Fav Free Design Software Picks

My top free design software choices, Lovelytocu.ca

When I first started learning computer based illustration and graphic design, you had to pay thousands of dollars for the software. And I only remember knowing of two possible choices... Corel and Adobe.

These days, anyone can be a graphic designer, with the tools and resources to do so more accessible now than ever before. And every year it seems like a raft of new choices crop up. It's quite amazing.

In fact, there are so many design software choices it can be super overwhelming to figure out which one to start with, or which one has the tools you need.

Since a lot of my customers are looking for affordable and simple options, I've made a list of my favorite choices that I would use if I didn't have Photoshop or Illustrator and had a simple project to work on.

These are listed in random order, I haven't tested each so thoroughly that I can rank which one is 'best' - and besides,'best' is a bit subjective depending on your project and skill set.

Also note that these are selected based on desktop computing, although some of these will work well on a tablet. (these are full programs and not apps)


PHOTOPEA

I recommend this one because it's actually compatible with Photoshop files (among others) and looks and feels a lot like Photoshop when you are using it. It doesn't have ALL the features that Photoshop has (obviously) but it's great for creating basic design layouts with lots of drawing tool options.

It's also a web based software, so it's accessible on any device, anywhere.


PIXLR

This is another online editor, also a lot like Photoshop in how it looks and feels. Recently revamped there are now two options; Pixlr X and Pixlr E.

Pixlr X is super basic and only has very limited editing options. Great for projects where you are just adding a text overlay, cropping or making photo adjustments. Pixlr E is the advanced option that mimics Photoshop and has a robust selection of design and drawing tools.

While it will open photoshop files, it doesn't seem to be able to handle larger sized files very well and doesn't keep layers organized in folders, so complex files end up very messy.


GIMP

I hesitate to call this a favorite (it's not), but it's been a few years since I last tried it and I'm adding it to the list because it is a popular free software with advanced editing capabilities. It is very similar to how Photoshop works and has all the tools you could need for either drawing or graphic design. This is a downloadable software.

Beginners will likely find it rather overwhelming as it does have a steep learning curve and isn't particularly intuitive. Luckily there are loads of helpful tutorials available as Gimp has been around for quite some time now.

While it will open Photoshop files it doesn't support all features so some files may not function properly.


SUMOPAINT

Another simple and easy to use software. It has a nice selection of tools for beginners and a friendly navigation.

This is not one that I have personally tested, but it comes highly rated for what it is and is the most likely candidate for me to recommend as a beginners graphic design tool with an easy learning curve.

It is only compatible with image files such as jpg and png and has a more limited selection of tools than some of the more advanced software options but otherwise a perfect option for the occasional project.


INKSCAPE

This downloadable software is a vector graphics editor and a comparable substitute for Illustrator. It opens both Illustrator and Corel Draw vector files with full functionality intact.

 It has a very steep learning curve but plenty of tutorials can be found online to get you started.

It's a great option for anyone looking to learn vector drawing or wants to edit an Illustrator file.

While you can use it for graphic design projects I don't really recommend it for beginners unless you're prepared to spend some time upfront learning.

CANVA

This design program is a closed system editor. What that means is, you can't create and save files the same way as regular software programs. Files 'in progress' can only be saved inside Canva and you can only download finished projects in flattened form such as PDF, PNG or JPG. 

Designers offering Canva templates therefore will always label their products specifically as Canva templates. If a designer (like me) does not mention Canva in the product details... a Canva specific template is not included.

However, Canva is still a very useful design tool and my PNG format files can be used here with a little creativity. Canva is very user friendly and reasonably quick to learn.


VECTORNATOR

I haven't used this one, but it looks comprehensive as a vector based program. It's free to download and also available as a mobile app. It looks to be built for pro designers so there should be good support and tutorials. An excellent option if you plan to do a lot of designing on the go.

PAGES

For Mac users only there is Pages. This is Apple's version of Word + Powerpoint combined making it a versatile editor capable of reasonably sophisticated graphic design, depending what you are looking to do. Usually included with all Mac devices it is available for free in the app store.

2 comments

  1. Thank you for these evaluations, Shawnna. I came to your blog from your Etsy shop where I just left a message filled with questions. I have low vision so find 'learning' difficult these days as screens are often so crowded and with small fonts, poor contrast, and I end up frustrated and sad. But I'm a cheerful type basically so I get past it. I might try one of these with the easier learning curve. Anyway, thanks very much for being a caring and sharing person. Diane

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words! I saw your message and replied, always happy to answers questions. You make such a good point about accessibility for websites - I'm probably guilty of this as well, so thank you for the reminder that I need to be mindful of contrast in design! Best wishes.

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