There are many different graphic design software suites to help designers work on graphics, but what are the best ones? Whilst there is no one single answer to this question, it is worth noting that the following software suites are some of the best graphic design software in the industry right now.
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Why do we use graphic design software?
Graphic design software is a crucial part of the graphic design process, and without it, many projects would be impossible. Graphic design software is used to create logos, web graphics, advertisements, brochures, and all manner of creative materials that allow creative people to do their job.
What is the best free graphic design software?
Many people like to use free software when creating or editing graphics, and this has led to a whole market dedicated to free graphic design software. This is a list of the top free graphic design software available, along with a brief description of each, so that designers can find the best software for their own needs.
Krita- Free & Open-source
The Free Painting and Illustration Software Krita is a free, open-source painting and illustration application that runs on Linux, Windows, OS X, iOS, and Android. It features real-time 3D painting, painting effects, realistic paintings/gradients/patterns/photo-retouching/markup languages support.
Key Features of Krita
- Drag & Drop
- Drawing Assistants
- Custom Development
- Color Palette
- Data import & export
- Mirroring Tools
Krita – Pros
Digital drawing, painting, and concept art are what Krita excels at. It’s completely free and open-source software. Provides users a rich set of features such as different types of brush engines, filters, and a lot of layers to ease your work.
Krita – Cons
Since it is not developed for animation, it lacks some specific features that other programs have, and it doesn’t appear to be well prepared to create long projects in a single session. It is less suitable to picture manipulation and other sorts of image modification because it only really enables digital painting and other artwork. New users may find some capabilities, such as layer patterns and manipulation tools, to be confusing and puzzling.
Gravit- Free & Open-Source
Free & Open-Source Desktop Publishing Gravit is a free, open-source desktop publishing software. It comes packed full of features for people who would like to create web pages, posters, flyers, and other forms of graphic design.
Key Features of Gravit
- Cloud integration
- Live Boolean Operations
- Precision editing
- Reuse elements and assets
- Real-Time design collaboration
- Auto-save function
- Works on Windows, Mac, Linux
Gravit – Pros
A highly customizable, intuitive, and clean interface makes users have a lot of features. Free & Open Source software. A powerful and intuitive dashboard, configurable interface, drag-and-drop capabilities, and advanced editing tools are the key features of Gravit Designer.
Gravit – Cons
Sometimes Gravit Designer duplicates your files and that makes a waste lot of time. If you are familiar with other Illustration software, you may find Gravit designer is too simple and confusing to use. Some basic features were added to the pro version.
Inkscape- Free & Open-Source
Free Vector Graphics Software Inkscape is a free, open-source vector graphics editor which has been around since 2003. It is incredibly powerful, with plenty of plugins and add-ons available for it that make it easier to use.
Key Features of Inkscape
- Multiplatform Support – Mac, Windows, Linux
- Extended Undo history
- Advance Node Editing
- Reuse elements and assets
- Real-Time design collaboration
- Auto-save function
- Object Manipulation
Inkscape – Pros
The easy setup guides on startup, This program has the amazing benefit to be fully free and has the potential to integrate other free and sophisticated APIs. Impressed by the number of features and the ease of use, I decided to try out Inkscape. It’s free and has an open-source component.
Inkscape – Cons
Inkscape doesn’t support multiple artboard exports.No print or screen-friendly color options. Not as good as premium vector graphics.
Setka Editor- Free Web Page editor
Free Web Page editor Setka is a free page editing software that can be used to create web pages, but it can also be used to create graphics and other types of design materials.
Key Features of Setka Editor
- Animations Creation
- Certain styles with a keyboard shortcut
- Cloud Design
- Reuse elements and assets
- Premium customer support
- pre-designed grid systems
- Text style customization
Setka Editor – Pros
With Setka, you can easily add text and arrange images without coding anything. Its modular design and post-style templates are very helpful, and its automated mobile layout saves a lot of time. Setka is a great example of a simple WordPress theme. Its ability to customize the layout of each blog post makes it a great alternative to other WordPress plugins. You can also create a layout with a variety of columns and change the spacing between them. This feature can be applied to every post to save time.
Setka Editor – Cons
Unfortunately, this feature is only available through a subscription, which means that you’ll have to pay for it. No prior knowledge of HTML or CSS is required to develop and utilize components, however, it may be required for certain more complex designs.
SketchUp- 3D Modeling Software
3D Modeling Software SketchUp is a computer-aided design (CAD) software package. It allows the easy creation of three-dimensional models of buildings, furniture, vehicles, and all kinds of other things.
