Casual Graphic Design: Canva
Lots of free templates.
AI tools for editing images and writing text.
The amount of features can feel overwhelming.
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Best Free AI Image Creator: Microsoft Copilot
Completely free to use.
Easy access to GPT-4 and DALL-E 3 AI tech.
Saving an AI image can be clunky on mobile.
you might also access Copilot within the official Bing smartphone apps as well.
Best App for Collaborations and Pitches: Microsoft Whiteboard
Easy for non-tech savvy people to use.
Numerous templates for different projects.
The templates can be intimidating for new users.
Microsoft Whiteboard is one of the best apps for brainstorming and communicating with teammates and clients.
This app lets you quickly sketch a design concept in a meeting.
you’re able to also import image files allows for more detailed presentations when needed.
The main appeal of Microsoft Whiteboard is its focus on collaboration.
Official apps are available on Windows, iOS, and Android devices.
A web app is also available, which can be accessed in a surfing app on any machine.
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Social Media Templates: Adobe Express
Free templates and tools.
Adobe Firefly AI integration.
Only 25 AI credits with free access.
Many are meant to help you create traditional PDF files and posters.
The user interface is straightforward, with most of the main features available for free.
Credits are required for each AI task.
The Premium monthly membership unlocks 250 credits, AI video editing tools, and content scheduling.
Best Collaborative Vector App: Vectr
All basic functionality is free.
Works entirely within a web web app.
Others can watch you work without installing any software.
Free accounts limited to 30MB.
Occasional ads in free version.
Vectr is a robust image editor dedicated to the creation and editing ofvector images.
Some basic AI image editing tools are also available.
Professional Stylus Drawing: Autodesk SketchBook
Entire app is completely free.
Designed with stylus users in mind.
The UI is a bit confusing for first-timers.
Mac version is paid only.
For those looking for an excellent app to draw with, its hard to beat Autodesk SketchBook.
You really cant ask for a better deal with drawing apps than this one.
TheMac version is called Sketchbook Pro, but it doesn’t have a free version.
Biggest Memes Resource: ImgFlip
Easy to access in any web net online gate on any gear.
Has all of the popular memes.
Must pay for membership to remove watermarks.
Need to pay to remove ads.
When you better jump on aviral meme trendfor a design project, few places are more reliable than ImgFlip.
However, you’ll need to shell out a monthly fee to remove the watermark from any created meme.
A Basic or Pro membership also gets you AI creation and an ad-free experience.
Interactive Graphic Design: Genially
Loads of high-quality graph and chart styles.
Incredibly easy to customize each template.
A monthly fee is required to export projects as files.
Free Image Editing For Beginners: Paint.NET
Has all the basic image editing tools.
Completely free to download and use.
Lacks more high-end features.
Not for more advanced users.
This program also supports layers, cropping, and resizing.
This is not the same as the Paint program included with Windows.
Paint.NET isnt for everyone, though.
For beginner and casual use, though, Paint.NET is ideal.
Testing Tattoo Designs: InkHunter
Large library of tattoo art to experiment with.
AR feature works well.
Unable to rotate tattoos in AR mode.
Easiest AI Logo Creator: Looka
Incredibly easy and fast to use.
High quality logos in a variety of formats.
Several file sizes and formats are available to choose from.
Best Subscription-Free Photoshop Alternative: Affinity Photo 2
No monthly subscription required.
Rivals Photoshop in functionality.
Not as many plugins as Photoshop.
Affinity Photo 2 is undoubtedly the best alternative to Photoshop.
Affinity Photo 2 lacks some of Photoshops newer features, such as one-click object selection and AI asset generation.
Industry Standard Graphic Design Tools: Adobe Creative Cloud
Every tool youll need for your design project.
Supported by most industries.
The recurring monthly subscription is a pain.
Its impossible to talk about graphic design apps without mentioning Adobes suite of products.
Access to these apps is available with a monthly Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.
However, you could also obtain individual apps with solo app-specific subscriptions.
Best App for Color Palette Inspiration: Palette Cam
High-quality stock photography.
Easy to export color codes.
Only available on iPhone.
Best Subscription-Free InDesign Alternative: Affinity Publisher 2
Works faster than InDesign on slower computers.
Lacks support for InDesign INDD files.
Lacks popularity at industry level.
It also tends to load and run faster than InDesign too.
For smaller teams and freelancers, though, Publisher 2 is worth considering.
Best Tool for Royalty-Free Stock Photos: Unsplash
Over 6 million royalty-free photos.
Lots of variety and styles to choose from.
Search function is hit-or-miss.
All photos are royalty-free, meaning you dont need to pay or ask permission to use them.
Various resolutions are available.
Best Subscription-Free Illustrator Alternative: Affinity Designer 2
Can be bought without a subscription.
Large number of file export options.
Cant save files in the common AI format.
Affinity Designer 2 is a solid rival to Adobe Illustrator regarding vector creation software.
Designer 2 matches almost all of Illustrators features, is less intimidating, and requires fewer system resources.
