What is graphic design software? Graphic design software is a computer application designed to make it easier and faster to create and edit graphics for print, online and multimedia projects. Graphic designers use graphic design software to create and manipulate any type of image, from simple logos to complex images used in desktop publishing.
The programs allow the designer to concentrate on the content of the image rather than the technology required to produce it.
Adobe Photoshop is the industry-leading graphic editing software used by designers worldwide. Packed with features and tools, it has always been a popular choice among graphic designers. That said, the latest version of Adobe Photoshop takes things to a whole new level.
Favourite features
Cloud-Based – Perhaps one of the features I love the most as a digital nomad is that it’s all on the cloud. That allows me to access my work anywhere, on any computer. Best of all, it’s secure and backed up.
Effortless Syncing – Another cool new feature is preset syncing. I don’t need to go through the tedious process of installing my presets if I change devices, they’re already synced.
Collaborate – Easily invite others to collaborate and edit your cloud documents.
Pros
- Trust – Professional software trusted by thousands of designers worldwide. As a freelancer, using professional tools will set you apart from your competition.
Cons
- Steep learning curve – If you’re a novice, Photoshop does come with a steep learning curve. All the amazing features might overwhelm you at first, but once you get the hang of it, anything’s possible.
Pricing
Photoshop offers several pricing plans, depending on who you are: an individual, an education provider or a business. For individuals, the price starts at £9.98/month.
DesignWizard
Platform: Windows
DesignWizard ranks among the best free graphic design software for beginners. The tool offers a large database of images along with a host of free templates (over 10,000), plus a simple, easy-to-use interface. While you can also quickly create custom templates, DesignWizard excels as a front-line, free graphic design tool for beginners.
Despite an easy-to-use interface and no upfront costs, it’s worth noting that most of the more powerful options in DesignWizard are only available in its for-pay version.
Setka Editor
Platforms: Windows, Mac
Setka bills itself as “everything you need to create content that converts.” This graphic design software is primarily focused on delivering enhanced content branding across your website, ad campaigns, and social media posts — and works from within your current CMS or in the cloud.
The caveat? Although the Setka Editor is free to try for two weeks, companies will need to select a plan — Starter, Pro, or Enterprise — to unlock the full feature set and keep using Setka.
For print and digital media, Adobe InDesign is the go-to layout and page design software. It allows you to effortlessly create beautiful graphic designs with all the features you’ll need already integrated.
Favourite features
Interactive Design – InDesign allows you to create immersive digital media. Design an interactive user experience with audio, video, animations, and slideshows.
Easy Review – Getting feedback has never been easier. Share your designs online through the Adobe interface to get comments directly on your work.
Automatic Adjustments – Perhaps one of my favourite features. Auto adjustment allows you to change everything with the click of a button. Imagine finishing a week-long project – the doc is formatted, ready to publish. Then you realize it’s all in the wrong layout! Or when a client changes their mind halfway through and suddenly wants it all in landscape instead? Auto Adjustment is the smart way to quickly adjust any text document. Just choose your parameters and apply the changes.
Pros
- Quality – When it comes to publications (print or digital), you want to use the best possible software. Any designer will tell you that Adobe can’t be beaten. You can also use InDesign in conjunction with the other Adobe products.
Cons
- Limited uses – Adobe InDesign is great for publications, making it the perfect tool to create visual communication. However, that’s not a good thing if you want to expand your offering as a freelancer.
Pricing
Does Adobe InDesign have a Free Trial? Yes, there is a 7-day free trial.
Canva
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS
Whether you’re looking to create an ebook, infographic, business card, or email header, Canva has a template to simplify your process. The free web design tool, developed by non-designers, offers professional, easy-to-customize templates for just about any design need you can think of.
The drawback? You might need to invest in the paid version or try one of the more advanced free graphic design softwares as you skill up. While Canva’s free version is great for new designers working with templates, you can access more complex tools and features — such as team sharing — in the paid version.
Adobe Spark
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS
Adobe Spark is a free alternative to the company’s popular, for-pay Adobe Illustrator. While it’s not nearly as full-featured, it does support integration with other Adobe products. It’s easy to use and it comes with a host of free templates. If you’re looking to quickly create posters or videos for ad campaigns, Spark is a great choice.
The potential drawback? A limited feature set makes this a great starting point for beginners but less useful for more in-depth projects or experienced designers. The good news is that Spark is available for both web and mobile, meaning you can design anywhere, anytime.
