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What is Online Graphic Design Software?

Graphic design software and image editing tools are utilized by graphic designers to create and organize their work. Examples of graphic design software include design-based tools such as Freehand and Adobe Illustrator and layout tools such as Adobe InDesign and Quark Xpress. Show moreMany graphic designers also use photo-editing programs such as Adobe Photoshop. In addition, graphic designers who do web-based design can utilize tools such as Adobe Flash to take their designs to the internet by utilizing simple HTML language. Start by checking our leader Adobe Illustrator CC, and other recommended solutions in this category.Show less

How was this ranking made?

In order to come up with this ranking of best Online Graphic Design Software we have researched trending apps currently present on the market, studying their features, how easy are they are to learn, customer support, offered integrations and mobile device support using our patented SmartScoreTM rating system. This list has been created by Nestor Gilbert, our B2B expert responsible for the Online Graphic Design Software category.

List of Top 12 Online Graphic Design Software

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1. Adobe Illustrator CC

Our score: 9.6 User satisfaction: 99%

An industry-standard vector graphics software, which supports Adobe Stock marketplace integration for users to access wide collection of design templates. Adobe Illustrator CC has the tools and capability to help users produce artworks with pixel-perfect accuracy. The software lets graphic designers and artists create designs faster.

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2. Adobe Photoshop CC

Our score: 9.6 User satisfaction: 97%

World's leading image and design manipulation platform. Adobe Photoshop CC is ideal for professional photographers, designers, and artists. As part of the Adobe Creative Cloud service, it offers reliable and industry-standard tools that help users easily design posters, icons, banners, web pages, and mobile app graphics.

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3. Adobe InDesign CC

Our score: 9.5 User satisfaction: 98%

A page design and layout app for graphic artists and businesses who are creating and publishing documents for print and digital media such as brochures, magazines, eBooks, and PFDs. This desktop publishing software allows users to design using rich images, graphics, tables, and professional layouts. Adobe InDesign CC also supports the creation of interactive PDFs, eBooks, and digital magazines.

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4. Canva

Our score: 9.4 User satisfaction: 99%

Canva makes it amazingly simple for everyone to create professional quality graphic designs. This intuitive and user-friendly platform gives organizations and individuals access to dynamic graphic design tools. With a drag-and-drop interface, Canva makes graphic design so easy even for beginners.

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5. GIMP

Our score: 9.3 User satisfaction: 96%

GIMP (GNU image manipulation program) is a free, open-source image editing software. The program offers an array of professional-quality features that can easily rival other leading image manipulation software's capabilities. It also supports pre-installed or downloadable plugins that improve its usability.

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6. Pixlr

Our score: 9.2 User satisfaction: 98%

PixIr is a family of web-based and native mobile image editing applications. It is free to use at the moment. Built using Flash, users can access it anywhere as long as the plugin is installed. Pixlr offers a suite of powerful photo editing tools that are comparable to those featured in paid apps.

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7. Inkscape

Our score: 9.1 User satisfaction: 100%

A web-based vector graphics editing tool that is free to use. Inkscape is a vector graphics editor that utilizes a unique native format that sets it apart from other programs of its kind. Inkscape has a clean, consistent, and very stable interface. Additionally, it uses Scalable Vector Graphics and an open XML-based W3C standard.

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8. Tailor Brands

Our score: 9.0 User satisfaction: 96%

Tailor Brands is an automated business-building platform, with everything entrepreneurs need to launch, manage and grow their business with ease - from LLC formation to automated logo design and brand creation.

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9. Piktochart

Our score: 9.0 User satisfaction: 99%

Piktochart is easy to use, and it provides simple graphics tools which offer unlimited freedom to build or edit infographics.

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10. Onshape

Our score: 8.9 User satisfaction: 89%

Onshape is a full cloud 3D CAD platform designed to help cloud forward and innovative designers, engineers, and manufacturers to work together from any device and web browser.

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11. Desygner

Our score: 8.8 User satisfaction: 100%

An online design software for bloggers, writers, and social media marketers; allowing them to access thousands of ready-made templates and to customize them.

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12. DrawPad

Our score: 8.8 User satisfaction: 86%

A graphic editing software designed for professional artists and hobbyists; enabling them to create vector-based graphics, draw images, and create sketches and paintings for advertising materials.

