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With Canva's latest update announced in May 2024 and with about 185 million users as they claim, Canva is going to lead the design software marketshare for a very long time.  Here is a link to Canva Create 2024 which has all the details about the updates.  Although there is a paid version of Canva, the free version has many features you need to start designing. The software comes with hundreds of thousands of templates, making it easy to create graphic designs.  It's highly user friendly and easy for a beginner to dive in and start making great looking graphics or even projects that require simple video editing.

It is perfect for digital products, including virtual and visual advertisements. Once you dive in, you'll have a range of Logo,  social media, Video and many more templates, photos and footage to choose from. You can easily customise the size of the graphic you're working on, making it appropriate for whatever social media platform you choose to use.

You can sign up for the pro version for A164.99/year which comes with +100 million stock photos, videos, graphics and audio, as well as 100GB of storage, social media scheduling and more.

lets look at what you've got in free and pro version

Canva Free Version:

• Design Anything: Create your own designs or collaborate with friends and family.
• Easy Drag-and-Drop Editor: Intuitive interface for designing.
• 1M+ Professionally-Designed Templates: Access a wide variety of templates for social posts and more.
• 3M+ Stock Photos and Graphics: Use high-quality visuals in your designs.
• AI-Generated Writing and Designs: Get creative suggestions.
• Design Printing and Delivery: Prepare your designs for printing.
• 5GB of Cloud Storage: Store your designs securely.

Canva Pro Version (Includes Everything in Free, Plus):

• Unlimited Premium Templates: Access a broader range of professionally-designed templates.
• 100M+ Photos, Videos, Graphics, and Audio: A vast library of visual assets.
• 100 Brand Kits: Manage your brand consistently across designs.
• Quickly Resize and Translate Designs: Adapt your designs effortlessly.
• Remove Backgrounds in a Click: Perfect for isolating elements.
• Plan and Schedule Social Content: Organise your social media posts.
• 1TB of Cloud Storage: Store more files securely.
• 24/7 Customer Support: Assistance whenever you need it.

2. Desygner

Coming in at a close second is Desygner, a "Graphic design tool for non-designers". If you like Canva, we think you'll love Desygner! With over 20 million users, Desygner is favoured by small business owners for it's simplicity and massive library of templates. Not to mention the free version has 96 million available images (powered by shutterstock).

The templates available can help small business owners with almost any kind of graphic design project. If you're looking for printing, Desygner allows small business owners to produce professional looking business cards, flyers, greeting cards, resume templates and more.

Their web templates cover banner ads, social posts, Professional looking business logos and even album covers! The platform is highly intuitive and, we recommend selecting a template category and start scrolling through the range of options to choose from, there's something there for any business!

Their plans are also a bargain. You can start with a  14 day free trial and try before you buy before upgrading to their pro+ version at only US4.95/month. On top of the free plan, the pro plan comes with 10 billion+ Google images, 125 million Shutterstock images, the option to add up to 5 team members and more! There's also the option to upgrade to the business version for an extra $5 or you can even customise your plan. Give Desygner a try, you've got nothing to lose.

 Let’s compare the features of Desyner’s Free and the Pro Version:

Desyner Free Version:

• Basic Design Tools: The free version provides essential design tools for creating graphics, layouts, and simple designs.
• Limited Templates: Access to a limited set of templates and design elements.
• Standard Resolution: Designs are limited to standard resolutions (e.g., HD or Full HD).
• Basic Export Options: Export designs in common formats (JPEG, PNG, etc.).
• Single User: Designed for individual use.

Desyner Pro Version:

• Advanced Design Tools: Pro version includes more sophisticated tools for professional-grade designs.
• Extensive Template Library: Access to a wide range of templates, including industry-specific designs.
• High-Resolution Output: Create designs at higher resolutions (up to 4K or beyond).
• Advanced Export Options: Export in various formats, including vector formats (SVG, PDF).
• Collaboration Features: Collaborate with team members, share designs, and work on projects together.
• Priority Support: Faster customer support response times.
• Commercial Use: Suitable for businesses, agencies, and freelancers.

3. GIMP

Often regarded by most experts as a free alternative to Photoshop, GNU Image Manipulation Program GIMP is a graphic design tool created for image composition, photo retouching, and image authoring. Its interface is similar to that of Photoshop, making it easy to use for those familiar with adobe photoshop.

Perhaps the only major drawback of this software is that it contains less feature compared to photoshop 

Key Features:

• High-Quality Photo Manipulation: From retouching to restoring to creative composites, GIMP lets you unleash your imagination.
• Original Artwork Creation: Artists can transform images into unique creations.
• Graphic Design Elements: GIMP is ideal for producing icons, graphical design elements, and art for user interface components and mockups.
• Programming Algorithms: It serves as a high-quality framework for scripted image manipulation, supporting languages like C, C++, Perl, Python, Scheme, and more.
• Color Management: GIMP ensures high-fidelity color reproduction across digital and printed media, making it a key component in desktop publishing workflows involving other free software like Scribus and Inkscape.

