Previously, designers used to have only a few professional graphic tools. However, with the advancement in technology, there are many tools available for graphic designers in the market.
As a graphic designer, I can understand how tough it is to choose a professional graphic designing tool that can give you the best output. So, to make things easier for people who are starting their careers in graphic design, I have compiled a list of the best graphic designing tools.
Let’s get started!
Top 5 Best Tools for Graphic Designers
Adobe Illustrator
If you want to create anything from vector illustrations to professionally designed logos, then Adobe Illustrator is the right choice. This is the best tool for resizing and rescaling the images without losing the quality of the images.
Moreover, you can adjust the artboards and the layers to create stunning outputs. In our experience, this tool requires a bit of a learning curve to create impressive logos and graphics. However, it has an amazing collection of fonts that are best suitable for any logo design.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- It is easy to Integrate this tool with other Adobe tools.
- There is a wide range of vectors to choose from.
- This tool supports multiple file formats.
- It has a free trial to try the features
Cons:
- The subscription plans are expensive.
- It has a heavy learning curve.
- It requires heavy resources to render the output.
Pricing
Adobe Illustrator has monthly, annual paid monthly, and annual prepaid plans. If paid monthly, the plan costs $34.49/month. If you subscribe to the annual plan and pay for it monthly, then it costs $22.99. In case if you pay the annual plan in prepaid mode, then it costs $263.88 per year.
Based on our experience, we suggest you first try the free trial and then go with the monthly plan (though it is a bit costly) to understand the features offered by Illustrator and if you are okay going ahead with it or not.
The annual plan doesn’t allow you to cancel in between, and you will be locked. You can move out of the monthly plan if you are not interested in continuing with this app.
Adobe Photoshop
If you want to save time on batch operations and automation, then Photoshop is the right graphic designing tool for you. The latest version of Adobe Photoshop has a generative fill feature that allows you to generate designs based on the prompts.
It has many simple layer selections and masking features that help you design impressive graphics.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- It has a huge library of stock images, templates, icons, and also fonts.
- Since this is a product of Adobe, you can integrate it with other Adobe products.
- It supports multiple file formats.
Cons:
- The pricing plans are expensive for beginners to afford.
- It demands heavy machine requirements.
Pricing
Adobe Photoshop costs the same as Illustrator. If you opt for the monthly plan, it costs $34.49. If you select the annual plan and choose to pay monthly for it, then it costs $22.99 per month. In case you choose to pay prepaid for the annual plan, then it costs $263.88 per year.
Based on our experience, we suggest you go with the free trial and then decide if the tool best suits your graphic designing needs or not. However, if you are an expert in graphic designing, then we suggest you to pick the annual prepaid plan.
Canva
If you are looking for an all-round graphic design solution as a beginner, then Canva is the right choice. It has a simple-to-use drag-and-drop interface that allows you to design any graphic, like T-shirt designs, logos, web designs, and Instagram reels.
In fact, this tool is the best choice for both graphic designers and content creators. However, the only feature this tool lacks is the AI subtitle generation for the video content, which helps the content creators make their content more accessible.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- The drag-and-drop builder is easy to use for beginners.
- Doesn’t require any steep learning curve.
- It has a huge collection of tutorials and graphic resources to create any kind of graphics.
Cons:
- The free trial has limited features.
- It has limited font styles compared to Adobe.
Pricing
Canva has three plans: Free, Pro, and Canva for Teams.
Free Plan: The free plan has 5GB of cloud storage, 3M+ stock photos, and access to many professional templates.
Canva Pro: The Pro version costs $119.99 per year. It provides you with all the features of a free plan along with 20+ AI tools, background removal, and 1TB of cloud storage.
Canva for Teams: The Teams plan will cost $300 per year for the first 5 people. It has all the Pro features along with edit, comment, and collaboration features. Also, users can generate on-brand copy with the help of AI.
After Effects
Adobe After Effects allows you to create cinematic visual effects, animation, and transitions and incorporate motion effects into your work. This tool is best known for its 3D modeling features and also the drag and drop feature.
If you are into YouTube content creation or course creation After Effects allows you to design perfect intros and outros for your content and make it more appealing to the audience.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- It has a wide range of features that are capable of making your videos look absolutely stunning.
- You can install plugins and make the workflow faster.
- Drag and Drop works very smoothly.
Cons:
- Beginners might find it difficult to use.
- It requires heavy system requirements to process the video.
- Very expensive compared to other video editing tools in the market.
Pricing
Adobe After Effects is available in 3 prices. If you choose the monthly plan, it costs $34.49 per month. If you choose the yearly plan but pay monthly, then it costs $22.99 per month. And, if you pay upfront for the yearly plan, it costs $263.88 per year.
If you are a beginner, we suggest you try the free trial for 7 days and then make a decision to upgrade your subscription or switch to an alternate. Based on our experience, this tool requires a lot of learning curve. Hence beginners might feel complex in understanding the features, in the initial days of using this tool.
Affinity Photo
Affinity Photo allows you to perform raw editing and layer editing. Unlike Illustrator and Photoshop, this tool allows real-time editing without any lag in processing the output.
This tool offers a 30-day free trial for anyone who wants to try it for the first time. The trial offers features like 360-degree image editing, HDR merge, layer editing, and also raw editing.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Less expensive compared to the Photoshop and Illustration pricing plans.
- It is easy to set up and start using the tool.
- Offers 30-day free trial.
- It is lightweight and does not consume more resources.
Cons:
- There are no templates available like Canva.
Pricing
Affinity Photo has a one-time purchase plan that costs $164.99. This purchase gives access to Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Publisher. There are no hidden or additional costs after making the one-time purchase.
In case you are planning to buy only an Affinity Photo subscription, it costs $69.99 (one-time purchase).
We recommend you purchase the bundle, as it gives you access to other Affinity tools and improves your design. Since it is a one-time purchase, it is cost-effective compared to Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Conclusion
Based on our experience, we’ve covered the best graphic designing tools in the industry above. Some of these tools are best suitable for beginners while some are suitable for the experts. So, check out the features they offer and subscribe to the one that best suits your needs.
Also, if you are a content creator, we suggest you try SubtitleO along with Adobe After Effects. It makes your content more accessible to a wider audience. This has an AI subtitle generation with multiple language support.