15+ BEST Graphic Design Software in 2023 (Free/Paid)

By : Alyssa Walker Alyssa Walker
Hours Updated

Graphic design software is the essential tool for web designers to create beautiful art by creating attractive graphics for commercials, advertisements, posters, etc. However, the intuitive controls and flexibility of a good graphic design tool can make a big difference in the final output.

Following is a handpicked list of Top Graphic Design Software with their popular features and website links. The list contains both open source (free) and commercial (paid) tools.

Best Graphic Design Software

Name Free Version Supported Devices Link
Adobe Photoshop Yes Windows, macOS Learn More
CorelDraw Yes Web, Mac and Windows. Learn More
PhotoDirector Yes Windows, macOS Learn More
Affinity No Windows, macOS Learn More
Fotor Yes Browser, iOS, Android Learn More

1) Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is an application for photo retouching and image editing. It allows you to create, enhance, edit artworks and images. This proven graphic design tool helps designers, graphic artists, photographers, web developers, and creative professionals to create their graphic designs.

Adobe

Features:

  • Adobe Photoshop provides a one-click color correction- to makes the entire ending process fast.
  • It offers a complimentary mobile application to work across devices.
  • Built using generator technology.
  • Image edited with Photoshop on mobile can automatically save as a cloud.
  • Intelligent up sampling feature helps you to make low-resolution images print-ready.
  • Supports conditional actions allows you to automate tedious and repetitive tasks.
  • Supported platforms: Windows and macOS.

Pros

It is loaded with 3D design capabilities.
It offers efficient file transfer between different programs.
Support for multiple design tools that come with responsive graphics.
Allows editing animation and video layers.

Cons

It provides lessor support for raster and vector images like SVG files.
The recurring payment turns out to be more costly.

What is Good? : It offers 30 days free trial.

Pricing: US$20.99 per month.

Visit Adobe Photoshop

2) CorelDraw

CorelDRAW Graphics is a graphic design software is a bundle rather than a single application. The package includes Photo-Paint for photo manipulation. It also helps you convert bitmap images into vectors and FontManager for organizing the text styles you use.

CorelDraw

Features:

  • It offers app-wide workflow and performance enhancements- to increase the productivity.
  • Option for GPU acceleration when working with a system-intensive vector graphic system.
  • This graphic software provides a lot of variable parameters that are not just limited to regular dots.
  • Supported platforms: Windows and Linux.

Pros

Works without any gap with Surface Pen.
The right-click provides vectorization.
Shaping docker gives maximum usage.

Cons

Not offers any complimentary mobile applications offered by Corel.
Not have Mac Version.
Not an easy app to operate for beginners.

What is good? : To start your free trial, you do not need a credit card.

Starting Price: $249.00/ per year

Visit CorelDraw >>

3) PhotoDirector

PhotoDirector is one of the best graphic designing software that offers advanced color controls, design features and intuitive layer editing. This graphic editor application also offers access to world-class stock catalogs. It provides a wide variety of stock images and music tracks to add in GIFs.

Features:

  • Allows you to turn your images into art forms.
  • Faster masking with AI.
  • Helps you to envision your designs with an ever-growing collection of stock images.
  • Offers crisp and clear photo correction and color correction.
  • It provides unlimited access to Shutterstock and Getty Images.
  • Support platforms: Windows, macOS.

Pros

User-friendly yet powerful interface.
Layer editing for advanced users.
Offers making slideshows fast & easy with music.
Body shaper and other impressive editing tools.
Allows tethered shooting.

Cons

Interface doesn’t follow Windows standards.
Does not have enough lens profiles.

Visit PhotoDirector >>

4) Affinity

Affinity is graphic software that helps you to improve your workflow and creativity. This graphics editing tool also provides a real-time preview. You can use it to make complex drawings. The program enables you to link symbols.

Affinity

Features:

  • It offers a baseline grid that helps you to ensure that your text is aligned.
  • You can frame the image with intelligent scaling options.
  • It enables you to add more than one link together.
  • Allows you to style your text across all pages in your document.
  • You can make any curve and type with it.
  • This tool provides a baseline grid to ensure that your text is aligned.
  • Supported platforms: Windows, Mac, and iOS.

Pros

You can work with more than one image simultaneously.
It allows 360-degree image editing.
This tool enables you to erase any area of the image.
You can adjust exposure, white balance, black point, etc.