Availability:

GIMP is a cross-platform image editor, available for GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows, and more operating systems.

It’s free software, allowing you to modify its source code and distribute your changes.

Recent Updates:

GIMP 2.10.36 was released in November 2023.

The development preview of GIMP 3.0 is also underway.

4. Crello (Now Vista Create)

This very affordable video and graphic design software is perfect for anyone looking to create a business card, flyer, logos, animated graphics, and brochures. 

With over 18,000 templates, Vista Create makes it easy to design your preferred graphic. Also, there are free tutorials on Coello's website that guides beginners. 

Crello's pro version goes for AU$10.84 per month and allows for collaboration on projects. However, you may choose to use the free version, which has limited features.

 Let’s compare the free and Pro versions of VistaCreate:

VistaCreate Free:

• Templates: Access to a variety of templates.
• Creative Assets: Over one million royalty-free, high-resolution images and videos.
• Background Removal Tool: Helps remove backgrounds from images.
• Styles Feature: Apply predefined styles to your designs.
• Brand Kits: Organize your brand assets.
• Free Design Elements: Use design elements without any additional cost.
• Photo Editing Functionality: Basic photo editing tools.
• Publishing Feature: Share your designs.
• Who It’s For: Ideal for individuals managing a single business or project.

VistaCreate Pro:

• Over 50 Million Creative Assets: A vast library of ready-to-use photos, videos, and vectors.
• Team Account: Collaborate with others.
• Unlimited Brand Kits: Manage multiple brands or projects.
• Unlimited Storage: Store your designs.
• Resize Feature: Easily adapt designs to different formats.
• Sticker Maker: Create custom stickers.
• Version History: Keep track of design changes.
• HD Download: High-resolution downloads.
• Who It’s For: Not just professional designers—beginners and business owners can benefit from the added functionality. If you manage multiple brand social media accounts or oversee different companies, the Pro plan consolidates everything in one place for easy access

5. Vectr

If you're looking for free online graphic design software that you can use to create graphics, Vectr could be a great option. You can use it online on a web browser or download its program. The software is ideal for creating resumes, typographic logos, business cards, memes, social media headers, etc.

One of Vectr's best features is the ability to share URLs in real-time. This means you can work in teams to create your desired graphics. However, you will need to have an account to create and save your work.

Let’s compare the free and Pro versions of Vectr:

Vectr Free

• Easy to Learn and Use: Unlike some high-end vector graphics solutions, Vectr has a shallow learning curve. It’s straightforward and intuitive, making it ideal for beginners. If you’re familiar with photo editing or illustration software, you’ll feel at home.
• Basic Tools: Includes essential features like text, pencil, shapes, and pen tools.
• Online-Based: Projects are saved on the web by default.
• Collaboration-Friendly: Developed with sharing and collaboration on vector graphics in mind.
• Customisation Tools: Offers shadow, color, fill type, border, and opacity tools.

Vectr Pro

• Advanced Tools: Vectr Pro provides more features, including assorted clipart designs, calendar icons, stars, lightning bolts, arrows, and edit/import options for bitmaps and SVGs as backgrounds.
• Higher Storage: Offers 1GB of storage (compared to the limited 30MB in the free version).
• AI-Powered Tools: Includes 120 free credits for AI-powered features.
• Ad-Free Experience: No ads.
• Priority Support: Get assistance faster.

6. Marq (formerly Lucidpress)

This is free-to-use graphic design software that runs in your browser. Marq allows you to create videos, newsletters, posters, business cards, flyers, brochures, and magazines. Its ease of use makes it perfect for beginners and non-designers. Marq's main disadvantage is the absence of a comprehensive image library.

Marq Free

• Easy to Learn and Use: Lucidpress has a shallow learning curve, making it ideal for beginners. You’ll find it straightforward and intuitive.
• Basic Tools: Includes essential features like text, shapes, and basic customization options.
• Online-Based: Projects are saved on the web by default.
• Collaboration-Friendly: Designed for sharing and collaboration on vector graphics.
• Customisation Tools: Offers shadow, color, fill type, border, and opacity options.

Marq Pro

• Unlimited Storage: Unlike the free version, there are no storage limits for your designs.
• No Page Restrictions: Create documents with as many pages as needed.
• Customisable Image Quality: When downloading designs, you can choose the DPI (dots per inch) for optimal quality.
• Professional Features: The pro version caters to more demanding design projects.