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Online Graphic Design Software Guide

Table of contents

Online graphic design software systems are web-based tools utilized by graphic designers to create remarkable images and videos. In leveraging one, users can edit photos, sketch illustrations, design logos and posters, and produce graphics for various media. These include websites, video games, movies, and streaming content. The best online graphic design programs go deep with their design functionalities and are often used by different industries. When looking for one, you can start with our category leader, Adobe Illustrator CC, along with our recommended products.

Get to know each product with free trial

Online graphic design programs come with monthly and annual subscription fees. Some products are quite pricey but offer expansive toolsets that can produce any type of visual content while there are others that are affordable but focus on specific sets of functionalities. To entice shoppers to buy, many software companies offer free trials and free plans that can be utilized to try a platform’s features without cost. The best online graphic design tools with free trials include Adobe Illustrator CC, Adobe Photoshop CC, Adobe InDesign CC, Canva, and GIMP.

Targeted Businesses

  • Freelance graphic designers working on projects. Freelancers use graphic design tools online to produce images and videos for clients coming from a wide variety of industries.
  • Ad and digital marketing agencies working with multiple clients. Ad agencies and digital marketing firms need powerful graphic design online software systems to meet the design needs of their clientele. They leverage the platforms to create logos, ad campaigns, posters, and video content.
  • Social media specialists producing campaigns. Social media campaigns require attractive designs and appealing content to turn social media users into satisfied customers. A platform like an online graphic design tool is used to execute the design aspect of a campaign.
  • Businesses that aim to improve their marketing initiatives. Businesses of all scales need an online graphic design program to create or improve company logos, color schemes, and design patterns to enhance their branding schemes. This increases brand recall, which in turn, potentially influences purchases.

Examples of Online Graphic Design Software

  • Adobe Illustrator CC: A powerful online graphic design program made for artists and designers to help them create a wide variety of visual content, including designs for video games, websites, company logos, and promotional posters. It offers a plethora of design tools and prebuilt templates and presets.
  • Adobe Photoshop CC: A feature-rich photo and design editing system with numerous tools and filters to manipulate images and designs thoroughly. In addition, it has an impressive range of brushes and fonts, on top of its flexible design workflow.
  • Adobe InDesign CC: A versatile graphic design app online used by publishers, artists, and businesses to create visual documents for websites, magazines, marketing collateral, and other media. It comes with solutions for applying text, document formats, objects, and designs to worksheets.
  • Canva: A dynamic and easy-to-use online graphic design software system for creating appealing content and designs. It features a drag-and-drop interface to go with a host of icons, badges, design tools, design grids, image enhancers, and design templates.
  • GIMP: A robust online graphic design program that offers an impressive set of professional design solutions, which include editing tools, filters, animation, swatches, and design paths. The platform’s open-source framework enables users to customize more solutions and integrations.

Types of Online Graphic Design Software

  • Publishing software. Alternatively known as desktop publishing platforms, these systems enable users to precisely edit and combine text and graphics, as well as apply formatting solutions like kerning, object placement, and custom layouts. Publishing systems are used for building the layouts of books, magazines, newspapers, and other publications.
  • Illustration software. These systems enable users to sketch or put together illustrations, adjust document formats, and apply designs to images and illustrations. The output produced from these apps includes brochures, business cards, booklets, pamphlets, and letterheads.
  • Presentation software. These platforms are used to create, design, and animate slides of varying formats to form interactive presentations. The slides may contain text, objects, videos, charts, tables, and graphics. Presentation apps are used to produce slideshows, marketing decks, and visual reports.
  • Word processors. These applications allow users to produce text-based documents like articles, reports, and documentation. The text can be combined with graphics and images to create outputs like CVs, postcards, flyers, brochures, and booklets.
  • Creative printing software. With a printer and this application, designs can be applied to physical worksheets. As such, users can produce posters, shirts, postcards, greeting cards, and various marketing collateral.
  • Web publishing software. These systems combine the features of the software above to publish output on web-based platforms like websites, blogs, applications, digital reports, and social media. Advanced solutions also allow users to convert and publish files in PDF or HTML formats.