Key Features of SketchUp
- Interoperability
- accuracy and speed
- Extensibility
- Reuse elements and assets
- Generate Reports
- Extension Warehouse
- 3D Modeling
- Lighting effects
SketchUp – Pros
Great for simple layouts and diagrams. The sceneries function is useful for architecture presentations and works well with Enscape or Lumion rendering software. The workshop and extras are fantastic. It is simple to use, thanks to a user-friendly interface and easy directions. Software that is dependable and trustworthy for all types of tasks.
SketchUp – Cons
Using the browser may be a headache at times, especially when your design details pile up. But the app works. I’m not sure about other browsers, but I’ve just used Chrome and Firefox. However, you may first lock the lines into groups to guarantee that everything remains the same and secured in place, as well as for ease of duplication.
Jasc Paint Shop Pro- Free Digital Design Software
Free Digital Design Software Jasc Paint Shop Pro is available on both Mac and Windows computers. It allows designers to create graphics of all kinds, including web pages.
JASC Paint Shop Pro was an easy-to-use graphics editor that was released in 1990. It was created by Robert Voit and was initially built as a basic picture converter.
In 2004, JASC Paint Shop Pro was acquired by Corel, and it became known as PaintShop Pro. This version was an important upgrade, and it included many new features such as automatic photo enhancement and retouching.
Key Features of Jasc Paint Shop Pro
- Sharing Tools
- accuracy and speed
- Image Editing
- Automatic photo template rendering
- High-resolution image output
- Transparent Backgrounds
- Multi-language support
- Quick corrections
Jasc Paint Shop Pro – Pros
Paintshop Pro is a fantastic alternative to Photoshop for a variety of reasons. It includes all of the tools you’ll need to complete your picture editing and design tasks. How well it handles both vector and picture images is something which will you really like. It boasts a very user-friendly design and a plethora of helpful capabilities, making it an excellent choice for novices. Additionally, it offers a comprehensive collection of training and helps to get you started.
Jasc Paint Shop Pro – Cons
It might look sleepy at times. It’s not as well-known as Photoshop. I also wish some of the instruments were more visible. My biggest annoyance right now is the pen tool, which works considerably better and seems more natural than other programs.
Adobe Spark- Online Graphic designer and Photo Editor
Online Graphic designer and Photo Editor Adobe Spark is a web and mobile application that allows users to create graphics and other design elements. It features a range of templates, fonts, and resources that can be used to create everything from invitations to posters. Also known as Adobe Creative Cloud Express
Key Features of Adobe Spark
- User-friendly – No design skills are needed
- Web-based + iOS and Android apps
- Get free Adobe Stock images
- Convert videos to GIFs.
- Remove backgrounds instantly.
- Trim and edit video clips.
- Customizable Templates
Adobe Spark Pro – Pros
Easily trim, crop, resize and convert videos. Share your ideas by creating, tweaking, combining, and converting PDFs. The tool is free to use, and it features a variety of template-based graphic creation options. Its AI-based background reduction feature is also included in the free edition.
Adobe Spark Pro – Cons
There are various templates and components that are exclusively accessible to paying tiers alone. The current template collection is still relatively restricted if we compare it with an industry leader like Canva or Crello. fewer pictures and designs are available even with the premium version. Adding vectors such as animals, flower wreaths, etc. This is why I still use Canva for most of my projects.
What is the best paid graphic design software?
Adobe Photoshop- The World’s Best Digital Graphic Design Software
The World’s Best Digital Graphic Design Software Adobe Photoshop is one of the world’s most popular graphics editing software packages. It is used for creating complex images that are then published on the internet or used on computers, tablets, or phones.
Adobe Illustrator
The World’s Best Digital Graphic Design Software Adobe Illustrator is an illustrator package for creating vector graphics, key art, logos, and other kinds of design materials.
Adobe InDesign
The World’s Best Digital Graphic Design Software Adobe InDesign is a specialist design program that can be used to create print or web publishing content. It is designed to work together with other Adobe products, so it is ideal for designers who are already using this software.
Affinity Designer
A Premium Digital Graphic Design Software Affinity Designer is a specialized design package that is aimed at professional designers that produce a range of different graphics for their clients. It is easy to use and can be used alongside Adobe Illustrator and InDesign.
Inkscape Premier
A Premium Digital Graphic Design Software Inkscape Premier is a very powerful vector graphics editor that can be used in conjunction with Adobe Illustrator to create complex designs in a short space of time. The software has plenty of features for experienced designers.