7. Adobe Illustrator

If you're looking for software that can create logos and make vector-based illustrations, Adobe Illustrator may be the software for you. Graphic design professionals prefer this software over hundreds of other similar tools – for a good reason. It is entirely scalable, allows for in-panel editing, and creates web and print graphics. We don't recommend Adobe Illustrator for beginners. It's one of the more complex tools available however the depth of features are fantastic which is why it's favoured by professionals.

However, the software is expensive and demands patience from the user because it takes a lot of time to understand.

Key Features of Illustrator

• Precise design tools: Create precise lines and shapes, turn prompts into editable graphics, and generate customizable, scalable vector graphics.
• Icon and pattern creation: Make icons, patterns, and precise illustrations.
• Advanced color options: Utilize tools for color palettes, gradients, and mixing effects.

8. Figma

If you're looking for graphic design software that can be used for web, mobile, and desktop apps to create both digital and print projects, look no further than Figma. Figma is the gold standard for designing prototypes. This software is collaborative, meaning you can share a link to a project and have team members work on it simultaneously and in real-time. Although there are paid versions of this software, its free version offer's some great tools and options.

Figma Free Version

• Graphic design: Create wireframes, design app interfaces, and craft social media posts.
• Prototyping: Build interactive prototypes.
• Collaboration: Work in real time with teams.
• Dev Mode: Translate designs into code.
• Design Systems: Standardize components and variables.

Figma Pro Version

• All free features.
• Additional capabilities for demanding design needs.

9. Visme

Are you looking for an online tool to brand and create visual assets like slideshows, social media ad units, charts, and storyboards? You have your answer in Visme. This software focuses on brand aesthetics and has features that preserve videos, images, palettes, and other company assets. In addition, the software has a lot of templates that allow you to create the graphic of your choice.

Its free plan gives you access to 5 projects, 100MB of storage space, and limited templates. Its main drawback is that it has few animated icons.

Visme Free Version

• No credit card required: You can sign up without providing credit card information.
• Limited access to premium features: Includes basic features, but lacks advanced options.
• Download options: Limited download formats (JPG, PNG, or PDF).
• Templates and assets: Access to a subset of templates and design assets.
• Importing options: Basic import capabilities.
• Storage: Minimal storage capacity.

Visme Pro Version

• Full downloading options: Export your projects in various formats.
• Brand Kit: Maintain consistent branding.
• Analytics: Track performance and engagement.
• Integrations: Connect with other tools.
• Privacy controls: Manage sharing and visibility.
• Storage: Sufficient storage capacity.
• Collaboration: Teams of all sizes can collaborate using the Pro plan.

10. Easel.ly

Easelly is web-based design software that can create infographics and visualize data. Its interface allows for drag-and-drop, which makes it suitable for beginners.

However, the software's designs are based on templates, meaning you may struggle to create something unique that will allow you to stand out. 

Easel.ly Free

• Basic chart options for creating infographics.
• Limited font selection.
• Standard templates.
• Access to Easel features like two-stage carving, detailed preview, and multiple toolpath generation.
• Carving Limit: 4 free carves per month.
• No V-carving functionality.
• No feed rate override.
• No advanced features beyond basic infographic creation.

Easel.ly Pro Account:

• All the features of the free account.
• Expanded chart options for turning facts and figures into engaging visuals.
• Access to a wider range of fonts (including 200 fonts).
• Enhanced templates.
• V-carving functionality.
• Feed rate override.
• No limit on the number of carves.
• Ideal for users who need more advanced tools and customization options.
  

11. Adobe Photoshop

This design tool comes with a simple interface and several templates, graphics, and fonts to use. Available for desktop and mobile versions, Adobe Photoshop is standard for photography and graphic design, making it worthwhile for anyone going pro. The software costs around AU$42.70 per month or AU $325.30 per year.

12. Corel Painter 2023

Corel Painter 2023 builds on its legacy as a premier digital art software, offering realistic emulation of traditional mediums like oil and watercolor. With enhanced brush performance and AI-powered tools, it streamlines workflows and fosters creativity. Its intuitive interface and vibrant community make it a go-to choice for artists of all levels, bridging the gap between traditional and digital art with finesse and innovation.

Consider Hiring a Graphic Designer

Although there are some great tools available for small business to design their own graphics, it takes years to master graphic design. Graphic Designers will research your target market, consider colouring and fonts that work with your branding so you communicate a clear message to your target market every time. An excellent graphic designer will know the best approach to effectively communicate what your business stands for, including the products and services you sell.

Hiring a professional graphic designer can go a long way in bringing success to your business. From saving you money and time to making your business look consistent and professional. Other advantages of getting professional include designer include:

• It makes your business stand out
• Keeps your look consistent
• It helps you in achieving the results you need
• Can increase your conversions
• Creates an excellent first impression for you.

We have some of Sydney's leading Graphic Designers working with us here at DSIGNS. We create beautiful graphics to consistently present your brand in the eyes of your customers. Get in touch with us today to speak to one of our friendly consultants.