Selecting one of the various graphic design applications available might be difficult. This carefully chosen list of the top ten applications, which includes both free and premium choices, will assist you in weighing the benefits and drawbacks and ultimately helping you make the best decision.
To carry out their designs, graphic artists depend on the appropriate software. Having the correct app may simplify your life, whether you’re working with pre-made templates or making complex designs from scratch.
Selecting the best design app might be difficult with so many alternatives available. To help you select the best graphic design tool for your workflow, we’ve put up a list of the best applications for 2025, including both free and premium alternatives.
Free graphic design apps that you must explore
Below, you’ll find an overview of the best free graphic design apps for 2025.
1. Canva
One of the most widely used, easily accessible, and cost-free graphic design applications on the market right now is Canva. It makes the process of designing a variety of graphics easier with its drag-and-drop interface. The possibilities with this program are endless, whether you want to create banners, business cards, presentations, social media postings, logos, or just edit images.
Skill level:
Both novices with no prior design knowledge and seasoned designers wishing to produce expert designs might benefit from this.
Available on:
Pros:
- There are thousands of courses and tutorials accessible.
- There are many different templates accessible for presentations, social media, and logos.
- the capacity to work together in real time on designs.
- Designs are accessible from any internet-connected device and are immediately stored.
- Numerous elements (such as fonts and photos) are accessible without a membership.
Cons:
- When compared to professional programs, the customization choices could seem restricted.
- Templates cannot be scaled, and downloads cannot be altered.
2. Figma
With the help of the cloud-based design application Figma, users can create, test, and work together in real time on user interfaces and experiences. Developers, product teams, and designers use it extensively to create mobile and online apps. Because of the cloud-based aspect of the program, there is no need for complicated file-sharing or version control problems because all work is saved online and available from any device.
Level of skill:
Ideal for collaborative design work, it may be used by both novice and seasoned designers.
Available on:
Pros:
- Exciting features, cloud storage, and the ability to work with others are all included in the free edition.
- Tools for designing scalable visuals that are based on vectors.
Updated often. - A project may have an unlimited number of viewers.
- cross-platform compatibility.
Cons:
- prone to lagging and performs poorly without a robust internet connection (however offline mode is occasionally accessible).
- It is preferable to alter the copy rather than the original design as there is no control over what the viewer can do when they access a shared prototype.
Price:
Up to three projects and two editors are permitted in the free edition. The premium subscription, which costs $12 a month per editor and includes limitless projects, is free for students.
3. VistaCreate
An online graphic creation tool connected to VistaPrint, VistaCreate (previously Crello) provides a user-friendly interface akin to Canva. The free edition offers a large selection of themes that make it simple to produce eye-catching images for print and web material. By enabling you to create content that is consistent with your brand and then apply those settings to all designs with a single click, VistaCreate helps you keep your brand consistent. It is an excellent option for producing branded images as it is made to be user-friendly and accessible to both novices and experts.
Skill level:
Perfect for novice and experienced designers.
Available on:
Pros:
- Drag-and-drop interface is simple to use.
- Numerous functions are accessible in the free edition.
- makes teamwork on design tasks possible.
Cons:
- lacks sophisticated design elements and personalization choices.
- The free version has few choices for exporting files.
Price:
Basic functions are accessible with the free version. The monthly premium plan is $10.
4. Adobe Express
Adobe Express, formerly known as Adobe Spark, is a free substitute for Adobe Illustrator. With hundreds of free templates, pre-made design elements, and royalty-free Adobe Stock pictures, it’s a great option for inexperienced graphic designers. You can quickly make posters, banners, logos, social media images, and much more using these features.
Skill level:
Ideal for beginners.
Available on:
Pros:
- interface that is easy to use.
- Numerous templates and design assets for quick design projects.
- Projects are accessible across devices.
Cons:
- restricted access to sophisticated features.
A paid subscription is necessary to access premium templates and components.
Less adaptable for seasoned designers seeking intricate personalization.
Price:
Completely free to use.
5. Lunacy
is a free vector graphics editing and design program that comes with a large collection of pre-made visuals, such as pictures, drawings, and icons. Additionally, it has strong AI-powered tools to make your work easier. Smart word generators, an image upscaler, and a one-click background remover are popular features. One of the most user-friendly free design tools out there, Lunacy is ideal for novices due to its straightforward and easy-to-use layout.
Skill level:
Suitable for beginners.
Available on:
iOS
Pros:
- totally free and offering a variety of features.
allows for scalable designs without sacrificing quality thanks to support for vector graphics. - easy-to-use interface with ready-to-use graphics and time-saving features.
- Great for feedback and teamwork.
Cons:
- restricted access to sophisticated features.
Because Lunacy has fewer users than bigger platforms, there may be less tutorials and - community help available.
- Compared to other programs, performance may be slower when handling complicated or huge files.
Price:
Lunacy is free to use, provided that any materials you produce are published with a link to ICONS8 (the inventor). For further advantages, you can also choose to pay $29 a month for a licensed license.