Cons

It lacks Photoshop’s heavyweight features.

What is good? : To use the free trial version, you don’t need any credit card.

Link: https://affinity.serif.com/

5) Fotor

Fotor is a tool that allows you to edit photos online. This application helps you to drag and drop images. You can also share edited images on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Fotor

Features:

  • You can upload webp and webp files to Footer.
  • This best free photo editor helps you to beautify your face.
  • This graphic software enables you to adjust light, color, size, etc.
  • Frames your photo with no hassle.

Pros

It provides a large selection of filters for photos.
Offers a wide range of effects.
You can add stickers to the photo.
This graphic software offers a wide range of templates.

Cons

This software does take lots of space.

What is Good? : It offers a free trial without having any credit or debit card.

Visit Fotor >>

6) Canva

Canva is Graphics editing software that helps you to create designs with your team. It provides a drag and drop interface to design, share, and print presentations, business cards, logos, and more.

Canva

Features:

  • This tool also helps you make impressive data visualizations by creating a graph that helps you boost your workflow.
  • Add text to photos in your image.
  • This graphic software helps you to enhance your photo’s numerous effects.
  • Publish, share, or download your HD graph with canava.
  • Embed the graph in infographics, presentations, etc.

Pros

Attractive and User-Friendly Interface
Support for photo enhancement
Design Grids
It has a drag and drop interface
Offers photo enhancer

Cons

Not a very friendly mobile app.

What is Good?: It offers a 30-day free trial. This application provides 250,000+ professionally designed templates.

Link: https://www.canva.com/

7) Vectr

Vectr is the best free graphic design software for professional graphic designers. It provides a web-based app for designers. It also offers excellent tools for graphic designing, such as pen tools, shape tools, pathfinders, and many others.

Vectr

Features:

  • Online availability of software
  • No need for massive curves learning
  • User guide and online tutorial
  • Supported platforms: Windows, macOS & Linux

Pros

Vector has a low learning curve.
Its basic graphics editor is free.

Cons

It collects your personal data.

Link: https://vectr.com/

8) Sketch

A sketch is a useful graphic design program for modern web designers. This tool helps you to stay focus on designing any product. It provides a cloud workplace that offers instant access to the designs you have created.

Sketch

Features:

  • It helps you to easily sharing of collaboration through the cloud.
  • This cloud-based design software helps you share the entire interface in the cloud through a simple file-sharing process.
  • It allows you to export any layer or group as a webp file.
  • This cloud-based design software helps you leverage libraries with standard Android, iOS, and mac icons.
  • Supported platforms: Android, iOS, and Mac.

Pros

Very flexible in functionality
Easy to build prototypes
Build symbols and reusable assets
It helps you to easily share your prototype

Cons

Screens do not render in the highest resolution level while accessing from the cloud.
Absence of automatic layout flowing option.

Link: https://www.sketch.com/

9) Pixlr

Pixlr is online graphic design software that helps you resize, crop, and remove background from images. It helps you to add artistic effect to a photo with just a mouse click.

Pixlr

Features:

  • This cloud based design software allows you to add effects like clarity, glamor, bloom, and mosaic.
  • You can use shapes, borders, overlays, or icons for your image.
  • Pixlr provides modes to lighten or darken images.
  • You can access your files and images from Google or Facebook.
  • Supported platforms: Browser, iOS, Android.

Pros

Repetitive tasks can be done with AI.
It offers a library of stickers, borders, icons, and decorative texts.
You can edit a photo from a mobile phone.

Cons

It lacks drag and drops support.
Requires Flash.

Link: https://pixlr.com/

10) Figma

Figma is a graphic design program that helps you communicate your ideas visually and get feedback from other people. This free to use software enables you to share your design with your colleagues in real-time.

Figma

Features:

  • You can easily transform your workflow into complex components.
  • It can automatically animate your objects.
  • Create multiple layers of content you have created.
  • It allows you to comment on your prototype.
  • Support for Dropbox and Notion.
  • Supported platforms: Windows, Mac, or Linux platforms.

Pros

Allows for a frame of reference for a deeper conversation to take place.
It offers a version control system.
Prototyping solutions.
Design delivery for developers.

Cons

This graphic design program can’t run without the Internet.

