The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in 2024

Be it a few tweaks to turn them into social media posts or full-blown retouching for a polished digital ad, you need graphic design software to edit your stock images into finished designs. 

World-class tools like Photoshop and Illustrator are great, but not everyone can go through the paid membership threshold –in Adobe Creative Cloud– to access them. If you have a very tight budget or the few images you process each month don’t justify paying for it, you need to come up with another idea.

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Free graphic design software is the answer to simply adding text to an image or, further, simple image editing. While you’ll find plenty of options to choose from, here we give you our list of the best free design software apps to handle basic to complex image editing at no cost. 

Simply want to remove the background of your image? Check out our complete list of free background removal tools.

Best Free Graphic Design Software Online: All Browsers

These are image editors you can access on the web without installing anything. All you need is an Internet connection and a browser. Some of these even have photo editing free trials to test out the premium features for free.

By the way, a lot of these software solutions are AI-powered now. So you might want to learn 11 AI image editing tricks you can do with them! Plus, many of them are great image cleaners.

BONUS: Stockphotos.com BG Remover (+FREE BONUS!)

Good to use on: All browsers
bgremover logo free > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Stockphotos.com BG Remover is a simple, user-friendly, and highly effective tool to remove the background of any image automatically.

It uses powerful AI technology to identify objects and backgrounds in an image that you upload, and it can eliminate the latter with just one click. Simple as that.

background remover example > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

The BG Remover is free to use for up to 3 removals, but with our special offer, you get 10 free removals! And after that, you can opt for prepaid removal packs for 20 and 100 removals which come at $4,90 and $15, respectively, plus they support removals in images of more than 2,000px and batch removals, among other perks.

This is a web-based tool so that you can access it from any browser of your choice, too.

Try Stockphotos.com BG Remover!

Shutterstock Editor

wwww.shutterstock.com homepage
Good to use on: All browsers

You can test-edit images from Shutterstock’s library, and if you decide to license them, your edits are automatically applied. You can upload your own images, too! It’s very easy to use, perfect for those who are not graphic designers. It launches right from the agency’s website, and it’s free. 

wwww.shutterstock.com editor

Shutterstock Editor is a simple-yet-effective image editor that is perfect for designing quick social media images. Equipped with templates, preset image sizes, fonts, and filters, it makes it very easy to create visuals for your channels. 

iStock Editor

istock logo square e1585945491345 > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Good to use on: All browsers

iStock Editor is stock photo agency iStock‘s built-in image editor that can handle all the typical, basic editing tasks: crop, resize, add a filter, fonts, icons, etc. It comes with templates and preset popular sizes to make it even faster. 

iStock Editor > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

iStock Editor is accessible from any image on iStock’s library, and you can work on the image preview before deciding to license and download the finished un-watermarked design. 

The editing tool is free.

www.adobe.com creative cloud express

Adobe Creative Cloud Express

Adobe Creative Cloud Express (formerly Adobe Spark) is a multipurpose, user-friendly image editing app, thought of as the non-designer version of Adobe's most popular professional tools.

With Creative Cloud Express's free image editor you can easily create images –from memes to beautiful social media graphics–, as well as videos and even simple web pages. It's simple to use, has powerful features, and comes with a large selection of free images, free templates, and more graphic resources. 

www.adobe.com creative cloud express

You can use Creative Cloud Express for free and forever, as long as you don't mind your designs being branded with their logo. But you can get rid of their watermark and unlock a whole set of premium content and features by subscribing to the premium, paid version of Adobe Creative Cloud Express in Adobe Creative Cloud. You can do so individually for this single app, or get a Photography or All Apps membership. Additionally, Express is included if you subscribe to Photoshop CC. 

All this and more can be found in our Adobe Creative Cloud Express (Adobe Spark) review. And we saved the best for last: you can also get a great Creative Cloud Express Premium Free Trial as well as more discounts for Creative Cloud apps!

 

Canva & Canva Pro

www.canva.com homepage
Good to use on: All browsers 
Additionally: iOS, Android

Canva is the go-to image editor for non-designers. With a user-friendly and very intuitive interface based on drag-and-drop functionality, free stock photos and vector images, templates, and many more features, it’s ideal for handling from basic to more complex graphic design —like presentations, for example— easily.

Canva is free to all, and if you want extra oomph, Canva Pro is a more powerful solution for businesses at a very affordable price. Get it on your browser, and if you use mobile you can find its app on iOS and Android.

