Our team at GraphicRiver has been dedicated to bringing you the best in high quality graphics, fonts, and app resources for years. Now, we have put together a list of 10 awesome apps for graphic designers. Each app is thoroughly reviewed for quality, function, and reliability so you can rest easy when choosing the perfect one for your needs.
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Graphic Designers Mac
- Adobe Ilustrator
The best graphic design software for vector editing overall
SPECIFICATIONS
Platform: Windows, macOSPayment model: Subscription
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
Adobe Illustrator
US$20.99/mth
VISIT SITE
at Adobe
REASONS TO BUY
+Industry-standard toolset
+Time-saving AI features
+Top vector and type tools
REASONS TO AVOID
-Requires subscription
If you want the best graphic design software for vector drawing and editing, there’s little need to look further than Adobe Illustrator. It remains the industry-standard software for a reason and still offers the most powerful range of tools and features for vector editing. Compatible with PC, Mac and even the iPads, Illustrator allows you to create everything from illustrations to logos with all the creative freedom you could wish for, while it has tons of features and shortcuts to help speed up your workflow.
Illustrator is part of Adobe Creative Cloud, and to use it you’ll need to subscribe, either for Illustrator alone or to Adobe’s full suite of creative apps, which includes Photoshop, InDesign and many more. The advantage of the subscription model is that you automatically get the latest updates to the software. The downside is that it’s fairly pricey, although Adobe does run regular offers and there’s a discount for students. See our guide to how to download Adobe Illustrator for more.
best graphic design software: Vector illustration of Asian dragon paradeCB endorsed
(Image credit: Serif)
- Affinity Designer
The best vector software without a subscription-free
SPECIFICATIONS
Platform: Windows, macOSPayment model: One-off payment
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
US$38.49
VIEW AT MICROSOFT US
REASONS TO BUY
+Great value
+Lots of useful tools
+Good Illustrator compatibility
REASONS TO AVOID
-Lacks some advanced features
If you feel Adobe’s subscription model is a little too pricy then Serif’s Affinity Designer is a very strong alternative. The best graphic designs software available for a one-off payment, Affinity Designer has become very popular as it adds more and more features, coming close to rivalling Illustrator. In fact, it actually offers some tools you don’t find on Illustrator, such as infinite redos and one million per cent-plus zoom.
Affinity Designer works with both Illustrator AI and Photoshop PSD files, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility if colleagues or clients work with Adobe’s software. Chances are that you’ll find Affinity Designer runs faster than Adobe illustrator too. But the best part, of course, is that you only have to make a one-time outlay and a fairly reasonable one at that. There are no subscription fees, but you still get software updates included.
See our full Affinity Designer review for more details.
Sketch 2021 logo interfaceCB endorsed
(Image credit: Sketch)
- Sketch
The best graphic design software for UI and icons
SPECIFICATIONS
Platform: macOSPayment model: one-off payment
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
VISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Good for UI and icons
+Easy to learn
REASONS TO AVOID
-Mac-only
-Lacks Illustrator’s depth
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If you’re looking for the best graphic design software specifically for UI design, prototyping and/or making icons, then you might well want to consider Sketch – if you work on a Mac, that is. While it doesn’t have the depth of software like Adobe Illustrator or Affinity Designer, Sketch has everything you need for UI design, and is easier to use if you have that one specific purpose. It has a minimal interface, which makes it easy to get started, but it offers a wide range of features if you need them thanks to a big library of plugins.
The software came in for a major revamp in 2021, with the addition of new features focusing on better collaboration. For example, developers can now view, inspect, and measure your Sketch designs in any browser, on any operating system, all for free.
Read our full Sketch review for more details on this piece of software.
