Top 15 Free Mac Apps for Graphic Designers About the author: This guest article was written by Emma Best from Laptopical - a guide to the latest laptop reviews. Graphic design mac free download - Graphic Design, Graphic design, Graphic design, and many more programs. Browse and download Graphics & Design apps on your Mac from the Mac App Store. The Mac App Store has a wide selection of Graphics & Design apps for your Mac.
Comparing top graphic design software tools? We've compiled some of the most popular software for entrepreneurs — and you.
Which is the best graphic design software for your business in 2020?
We wrote this article (and made a small offering to the taco gods) to help you answer that question. We’ve compiled 10 of the best graphic design software tools available today, so you can compare their features and prices to determine what’s best for you. Plus, we threw in a few current AppSumo deals at the end of the article to support your design efforts.
The marketplace for graphic design tools has a little bit for everyone. If you’re a professional designer looking for a software that keeps up with your talent, we’ve included tools that give you maximum creative control. If you’re a business owner just looking for a simple, low-cost way to create graphics for your business, there are multiple options below for you as well.
Get cozy in your favorite blog reading chair, because here are the best graphic design software tools in 2020.
Cloud Based Graphic Design Software
1. RelayThat
RelayThat isn’t like most of the design tools on this list. It has a singular goal in mind: keeping your company graphics on-brand.
Create stunning images for your company. RelayThat remembers your colors, logo, and other design choices and automatically applies your brand colors and design details to future graphics, making graphic design fast, easy, and always consistent — even when multiple people are creating graphics on one team.
AppSumo Review: 4.62 / 5 tacos (403 total reviews)
Cost: RelayThat starts at $25 per month. For a limited time, you can get a lifetime deal on AppSumo starting at $49.
2. Pixlr
Pixlr is another image editing tool that’s often used for online graphic design. You can easily remove image backgrounds, add text and stickers to photos, and use simple filters like you’re on Instagram.
Like many of the online tools in this article, Pixlr also starts free. You can begin editing images, creating graphics, and building out your marketing collateral in minutes.
AppSumo Review: 4.29 / 5 tacos (24 total reviews)
Price: Pixlr lets you start using the tool for free. Paid plans start at $4.90 per month, billed annually. Or you can grab the AppSumo lifetime deal of Pixlr at $49.
3. Canva
Canva is a popular online graphic design tool known and used by seasoned designers and amateurs alike. It has a drag-and-drop functionality, which makes it easy to learn and use.
Free versions of Canva also make it useful for people without a graphic design budget. If you prioritize simplicity, cost-saving, and speed, Canva is a reliable choice.
Cost: Canva uses a freemium pricing model. Premium accounts start at $9.95/month.
💡 Looking for an alternative to Canva? Here’s our list of top Canva alternatives you can find online.
4. Stencil
Another popular online graphic design tool, Stencil, enables fast graphic creation and photo editing for people on the go. Like Canva, Stencil is a drag-and-drop tool that lets you create stylish designs, fast. In fact, you don’t even have to go to their website to start editing: Use Stencil’s plugin to edit photos without leaving your current web screen.
Stencil also offers thousands of stock images. If you want to quickly throw together inspiring quote posts, Stencil even has a quote feature. Just browse thousands of famous phrases and use the ones you love in a graphic, without transcribing or research.
If you’re deciding between Stencil and Canva, we wrote a post to help you make up your mind.
Cost: Stencil uses a Freemium model. Their premium package starts at $9/month.
5. Fotor
This online photo editor and design tool gives you tools and templates to achieve professional designs. Fotor lets you touch up images more than Stencil or Canva. It’s good for designers who want to also clean up or tweak photos through light exposure and photo reshaping.
Fotor provides templates to help you design collages, social media posts, and logos. It includes resizing and other graphic/photo editing effects.
Cost: Fotor uses a freemium model. Their premium package starts at $3.33/month.
6. Crello
Crello‘s Animation Maker suite is what sets it apart from many cloud-based graphic design software. It gives users animated templates and objects to use to bring more engaging images and videos to life. Animated templates include formats for vertical and square video, Facebook and Instagram stories, and Facebook cover videos, which will help set your brand apart online.
