11 best graphic design software and tips in 2023

Graphic design is demanding work. 

The good news: there are tons of capable tools that make the work more manageable. 

Whether you’re designing brand identity assets, magazine layouts, social media graphics, or product packaging, there’s a tool that can help. 

This guide covers the best graphic design software for creating stunning, stylish visuals, and how to pick the right tool for your needs.

Best graphic design software for different design needs

With many varying graphic design tools on the market, finding the right one is no easy task. 

To help make your decision easier, we analyzed the top options based on different use cases and factors. Our selections also span a wide range of design needs, including raster image editing, typography, and vector design.

No matter your needs, skill level, or budget, check out the best graphic design software to find what works for you.

1. Adobe Creative Cloud: Best graphic design software

Source: Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe Creative Cloud is a suite of tools with graphic design apps and services for photography, video, and the web. 

The software suite includes thousands of quick how-tos, tutorials, and beautiful templates to make flyers, social posts, and stories. All these make the Creative Cloud ideal for beginners and experts. 

With the full plan, you’ll get tools like Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Adobe Spark, AfterEffects, Photoshop Sketch,  and Premiere Pro. That way, you can explore your creativity and work more.

Creative Cloud works on multiple operating systems, such as Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS. 

Key features

• Industry-leading graphic design tools

• Cloud integration and collaboration features

• Custom brushes

• Adobe Fonts

• Best-in-class templates

• 3D effects and textures

• File portability between Adobe applications

• short-format digital & print layouts

Pros

• Integrates with other applications

• Simplifies workflow and enhances productivity

• Offers 100GB cloud storage 

• Comprehensive suite of powerful tools

• Intuitive interface

• Good performance

Cons

• Can be expensive for individuals and small businesses

• Some features can be complex and may require a learning curve

Pricing

• Monthly plan: $82.49 per month 

• Annual plan: $54.99 per month

• Annual prepaid plan: $599.88 per year

2. Canva: Best for beginners

Source: Canva

Canva is a free web design tool that offers professional, easy-to-customize templates for creating and editing podcast feature images, infographics, social media posts, posters, logos, or ads.

Canva’s drag-and-drop tool simplifies enhancing images, adding text to video, and other functions. With its photo editor, you can design, resize, and edit photos like a professional and take your content to the next level. 

An image generator powered by artificial intelligence (AI) is also available, which creates beautiful images from text prompts. 

Key features

• Free stock images

• Image enhancer

• Photo blur

• Text animations

• Background remover

• Design and photo grids

• Free AI image generator

• Collaboration tools

• Social media integration

• Photo filters

• Saturation and tint

Pros

• Free to get started

• User-friendly interface

• Huge library of assets

• Over 250,000 drag-and-drop templates

Cons

• Limited free plan

• Can’t create unique design elements

• Mobile app isn’t as intuitive or feature-rich as web version

Pricing

• Free: $0

• Pro: $6.49 per user, per month

• Teams: $8.49 per month (for the first 5 people)

3. Adobe Photoshop: Best for digital image editing

Source: Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is the industry-standard for design software popular among professional graphic designers.

The software offers industry-leading tools, such as digital image editing, graphic design, and one-click transformations, and is ideal for creating or editing pixel-based or raster graphics, or working with photos.

You can create anything you imagine, including artistic effects and professional marketing content, combine multiple photos, and remove or transform photo elements. And if you need help, Photoshop’s Help content and in-app guided tutorials are available for you to learn as you create. 

Key features

• Complete customization tools

• Pixel perfect precision

• Custom brushes

• Image layering (compositing)

• Photo editing and transformation

• Short-format digital & print layouts

• Adobe Stock search to find graphic design elements

• Easy collaboration and project sharing tools

• Maximum control for refining and remixing photos

• Nondestructive filters and tools

• Machine learning technology for difficult tasks

Pros

• Extensive library of stock photos, fonts, templates, icons, and videos

• Intuitive editing features

• Supports multiple file formats

• Integrates with other Adobe programs

Cons

• Expensive plans

• Lacks 3D effects & textures

• Resource-demanding 

• No long-format print and digital layouts

Pricing

• Monthly: $31.49 per month

• Yearly: $20.99 per month 

• Yearly: $239.88 per year (billed upfront)

4. Adobe Illustrator: Best for creating vector graphics

Source: Adobe Illustrator

With Adobe Illustrator, you can create gorgeous graphics, such as business logos, web graphics, and packaging designs that work anywhere. 

The software is ideal for creating graphics you can infinitely scale up or down without losing sharpness or blurring, in small, extra-large, print, or digital format.

You can combine shapes, types, and colors to make unique graphics to make your brand pop in mobile apps, packaging, and signage to bring your products to market in style. Its Generative Recolor (in beta form) is useful for turning words and concepts into color palettes and applying them to your designs.

Illustrator is also useful for creating infographics from complex data, making it easier to see trends, discover insights, and make smart business decisions. Also included is Vector Recoloring—an AI feature that generates vector image variations in different color schemes so you can pick the best version for your project.

