Top 10 Graphic Design Software for 2024
From professional photo editing and vector illustration to easy-to-use tools for social media, these are the best apps for bringing your creative vision to life.
Graphic design software is essential for nearly every business and creative professional. Whether you're creating a logo, editing photos for a campaign, designing a user interface, or just making a quick graphic for social media, the right tool makes all the difference. We've evaluated the industry standards and the innovative newcomers to find the best options for every skill level and budget.
1. Adobe Photoshop
The undisputed industry standard for photo editing and raster graphics. Photoshop's power is unmatched, offering a vast toolset for image manipulation, compositing, and digital painting. Its new Generative AI features have made it even more indispensable.
Pros
- Industry standard, universally compatible
- Extremely powerful and versatile
- Cutting-edge Generative AI tools
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Subscription-based pricing
2. Adobe Illustrator
The professional's choice for vector graphics. Illustrator is essential for creating logos, icons, and illustrations that can be scaled to any size without losing quality. Its precision tools and robust feature set make it the go-to for branding and digital illustration.
Pros
- Industry standard for vector art
- Infinitely scalable graphics
- Excellent integration with Photoshop
Cons
- Complex for beginners
- Subscription-only
3. Canva
Canva democratized design for everyone. It's a web-based platform that makes it incredibly easy for non-designers to create beautiful social media graphics, presentations, and print materials using a massive library of templates, fonts, and stock photos.
Pros
- Extremely easy for non-designers
- Huge library of templates and assets
- Great for team collaboration
Cons
- Limited capabilities for professional designers
- Can't create truly unique designs
4. Figma
Figma is the industry leader for UI/UX design and product prototyping. Its web-based, collaborative nature revolutionized how design teams work together, allowing for real-time editing, commenting, and handoff to developers, all in one seamless tool.
Pros
- Best-in-class for UI/UX design
- Real-time collaboration is flawless
- Massive community plugin ecosystem
Cons
- Not ideal for print or digital illustration
- Requires an internet connection
5. Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer is the most popular and powerful alternative to Adobe Illustrator. It offers a professional-grade vector toolset at a one-time price, making it an incredible value for freelancers and small studios looking to escape Adobe's subscription model.
Pros
- No subscription (one-time fee)
- Professional-level features
- Fast and lightweight performance
Cons
- Smaller community and fewer tutorials
- Less widely used in large agencies
6. Procreate
Procreate is a powerhouse digital illustration app for the iPad. It has become the tool of choice for artists and illustrators who love its intuitive touch interface, incredible brush engine, and one-time low price. It's a joy to use for digital painting and drawing.
Pros
- Amazing brush engine
- Simple, intuitive interface
- Inexpensive one-time purchase
Cons
- Only available on iPad
- Not a vector editor
7. CorelDRAW
A long-standing competitor to Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW is a comprehensive vector graphics suite that is particularly popular in the sign-making, apparel, and print industries. It's known for its powerful toolset and is available for a one-time purchase.
Pros
- Available as a one-time purchase
- Professional-grade feature set
- Strong in print and manufacturing industries
Cons
- Windows-focused (Mac version is less mature)
- Interface feels less modern than rivals
8. Sketch
The original king of UI design for Mac users. Sketch pioneered many of the features that are now standard in UI/UX design tools. It's a fast, lightweight, and focused vector editor that remains a favorite for many veteran product designers on the macOS platform.
Pros
- Clean, lightweight, and fast
- Powerful symbol and component system
- Mature and stable platform
Cons
- Mac only
- Collaboration features lag behind Figma
9. Adobe Express
Adobe's answer to Canva, Express is a web and mobile app designed for creating social media graphics, simple videos, and web pages quickly. Its biggest advantage is the seamless integration with the Adobe ecosystem, including Adobe Stock and Adobe Fonts.
Pros
- Great for quick social media graphics
- Excellent integration with Adobe Stock
- Generous free plan
Cons
- Less intuitive than Canva
- Fewer templates and community resources
10. GIMP
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free, open-source alternative to Photoshop. It has been around for decades and offers a surprisingly powerful set of tools for photo editing, retouching, and composing. It's the best option for those on a zero budget.
Pros
- Completely free and open source
- Powerful feature set for a free tool
- Works on Windows, Mac, and Linux
Cons
- User interface is clunky and unintuitive
- Lacks the polish of commercial software