Before starting your own company, you’ll need to decide which type of graphic design software you want to use. You might want to create a brochure for your new company, so you’ll probably want to look at some brochure design programs.
With each of our software packages varying in so many ways and knowing that everyone has different requirements and skills, choosing the right package for your specific business can be tricky. We’re here to help.
This article will help someone who wants to learn how to use Photoshop to find out everything they need to know.
- Find out which graphic design software is best suited for you.
- Understand how to pick a graphic design software
- Find out about the most important features of the best graphic designing software.
Coming up is our list and below that is your quick guide, let’s start!
List of the Best 10 Graphic Design Software
Here you will learn about the Top 10 Best Graphics Design Software in the market and their Top features.
1. Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is the reigning champion of graphic designing software. It is the most widely used program on the market.
This is due to the fact that it comes with a full collection of tools for producing and editing drawings, 3D graphics, and photos.
It can also build websites, create mobile applications, and produce realistic 3D art. Essentially, this program is used to bring any idea to life.
Because it has a steep learning curve, absolute beginners should not use it.
Top Features:
- The Raster Image Tracing (RIT) feature – It lets you convert pixelated images into vector graphics with a single click.
- It can be applied to just about any kind of design project. From simple logos and banners to large poster designs and product packaging.
- Intelligent editing includes changing expressions, adjusting movement, adding humorous filters and special effects, etc.
- It’s easy to organize photos by using the tagging feature.
Pros:
- Creating 3D designs.
- A stock library that is integrated.
- Professional capabilities for coloring on a professional level.
- It’s easy to transfer files between different apps.
- It’s easy to edit multiple image formats.
You can use the free trial version of Photoshop here for seven days. There are three paid options available after the free trial expires.
2. Canva
Canva is drag-and-drop graphic designing software that allows even people without any experience in graphics to easily create professional-looking designs.
If you’re new to web development, it’s your best friend.
It has a large selection of templates for making business cards, invitation cards, presentation folders, brochures, flyers, postcards, posters, and more.
While Canva isn’t as sophisticated as Photoshop or Illustrator, it will be enough if you’re looking for a quick and simple layout.
- It has an extensive library of tools for free.
- Provides Android and iOS applications that allow you to design rapidly.
- It provides a clean user interface and a full-view mode. This allows you to focus on what you’re looking for.
- It’s a basic application with enough features and functions to enhance your creativity and help you create outstanding pieces of art.
- Most of its features are free forever.
- No prior experience needed
- A huge section of well-made templates
- Accessible from anywhere at anytime
Price: Free-to-use version available. Advanced paid plans have 2 types – Pro and Enterprise. Includes a 30-day free trial. Try Canva for Free Here
3. Adobe Illustrator.
Adobe Illustrator is an image editing software that is used to produce advanced logos, images, etc. It is also a fantastic typography tool.
You can edit individual letters, add special text effects, and manage font style.
It’s used by experts for creating online and mobile graphics, animation, illustration, logos, and more.
With Adobe Creative Cloud, you get an excellent collaboration tool.
It doesn’t really target beginner programmers.
- It has a dynamic user interface that allows you to adjust its size, position, tab locking, and opacity.
- When filling or choosing an item, it allows you to reduce the space between form shapes.
- It has an unlimited canvas size, solely limited technologically by the devices’ limitations.
- It includes a variety of brushes that are similar in shape and function to many of the conventional brushes seen in real life.
- Easy user interface
- Has smart guides
- Supports precise editing
- Wide variety of tools
Price: A free trial is available, but if you want to continue using the software after the trial period ends, you can choose from three different monthly payment plans.
4. CorelDRAW
CorelDraw is a professional graphics program that lets you use all of the necessary tools for creating high-quality vector drawings, pictures, page layouts, and text.
There are different variations of this drawing software. You can use it both online and offline.
Therefore, regardless of which device you use to create an app, the application will always be able to perform at its maximum potential.
There are a plethora of functionality and customization options and only people with prior experience should choose this.
- It gives you access to a large library of royalty-free material. Clipart, high-resolution digital artwork, graphics, and templates are just a few examples.
- The MS Surface Dial and other stylus and wheel devices are fully supported.
- Shadow effects manipulator, vector mosaic builder, and automated symmetrical design are just a few of the time-saving capabilities.
- Vector illustrations via a web browser.
- Payment options are varied.
- Exporting files in up to 48 different file kinds is possible.
- UI environment that may be customized
- From mobile to tablet mode, there is no noticeable difference.
Price: Available in three choices: 1. Time Payment 2. Annual Payment 3. Monthly Payment. There is a Free Trial available.
5. Inkscape
Like many of the other top graphics editing programs, Inkscape uses the Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format as its main file type.
It has some really cool features that aren’t often available in other editors, including alpha blending, cloning, and markers.