CorelDRAW screenshot
(Image credit: Corel Corporation)
- CorelDRAW
Storied graphic design software that’s had some major updates
SPECIFICATIONS
Platform: Windows, MacPayment model: One-off purchase or subscription
REASONS TO BUY
+Feature-rich
+Strong community of users
REASONS TO AVOID
-No longer the industry standard
-Still expensive
First launched in 1989, CorelDRAW lost some of its popularity to Adobe Illustrator but it still has legions of fans, and the 2021 version of the software introduced some major updates. Long available for Windows only, a Mac version has been available since 2019, serving to broaden the appeal of a package that now has a lot of Illustrator’s features, and at a slightly more affordable price. You have more flexibility in how you pay too since you can choose between a one-off payment or a subscription.
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So why is CorelDraw lower on our list of the best graphic design software? It’s actually hard to decide which is whether CorelDRAW or Illustrator is the ‘better’ tool. Both have tons of features, but the interfaces are quite different. While fans of CorelDRAW insist that it’s easier to use than Illustrator, the fact remains that Illustrator is the industry-standard tool, and in many jobs, you’ll be expected to use it.
That said, there’s no issue with importing and exporting AI and PDF files to CorelDRAW. The main reason to choose one over the other however is because you prefer the interface and workflow. If you’ve never used either and you have the time, we’d suggest signing up for the free trial of both so you can compare them for yourself.
See our full CorelDRAW review for a more detailed evaluation.
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Adobe Creative Cloud Express
(Image credit: Adobe)
- Creative Cloud Express
The best free graphic design app
SPECIFICATIONS
Platform: Browser and mobile appPayment model: Free and subscription
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
VISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Very intuitive interface
+Huge library of images and assets
+Free-forever plan
REASONS TO AVOID
-Occasional bugs / lag issues
-Missing some shortcuts
-No guides / margins
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Formerly Adobe Spark, Adobe Creative Cloud Express (or CC Express) is the newest addition to the Adobe family, and the brand’s attempt to compete with affordable entry-level graphic design software like Canva and Picsart. Available online and as a mobile app for both iOS and Android, it takes the basic photo/video editing tools and the Asset library from across Adobe’s suite of apps and puts them into an accessible one-stop package.
Best of all the app is free to download and free to use forever – for a limited number of basic tools. You can unlock more features if you sign up for a premium CC express account for $9.99 / £10.10 a month or $99.99 / £101.15 per year. There’s a 30-day free trial of the premium version so you can try it out before you commit.
See our Adobe Creative Cloud Express review for more details.
best graphic design software: Gravit screengrab showing sci-fi illustration of robots
(Image credit: Gravit)
- Gravit Designer
The best free vector editor overall
SPECIFICATIONS
Platform: Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOSPayment model: Free, with subscription for pro version
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
VISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Decent set of tools
+Works with AI and Sketch files
+Desktop and online
REASONS TO AVOID
-Free version has limitations
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From the people behind Corel Draw, Gravit Designer is the best free graphic design software specifically for vectors. With a clean and intuitive interface, it can cope with most design jobs, from icon design and prototyping to vector illustration and animation. On the free version, you can export files as PDF, SVG or bitmap, and you access your work wherever you are via the Gravit Cloud.
You can use Gravit Designer online or download a copy to your computer. Note that you automatically start out on a free trial of Gravit Designer Pro when you sign up, and once your trial is over, you transition to the free version, but lose the Pro features – unless you pay for a subscription. See the full comparison between the Pro and free versions here.
Screengrab showing abstract vector shapes
(Image credit: Vecteezy)
- Vecteezy
The best free vector editor for beginners
SPECIFICATIONS
Platform: BrowserPayment model: Free, with subscription for pro version
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
VISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Easy to use
+Good vector tools
+Many elements to work with
REASONS TO AVOID
-Account required to save work
Vecteezy is a free, in-browser vector editor. It allows you to work with ready-made vectors that you can customise to suit your needs, or build your own designs from the ground up. Either way, it’s easy to use and has some nice features such as advanced transformations and keyboard shortcuts. A subscription to the Pro version gets you more tools and resources. See more about how it works in our guide to how to use Vecteezy.