Key Features of Online Graphic Design Software

Online graphic design programs carry dozens, sometimes even hundreds, of design and editing tools that enable graphic artists to create mixed media outputs. These features can be grouped into six different categories:

  • Shapes: Shape tools are used to create all kinds of shapes, even unconventional and exaggerated ones, to form resounding impressions on visual outputs. Logos and intricate patterns can be produced using these features.
  • Colors: Color tools let users customize hues, mix colors, and create color schemes for designs. These functionalities are used for nearly all outputs like ads, business cards, posters, and other forms of marketing collateral.
  • Lines: Lines are the basic elements of design, and so graphic design tools online enable users to apply, edit, distort, and put together lines to form shapes and patterns. These tools are used to build boxes, borders, and design placeholders.
  • Texture: Texture tools allow graphic artists to emphasize surface quality in images. Objects, shapes, and patterns can be added to create specific textures. In addition, filters like monochrome and grayscale can be applied to further enhance the visuals.
  • Mass: Mass pertains to the creation of multidimensional shapes and figures, with the depth and dimensions of each design underscored. To further emphasize depth, online graphic design programs let you adjust the output’s contrast, structure, sharpness, and color saturation.
  • Animation: Animation tools and packages enable graphic artists to move objects, shapes, text, and patterns. The level of control is deep, as you can manipulate the speed, direction, occurrence, sequence, and timing of the movements.

Benefits of Online Graphic Design Software

  • Creates brand identity and personality. Graphic design programs online help businesses create an identity that resonates well with their audience, from the logo and colors to the font and design patterns used. An identity that conforms to the preferences of your target market would likely reap positive perceptions from customers. In addition, graphic design combined with catchy text can establish a personality that simulates that of your audience and taps into their aspirations.
  • Enhances customer engagement. Striking and appealing designs can snag shoppers’ attention, which would likely lead to conversions or at least engagement with your promotions. These also promote better brand recall, especially if the designs are unique to your brand.
  • Saves time. A graphic design online tool maps out the workflows of each design. If a client wants to revise certain design elements, an artist can click on the workflow stages in question and quickly apply corrections and improvements. This speeds up the revision process and increases your capacity to take in more projects.
  • Helps appeal to your target market. A retailer can leverage graphic design online software systems to create logos, designs, colors, and marketing copies for their product lines, each appealing to a specific market. The increased relatability of the products can influence sales and customer retention.
  • Improves user and customer experience. For artists, graphic design software online is a means of efficiently producing appealing designs for clients. The platform’s comprehensive toolset and automatic workflow mapping allow them to create and customize attractive outputs. Customers, on the other hand, will appreciate the fast submissions and revisions of designs.
  • Establishes a professional image. Brands that appeal to high-income consumers can use a graphic design tool online to create logos, designs, and marketing collateral that give the impression of luxury and professionalism. If paired with high-quality products and support services, the designs can help build trust with targeted audiences.
  • Drives good impressions. Well-made designs can influence customers to have positive impressions of your brand even before they inquire about your products. Logos, branding, and ad campaigns underpinned by striking or elegant designs that account for the interests of your target market would likely increase conversions, brand awareness, and brand recall.
  • Adoption of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence has advanced to the point of producing life-like images of people who don’t exist in real life. The technology, along with machine learning, can speed up the design process, improve outputs, and expand one’s customization options should it be adopted by online graphic design software.
  • Incorporation of immersive experiences. With the current popularity of the metaverse, it is likely for online graphic design tools to incorporate mixed reality in their design workflows. In addition, the design and animation tools could be enhanced and expanded to better serve metaverse-related projects.
  • Brighter colors. Companies are trying to appeal to younger audiences by trading muted hues for brighter and bolder ones when using a graphic design online program. Designs with bold color schemes can instantly grab attention, influence impressions, and stimulate engagement.
  • Bold typography. Matching today’s trend of loud colors is bold typography, which is typically applied to ads, posters, publications, and social media posts. It instantly attracts attention and shapes impressions, leading to potential conversions.

Potential Issues

  • Uneven baselines. The fast development of technology has led some software design companies to make adjustments to the basic functions of their online graphic design programs. These changes may confuse basic, and sometimes intermediate, users, with them having to relearn a software’s features before getting to create designs.
  • Demand for wider design skillsets. Graphic design has gone on to incorporate more elements based on today’s fast-moving trends. In some cases, graphic designers will have to learn skills like typography, motion graphics, and interaction design to meet a client’s demands. Some online graphic design software systems have yet to adopt features to incorporate all the added elements.
  • Value of customer experience. It’s easy for graphic designers to forego the human experience element in favor of aesthetically pleasing designs. In recent years, many companies prioritized customer experience more, paving the way for stylish yet practical and relatable design and branding schemes. Graphic artists will have to incorporate experience-based elements into their outputs to satisfy some clients.

