7 Free Graphic Design Tools for 2022 - A Detailed Analysis
- By Frank Morrison
- August 16, 2021
- 10:00 am
- No Comments
When it comes to professional graphic design tools, they could cost a fortune. We are talking about several tens (Illustrator), and in many cases, hundreds of dollars (CorelDraw).
While these premium tools offer powerful features and they satisfy the needs of most graphic designers, not everyone can afford to pay for them.
The good news is, there are many (mostly) free alternatives on the market. We’ve collected 14 of them, and here’s what they’ve got the offer.
Canva
Starting off with a tool we praised several times on our platform: Canva is a popular, simple-to-use graphic design tool that allows you to create just about any kind of graphic with the intuitive, drag-and-drop interface, be it a brochure or a social media post.
Canva is a perfect choice for beginners and less-experienced designers due to its ease of use and the template library it offers.
The platform is free-to-use, all you need is an account and you’re ready to create those stunning graphics.
Compatible with:
- Desktop (Cloud-based)
- iOS
- Android
Is it really free?
Yes, it is. Most of the features, templates, illustrations, and photos can be accessed if you’re on the free plan.
There is a Pro plan, that costs around $12.99 a month, and it offers features such as one-click resize, branding kits, a social media post scheduler, plus you’ll have access to 100+ million stock footage, visual illustrations, and 610 000+ templates.
Inkspace
Inkspace is free, open-source graphic design software that’s known for its flexibility and overall versatility.
The features include object creation (drawing and shaping tools), object manipulation, rendering, operation on paths, text support, and more.
On May 24, 2021, they released the newest version of the software, Inkspace 1.1, which comes with an improved Dialog Docking System, a renewed Command Palette, and a search bar that allows you to look for specific preference settings.
All and all, Inkspace is a great alternative to premium graphic design tools.
Compatible with:
- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Linux
Is it really free?
Inkspace is an open-source software, available free of charge, licensed under the GPL or General Public License. The Inkspace Fund is responsible for maintaining the software and they rely on donations to do just that. They also sell merchandise and work with sponsors to keep the Inkspace project alive.
Gravit Designer
Next up, Gravit Designer. The creators of it describe Gravit Designer as a ‘full-featured vector graphic design app built for all platforms.
The platform is centered around creating vector-based illustrations using a rather complex interface, however, it also allows for photo and video editing, mockup design, even print on demand.
The file formats Gravit Designer supports are the following:
- Gvdesign (native, default file format)
- Adobe Illustrator files
- SVG, SVGZ
- EPS
- Sketch files (up until version 49)
- JPEG
- PNG
- GIF
Compatible with:
- Web (Cloud-based)
- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Linux
- Chrome OS
Is it really free?
When you first create a Gravit Account, you’ll be using the features of the PRO version ($49.99 a year). After the trial period is over, you’ll be transitioned into using Gravit Designer Free.
The free version only allows for 500MB of cloud software, RGB color space only, whereas PRO gives you unlimited cloud storage, the ability to work offline and see your work history.
DesignWizard
DesignWizard is a beginner-friendly graphic design tool that has a similar interface to Canva.
The drag-and-drop editor allows you to create eye-catching graphics (anything from YouTube Channel Arts to Gift Certificates) either from scratch or using a pre-made template.
You can also find stock footage on DesignWizard’s website – they 90 pages worth of free images.
Compatible with:
- Web-based
Is it really free?
The free plan enables you to use the core features of the platform and it gives you 15 MB of storage space. The premium plans (starting from $9.99 a month) offer more advanced features such as font upload.
Photopea
Photopea is often called the best free alternative to Photoshop – in fact, it advertises itself as such.
It is a raster and vector graphics editor that can be used for photo editing, web design, or creating complex illustrations – all you need is an internet connection since Photopea is completely web-based.
It supports several different file formats and the overall features of the platform make Photopea a viable alternative to Photoshop.
Compatible with:
- Web-based
Is it really free?
You can use Photopea free of charge, however, you have to be prepared to see advertisements popping up all across the platform. In order to get rid of the ads, you’ll have to upgrade to a premium account or send a one-time donation.
Blender
Blender is all about creating 3D animation. Essentially, it is an open-source animation suite that offers a wide range of features from modeling to VFX.
The tool is meant for beginners at all. Blender has quite a learning curve, which means if you have no previous experience with it, it will likely take months to figure out how to use the platform.
Compatible with:
- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Linux
Is it really free?
The software is completely free to use. Blender created a charitable fund (Development Fund) to support Blender’s development. The fund has 2600+ individual and 25 corporate donors that include companies like Adobe.
Gimp
GIMP or GNU Image Manipulation Program is another popular free photo-editing program.
It offers photo manipulation, a library of graphic design elements, and color management features.
One of the major upsides of this tool is its extensibility: the Scheme, Python, and Perl integration allow for greater customization options (plugins and addons, respectively).
You can download the newest version down below.
Compatible with
- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Linux
Is it really free?
GIMP is an open-source software listed under the GPL. In other words: you don’t have to pay anything for it.
Conclusion
The market is saturated: there are dozens of graphic design tools out there, trying to outcompete one another.
It takes time to test, experiment, and find out the difference between them.
Hopefully, after this short guide, you’ll walk away knowing which tool works best for you.
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