You don’t pay for design software to get free stuff! This free label printing software has, erm, labels that you can print on your printer (if it’s compatible) and put into your laser jet or inkjet printer. You could use the software to print or draft a layout if you’re a designer and then take it to be printed professionally. Worth checking out if you’ve got a printer!
So you’re thinking about starting a small home based business and want to learn more about how to make printable labels. You find yourself looking for an answer on Google or Bing using the following keywords: “free software to create business cards”, “printable label templates free download”, “best free print design software”. But instead of finding the English dictionary definition of one of these keyword phrases, you stumble upon multiple links to websites that talk about something else.
Affinity Designer
As a replacement for DrawPlus X8, Affinity Designer isn’t a rehash and was built from the ground up over a five-year development project by Serif.
Specifically aimed at professional designers and how they work, this software can handle a very wide scope of design tasks, including web, branding, concept art, typography and even repeating patterns, as you might need on ceramics, wallpaper or soft furnishings.
Inherent cloud functionality also makes it a good option for teams of designers working towards a common goal. And all this functionality can be yours for a very modest price on Windows PC or Apple Mac.
Adobe Illustrator CC
Essentially, Adobe Illustrator is the vector version of Photoshop, and the two share many common tools and functions to aid designers who use both.
However, if you want to design graphics that are can be rescaled from a postage stamp to a giant billboard, then Illustrator is certainly the tool of choice.
There was a time when you could buy Adobe Illustrator outright, but Adobe now only offers this product on the Creative Cloud (CC) suite, and it isn’t cheap.
It might have a powerful feature set, regular updates and be available for both Apple Mac and Windows PC, but the cost is prohibitive for occasional users.Advertisement
CorelDRAW
The CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is actually a software bundle rather than a single application.
The package includes Photo-Paint for photo manipulation, AfterShot to handle RAW files, PowerTRACE to convert bitmap images into vectors, and FontManager for organizing the text styles you do actually use.
The main star, of course, is CorelDRAW itself, which isn’t just a vector-drawing package but also includes a desktop publishing feature as well, so you can design projects with a multi-page layout.
The latest version includes a number of improvements, such as for handling web graphics, editing vector effects, and the template menu has been simplified. In addition to these, is the ability to easily search through your images as thumbnails. Advertisement
Another plus is that after a break it has returned to the Mac with a fully functional version.
Overall, the CorelDRAW Graphics Suite offers a veteran range of software that remains very up-to-date, and widening its use to Apple users as well as Windows can only be a plus.
If you’d like to learn more, read our full CorelDRAW review.
Maestro Label Designer
Maestro Label Designer is online label design software created by OnlineLabels.com. It includes blank and pre-designed templates for hundreds of label sizes and configurations, clipart, fonts, and more. It also has an alignment tool built-in to help with printing.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Maestro Label Designer was created specifically for label design and printing, so its specialized for those needs. It’s easy address label software that works as a product label designer, and everything in between. It has a limited selection of shapes and fonts, but you can upload unlimited graphics and use typefaces installed on your personal computer. It’s also web-based, so you can access your labels from anywhere. For high-level users, there are nutrition and barcode generator tools integrated into the platform, among others.
How It Works
You choose your desired label configuration or pick a pre-designed template to start. Adding text, photos, and more is easy using the left toolbar. When it’s time to print, the program automatically detects and includes bleed, and replicates your design across the entire sheet. You then download your design and print from your preferred PDF viewer. You can also choose to have us print your labels for you.
Adobe Creative Suite
The Adobe Suite is an all-encompassing option for advanced-level designers. The various programs (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign in particular) offer photo editing, vector creation, and page layout.
Strengths & Weaknesses
These platforms shine when it comes to creating intricate, sophisticated label and sticker designs. For product labels, it may be worth the investment. For personal use, it’s a little harder to justify the hefty price tag and steep learning curve.
How It Works
You can upload a blank label template or create your own. Build your own shapes, insert your own photos, and more – the program is a blank slate for your creativity. You can print directly from the programs and/or download your design for safe-keeping.
Canva
Canva is an design website with hundreds of templates to help entry-level designers execute their vision. Its free platform is available for photo editing, layout design, and graphics of all kinds.
Strengths & Weaknesses
The website features hundreds of expertly-designed templates and the ability to add charts, icons, shapes, and more. It makes designing online very simple, though professional designers may miss some of the advanced features that come with paid alternatives. Many of the best templates also cost extra.
How It Works
You can choose a pre-designed template or start with a blank canvas. Drag and drop any desired elements onto your design and download the file for printing. You have to open the file in your own viewer and print from there.
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is word-processing software. It’s most popular for writing, but it offers various design tools like clipart, shapes, and more. The program also includes popular label templates for easy configuring.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Microsoft Word is already installed on most computers, making it widely accessible. Most people are very comfortable with the program, or at least vaguely familiar with it. Having templates preloaded is convenient for users, though you have to duplicate your design across the entire sheet with is tedious and can lead to errors.
How It Works
You can choose a blank template from their selection, download a template online, or configure the layout yourself. Then, it’s up to you to add your desired elements, complete the design, and replicate as needed. You can print directly from Microsoft Word without needing to open any additional programs.
Gravit Designer
Due to the complexity of vector illustrations, most software for creating them is locally installed, but Gravit Designer has online options too.
The cloud-based version that runs from any browser and can automatically save to the online storage or locally.
Alternatively, on Windows PC, Apple Mac, Linux and Chrome OS (which you’ll find on a Chromebook), there are installable releases that can better utilise the computer hardware.Advertisement
Our experience is that the online version can get slow with complex designs, but the locally installed versions cope much better. However, with a limited free version to use, there isn’t any excuse for not giving it a try. There are plenty of impressive examples designers have created using Gravit Designer that prove it can be very effective at some jobs.
Gravit Designer PRO allows for unlimited online storage, increases resolution to upto 300dpi, increases the print options to CMYK and HSB on top of RGB, plus there’s also the ability to work offline, advanced export options, and version history, all available for a reasonable yearly subscription.
Inkscape
Most business people shy away from free software for often valid reasons, but Inkscape is certainly worth looking at before you commit to buying CorelDRAW or an Adobe CC subscription.
It’s a vector design tool that offers broad file support, extensive text manipulation and both Bezier and Spiro curve types. It also has an extension model that allows new features to be easily installed, and there are some amazing ones available.Advertisement
The only reservations we have are that even on a powerful PC it can be slow at times when a complicated process involves rendering.
As a GPL licensed app, along with Windows, Linux and Apple Mac versions, you can also download the source code and compile it for whatever version of Linux you use.
To find out more, read our full Inkscape review.
Conclusion:
When you want to print labels, it’s good to know that there are plenty of software options and providers out there. You might think it’s best to use standard options such as Microsoft Word or even the default programs that come with your computer, but with all the different label formats out there, these aren’t going to help you. What you need is a service that can output using your printer and also give you specific label templates depending on what you’re looking to print.