The world of image editors has exploded in the last few years, opening up doors to more innovation, easier-to-use products, and a confusing array of options all suited to different needs. Once you’ve tried most of them, you’ll realize that different image editors do well with some specific requirements and then you’ll have to hop over to another one to touch up or alter your image in a different way.
For most of us, image editor hopping is okay. Better to familiarize yourself with several programs and get the perfect look, rather than sticking to one and compromising on your vision. The question we’re now left with is… which editors reign supreme? After years in the industry, we’ve realized that there is no one editor that hits all the checkmarks for every use.
They’re all vying for the top spot in different categories, so we’ve broken it down and given you the blow-by-blow of editors in the areas that they’re used most often.
There are nine categories and each of them are essential to a strong digital marketing presence. From editors best suited to social media posts, to the go-to resources for bloggers, meme editors, and infographic makers – we’ve trawled our website resources, pulled together our collective knowledge and experience, and searched the good ‘ol internet to give you the ultimate guide on the editors that will level up your digital marketing game.
Similar to Photoshop
A few years ago, if you’d asked us which image editor was so far above the rest no other program could hope to reach its heights, we’d have said Photoshop without hesitation. Created in 1988, the graphics editor has become the industry standard. The name is even used as a verb. As new image editors have hit the market, Photoshop’s competition has grown and some of the gaps – like the extensive memory use and the application’s complexity – have been challenged by other programs. So without further ado, here are the editors that give Photoshop a run for its money.
#1. Affinity Photo
Compatible with: Mac, Windows, iPad
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: $20 – $45
Photoshop’s initial complexity along with its top-notch features has made the program a favorite for professionals, and a pain-in-the-neck for beginners. It stands to reason then that the editor that rivals Photoshop the closest in terms of features, power, and speed, would be one that is usually aimed at professional photographers and designers. Affinity is cheaper and not subscription based, it has unlimited undos, and a live brush feature (something that Photoshop doesn’t and which makes the editing time a lot faster). The program is available for Mac and Windows. If you’re looking for a Photoshop alternative, this would be a great starting point.
#2. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)
Compatible with: Windows and OS X, Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD and Solaris.
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: totally free
GIMP can be used for several key purposes. It has a basic paint program, an image format converter for perfect photo retouching, and a batch processing system. From color correction and editable text layers to pre-installed and additional plugins, GIMP is every beginner’s – and professional’s – dream Photoshop alternative.
#3. PicMonkey
Compatible with: Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari
How to Access:via browser
Pricing: $7.99 monthly or $72 annually for basic
Don’t be fooled by PicMonkey’s simple interface, especially when you’re accustomed to Photoshop’s multi-layered, everything coming at you in one look and feel. There’s power behind PicMonkey’s simplicity. Drag your picture on to the screen and edit, enhance, and collage to your heart’s content. The basic features of PicMonkey is free, which is perfect for beginners. The monthly premium version comes with a lot of extras, and it’s well worth it.
#4. Sketch
Compatible with: Mac
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: $9 monthly or $99 annually
This one is a little different because the focus is more on design and graphics rather than photographs, but its worth mentioning as its gotten a lot of attention from the design community. With Sketch, you can create multiple resolution vector images through its infinite zoom feature, you can build new, detailed graphics from basic imagery or start a completely new one with the vector and pencil tool. Some of the best features include layers, gradients, style presets, and a color picker.
#5. Photopea
Compatible with: Windows, browser
How to Access: download and install and browser
Pricing: Free
You’d be forgiven for opening for Photopea and thinking its Photoshop. The interface even looks similar. It’s the closest you’ll get to Photoshop as a free service. You get several of the best features, including cut and sew, poster and canvas printing, direct to garment printing, photo editing, social media graphics, UV printing, and sublimation.
The Price Lowdown
- Really Free: GIMP, Photopea
- Almost Free: Sketch (free trial)
- You’ve Gotta Pay to Play: PicMonkey, Affinity Photo
Image Editors for Social Media Posts
What are the image editing requirements for social media posts? Photoshop definitely wouldn’t work well here. Not when you want to make quick edits and get your posts up quickly. Depending on your account aesthetic, you might want to use quick edits that allow touch ups or doodles. If you’re trying to grow a business on social media, then you’ll want to invest in a more versatile program. We’ve included an overview of the on-the-go social media image editors and a few for the professional accounts that appreciate some continuity in their feed.