We have great news for you:

canva > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

With our exclusive Canva Pro Free Trial, you can test Canva Pro for free for 45 days – that's 15 days more than what Canva offers on its website! 

Test Canva Pro for free for 30 days. Full access to Canva Pro features! Cancel risk-free anytime within the 30-day free trial.
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Plus, you can also grab our special Canva Pro Coupon and get 15% off on your yearly Canva Pro subscription!


Placeit by Envato

Good to use on: All browsers
placeit logo > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Placeit is a branding and marketing design platform by Envato that has professionally designed templates and mockups, plus user-friendly editing tools, to help everyone create beautiful and effective marketing materials easily and without having design skills. You can open Placeit on any browser, edit, and download content at your discretion.

placeit home > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Placeit is a subscription-based service. For $14.95/mo, you get unlimited access (and unlimited downloads) to the whole platform and its content libraries. And you can save by subscribing for a whole year, paying only $9.99/mo. However, the website offers a selection of free-for-all templates and mockups that you can customize, download and use completely free of charge!

Visme

visme > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Good to use on: All browsers

Visme is a design tool to create presentations, infographics, social media content, and more. It does not only offer a large selection of templates, photos, fonts, and icons but also lets you include videos, audio, maps, and more to create interactive designs. You can use Visme in your browser of choice.

Visme > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Regarding cost, Visme has an unlimited free trial: you can sign up and design as much as you want, for free and for as long as you wish. You are only required to upgrade to a paid subscription if you decide to download your designs, in which case you can opt for one of their very affordable plans.

Crowdspring Brand Studio

Good to use on: All browsers 
crowdspring > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Crowdspring is a platform that connects graphic designers with customers in a way that simplifies the design process and lets you focus on results. But as part of their services, they include online graphic design tools for brands and businesses that don't require creative skills and are rather useful.

crowdspring brand studio > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

One said tool is their Brand Studio solution. This is a free, web-based tool that provides branded templates for various digital and print marketing and branding purposes, ready to download, customize and use.

crowdspring brand studio templates > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

It's very simple: you sign up (it's completely free), enter your company website and logo, complete a quick form with some design selections (fonts, colors, style) and that's it! The system will automatically create a series of templates for different uses (like a newsletter, a brochure, a social media post, etc.) that you can download and use. You may also add different brands to your Brand Studio account and manage them all from one place.

Best of all, this is completely free.

Photopea

photopea > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Good to use on: All browsers 
Additionally: Windows

Photopea photo editor is very much like a free version of Adobe Photoshop. Its user interface is very similar, and the functionality is also comparable. If you already know your way around Adobe’s flagship editing app, and if you need powerful editing, this is a perfect fit that can take care of simple social media graphics to more complex photo editing. However, if you’re not familiar with Photoshop, this tool has a considerable learning curve.

Photopea 1 > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Access it from your browser, or you can also download and install the program if you use a Microsoft Windows-powered device. All completely free.

Pablo

pablo > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Good to use on: Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox

Pablo is a web-based image editor that, while it has limited features and options, gets the job done effortlessly when it comes to designing simple visuals. You have filters, fonts, resizing, a little color correction, you can even add your logo or icons. 

Developed by Buffer and reminiscing of Tumblr, it’s ideal for creating blog images and social media graphics. And it’s totally free to use. Pablo 1 > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Snappa

snappa e1570101096157 > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Good to use on: All browsers

Snappa is a robust graphic design tool with lots of templates, free images, and customization features to put together beautiful visuals in little to no time. 

One of the best things is that you can sync your social media accounts and share your designs directly from the tool to your channels. And you don’t have to install anything, or pay anything, to use it. Snappa1 > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

BeFunky

befunky > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Good to use on: All browsers
Additionally: iOS, Android

BeFunky is a complete graphic design tool. It can do image manipulation, graphic alterations, collages, and more. Templates, preset dimensions, free stock images, graphics, and icons, text overlays, are just some of the resources it has. 

You can work with this took online on your preferred browser, but if you prefer to edit on the go, there’s an app available for both iOS and Android platforms. All free!

BeFunky > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Pixlr

www.pixlr.com homepage
Good to use on: Chrome, Safari, Firefox
Additionally: iOS, Android

Pixlr is a design tool ideal for photographers, as it allows for quick and fun edits for photos. From unique ones like pixelating to more standard ones like layering and color retouch, you can process your images fast and smartly with this application. 