With full support for multi-color mode, this is an excellent choice for Adobe Illustrator whether you’re creating designs for printing or designing websites.
And, even though the interface is a bit easier to use than Illustrator’scontrol panel, it is still possible for you to create very intricate artwork.
Therefore, in terms of experience needed, Inkscape is a reasonable choice.
- It has about 800 free backgrounds and tones for you to use.
- Allows for extremely fine color control.
- It has sophisticated features, such as the Immersion blender, P3 Wide Color for accuracy, and an endless palette library.
- The software can export your work to a variety of formats, including PSD, while keeping all layers, groups, and mixes intact. This will undoubtedly ensure the integrity of various formats.
- It has some unique features like advanced grid layouts, snap-to-grid, and diagonal alignment.
- Easy to use
- Regular updates
- Easy personalization of code
Price: $9.99 for a limited free trial. Otherwise one-time purchase.
6. GIMP – Best Free Graphic Design Software
GIMP is an open-source, advanced graphics editing program that runs on any operating system.
You may also distribute modified versions of the software to a larger user base.
It allows for high-quality image editing, creative art creation, and graphic design.
For mock-ups, you may also create icons, logos, and user interface components. It also allows users to personalize their user interface.
With this setup, you can tailor your desk to meet your specific needs and preferences.
- Compatibility across several platforms. As a result, GIMP may be installed on Windows, Linux, and Mac computers.
- Intelligent Scaling may be used to generate grid patterns and scale components. This helps when creating backgrounds.
- It’s easy to understand and use.
- There are plenty of plugins available for WordPress.
- As GIMP is open source, you may edit its source code and add new functions.
- You might seek help from online forums with thousands or even millions of GIMP users who’ve been there before you.
- For a free application, there are a lot of tools.
- Tutorials for every feature.
Price: Totally Free
7. Clip Studio Paint
This sophisticated application is available for free and has a number of advanced features. For starters, Clip Studio Paint is strong enough to handle a 100-megapixel canvas while keeping the zoomed-in feel of traditional drawing.
It scans your artwork, allowing you to draw directly onto the image. You can then use an eraser tool to remove unwanted lines.
With a predictive stroke, you can easily smooth out forms without any prior knowledge. It works even if you don’t know anything about painting!
- It is a memory-efficient graphic editor that uses fewer resources, allowing it to be installed on older or slower machines.
- It allows you to add timestamped images, cinematic sequences, audio tracks, and sound effects to create animations.
- It has an extensive set of tools for creating layouts, including customizing shortcut keys, using grids, and working with different types of files.
- You can export your work in various formats, including Photoshop.
- Has a user interface that is easy to use and navigate.
- It has a fully customizable user interface.
- Cross-platform portability is supported for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chrome OS.
- Keyboard shortcuts that are easy to remember.
Only paid options are available at this time.
8. Affinity Designer
This is an advanced graphics program that can be run on both Windows and Mac systems. It features fast performance, as it can zoom and scroll at 60 frames per second.
With Speed Mask’s speed masking technology, you can preview live contour masks, effect masks, blend modes, transform layers, curves, and adjustments.
Regardless of your computer hardware, you’ll be able to customize everything from the small details to the large ones.
You can easily switch between vector and raster graphics.
- Thousands of objects are known to not lag when they’re used.
- Affinity can be used to magnify anything by one million percent. Yes, this isn’t a typo! It has the ability to magnify things by one million percent.
- It offers the same features and file formats regardless of which device it is used on, resulting in a consistent user experience.
- LiveSketch is a tool that will aid in the creation of sketches rapidly.
- Beginner’s friendly.
- For designers on a budget, it’s powerful enough.
- On-screen guides that change as you move around the screen
Price: Free for 30 days, then $9 per month thereafter
9. Visme
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use graphic software, then Visme certainly fits the bill.
Excel is an excellent tool for non-professionally trained people because of its intuitive interface and easy-to-use features. With just a few simple clicks, the software allows you to create interactive charts, graphs, and other graphical representations of data.
Presentations and infographics to digital marketing graphics are among the categories of ready-made layouts.
You can use it to collaborate with others on simple projects. Hence it makes sense to use it as a group project management software.
- It has a core tool that can handle documents of any size or complexity and thousands of objects with ease.
- Specifically – The brushes included in Paint Shop Pro X 12 include special effects that are not available elsewhere.
- It has a wide variety of options for logos, banners, posters, shirts, and cards.
- It saves and synchronizes all your files automatically.
- Settings import/export
- It supports vector graphics, which means you can easily resize and edit shapes.
- The power to create and interact in just one place
You get free access for 15 days, then there are three different subscription options.
10. Sketch
This Mac-only app allows you to design graphics and animations. You can also use it to make websites, mobile applications, and product mock-up designs.