Key features

• Repeat for Patterns or Global Edits

• Shape Builder

• Vector Recoloring (AI tool)

• Review link for collaboration

• Built-in tutorials, tool guides, and creative inspiration

• Intertwine for text and objects

Pros

• Wide range of vector design tools

• Multi-format support

• Integration with other Adobe tools

Cons

• Expensive 

• Resource-demanding 

• Steep learning curve

Pricing

• Monthly: $31.49 per month

• Yearly: $20.99 per month 

• Yearly: $239.88 per year (billed upfront)

5. Affinity Designer: Best for professional designers

Source: Affinity Designer

Need professional graphic design output for print, digital, or collaboration? Affinity Designer—a vector graphics software—is worth considering. 

The software offers a similar suite of graphic design tools like Adobe Illustrator, along with advanced features for vector and raster graphics. These enable professional illustrators, web designers, and other creatives to create unique graphics, high-quality print projects, mockups, user interface (UI) designs, video art, and concept art.

Too busy to learn graphic design software? Buy the services of an AI video artist for your next project.

Key features

• Layer groups

• Color tagging

• Live outline view

• Intuitive user interface

• Fully featured vector and raster workspaces

• Custom brushes

• Grids, guides, and planes

• Pixel preview mode

• Unlimited artboards

• Sophisticated typography options

• Detailed version history

Pros

• Live, responsive, and fast

• Versatile

• Works with multiple devices

• Multiple file format support

• Budget-friendly one-off payment

Cons

• Steep learning curve

• No cloud service

Pricing

• Affinity Designer (version 1): $ (one-off)

• Affinity Designer (version 2): $52.99 (one-off)

• Affinity V2 Universal Licence: $123.99 (one-off)

6. Figma: Best for UI design

Source: Figma

Figma is an online design tool for creating, sharing, and testing digital art designs for mobile apps, websites, and other assets. 

The software is flexible for use by solo designers and teams, allowing multiple people to work and collaborate on the same project. It allows everyone to contribute and share feedback in real-time and asynchronously. 

Your work is always backed up so you won’t have to keep saving or creating multiple versions. 

Key features

• Auto layout

• Pre-loaded frames

• Collaboration tools

• Sections and pages

• Branching and merging

• Intuitive interface 

• Smart select

• OpenType and variable fonts

• Plugins and widgets for task automation

• Dev Mode

Pros

• Free plan available

• Cloud-based tool

• Lightweight and fast 

• Doesn’t need to be installed to use or share files

• Auto-saves your work

Cons

• Steep learning curve

• Lacks enhanced typography for consistent designs

• No offline mode

• Limited customization options

• Few animation capabilities

• Limited third-party integrations

Pricing

• Free: $0

• Professional: $12 per editor, per month

• Organization: $45 per editor, per month

• Enterprise: $75 per editor, per month

7. Adobe InDesign: Best for desktop publishing

Source: Adobe InDesign

Want to create and publish books, posters, ebooks, interactive PDFs, or digital magazines? Adobe InDesign offers everything you need to create presentations, documents, and image-heavy posters. 

The standalone desktop publishing program works with other Adobe programs and lets you create a house style for your graphic design needs. This saves you time and effort instead of switching between multiple tools. 

You’ll also find a wide range of useful graphic design tools plus collaboration features to speed up the design review process.

Key features

• Layout and typesetting tools

• Cloud documents

• Auto Style

• Seamless copy and paste

• Modern graphics support (HEIC, JP2K and WebP images)

Pros

• Standout layouts for any output

• Keeps everything organized

• Built for collaboration

• Good for image-heavy designs

Cons

• Expensive

• Steep learning curve

Pricing

• Monthly: $36.21 per month

• Yearly: $24.14 per month 

• Yearly: $275.86 per year (billed upfront)

8. Inkscape: Best free graphic design software

Source: Inkscape

Inkscape is a free, open-source design tool for creating vector images, taking them from raw drafts to a final, professional-grade design format.

The software is flexible and used by individual designers or companies in various industries. You can create graphic design projects in Inkscape and export them in friendly formats for publication in physical form or on the web. 

Plus, Inkscape is cross-platform, so you can run it easily on Windows, Linux, and MacOS devices, such as iPad.

Key features

• Flexible text, shaping, and drawing tools

• Transformation tools 

• Layers and grouping objects

• Color selector and picker tool

• Copy and paste style

• Dashed strokes

• Pattern fills (vectors/bitmaps)

• Node editing

• Boolean operations

• Kerning, line spacing, and letter spacing adjustments

• Alpha transparency support

• Broad file format compatibility 

• Command line options for export and conversions

Pros

• Free to use

• Multiple customization options

• Works with SVG file format

• Can be incorporated into other programs

• Can import AI and CorelDRAW files

• Cross-platform compatibility 

Cons

• Sluggish controls

• UI isn’t as intuitive 

Pricing

• Free

9. GIMP: Best for raster graphics

Source: GIMP

Like Inkscape, GIMP—GNU Image Manipulation Program—is a free and open-source program for creating unique graphic designs. 