Crello also comes with a large template and image library including illustrations, with plenty of options for various web content formats and platforms.
AppSumo Review: 4.49 / 5 tacos (109 total reviews)
Cost: Crello Pro plan starts at $7.99 per month, billed annually. Or you can get its annual deal on AppSumo for $67.
7. Figma
Unlike other graphic design software, Figma shines with its collaboration capabilities. You can add as many team members as you want as free “viewers” to get stakeholder feedback via comments on your design.
Graphic Design For Mac
Figma also comes with features like auto layout, asset libraries, and shareable prototyping features. Never worry about losing a thing with auto-save. Sketch (more on that below) and Figma share some plugins and integrations, so you can often find that additional functionality—or even build it yourself—if you need it.
Cost: Figma starts free for 3 projects with 2 editors and scales up to $12 and $45 per editor from there.
Offline Graphic Design Software
8. Adobe Illustrator
You’ll notice that Adobe is behind multiple amazing graphic design tools on this list. Adobe is one of the biggest names in design software — for good reason. The true Adobe graphic design tool, Illustrator, provides comprehensive tools for creating captivating visuals for your brand.
Adobe Illustrator lets you design freehand, making your art come alive on the screen. You can upload or create new fonts for text the world has never seen before. From simple social media graphics to your company’s logo, Illustrator gives you full creative control.
Cost: Adobe Illustrator starts at $20.99.
💡 Feel free to check out the best free and paid Illustrator alternatives for more affordable options.
9. Adobe Photoshop
Another member of the Adobe suite, Adobe Photoshop, provides robust photo and graphic editing. This tool requires a higher learning curve than some of the drag-and-drop tools mentioned above. But it also offers a much wider range of functions and control. From basic tools like text overlay, to complex features like controlling file sizes, Photoshop has a lot to offer.
Photoshop is used by professional designers all over the world and the Photoshop Elements 2019 Online Introduction Course (free in our store!) can get you started.
Cost: Adobe Photoshop starts at $20.99.
💡 Here’s our list of the best alternatives to Photoshop you can find in the market.
10. Affinity Designer
Another top graphic design tool, Affinity, was created for professional designers, putting it in the same camp as Adobe products when it comes to cost and features. The toolbar lets you perform everything from image cropping and resizing to text overlay.
While not exclusively a Mac product, Affinity was designed to cater to Mac products. But they’ve recently released a version for Windows users as well.
Affinity also lets you tap into work from talented artists. Beyond the standard price, you can choose various creative bundles that include exclusive fonts, illustrations, and more.
Cost: Affinity is $49.99. (Yes, that’s a one-time fee, not a subscription.)
11. Gravit Designer
Gravit Designer can fit in multiple categories in this article. It can be used online, on your Mac or Windows, and more. As they put it, “Apply multiple fills, gradients, textures, borders, effects, and blending modes to any object.”
Gravit is a simple drag-and-drop graphic design tool suite. You can use a pen tool to draw your own graphics. It includes borders and other shaping functions, as well as image upload and editing tools.
Cost: Gravit uses a freemium model. The premium features start at $49.00/year.
Graphic Design Software for Mac
12. Sketch
Sketch is a graphic design tool exclusively for Mac users. It’s considered one of the best graphic design software tools on the market, particularly preferred by UX and UI experts. Sketch creates wireframes and clickable product prototypes.
For Mac users interested in designing a usable model before they design their application or website, Sketch makes it easy. Simply mock up your designs in sketch, perform user tests on the clickable designs, and then pass those designs to your developer when you’re ready for a full product.
(If you’re interested in prototypes, you may also consider learning about Adobe XD.)
Cost: Sketch costs $99 per year, per device.
Graphic Design Resources to Support Your Workflow
After you select the best graphic design software for your business, the next step is to get other design-related tools and resources that support your workflow. Here are our best deals on graphic design resources. Or you can check out our post on the 30 must-have resources in 2020.
13. FreshStock
With FreshStock, you get access to an asset library with the most diverse collection of premium, curated stock vectors and templates created by world-class artists. Its subscription starts at $49 per month ($42 per month if billed annually), but for a limited time, you can get lifetime access to FreshStock at $69.
