The Best Graphic Design Software Apps In 2023

What Are the Key Features of Graphic Design Software?

Before discussing the best software for graphic design, let’s look at some of the key features you can expect in these apps.

User Interface

Graphics programs need to have interfaces that are intuitive and user-friendly, especially considering how many features and tools are crammed into one window.

Tools for Drawing and Painting

Any graphic design software will have drawing and painting tools to create lines, shapes, and other design elements. Expect to see a pencil, pen tool, brushes, shape tools, line tools, and more. You can also import assets like new brushes and more to paint exactly what you’d like.

Vector Tools

Not all arts graphic software will have vector tools. These allow you to create vector art and graphics, which are fully scalable to any size. The pen, smart shape, and line tools allow you to create and edit vector lines, curves, and shapes.

Adobe Illustrator is a classic example of a vector-based design app. If you only need to create raster images rather than vectors, you may prefer a raster-focused program like Adobe Photoshop.

Tools for Editing Images

Most graphics editing software will have image editing tools, like adjustments, filters, levels, and curves. You’ll likely also see other retouching tools like the healing tool to retouch blemishes or the clone tool to clone parts of an image.

Typography Tools

The best graphic design apps allow users to work with typography and fonts, allowing users to manipulate and customize with different styles, sizes, and more.

Colors and Color Management

All graphic design software will allow you to work with colors, with robust color management systems that allow you to pick your colors, set your color mode, and more.

Sharing and Exporting

There’s no point in creating designs if you can’t share or export your work. Most graphic arts software offers various sharing and exporting methods for you to save and share your work in various file types.

Disclaimer: All prices shown were correct at the time of writing (April 2023)

Best Graphic Design Software in 2023: 18 Apps to Try

|Software|Description|Platforms|Pricing|

|Adobe Illustrator CC|The Industry Standard Vector Design Tool|macOS, iPad, Windows, web|* Illustrator only

  • $31.49 monthly

  • Annual, paid $20.99 monthly

  • Annual prepaid $239.88 per year

  • Creative Cloud (All Apps)

    • $82.49 monthly
    • Annual, paid $54.99 monthly
    • Annual prepaid $599.88 per year
    • Check price on Amazon|
      |Serif Affinity Designer 2|An Excellent Alternative to Adobe Illustrator|Windows, macOS, iPad|* Windows or macOS versions $69.99 (must purchase for each platform)
  • iPad $19.99

  • Universal license (all platforms and all Serif apps) $169.99|
    |Adobe Photoshop CC|The Industry Standard Raster Design Tool|macOS, iPad, Windows, web|* Photoshop only

    • Annual, paid $19.99 monthly
    • Annual prepaid $239.88 per year
  • Creative Cloud (All Apps)

    • $82.49 monthly
    • Annual, paid $54.99 monthly
    • Annual prepaid $599.88 per year
    • Check price on Amazon|
      |Serif Affinity Photo 2|Best Alternative to Adobe Photoshop|Windows, macOS, iPad|* Windows or macOS versions $69.99 (must purchase for each platform)
  • iPad $19.99

  • Universal license (all platforms and all Serif apps) $169.99|
    |GIMP|Best Graphic Design Program for Free|Windows, macOS, Linux|Free|
    |Corel Vector|Corel Vector - Best Web-Based Vector Program|Web|* Free 15-day trial

  • $99.99 per year

  • Get 30% off your first year ($69.99)|
    |Corel PaintShop Pro|Another Great Photoshop Alternative|Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit versions)|* Standard - $79.99 for a new purchase and $59.99 to upgrade from a previous version

  • Ultimate pricing

  • 30-day money-back guarantee|
    |Inkscape|Another Great Vector Tool|Linux, Windows, macOS|Free|
    |CorelDRAW|An Adobe Creative Cloud Suite Alternative|Windows, macOS|Annual plan at $269/year or $549 one-time purchase|
    |Krita|A Free Digital Painting Program|Windows, macOS, Linux|Free|
    |Pixlr|Best Free Web-Based Graphic Design App|Web|* Free

  • Premium pricing available here|
    |Canva|Best Graphic Design App for Templates and More|Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android|* Free

  • Pro - $12.99/mo or $119.99/yr per person

  • Teams - $14.99/mo or $149.90/yr for the first 5 users|
    |Adobe Express|A Web and Mobile-based Design Tool for Quick Designs|Web, mobile|* Free

  • Premium - $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr|
    |Adobe InDesign CC|Best Layout Design App|Windows, macOS|* InDesign only

    • $31.49 monthly
    • Annual, paid $20.99 monthly
    • Annual prepaid $239.88 per year
  • Creative Cloud (All Apps)

    • $82.49 monthly
    • Annual, paid $54.99 monthly
    • Annual prepaid $599.88 per year|
      |Serif Affinity Publisher 2|An Excellent Alternative to Adobe InDesign|Windows, macOS, iPad|* Windows or macOS versions $69.99 (must purchase for each platform)
  • iPad $19.99

  • Universal license (all platforms and all Serif apps) $169.99|
    |Sketch|A Great Vector and Raster Design App for Mac|macOS|* 30 days free

  • Standard - $9/user/mo or $99/user/yr

  • Business - $20/user/mo or $240/user/yr|
    |Blender|Best Free 3D Modeling App|Windows, macOS, Linux, Steam|Free|
    |Procreate|Best Digital Illustration App on iPad|iPad|$12.99|

Featured Graphic Design Software [Editor’s Picks]

Happy learning!

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