Link: https://www.figma.com/graphic-design-tool/

11) Gravit Designer

Gravit Designer is a vector graphic design app that works on all platforms. This graphic design tool helps transform your simple works into visually appealing outputs using UI design and graphics.

designer

Features:

  • Create shapes, points, lines, and give amazing form to your work.
  • Helps you to create mock-ups and wireframes using shared styles, symbols, and pages.
  • Helps you to create precise graphic designto provide flexible, non-destructive, and object Styling.
  • Offers professional vector editing.
  • Supported platforms: Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Pros

Simple to understand and easy to use.
Friendly keyboard shortcuts.

Cons

Not officially licensed with a GPLv3+ version
No integration into the system

Link: https://www.designer.io/

12) Inkscape

Inkscape is the best free graphic design program that provides a useful mechanism for designing vector imagery. It also helps designers to develop attractive designs and themes. This graphics editing software also offers flexible drawing tools with broad file format compatibility.

Inkscape

Features:

  • Flexible drawing tools
  • It offers broad file format compatibility
  • Offers a fully anti-aliased display
  • Great SVG integration
  • Supported platforms: Windows, Linux, and Mac

Pros

Creates Praiseworthy Vector Art
Cross-Platform with helpful Community
Accessible and easy to use software for graphic designing

Cons

Slow Responding Software
Control System can be Improved

Link: https://inkscape.org/

13) Visme

Visme is a tool that helps you share visual stories in infographics, presentations, and other visual content. It provides high-quality photos and other amazing design elements.

Visme

Features:

  • Easily adjustable social medial templates.
  • This graphic design program provides high-quality photos and other amazing design elements.
  • Customize engaging social media graphics.
  • Use your photos or choose from millions of free stock images, icons, shapes, and more.
  • You can drag-and-drop text with over 125 fonts to choose from.
  • Supported platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android.

Pros

You can search across any keyword and select from photos and cutouts.
Helps you to customize engaging social media graphics from our professional templates.

Cons

It allows you to create only three projects for free

Visit Visme >>

14) Gimp

GIMP is a freeware and open-source digital painting software. The full form of GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is used for image editing and retouching, free-form drawing. This one of the best software for graphic designing helps you convert images into different formats and more specialized work.

Gimp

Features:

  • This graphic design software offers a customizable user interface.
  • It helps you enhance digital photographs captured using the camera.
  • It has basic vector graphic features.
  • Supports different hardware devices, that includes the MIDI controller, USB, etc.
  • It is one of the best free art apps that enables you to enhance photos with ease.
  • Export to webp, webp, GIF, TIFF, and more file formats.
  • You can open an unlimited number of images at one time.
  • Supported platforms: macOS, Microsoft Windows, and Linux.

Pros

Offers bright and modern UI.
It comes with single windows usage.
This tool supports all file formats.

Cons

Have a few bugs.
Does Not Support Photoshop Plugins.

Link: https://www.gimp.org/

15) Getstencil

Genstencil is an easy-to-use graphic design tool that helps create social media graphics, compelling ads, and stunning blog headers. This graphics editing software helps you to upload and store multiple logos.

Getstencil

Features:

  • Match your brand perfectly by uploading your fonts.
  • It offers 140+ preset sizes for all your needs.
  • Provide thousands of new photos added every week.
  • Integration: Browser, Chrome Extension, Firefox Add-on, WordPress Plugin.
  • Supported platforms: Web.

Pros

Super high resolution
Save all your favorites
Preview & share your images
Schedule any image you create

Cons

Free version offers limited features.

Link: https://getstencil.com/

16) Pixteller

Pixteller is graphic design software that helps you to create images and animated videos. It helps you make animated videos, banners, social media posts, video stories and download them as videos or gifs formats.

Pixteller

Features:

  • Allows you to select various beautiful free pictures and illustrations and add them to your new image design.
  • Resize your photos to different format sizes with a single click.
  • Helps you to resize your photos to any size without ruining the aspect ratio.

Pros

This graphics editing software offers preset photo effects to beautify your picture.
You can download your photos in the best quality available as webp, JPG version.

Cons

Pre-made templates are not great when compared to other graphic design apps.

Visit Pixteller >>

17) Blender

Blender is an open-source 3D modeling software. It allows you to do photorealistic rendering, fast rigging, sculpting, and also for game creation. Blender has a full game engine included right in the software.