14. EpicPxls
EpicPxls is an online design template marketplace. Get the fonts, templates, illustrations, and designs you need to make graphic design simpler and faster.
15. StockUnlimited
StockUnlimited gives you access to 1+ million high-quality stock photos; songs and sound effects for videos and podcasts; and even a built-in image editor. Get a 3-year deal on StockUnlimited for $49.
How to Pick the Best Graphic Design Software
What is the best graphic design software for your business? Maybe a better question: What does your heart (and wallet) tell you?
Choosing the best graphic design software ultimately comes down to your priorities. Do you prefer speed or creative control? Are you more inclined to save a few bucks or invest in top-of-the-line design tools? Are you team Edward or Jacob? (Okay, okay, I’ll send that joke back to 2008.)
If you’re looking for options that make the most financial sense, here are a few AppSumo deals you should check out:
You’ve got the vision. Now let’s see you bring it to life.
Happy choosing!
Looking for more posts on design software? Try these:
macOS is one of the most popular operating systems in the world. If you just bought a Mac, you may need some apps that are very easy to use to help you edit some photos or even create some great icons or logos on your Mac.
So, here are the best 15 graphic design apps for Mac:
1. Icon Plus
If you are looking for an app that can help you create or modify an icon or logo then we recommend you try out Icon Plus. This app comes with some amazing features like combining images and text for creating fabulous logo designs. You can also edit existing graphics for obtaining great user interfaces. You can download it from the Mac App Store for just $4.99.
2. Gravit Designer
Gravit Designer is one of the most complete apps in this business. This app can be used for all sorts of design jobs (app icons for example) and even animations and presentations. You have to pay if you want to use the PRO version of this app, but the free one is really excellent too.
3. Inkscape
Inkscape is a very useful design tool which you will find on the Mac App Store. It focuses on the SVG format and it offers some special features that are not available with other apps such as alpha bending, markers and cloned objects, all for free.
Graphic Design Machine For Sale
4. Krita
This one is pretty cool. Being in development since 1999, Krita is a great painting tool that comes with different types of brushes and with advanced filters that will make your work easier. You can download this app for free.
5. GIMP
If you are searching for a free app that is very similar to Photoshop you should download GIMP. Even if it’s free you can use the full suite of tools like painting tools, clonning, correction or selection.
6. Image Tricks
If you are the type of person that likes to play with images and edit them, this app is perfectly suited for you. As the name suggests, Image Tricks gives you the possibility to apply a multitude of different photo effects on your pictures, all for free.
7. Comipro Plus
Graphic And Design For Mac Os
Comipro Plus is the creation of a Japanese company but it can be used by english speakers too. This app was made for the cartoon enthusiasts and enables them to create various modern comics. You can get this app for free from the Mac App Store.
8. Scratch
If you have a passion for animations you have to download Scratch. This app is very easy to use and you can create animated stories or small games just for fun. This application is completely free.
9. DAZ Studio
If you want to create 3D programs where you can use 3D objects, people and animals this app is perfect for you and you need to download it immediately. You can download DAZ Studio from the Mac App Store for free.
10. ArchiCad
If Google SketchUp isn’t enough for you and you need a 3D design app with more features, then ArchiCAD is the app for you. This tool allows you to bring your ideas to life in 3D, all for free.
11. Adobe Ilustrator CC
This app is one of the best in the business, it helps you create some great graphic designs for websites, video games or apps. It also comes with a state-of-the-art digital illustration tool. Even if it’s not cheap, this app is a must-have.
12. Canva
Canva is a great app that can be used by both begginers and professionals, by both individuals and teams. Canva is an app that lets you create professional graphic designs very easily. It offers you access to over a million graphics or images.
13. Corel PaintShop Pro
Graphic And Design For Macbook Pro
This image editing software is an easy to use tool for anyone. It comes with a lot of features that help you create graphic designs or improve your photos and it is very similar to Photoshop. It might not be free, but is a very useful app.
14. Piktochart
If you are looking for a very easy to use infographic maker, Piktochart is exactly what you need. It comes with a large library of themes and templates that help you customize your multimedia projects, all for $12.50/month.
15. Venggage
This app is pure gold. It helps you tell your stories and present your data. It is especially created for marketers and it helps you create whatever materials you want.