user interface for beginners | ➖ Interface is not perfect for Mac users |
| ➕ Lightweight |
Affinity Designer
As a cost-effective alternative for Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer works smoothly and is said to be faster than Illustrator, improving your workflow.
Affinity Designer is also suitable for beginners as it is easy to learn and use.
Key features:
- Grid Systems: This feature allows designers to set up grids when designing isometric game graphics and icons. Also, it allows for detailed layouts by giving designers complete control over angles, gutters, spacing, and subdivisions.
- Snapping Option: Designers can lock and place objects based on other objects’ grids, shapes, nodes, and so on.
- Dual Environment: Work in both pixel art and vector art environments in a single place.
- Zoom Feature: This software can zoom up to 1,000,000%, allowing designers to work with incredible precision.
Pricing:
- Mac – US $60.54
- Windows – US $60.54
- iPad – US $24.21
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Offers a wide range of colors and brushes | ➖ No vector eraser |
| ➕ Create smooth curves with rope and window stabilizers. | ➖ No perspective grid |
| ➕ Dynamic on-screen guides ensure accurate object layout | ➖ Missing tools available in Illustrator |
Adobe Photoshop.
Adobe Photoshop is one of the most well-known graphic design software used for creating and editing photos by millions of people around the globe. This software comes with a massive suite of tools which makes it suitable for painting, drawing, editing, and creating photographs, banners, logos, or websites.
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Key Features:
- Layers: They help users focus on specific parts of an image without disturbing others.
- Hue and saturation: Editors can change the shade and intensity of the colors in the images.
- Levels: This feature is used to change the color balance and tonal range in a picture.
- Color channels: Users can identify particular shades within the color channels palette included in the image.
- Filters: Using this feature, users can make changes to the image in a few clicks.
Pricing:
- Annual plan, prepaid – US $239.88/yr ($19.99/mo.)
- Annual plan, paid monthly – US $251.88/yr ($20.99/mo.)
- Monthly plan – US $31.49/mo.
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Supports HTML exporting | ➖ The interface can be overwhelming, especially for beginners |
| ➕ Can resize multiple objects at the same time | ➖ More expensive than other software |
| ➕ A suite of powerful graphics editing software | |
| ➕ Has an integrated stock image library |
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator undoubtedly is the best graphic design software for designing logos, icons, sketches, or any other type of visual design. Photoshop and Illustrator have some similarities in terms of tools and functions, but Adobe Illustrator focuses on vector design.
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Key features:
- Real-time drawing and editing: With this feature, you are no longer restricted to the outline view. You can draw, move, scale, and rotate an object in real-time.
- Enhanced free transform tool: Real-time editing and enhanced free transformation, when put together, make editing easier and more fun. With this feature, the bounding box will now follow the changes.
- Cut, copy, and paste artboards between documents: Now, copy-paste or drag and drop between two different illustrator documents is possible.
- In-Panel Editing: This feature enables designers to function more efficiently by allowing them to edit several artboards simultaneously.
Pricing:
- Annual plan, prepaid – US $239.88/yr ($19.99/mon)
- Annual plan, paid monthly – US $251.88/yr ($20.99/mon)
- Monthly plan – US $31.49/mon
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ A suite of drawing tools | ➖ Heavy software |
| ➕ Detailed graph creation is possible | ➖ More expensive than other vector graphic design programs out there |
| ➕ Generate graphics based on mathematical equations | ➖ Requires dedication to learn all the features, which can be overwhelming |
| ➕ Access to millions of graphics, images, videos, etc. | ➖ Feels like Photoshop |
Adobe InDesign
Another Adobe software, InDesign is best suited if you are in the publishing industry. Adobe InDesign is your go-to software if you want to design magazines, books, posters, brochures, etc.
As this software is not as complex to learn as Photoshop or Illustrator, it is a great graphic design software for beginners.
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Key features:
- Adjust Layout: If a designer changes the template’s text, then the graphics will adjust accordingly.
- Adobe InCopy: This feature allows you to work with your team members on the same project by sharing colors, graphics, and text.
- Sensei Technology: AI-powered Sensei technology helps with the automatic arrangement and resizing of objects.
Pricing:
- Annual plan, prepaid – US $239.88/yr ($19.99/mo)
- Annual plan, paid monthly – US $251.88/yr ($20.99/mo)
- Monthly plan – US $31.49/mon
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Easy to combine graphics and text | ➖ Less intuitive user interface |
| ➕ Supports HTML exporting for websites | ➖ Best suited for professional industry use only |
| ➕ Capable of resizing multiple objects at the same time | ➖ Comparatively expensive to similar software |
CorelDRAW
Not just in this list of graphic design software to break up appearances of Adobe’s name, CorelDRAW is a design industry classic – and one which continues to be an influential and in-demand option today. See here for the latest CorelDRAW discounts.
Covering both bitmap and vector design, CorelDRAW does what Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator do so well separately in one combined package.
Key features:
Content Exchange: It is an online digital library with thousands of high-resolution pictures and digital images. It also includes templates, fonts, professionally created templates, interactive frames, gradients, vector, and bitmap fills.
Customizable UI: You get a configurable UI environment for the desktop, including icon resizing, options for how your documents open, and the color scheme for the window border.
Pricing:
- Annual Subscription – US $249
- One-Time Purchase – US $599
| Pros | Cons |
| ➕ Supports 48 different file types (HTML, TIFF, AutoCAD, JPG, PNG, etc.) | ➖ Complex, not a beginner-friendly software |
| ➕ Surface Pen works flawlessly with no lag | ➖ No complimentary mobile applications |
| ➕ You can take advantage of touch functionality, with smooth transition from desktop to tablet mode |
GIMP
GIMP is a free graphic design software that works on many platforms like Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. GIMP is an open-source program that allows you to change its source code and distribute the program. There are many customization programs and 3rd party plugins that can be used in GIMP to improve your productivity and create better designs. GIMP can also be used to retouch images, wherein you can even make creative composites. Interface components and mockups can also be designed, along with print designs such as icons and logos.
Platform: Windows, Linux, Mac
Gravit Designer
This is another free graphic design software that can be used to create vector-based designs. You can create logos, edit photos, and create animations and illustrations in this program. Gravit does not have an offline version in the free plan. The software is fully customizable according to the user’s needs. The pro version of Gravit is paid and has more advanced features like advanced export options, offline version, more color space, etc.
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS
Visme
Visme is an online design tool that goes above and beyond basic design capabilities, without requiring you to learn any complex software. It has an easy drag-and-drop editor, which lets both businesses and individuals create stunning and interactive visual content. There are hundreds of templates to choose from across 40+ categories, from presentation and infographics to press releases, reports and social media images. With a free Visme account, you can use some of these templates, but you get full access to millions of stock photos, videos, icons, animated graphics, fonts and graphs to customize these templates as much as you want. If you want to access premium templates and features like the brand kit, you need to upgrade to a paid account. There are multiple download formats available in Visme, from image to offline web. You can also publish your projects online and share them with a live URL. The unique thing about Visme is you can bring your content to life with advanced animation and interactivity features. For example, you can create a custom animated character, or add links, hover effects and pop-ups to your designs.
Platform: Web Browser
Conclusion
You may have heard that Photoshop is the best graphic design software available. But what does that really mean? Can’t one Photoshop “Elements” do the same thing as the Adobe software suite? Actually, yes. Or are you talking about compatibility with other popular design programs, such as Illustrator or Inkscape, in relation to Photoshop? The answer to both questions is “yes.” And if you love to dabble in illustrator, then maybe you should think of finding a graphics tablet for your machine.