Blender

Features:

  • This tool offers Python API for scripting and customization.
  • It offers a path tracer for realistic rendering.
  • Allows you to create, transform, sculpt, and edit your models.
  • It provides a real-time preview of the 3D scene and tracked footage.
  • It helps you to turn still characters into impressive animations.
  • Supported platforms: Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Pros

The full 3D creation suite
Free and open source
Offers regular updates

Cons

Not as easy to use
Does not have good customer reviews

Link: https://www.blender.org/

18) Daz 3D

Daz 3D is an animation and rendering application that is designed for animators and designers. It allows you to create human models in 3D. This software for graphic designing helps you to add light and texture to the image.

daz3d

Features:

  • You can import content into other 3D software tools such as Maya, Mudbox, and 3DS Max.
  • It allows you to export the output in COLLADA, Universal 3D, and FBX format.
  • You can easily transfer figures to Maya software with few clicks.
  • Supported platforms: Windows and macOS.

Pros

Perfect for building 3D figures.
Great-quality renders.

Cons

Not a full 3D package

Visit Daz 3D >>

How does Graphic Design Software Work?

There are many graphic design software available in the market that offers a unique set of capabilities. However, their basic purpose is to create stunning artworks. Therefore, their basic functionalities are the same.

Here are some of the steps that display how your graphic design software work.

Step 1) Create a New Document:

For example, you are using Adobe Photoshop software to create graphics. You can start Photoshop and click on the “File” “New Document. Option” You can select a template or customize the size of the document manually.

Step 2) Enter the Camera Raw-Panel:

After that, you need to check what the camera raw-panel which looks like in Photoshop. Therefore, you can select the crop tool that is available in the sidebar to resize your graphic design.

Step 3) Should have Workspace Overview:

It displays the project/task which you are currently working on. It also has multiple tabs that depend on the number of projects you are working on simultaneously.

Step 4) Learn the Meaning of Basic Graphic Tool Icons:

You should know the meaning of the important tools which you can use for graphic design.

Step 5) Layers, Groups, and Guide:

Playing with layers at the right spot helps in creating visually appealing designs. It also helps you to lock the layers to that helps you to avoid editing them accidentally.

Step 6) Create a Wallpaper:

You can leverage a lot of tools to create simple images into great graphics, which can be used as high-resolution wallpapers.

FAQ:

Picking the right graphic design software is not as easy as it seems. Here are certain points that you need to keep in your mind before finalizing any graphic design software for your organization.

  • Ease of Use: Any graphics design tool you pick for your business must be easy to use. No matter how efficient your tool is if it’s not easy to use. Every feature and functionality should be convenient to use. However, it should be simple so that even a novice person doesn’t have issues while using your software.
  • Pricing: This is another important factor to consider. Yes, there are several free graphic design software available in the market. However, it may not provide you with the best features.
  • Features: Features of any graphic design software should be that it should not need to make any extra effort to attract its visitors. Instead, it should have a feature that generates people’s interest automatically.
  • Beginner-Friendly: You can’t decide which type of visitors you will have on your website. Moreover, it is also impossible for you to have a graphic design tool to figure out which type of people with what graphic knowledge scale by using their software. Therefore, it is always advisable to pick up a beginner-friendly solution. You should look for a graphic design software that could be used by people that have minimal graphic design knowledge.

Some of the best graphic software are:

Here are some important benefits of graphic design software:

  • This graphics editing software enables designers to create visually stunning graphics and images:
  • It offers you the flexibility to create visually stunning images and graphics
  • Graphic design tool helps your organizations maintain their brand positioning by embedding watermarks and logos on their marketing material.
  • This graphic design programs in sending the message to the audience more clearly.

Here are tips that help you to create Graphic Design Software:

  • Keep the typefaces to a minimum.
  • Do not be afraid of size.
  • Use a limited paint palette.
  • You should use a font from the same family as much as possible.
  • Try to produce images that are clean, smooth, and transparent.
  • You should use fonts that better convey the design’s atmosphere.

Best Graphic Design Software

Name Free Version Supported Devices Link
Adobe Photoshop Yes Windows, macOS Learn More
CorelDraw Yes Web, Mac and Windows. Learn More
PhotoDirector Yes Windows, macOS Learn More
Affinity No Windows, macOS Learn More
Fotor Yes Browser, iOS, Android Learn More
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