#1. Vsco
Compatible with: iOs and Android application based
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: $19.99 per year
Vsco’s strength lies in its filters. As any Instagram user knows, a good filter can make your feed stand out. The filters give off a feel akin to analog film cameras, inducing a type of fun nostalgia and simple artistry. The app also has the usual editing tools such as cropping, lighting adjustments, vignettes, and borders as well as skin tone adjustment, exposure, and contrast.
#2. Adobe Spark
Compatible with: Windows, MacOS, Chrome, Firefox, Safari
How to Access:download and install and via browser
Pricing: $9.99 per month
It’s almost strange that we haven’t mentioned Adobe in nearly every section of this article. Their vast array of editing tools, photograph enhancers, and design and sketch programs makes Adobe one of the top picks for designers, artists, and photographers. Our goal was to highlight different programs in each section, but we’d be remiss to not mention Adobe at least once. The beauty of Adobe is that even though you have access to so many features, you can play around with the program for a day and learn all of the important basics. With Adobe Spark you can select images on the web or import pictures from other programs, such as Lightroom, Google Photos, or Adobe Creative Cloud. For a more professional look, you can use some of Spark’s existing images and adjust colors, fonts, textures, sizing, and positions until you get that perfect design.
#3. Pixlr
Compatible with: Chrome, Firefox, Safari
How to Access: via broswer
Pricing: basic features are free, premium is $4.90 per month, professional is $14.99 per month
Pixlr is another easy-to-use application ideal for people looking to make small, fun change to their images. The selection of borders add an extra dynamic to your picture and you’ve got additional features with object transformations, color replacements, and image layers. One fun feature that Pixlr does particularly well is pixelating your images. Gaming companies use it often, and it can be done with just a tap of a button.
#4. Canva
Compatible with: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, iOs, Android
Pricing: free plan is $0, pro plan is $9.95 per month, enterprise plan is $30 per month
It’s easy to put Canva in any one of our nine categories, but for mass appeal and versatility, we’re going to add it here. It’s especially useful for non-designers as the premade templates make it easy to use, there’s an option for custom image sizes depending on which social media channel you’re posting on, there’s a wide array of trendy fonts, and the drag-and-drop to edit allows you to do almost everything in just a few clicks.
#5. Snapseed
Compatible with: iOs and Android
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: totally free
Although Snapseed is downloaded on to your phone, the cleverly designed interface and level of features can easily go head-to-head with heavy memory editing programs only compatible with desktops. The vast choice of preset filters, which can be altered to suit your own vision, along with the cropping, straightening, framing, text, and sharpening tools make Snapseed the ideal resource for people wanting to elevate their Facebook or Instagram feed.
#6. iStock Photo Editor
Compatible with: web based
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: Ranges from $2 – $7 for image packs.
The idea of using stock photos for social media understandably draws some skepticism. Stock photos are known to be posed and can come across as forced or unnatural. With iStock, however, you have such a wide variety of high-quality photos to choose from that you’re likely to find something that fits your brand’s look and feel perfectly. Of course, even if you find the perfect image, you’ll still need to edit it to match your brand, and iStock’s built in image editor is ideal for that. You can crop, resize, upload logos, and apply filters.
#7. Shutterstock Photo Editor
Compatible with: web based
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: About $49 per month
Publishing images on different social media sites can be tricky when each site has different images ratios and sizes. With the Shutterstock Photo Editor, you can create graphics, images, banners, and profile covers for your social media accounts and you can customize your size based on the channel.
The Price Lowdown
- Really Free: Snapseed
- Almost Free: Canva, Pixlr
- You’ve Gotta Pay to Play: Vsco
Image Editors for Bloggers
Attention all bloggers: if you’re not using images in your blog posts because you’ve decided to focus on other areas, it’s important to know that pictures don’t just lend your website a more professional, cultivated look and feel. It also provides a serious boost to your SEO game. You could keyword to your heart’s content in your writing, but you’re missing out opportunities with images. While most bloggers do use pictures, there are programs and apps that allow you to change it up and more flair – from easy-to-use infographic creators to adding relevant, eye-catching text to images and creating your own doodles and brand design – investing your time and money in a good editor for you blog will reap ultimate rewards in the long run.