How to Make the Most of Online Graphic Design Software

There is a high demand for graphic design as companies further pursue their digital transformations. As such, many companies have raised their demands and expectations of graphic artists. This means having the best online graphic design program won’t suffice. Designers will have to make the most out of their tools. Here are a few tips:

  • Pick the most suitable software. Although online graphic design programs typically cover a wide range of aspects, these platforms are best suited to certain areas. Think of the design fields that you specialize in and base your software choice on these. After which, select a platform that not only offers the functionalities you need but also sufficient solutions for the other design services you offer.
  • Widen your skillset. As technology evolves, the preferences of clients follow suit. This means artists should actively learn new design techniques and relevant areas like typography, web design, and at least the basics of motion graphics.
  • Keep abreast of the latest trends. The latest trends can easily influence the preferences of your clientele, so it’s wise to be updated with these and pick up new skills to incorporate into your designs. In addition, make sure that your graphic design tool online is routinely updated to its latest version.
  • Quality over price. Some online graphic design tools are quite expensive, but the value of the outputs these can produce is much higher. With this, you should prioritize the capabilities of your design tools so that you can serve your clients better and potentially expand your clientele.

Choosing the Best Online Graphic Design Software

Rather than look for the “best” online graphic design tools, it’s prudent to center on a platform that best suits your needs as a designer or design firm. Having remarkable functionalities is only one aspect of picking a suitable solution. Its features and interface should also be simple to operate to speed up your workflow, given that graphic designers are always up against tight deadlines. Before purchasing an online graphic design program, check out software reviews and take advantage of free trials and plans to know which platform is a perfect fit for your needs.

List of Online Graphic Design Software Companies

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  • User Score
Product name:
Category:
Smart Score:
Price:
User Satisf.
User reviews:
Tailor Brands reviews

Tailor Brands

Online Graphic Design Software
9.0
$5
96%
Genially reviews

Genially

Online Graphic Design Software
8.9
€1.25
-
Youzign reviews

Youzign

Online Graphic Design Software
8.9
$97
-
Onshape reviews

Onshape

Online Graphic Design Software
8.9
$125
89%
Wacom MobileStudio Pro reviews

Wacom MobileStudio Pro

Online Graphic Design Software
8.8
$1.999
99%
Venngage reviews

Venngage

Online Graphic Design Software
8.9
$49
100%
SVG-edit reviews

SVG-edit

Online Graphic Design Software
8.9
free
-
Pixlr reviews

Pixlr

Online Graphic Design Software
9.2
free
98%
Piktochart reviews

Piktochart

Online Graphic Design Software
9.0
$15
99%
GIMP reviews

GIMP

Online Graphic Design Software
9.3
free
96%
DrawPad reviews

DrawPad

Online Graphic Design Software
8.8
$17.46
86%
Desygner reviews

Desygner

Online Graphic Design Software
8.8
$6.95
100%
Adobe Photoshop CC reviews

Adobe Photoshop CC

Online Graphic Design Software
9.6
$19.99
97%
ArtRage reviews

ArtRage

Online Graphic Design Software
8.8
$4.99
99%
Autodesk 3ds Max reviews

Autodesk 3ds Max

Online Graphic Design Software
8.9
$185
98%

Things to consider when you invest in a SaaS

Disaster recovery and security are two main aspects that need to be considered by SaaS buyers when analyzing potential vendors.

Many SaaS vendors do not have a disaster recovery site. Therefore, ask the following queries to your shortlisted providers: How do you test your disaster recovery procedures? What is your recovery time? How often do you test? Do you have dispersed infrastructure; are your main site and your disaster recovery site positioned in different geographical locations?

You need to be aware that many SaaS providers do not use enterprise-grade infrastructure to deploy SaaS apps. Many solutions have multiple providers. For example, there may be a firewall provider, an Internet provider, and a few others too in the mix. If a problem rears up, there is a lot of finger-pointing. This issue is common with on-premise IT applications. The solution is to minimize the number of providers so that there is answerability to ensure they take responsibility about performance.

Ask the potential SaaS vendors the following queries about security: Is your firm SAS70 compliant? What security processes are used at your data centers? What security audits and principles does your organization follow? Who manages access and identity management, web application firewalls, log file management, and network connectivity?

Needless to say, take your time to research methodically and get the answers to the above questions before you invest in an apt SaaS solution.

Frequently asked questions about Online Graphic Design Software

What is the best online graphic design software?

The best online graphic design software is Adobe Illustrator CC. The feature-rich system offers a wide range of design solutions, effects, filters, and fonts that can be used for creating designs on marketing collateral, print media, corporate branding, video games, print media, and websites. In addition, the platform enables artists to create and apply vector graphics to their designs, carries a multitude of brushes, incorporates live shapes, provides import and export options, and maintains a vast library of design templates.