Paid graphic design apps that you must explore
1. Affinity Designer 2
In terms of capability and speed, Afinity Desire 2 is a strong graphic design program that provides a polished substitute for Adobe Illustrator. This is a flexible tool for graphic designers that can be used for everything from logos, icons, and typography to complete mock-ups and print jobs. It is renowned for its performance and cost, and it offers a variety of sophisticated capabilities for both vector and raster graphics.
Skill level:
Suitable for intermediate designers.
Available on:
iPadOS
Pros:
- inexpensive one-time purchase that doesn’t require a membership.
- sophisticated alignment and grid tools for expert design work.
- A quick and efficient tool that can process thousands of items without experiencing any latency.
- Excellent for online and print design.
Cons:
- For novices, the user interface may seem complicated.
- less tools for collaboration than cloud-based programs like Figma.
- Users must be careful to save their work because there is no auto-save feature.
- No file sharing or cloud synchronization is possible.
Price:
Affinity Designer 2 is available for free during a 30-day trial period. The iPad version is available for a one-time fee of $19.99 if you choose to buy it.
2. Adobe Illustrator
A member of the Adobe Creative Cloud family of design tools, Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics design program that is widely used in the industry. Professionals use it because of its sophisticated feature set, accuracy, and adaptability. It is used for print graphics, drawings, and logo design and is favored in the creative business due to its sophisticated features and adaptability.
Skill level:
Ideal for experienced, professional designers.
Available on:
Pros:
- Great for building a wide range of assets from the ground up.
- Every design is scalable. This implies that your artwork will maintain its clear, sharp quality
- regardless of how much you magnify it.
- Many brushes, tools, and effects are available for intricate projects.
- Connectivity with other Adobe Creative Cloud programs, such as InDesign and Photoshop
substantial resources and community support. - continuous enhancements and upgrades.
- includes access to Adobe Express, which offers a plethora of time-saving tools that let you quickly create amazing designs.
Cons:
- costly pricing structure based on subscriptions.
- includes a challenging learning curve for novices.
- For optimal speed while working with huge files, a strong system is necessary.
restricted possibilities for picture editing. - uses a lot of RAM and occasionally lags or even crashes.
Price:
Illustrator is available for free for a seven-day trial. The premium edition, which includes a membership to Adobe Creative Cloud, costs $20.99 each month.
3. Adobe InDesign
The layout and page design of books, periodicals, brochures, and other print media are the primary emphasis of the graphic design program Indesign. Digital and print brochures, business cards, presentations, posters, interactive PDFs, ebooks, and more may all be designed with it.
Skill level:
Perfect for print and digital publication designers ranging from intermediate to expert.
Available on:
Pros:
- industry-standard tool for typography and print design.
- supports sophisticated features like as interactive documents, multi-page spreads, and master pages.
- Perfect for creating digital and print papers with plenty of images.
- a smooth transition between Adobe products.
- lets you deal with more than one page.
- vast feature set that gives you complete control and personalization.
Cons:
- As with other Adobe products, it’s expensive.
- less adaptable than Illustrator for jobs involving graphic design or illustration.
- has poor syncing with other Adobe products.
- It’s not the most user-friendly platform for beginners.
Price
A seven-day trial of Adobe InDesign is available for free. The premium edition, which includes a membership to Adobe Creative Cloud, costs $20.99 each month.
4. Sketch
An application for visual and online design, Sketch is used to create user interfaces, iconography, and experiences. Fundamentally, it is a strong vector editing tool that is favored by designers due to its endless canvas and adaptable artboards that can be tailored to the particular requirements of every project. Although UI/UX designers use it most frequently for developer handoff and prototyping, graphic designers may also use it to produce a variety of assets from scratch.
Skill level:
Ideal for designers who are intermediate or experienced.
Available on:
Pros:
- really user-friendly UI.
- integrated tools for design systems and prototyping.
- lightweight and quick.
- With features like shared libraries and symbols, it’s ideal for teamwork.
- Sketch functions offline as well as online.
Cons:
- Only iPad and iOS users may access it.
- Compared to Adobe Illustrator, it lacks several sophisticated capabilities.
- limited ability to alter photos.
Price:
Sketch is available for free for a 30-day trial period. A single license for the premium version costs $99 per year.
5. Procreate
is a potent painting and drawing application made especially for the iPad. Because of its user-friendly interface and plenty of creative capabilities, it is a favorite among illustrators and graphic designers.
Skill level:
Ideal for designers who are intermediate or experienced.
Available on:
Pros:
- purchase made only once; no membership is needed.
- supports numerous layers and high-resolution canvases.
- Outstanding for digital painting, sketching, and drawing.
- interface that is straightforward for novices to use and comprehend.
Cons:
- exclusive to iPads, restricting access to other gadgets.
- Some features for vector-based design are missing.
- Not as appropriate for print or multi-page layouts.
Price:
The iPad version costs $9.99 and may be purchased once.