Gravit
Platforms: PC, Mac, Chrome OS, Linux
Gravit is a vector design application created by the makers of Corel Draw. With a host of tools for creating vector art and a self-adjusting interface, Gravit earns its place among the best free graphic design software for Mac and Windows — the tool is also available for ChromeOS and Linux.
Worth noting? When you sign up for a free trial of Gravit you automatically get access to “Pro” features, including the ability to work offline and see version history. However, you lose these features when your trial is up unless you’re willing to pay for a subscription.
Blender
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Blender is an open-source, 3D creation suite that makes it possible for graphic designers to create everything from rigging to animation to rendering and motion tracking. It also provides support for 2D animation and has an active community of users committed to helping Blender improve.
While Blender is a powerful tool, it’s not ideal for beginners — complex menus and a massive amount of design options mean you need to know your way around graphic design basics to make the best use of this tool.
Piktochart
Infographics are powerful and shareable. In a little over two years, infographic search volumes increased over 800 percent. We know infographics get the job done, but not everyone has the design know-how to create them.
Piktochart gives non-designers the ability to create basic infographics without relying on powerful design software like InDesign. Choose from 400 templates, icons and graphics to get your message across.
While nothing can replace the expertise of a designer when it comes to creating a compelling infographic, Piktochart is a solid platform to start learning on if you want to understand what goes into the creation of an infographic.
Keep in mind that these are templates, and templates have limitations.
Krita
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, Linux
Krita is a free, open-source painting program made by artists, for artists. Ongoing development of this tool depends on donations and is driven by the needs of the designer community at large. It’s no surprise, then, that Krita includes a customizable user interface, feature-rich toolset, and a comprehensive resource manager.
For businesses looking to boost their graphic design impact, Krita is a great tool — if they have the help of an experienced designer. For companies in need of simple, streamlined solutions, other software on this list offers a better fit for beginners.
Inkscape
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Its tagline is “draw freely” and Inkscape lives up to that mantra — there’s no cost for this graphic design tool and it packs a host of features for both beginners and experienced marketers.
In addition to cross-platform support and an active community, Inkscape is known for superior vector art options and wide format compatibility. One drawback is that the sluggish controls can frustrate some users if they’re looking to quickly create and publish designs.
PicMonkey
PicMonkey is your go-to free online tool if you work with photography in any capacity. Quickly resize, crop and color-correct your photos. It doesn’t have as many templates and free design elements as Canva, but it’s a powerful and quick way to do basic photo editing and design without having to download software.
If you use PicMonkey frequently, upgrade to the premium version for access to more fonts and tools.
Pixlr
Pixlr’s free online image editor allows you to edit your photos with over 600 overlays, effects and borders. It’s available as an application on iOS and Android. It’s popular with Instagram users and photography buffs who haven’t quite leveled up to using pricey photo editing software.
You’ll get the most out of this tool if you enjoy editing photos before you share them, but it isn’t the most powerful option if you’re building shareable graphics.
Keep in mind that free doesn’t mean easy. Don’t get frustrated if you struggle to make the most of these online tools. They’re best-suited to those who have basic design or photography experience.
SketchUp
Platforms: Windows, Mac
SketchUp offers both free and paid design plans, with its no-cost version still offering substantial advantages for designers. A robust modeling platform, it’s a great tool for creating 2D or 3D designs for furniture or other complex objects.
With an easy-to-use interface and great support, SketchUp is a great tool if you’re looking to create product pages that feature in-depth images and dimensions. Potential drawbacks include limited storage space for free plans and no mobile support.
Gimp
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
One of the most popular open-source design tools, Gimp is often compared to its closest for-pay competitor, Photoshop, with users on both sides making passionate arguments for one platform over the other.
Gimp gets high praise as a free design tool for its support of all file formats, ease of digital retouching, and ability to quickly create new designs from scratch. In addition, Gimp features a customizable interface that allows more experienced designers to make use of the tool’s capabilities. Worth noting? Gimp does not support any Photoshop plugins.
Conclusion
When I started out as a graphic designer, I was overwhelmed with the amount of graphic design software available to me. It was a daunting task looking for the right software to use, and I didn’t know where to start in terms of free graphic design software. This guide aims to take the confusion away by helping you choose the right graphic design software for your future projects.