Pixlr > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

If you use it in-browser, you don’t need to install anything, but you have the option to go mobile and use the iOS or Android app. It’s all free. 

Gravit Designer

gravit > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Good to use on: All browsers 
Additionally: Windows, Mac, Linux

Gravit Designer is a very robust editing tool that works with photos and vector files. It has a very user-friendly interface and straight-to-the-point features to manipulate images without too much effort. 

The free version is available online with any browser and has its limitations. Alternatively, you can upgrade to a paid version that is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. Gravit Designer > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Fotor

fotor > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Good to use on: All browsers
Additionally: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android

Fotor offers a very easy-to-use editor and collage maker, with useful templates for social media and other graphics. It processes both photos and vector images and comes with video tutorials for the non-designer to navigate easily. 

You can use it in-browser without installing anything, and for free, and you can also download it for your PC or mobile device. Fotor > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Stencil

stencil > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Good to use on: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari

Stencil is a cloud-based design tool that has flexibility and integrations to simplify your workflow. With a very large library of templates, images, fonts, and quotes, all customizable and easy to share to your social media or blog of choice, it’s a solution for those who need to make quick, shareable visuals. 

Launch it from any of the supported browsers, it’s completely free!Stencil 3 > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Draw SVG

drawsvg > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Good to use on: Chrome, Firefox, Safari

Draw SVG is a digital drawing tool that can be used in-browser and works well with a pen tool on a touchscreen. It lets you perform basic edits to your drawings as Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), as well as converting them to PNG and other file formats. 

This is a web-based tool, available on the above-mentioned platforms, and 100% free. Draw SVG 1 > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Best Download-And-Install Design Software

The following tools demand you to download and install them on your device. This means verifying them for operating system compatibility, minimum device requirements, and storage space. However, they are very complete graphic design solutions, worth checking out. 

GIMP

gimp > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Compatible with: Windows, MacOS, Linux

GIMP is an open-source, raster graphic design program and image editing software that has been around for almost 25 years, and it’s the closest to a free version of Photoshop: the interface, features, and capabilities are fairly similar to Adobe’s star app, so it’s perfect for photographers and serious designers who want to handle photo retouching and graphic design, and know their way around pro tools. 

Available for the three main operating systems out there, GIMP is completely free to download and use. GIMP 1 > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Inkscape

inkscape > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Compatible with: Windows, MacOS, Linux

Inkscape could be dubbed the free alternative to Adobe Illustrator. This open-source, free software takes care of vector editing to a great extent, being capable of basic to complex graphic manipulation in a completely scalable format. It can become slow when handling large files, but Inkscape is perfect for vector graphic editing at a professional level. 

Download it for your device on any of the three supported OS, and use it completely free of chargeInkscape 2 > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Krita

krita > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Compatible with: Windows, MacOS, Linux

Krita is an open-source graphic design tool for digital painters, illustrators, and artists. Its very robust feature set is good to work on concept art, matte painting, textures, and more. It’s to be noted that while the factory features, such as brushes, are rich, there is also an active community supplying great add-ons. 

To use Krita you need to download the version compatible with your operative system, but it’s 100% free. Krita 1 > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

Daz 3D

daz studio > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]
Compatible with: Windows, MacOS

Originally a paid tool, Daz 3D is now a completely free 3D rendering software tool that lets you design and polish 3D characters, objects, virtual backgrounds, and much more. The service includes paid elements like fully designed characters you can customize. Daz 3D > The Best Free Graphic Design Software Tools in [wpsm_custom_meta type=date field=year]

But the editor itself is totally free to download and use, for Windows and Mac users. 

Create your Best Visual Work with Free Graphic Design Programs

As you can see, you don’t need to spend thousands in order to access professional, capable tools for graphic design. 

With any of the options we listed, you can design stunning visuals, from social media images to infographics to 3D environments, without spending a penny. 

Which one are you trying first? 

Ivanna Attié
Ivanna Attié

I am Content Manager, Researcher, and Author in StockPhotoSecrets.com and Stock Photo Press and its many stock media-oriented publications. I am a passionate communicator with a love for visual imagery and an inexhaustible thirst for knowledge. Lucky enough to enter the wonderful world of stock photography working side-by-side with experienced experts, I am happy to share my research, insights, and advice about image licensing, stock photography offers, and the stock media industry with everyone in the creative community. My background is in Communication and Journalism, and I also love literature and performing arts.

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