So you’re looking to design your own graphics for your blog, and are wondering, “Hey, what’s the best vector graphics software out there?” Or maybe you’re looking for a free vector graphics software download. Great! There are a lot of different types of graphics software out there, and it can be overwhelming to find the perfect vector software for your project.
Some of us take picture snapping for granted. There are times when we find ourselves needing to draw or edit a set of pictures into a single image. If you need to do this, the best free vector graphics software will get the job done in no time. If you want to learn more about these free tools and how they can be useful in your workflow, read on.
Canva
Canva free online vector editor is for beginners to create vector graphics and design templates. The online vector editor supports real-time collaboration and comment sharing.
Canva online vector creator also provides the magic resize option for resizing images along with a background remover.
Canva Features:
- Video support, editing, and version control
- Watermarking, templates, and visual discovery
- Print, workflow, and design management
- Offline editing and presenting with a step-by-step wizard
- Integration with printing services, publishing, and sharing
Free trial: Canva’s Pro plan is available on a 30-days free trial.
Canva Price: Upgrade to Canva Pro plan at ₹ 999 per month. Also available is a free forever plan with 5GB cloud storage and free templates.
Compatible OS: Canva is SaaS-based and works well on Mac and Windows OS.
Gravit Designer
Gravit Designer is a vector graphic designing app ideal for creating illustrations, logos, typographies, drawings, and icons. The free online editor supports vector tools with an intuitive interface for precise vector drawings. The versatile tool is the best for building mock-ups and wireframes.
Features of Gravit Designer:
- Multiple unit options with grids and rulers
- Different fills, borders, and blending modes are also available
- Powerful text engine
- Advanced export and import
- Enhanced tooltips and explanatory videos
- Powerful online documentation
- POD or print on demand templates with customizable appearances
- Prebuilt design assets like frames, lines, stickers, emojis, and icons
Free trial: Available
Gravit Designer Pricing: Gravit Designer Pro plan available at ₹3632 per annum. Gravit free online vector editor supports up to 500MB cloud storage, and RGB coloured space.
Compatible OS: Windows, Linux, and Mac OS
Inkscape
Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
Download link: inkscape.org
Inkscape is often called the GIMP of vector apps. It’s an open-source program with plenty of features that make you wonder why people aren’t selling it. And yet, it’s completely free. The app was released in 2003, and since then has become one of the most popular vector graphics software programs in the world. It’s available in 90 languages and across many platforms, including OS X and Linux.
The node workflow in Inkscape is similar to that of Adobe Illustrator and allows adding new nodes, as well as moving and editing them.
Helpful features like node aligning and symmetry are also available to use. Bezier curves and pencil tools work smoothly with graphic tablets, allowing users to create hand-drawn vector images of any complexity.
Inkscape also has image bitmap tracing, which is for converting rasterized images into vector paths. However, the feature is not as advanced as the one in Adobe Illustrator, and you may need some extra manipulations to make it work, or you’ll have to trace it manually.
Inkscape supports all popular formats, including SVG, EPS, JPG, PNG, PostScript and others.
The list of features the app has is beyond listing, and chances are it can do pretty much everything paid programs like Adobe Illustrator can do.
Full video tutorial here by Logos By Nick
At the very least Inkscape is nearly as good as Adobe Illustrator. Both programs share a very similar workflow and if you’re used to one of them, it makes it easier to make the switch. For logo designs and creating vector graphics, there won’t be much difference in whichever one of you use, apart from having an extra buck to spend on something else.
Tutorials: Inkscape’s website offers a wide variety of tutorials from beginner to advanced here. We also recommend Logos by Nick’s Youtube channel – it offers many excellent tips and workflows from a practicing designer.
Pros:
- Many features, solid AI alternative
- Works smoothly with tablets
- Multiple platforms (Linux included)
- Extensions
Cons:
- Rare performance issues with big files
- Some features are not intuitive – tutorials are needed
Vectr
Platform: Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Chrome OS, Web
Download link: vectr.com
Unlike Inkscape, Vectr is fresh blood in the yard. Which is good, because it means the development is shifted by industry demands, and not by the curse of bloatware.
This free vector art program was released just two years ago, but the pace of its development is truly magnificent. With all the features added recently, it’s hard to imagine what this product could be capable of in the future. However, developers are pressing that one thing stays unchanged – it will be forever free.
To compare Vectr and Inkscape is to make a great mistake – these two products are both in a league of their own. What Vectr lacks in features, it compensates for in intuitiveness. The learning curve on the program is non-existent: if you’re just starting in the design industry, you may be able to create your very first logo in five minutes after you start the program without having to skim through pages of tutorials.
Another advantage of the app is ubiquity – not only is it available on all popular platforms, but it also has a browser version with the same functionality as its desktop counterpart. That means you can work on your designs on your PC and then finish them in an internet cafe in the middle of nowhere.
From Vectr official website
The app allows all standard vector operations – creating and editing geometry shapes, curves, and paths. It supports multiple layers and pages, letting you organize your project. Vectr allows imports in AI, EPS, SVG, PNG, and JPEG file formats.
Another useful feature is the ability to share your projects simply by sending a URL to your colleagues, letting them view and edit it in a workflow similar to Google Docs. The development of full-scale collaboration with multiple people working on the same project simultaneously is currently underway, along with Marketplace and Versioning. You can literally watch the Vectr team’s backlog in the Open Roadmap.
Tutorials: vectr.com/tutorials
Pros:
- Cross-platform and browser versions
- Intuitive, easy to use interface
- Easy sharing of projects
- Integration with WordPress
Cons:
- Need to create an account
- Some people report crashes – the new features may be unstable
- Lacks advanced features
Fotor Editor
Fotor vector graphic designing app offers vector design layouts and templates for creating refreshing photo designs and collages. The online picture editor provides intuitive vector clip art designs for creating stunning graphics in minutes.
Other vector editing tools by Fotor are ready-to-use posters, retouching tools, and stunning font styles.
Features of Fotor Editor:
- Cropping and resizing images to the correct pixel size
- Background remover in few simple steps
- Photo enhancer for beautifying images
- Multiple styles for adding photo effects
- Blemish and wrinkle remover
- Beautiful collage templates
Free trial: Free basic plan available
Fotor Pricing: Fotor is available under the following price plans.
- Pro – ₹669 per month
- Pro Plus – ₹1489 per month
Compatible OS: Windows and Mac.
Conclusion:
Vector graphics is a design technique that represents images using geometrical primitives such as points, lines and polygons. These are different from raster or bitmap-based graphics, which use pixel-based building blocks. Vector graphics are based on mathematical expressions while raster graphics are based on an image made up of dots or pixels.