What are the benefits of online graphic design software?
  • Creates brand identity and personality. Graphic design programs online help businesses build an identity and establish a distinct personality that their target markets can identify with. These make a brand more relatable and saleable to its captive audience.
  • Enhances customer engagement. Striking and appealing designs heighten a brand’s brand recall. These also shape the impressions consumers have regarding a brand and the quality of its products or services.
  • Saves time. A graphic design online tool automatically maps out the workflows of each design. Each stage can quickly be accessed for artists to make adjustments and add new elements.
  • Helps appeal to your target market. Online graphic design tools are used to create distinct designs for various product lines, appealing to each segment targeted by a brand.
  • Improves user and customer experience. Graphic design software systems are typically easy to use to limit confusion, given that these carry dozens of design tools. Revisions are also relatively simple to perform and submit, leading to improved customer experience.
  • Establishes a professional image. Elegantly designed logos, websites, outputs, and marketing collateral convey the image of professionalism. These are made possible by online graphic design platforms.
  • Drives good impressions. Stylish and appealing designs can capture the attention, favor, and sensibilities of consumers. As they identify with a brand, they are likely to purchase items or at least engage in various communication channels.
What are the features of online graphic design software?

The features of online graphic design programs can be grouped into six different categories:

  • Shapes: Graphic design platforms have tools for creating all kinds of shapes and forms. These include exaggerated and unusual shapes.
  • Colors: Graphic design systems have tools that let users customize hues, mix colors, and create color schemes for designs.
  • Lines: Different types of lines can be applied and manipulated to form shapes, patterns, and layout sections.
  • Texture: The texture tools of graphic design apps allow graphic artists to emphasize surface quality in images.
  • Mass: Designs are adorned with more depth and dimension through the adoption of multidimensional shapes and figures and by toggling on mass-related controls like contrast, structure, sharpness, and color saturation.
  • Animation: The animation tools and packages of graphic design apps enable graphic artists to move objects, shapes, text, and patterns.
What is the easiest online graphic design software to use?
  • Canva: One of the easiest graphic design applications to use, Canva’s features can be learned by beginners with just a bit of practice. It has a drag-and-drop interface to go along with 8,000 design templates and over a million images, fonts, and graphics.
  • Adobe Photoshop CC: This flexible photo and design editing platform pairs its massive design toolset with a layer-based workflow that allows users to quickly backtrack and apply adjustments. In addition, it enables users to copy and paste layers, grants access to a wide array of brushes, and supports multiple file types.
  • Adobe Illustrator CC: This reliable graphic design system offers a multitude of effects, filters, and tools for creating and manipulating vector graphics without too many complexities. It also has solutions for making designs, sketches, and topography for marketing collateral.
What is a good free online graphic design software?
  • GIMP: This free open-source photo editing application has an impressive range of design tools with which users can manipulate images and create designs from scratch. It comes with a customizable interface paired with solutions for digital retouching, photo enhancement, and graphic design.
  • Pixlr: This versatile photo editing system consolidates a variety of design tools that allow users to design graphics, edit multiple photos, remove image backgrounds, and create visual assets. It has an extensive collection of brushes, pens, filters, layers, and effects. Best of all, the platform’s standard version is free.
  • Inkscape: This free open-source graphic design program utilizes the SVG format and a node-based workflow to create logos, banners, and designs with vector graphics. Its nodes let artists create and revise designs down to the last detail while its design tools enable users to illustrate designs and incorporate shapes.
Nestor Gilbert

By Nestor Gilbert

Nestor Gilbert is a senior B2B and SaaS analyst and a core contributor at FinancesOnline for over 5 years. With his experience in software development and extensive knowledge of SaaS management, he writes mostly about emerging B2B technologies and their impact on the current business landscape. However, he also provides in-depth reviews on a wide range of software solutions to help businesses find suitable options for them. Through his work, he aims to help companies develop a more tech-forward approach to their operations and overcome their SaaS-related challenges.

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FinancesOnline is available for free for all business professionals interested in an efficient way to find top-notch SaaS solutions. We are able to keep our service free of charge thanks to cooperation with some of the vendors, who are willing to pay us for traffic and sales opportunities provided by our website. Please note, that FinancesOnline lists all vendors, we’re not limited only to the ones that pay us, and all software providers have an equal opportunity to get featured in our rankings and comparisons, win awards, gather user reviews, all in our effort to give you reliable advice that will enable you to make well-informed purchase decisions.

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