Whether you're a professional designer, content creator, or hobbyist, having the right graphic design software is essential. From industry-standard tools like Adobe Photoshop to powerful free alternatives, here are the best graphic design programs for Windows and Mac in 2026.
Best Professional Graphic Design Software
1. Adobe Photoshop
Best for Photo Editing & Digital Art
Adobe Photoshop remains the industry standard for photo editing, digital painting, and raster graphics. It's the go-to tool for photographers, digital artists, and designers worldwide.
- Advanced photo editing tools
- AI-powered features (Generative Fill, Neural Filters)
- Extensive brush library
- Layer styles and effects
- 3D design capabilities
- Plugin ecosystem
Price: $22.99/month (Photography Plan) | $54.99/month (All Apps)
2. Adobe Illustrator
Best for Vector Graphics
Illustrator is the industry standard for creating logos, icons, illustrations, and any scalable vector graphics that need to look sharp at any size.
- Precise vector drawing tools
- Advanced typography
- Pattern and gradient tools
- Artboard management
- SVG export optimization
- AI-powered vectorization
Price: $22.99/month | $54.99/month (All Apps)
3. Affinity Designer 2
Best Adobe Illustrator Alternative
Affinity Designer offers professional vector design tools with a one-time purchase price. No subscription needed.
- Vector and raster in one app
- Smooth performance on large files
- Advanced grids and guides
- Symbols for reusable assets
- Export personas
- Cross-platform (Windows, Mac, iPad)
Price: $69.99 one-time purchase
4. Affinity Photo 2
Best Adobe Photoshop Alternative
A professional photo editing application that rivals Photoshop at a fraction of the cost.
- RAW photo editing
- Advanced retouching tools
- HDR merge and focus stacking
- Non-destructive editing
- PSD file support
- GPU acceleration
Price: $69.99 one-time purchase
5. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
Best All-in-One Suite
CorelDRAW is a comprehensive suite for vector illustration, page layout, photo editing, and typography.
- Vector illustration
- Page layout
- Photo editing (Photo-Paint)
- Font management
- Collaboration features
- AI-powered tools
Price: $249/year or $549 perpetual license
Best Free Graphic Design Software
6. GIMP
Best Free Photoshop Alternative
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a powerful, free, open-source image editor that rivals paid software.
- Advanced photo retouching
- Layer support
- Customizable interface
- Extensive plugin support
- File format support
- Cross-platform
Price: Free
7. Inkscape
Best Free Vector Editor
Inkscape is a free, open-source vector graphics editor comparable to Illustrator for basic to intermediate work.
- Full SVG support
- Bezier and spiro curves
- Text tools
- Clone and patterns
- Bitmap tracing
- Extensions support
Price: Free
8. Krita
Best Free Digital Painting
Krita is a professional-grade digital painting program, perfect for illustrators, concept artists, and comic creators.
- 100+ built-in brushes
- Brush stabilizer
- Animation tools
- HDR support
- PSD compatibility
- Resource manager
Price: Free
9. Canva
Best for Beginners & Social Media
Canva makes graphic design accessible to everyone with its drag-and-drop interface and thousands of templates.
- Thousands of templates
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Brand kit feature
- Team collaboration
- Stock photos and elements
- Video and presentation tools
Price: Free (Pro: $12.99/month)
10. Photopea
Best Browser-Based Editor
Photopea is a free, browser-based editor with a Photoshop-like interface. No download required.
- PSD, XCF, Sketch support
- Layers and masks
- Advanced selection tools
- Works offline
- No account required
- Completely free
Price: Free
Best Specialized Design Software
11. Figma
Best for UI/UX Design
Figma is the leading collaborative design tool for creating user interfaces, websites, and digital products.
- Real-time collaboration
- Prototyping tools
- Component system
- Dev mode
- Plugin ecosystem
- Free for individuals
Price: Free (Professional: $15/user/month)
12. Sketch
Best for Mac UI Design
Sketch is a powerful vector design tool focused on UI/UX design, popular among Mac users.
- Vector-based design
- Symbols and libraries
- Prototyping
- Developer handoff
- Plugin marketplace
- Mac exclusive
Price: $10/month or $120/year
13. Procreate
Best for iPad Illustration
Procreate is the most popular digital illustration app for iPad, loved by artists worldwide.
- Hundreds of brushes
- Apple Pencil support
- Animation assist
- Time-lapse recording
- PSD export
- One-time purchase
Price: $12.99 one-time (iPad only)
14. Blender
Best Free 3D Design
Blender is a free, open-source 3D creation suite supporting modeling, animation, rendering, and more.
- 3D modeling
- Sculpting
- Animation and rigging
- Video editing
- Grease Pencil 2D
- Cycles renderer
Price: Free
15. Gravit Designer (Corel Vector)
Best Free Cross-Platform Vector
A full-featured vector design app available on all platforms including browser.
- Cross-platform
- Cloud storage
- Precision tools
- Effects and filters
- PDF export
- Free version available
Price: Free (Pro: $99/year)
Comparison Table
| Software | Best For | Platform | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Photoshop | Photo editing | Win/Mac | $22.99/mo |
| Adobe Illustrator | Vector graphics | Win/Mac | $22.99/mo |
| Affinity Designer 2 | Vector (one-time) | Win/Mac/iPad | $69.99 |
| GIMP | Free photo editing | Win/Mac/Linux | Free |
| Inkscape | Free vector | Win/Mac/Linux | Free |
| Krita | Digital painting | Win/Mac/Linux | Free |
| Canva | Beginners | Web/Win/Mac | Free/Pro |
| Figma | UI/UX design | Web/Win/Mac | Free/Paid |
| Blender | 3D design | Win/Mac/Linux | Free |
How to Choose the Right Software
- Budget: Free options like GIMP and Inkscape are powerful enough for most users
- Purpose: Photo editing (Photoshop/GIMP), Vector (Illustrator/Inkscape), UI (Figma/Sketch)
- Learning curve: Canva for beginners, Adobe for professionals
- Platform: Check compatibility with your OS
- Collaboration: Figma and Canva excel at team collaboration
FAQ
Is Adobe worth the subscription cost?
For professionals, Adobe's tools remain industry standard and worth the investment. For hobbyists, Affinity's one-time purchase or free alternatives are excellent choices.
Can GIMP replace Photoshop?
For most tasks, yes. GIMP handles photo editing, retouching, and digital art well. However, Photoshop offers more advanced AI features and better integration with other Adobe apps.
What's the best free design software for beginners?
Canva is the easiest to learn with its template-based approach. For more control, Photopea offers a Photoshop-like experience for free.
The best graphic design software depends on your needs, budget, and skill level. Professionals benefit from Adobe's ecosystem, while hobbyists and beginners have excellent free options like GIMP, Inkscape, and Canva.