It has a lot of add-ons that let you customize your workflow.
Sketch has been substantially enhanced by these third-party apps, which include prototypers, asset managers, and more.
It may be used to modify vector and bitmap objects as well.
Remember that it isn’t designed for photo editing; it’s best suited for designing web pages and mobile apps.
Top Features:
- It has step-by-step instructions on the screen to guide newbies.
- It lets you import custom 3D models that perfectly fit your projects. Then, you can easily draw any pose or angle with no hassle.
- It has AI color creation with deep learning technology; all you have to do is select a suggested color for specific portions of the job
Pros:
- Adobe products are integrated.
- You can save your files in various file types, including JPG and PSD.
- There are several add-on tools created by the public.
- PNG files may be exported from any tier or block.
Price: 14 days free trial. One-Time or Monthly payment plans are available.
What is Graphic Design Software
Graphic design software is an application that will allow you to modify pictures and designs. This software lets you edit, develop, and publish your content.
Some software supports 2D designs, while others allow for three-dimensional representation.
These days, the best ones include collaboration tools that are perfect for design groups.
These platforms are utilized in a wide range of sectors, including advertising and game development. They’re also common in architectural and construction designs.
They are used mainly in media-related industries like films and advertising.
Plus, they can also be utilized to make product prototypes and even beautiful artwork.
There are some programs out there that can be so advanced that they include features of a project management program too.
Types of Graphic Design
There are some graphic design programs that include many features that designers use, but there are also some that just include one feature that designers might need.
For instance, both game developers and business consultants need visuals for their work. However, one set of requirements differs from the other.
They are divided into three groups depending on their purpose:
- Publishing software: These applications allow graphic artists to create digital designs for use on websites and printed material.
- Photoshop is an image editor used by designers to change the look of photos, drawings, and prints
- Designing Tools: These tools help designers create artwork and illustrations.
They allow for precise measurement and positioning, and they’re easy to use across different systems.
All the 10 best graphic design software options mentioned above will help you publish your work online.
Must-have features of Graphic Design Software
There are certain features that graphic design software should have.
In this part, we’ll go over some of them;
- A word processor – This tool helps you create texts and characters in many different languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, etc., using many different fonts, sizes, colors, and other effects. It also lets you manipulate various aspects of texts, like their form and kerning.
- Image Editor – A module that lets you modify pictures and graphics, which is generally found in both low-end and high-end software. Color filters, textures, and other effects are among them.
- With drawing tools, you can create anything from simple sketches to complex drawings using your computer. However, drawing software provides the most advanced features for creating realistic images, artwork, and 3D models.
- Temples – This component allows you to create a ready-to-use brochure, ebook, magazine, and card designs. You can use these designs as samples when creating new content.
- A collection of royalty-free images and design tools is often included with graphic design software packages.
How to Choose The Perfect Graphic Design Software
Choosing between different graphics design programs can be difficult. We understand.
Hence, as promised earlier here are three factors to consider that might help you make a more informed decision:
- Features Required – First and foremost, consider what features these applications offer based on your requirements for work and what type of work you want to accomplish.
- Cost – Make sure you find a balance between price and functionality, and don’t spend too much on a product simply because it’s popular. There are always alternative free or less expensive options available.
- Usability – What matters most isn’t just the look of the interface but how easy it is for people to use it after they’ve finished their tasks.
- Examine how you can export these images if you can readily share them online and if you can print them without sacrificing quality, depending on your demands.
You need to take into consideration these three things when selecting your graphic design software. This will give you an idea of which one suits your needs best.
Some tips and tricks to help you choose the best graphic design software for your needs
Here are some additional tricks to use when deciding whether to buy or not.
- Write down what you’ll use the software for and how many employees will be using it.
- Make sure the software solution works with your current hardware.
- Register for free trial offers and demo events to test out different products. Check their usability.
- To make a good decision about which payment schemes to implement, you need to first make a cost forecast for each one.
- Look for negative sentiments, issues, and defects in online communities.
- Watch video tutorials and view examples of what the program can do for you.
Summary
We hope the above tutorial was helpful for you to learn about graphic designing software, its types, features, pricing, etc.
However, we want to help you further.
Best graphic design software is available here.
- Canva:
- Affinity Designer: Best For Intermediates
- CorelDraw: Best For Experts
- Adobe Photoshop CC: Best Paid Software
- Canva & GIMP: Best Free
- Adobe Illustrator: best for motion editing
- Adobe Photoshop CC: Best For Picture Editing
- Draw something using Inkscape.
Here’s a list of the best graphic design software for each type of project.
Conclusion
If you’re not sure which program you need for certain tasks, just use any free online tool.
We’ve enjoyed writing this article for you and we wish you the best of success with your upcoming graphic projects!