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Vectr screengrab showing vector drawings of buildings
(Image credit: Vectr)
- Vectr
The best free vector editor for live collaboration
SPECIFICATIONS
Platform: Browser, Windows, Linux, Chrome OSPayment model: Free
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
VISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Helpful tutorials
+Browser and desktop versions
+Great collaboration tools
REASONS TO AVOID
-Lacks some advanced features
Vectr is the best free graphic design software for working collaboratively. Along with vector tools, filters, shadows and fonts, it includes a great set of live collaboration and synchronisation options. These make it easy to team up with colleagues or clients, so they can see what you’re doing and provide feedback on your work.
best graphic design software: screenshot from SVG-edit
(Image credit: SVG-edit)
- SVG-Edit
The best free vector editor for quick SVG jobs
SPECIFICATIONS
Platform: BrowserPayment model: Free
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
VISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Good vector capabilities
+Intuitive interface
REASONS TO AVOID
-Short on advanced tools
-Needs some code knowledge
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SVG-Edit lets you edit and create SVG files using a standard vector toolset. There’s nothing to download, as the software works straight in your web browser. It’s not the most comprehensive of vector apps, but it doesn’t really need to be. For simple vectors, or even slightly more detailed ones, it’ll do the job just fine. - best graphic design apps for ipad free
Best graphic design apps for ipad free
- Adobe Photoshop Sketch
Think of Adobe Photoshop Sketch as a bigger and better version of your analog sketchbook. The next time you’re away from your computer and your next best design idea strikes, whip out the app and use their assortment of brushes, pens, and shapes to get it all down on a digital piece of paper. You can even use grids to add another level of precision, and insert photos from your personal or Adobe stock library for reference.
When you get home, you have the option of easily importing your sketch into the desktop version of Photoshop to polish it off. The interface is simple enough that it feels intuitive, so we highly recommend you try it out!
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- What The Font
As a graphic designer, you probably notice beautiful typography when you’re out and about in the real world. The next time you stumble upon a nice-looking piece of type on a sign or a billboard, snap a photo of it and upload it to the What The Font. The app almost instantly recognizes the font or presents you with similar alternatives to choose from. This free version of the popular online tool is perfect for font lovers or graphic designers looking to add new typography to their repertoire.
Hopefully, having this app on-hand will also encourage you to get outside more and find inspiration in the old fashioned way.
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- Vectornator X
The Vectornator X app is an intuitive vector graphic software enabling you to create awesome digital work straight from your iPad or iPhone. The design tools offered within the app are very similar in function to those in Adobe Illustrator, so if you’re already familiar with AI, the learning curve here will not be so steep.
In fact, you can even export your Vectornator work directly into Adobe Illustrator to continue working there afterward if you wanted to. Alternatively, import your unfinished work from any Creative Cloud software so you can continue working on it, on the go within Vectornator.
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- Pocket Palette
Color enthusiasts, this one is especially for you. With Pocket Palette, you can create an infinite amount of customizable color palettes from scratch or from a photo, straight from your iPad. Add or remove the number of colors in your palette and fine-tune each color’s hex code to reach your desired shade and tint. Save all of your favorite creations so you have them handy in the app whenever you need to pull them out and use them in your next design.
The next time you’re on the move, snap a photo of something that catches your eye, and try creating a color palette out of it using this app!
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- Adobe Capture
Are you a designer that loves taking photos to fuel your inspiration? If so, Adobe Capture might just become your new favorite design tool and photo editing software. Using the app, harness the power of your smartphone or iPad’s high definition camera to create custom brushes, textures, color schemes, and even scalable vectors from the photos you take. Save all of these to your Creative Cloud account so you can use them the next time you open up Adobe software on your desktop computer.
The editing tools offered in this app are top-notch and will surely encourage you to gather even more inspiration during your daily adventures outside the house!
Conclusion
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