GIMP is the most comprehensive graphic design software for creating or editing raster graphics. The program—often compared to Adobe Photoshop—helps advanced designers looking for a custom tool create graphics and illustrations. 

The software provides customization options, an impressive image editor, and support for digital retouching, multiple file formats, and quick design creation. Plus, you get multiple third-party plugins to enhance your design capabilities and productivity.

Key features

• Customizable interface

• Digital retouching

• Powerful image editing tools

• User-friendly navigation

• Top-notch color management

Pros

• Offers similar functionality to Photoshop for free

• Lightweight compared to other programs

• Outstanding, helpful support

• Robust and feature-rich

• Frequently updated

• Multi-language support (C, C++, Perl, Python, Scheme, and more)

Cons

• Steep learning curve

Pricing

• Free

10. CorelDRAW: Best for all-in-one illustration

Source: CorelDRAW

CorelDRAW is a top choice among graphic design professionals for its advanced illustration capabilities, precise design, and easy-to-use collaboration tools. 

Whether you’re an occasional graphics user or just starting out, a graphics enthusiast, or a designer looking for the latest and advanced tools, CorelDRAW offers graphic design options for all skill levels.

Key features

• Vector illustration tools

• Collaboration tools

• Scaling tools

• Objects and color styles

• Automation support

• Enhanced color management 

• Multiple file format support

Pros

• Pro-level features

• Easier to learn than Illustrator

• Highly customizable interface

Cons

• No AI features

• Lacks many shortcuts other competitors offer

• No smooth transition between pixel and vector-based designing

Pricing

• Free: $0

• CorelDRAW Graphics Suite: $859 (one-time) or $36.58 per month

• CorelDRAW Standard:$419.00 (one-time)

• CorelDRAW Essentials: $155.00 (one-time)

11. Sketch: Best for Mac users

Source: Sketch

Sketch is a complete design platform with an intuitive interface that doesn’t interrupt your flow and thoughtful features that make mundane tasks simple.

Built as a Mac app (which can be a dealbreaker for Microsoft users) Sketch lets you create designs, build prototypes, team up, and do more within your design workflow. 

The web version of the software offers collaboration tools so everyone on your team can browse, contribute, give feedback, inspect, and handoff—regardless of the browser they use. 

Key features

• Vector editing

• Intuitive prototyping

• Shared styles, components, and libraries

• Color profile control

• OpenType and variable font support

• Reusable design templates

• Offline and local file support

• Drag-and-drop between apps

• File organization

• Customizable shortcuts

• Artboard templates 

Pros

• Works in any browser

• Offers workspaces for collaboration 

• User-friendly interface

• Strong community support

Cons

• Mac-only use

• Lacks version comparison 

Pricing

• Standard: $12 per editor, per month

• Business: $20 per editor, per month (billed yearly)

• Mac-only license: $120 per license

What to look for in graphic design software for your business

Most of the tools on this list are available on desktop, mobile, and web platforms, but is there a distinct benefit to choosing one over the other? 

Not really. You’ll get similar functionality for creating graphic designs, but the best choice for your needs depends on several factors. 

Here's what to consider when picking the best graphic design software for your business:

• Features: Find software that offers the features necessary for your design needs. For instance, Adobe Photoshop may be the best photo editing software while InDesign may work for laying out print publications and similar artwork types.

• Cost/budget: Some tools offer a free version or free trial while others come with different pricing structures with varied feature sets. Compare this with your needs and budget to avoid overpaying for a tool just because it’s popular. 

• Usability: Based on your needs, determine whether the tool can create the actual designs you’re looking for and how you can export and share the files without compromising quality.

• Precision: Ultimately, you want a tool that delivers graphics with high degree precision regardless of the type or size. The tool you’re considering should ensure your designs look their best and be as clean as possible without missing details or blurred pixels. 

• Templates and tools: When choosing a graphic design software, consider one that offers a wide range of templates for your industry or design needs. That way, you can streamline your projects and manage tasks easily and quickly. 

• Platform: Find a tool that can work with the platform you’re familiar with, whether that’s Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, or iOS. 

• Skill level: Pick a tool with an intuitive user interface that doesn’t have a steep learning curve for your skill level. If you’re new to photo editing, pick a beginner-friendly tool to get started, then move to a more complex one as you upgrade your skills. 

• Collaboration: If you have a team, pick a tool that makes collaboration, review, and sharing easier and provides version history.

Create striking visuals

Graphic design tools make designing stunning and stylish graphics easier and quicker.

While these are 11 popular choices for individuals and businesses, there are many more out there. Ultimately, the one you pick should be a good fit for your workflow and team. Give each a spin using the available free trial or free versions to find what works best for you. 

If you need expert design work for your upcoming project, you can find top professional graphic design freelancers on Fiverr to deliver visual value for your business. 

Fiverr is a leading digital marketplace for a wide range of expert graphic design services, including web design, app design, AI art, and more. The best part is you can manage all your projects, freelancers, and payments on the platform for free. 

Sign up for Fiverr to find freelance graphic design services for your next project.