#1. Stencil
Compatible with: Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: $9 per month for pro, $15 per month for unlimited
Stencil’s library of templates is one of the biggest on the internet. The beautifully crafted images come with text and font examples, which can be easily edited to suit your blog’s aesthetic. You also have access to icons, quotes, a library of blank photos. Singing up is easy and you can select the blog host of your choice to post directly.
#2. Picktochart
Compatible with: Chrome or Firefox
How to Access: via browser
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: $0 for free plan, $24 per month for pro, $82 per month for Pro Team
We love a good infographic, and although the popularity has dwindled in the last few years, a good vector image with useful information can condense wordy text and grab your reader’s eyes quickly. With Picktochart you can edit social media graphics, presentations, and create eye-catching, engaging reports. It’s a good tool for a blog posts focusing on informative content.
#3. Pablo
Compatible with: Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: free
Pablo has quite a Tumblr feel to it, which makes it perfect for blogs that center around travel, friendships, memories, and nature. Users can upload images and add filters and text, adjust the sizing, play around with lighting and contrast and insert additional logos and graphics. The web based editor is easily accessed from your desktop.
#4. A Color Story
Compatible with: iOs 10 or later
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: free version, $25.99 for paid version
This one can be used for social media posts and blog posts. Have you ever scrolled through a feed and seen completely different images, but there’s a cohesiveness to the tone and color? It doesn’t have anything to do with a specific filter. Instead, it comes from apps like A Color Story. You can create your own color palette; which you can then apply to any images you want to use. It’s oddly satisfying when you’re scrolling down a blog page and you see a relationship between the images. It solidifies your brand identity and design, and keeps your readers on your page.
The Price Lowdown
- Really Free: Pablo
- Almost Free: Picktochart, A Color Story
- You’ve Gotta Pay to Play: Stencil
Editors for Video
Things can get slightly more complex once you move into video editing, and although there are a few apps that can move between image and video editing, the best ones cater to one specific task. There are different editors suitable for YouTube, Instagram, and even Tik Tok videos. The look and feel of video trends change often, so staying on top of your game with software updates and changes is imperative.
#1. Final Cut Pro X
Compatible with: MacOS
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: $299 once off
Although Final Cut Pro X is designed specifically for Mac, it’s worth mentioning simply because it’s right up there with all the top video editing software on the market. Scrolling and selecting different photos and clips is hassle free, as is being able to export straight to YouTube. The program isn’t aimed at professionals, but for people just starting out, it’s great value for money and it works and stretches your editing skills. All the basics are covered, which, for simple videos, is all you need.
#2. Pinnacle Studio
Compatible with: Windows
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: $59.95 – $129.95
We’re raising the professional stakes a little with Pinnacle Studio features and interface. Its fast, has a multicam feature, supports 360-degree VR and 3D. The website description claims that its ideal for both beginner and intermediate users, and while its user-friendly enough, people who have played around with editing software previously will certainly benefit more. Our favorite part of it is how organized and efficient it is. The simplicity of the interface is rare and refreshing for a program that can be so complex. The morph transitions, paint effects, and split screen video makes your editing process run like a well-oiled machine.
#3. Lightworks
Compatible with: MacOS, Windows, Linux
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: free for basic, $24.99 per month for pro, $437.99 for once off
Lightworks is optimized for PC, macOS, Linux. Premium video editors can get quite pricey, but Lightworks’ base features are free and it provides the stream to make professional quality movies and videos. It is however, slightly complex, so learning the ropes will take some time. When you consider the multi-track editing, customizable interface, and the final production quality of Lightworks, then it’s totally worth the extra time spent on it.
#4. OpenShot
Compatible with: MacOS, Windows, Linux
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: totally free
Creating video editing software is timely and costly, so having totally free programs is quite rare. OpenShot is an exception and is a great start for beginners who want to try to hand at editing without committing to buying it. You can trim, slice, add animations, tracks, various video effects, and slow or speed up your video.
#5. Hitfilm
Compatible with: MacOS, Windows, Linux
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: $24.99 per month for pro, $437.99 for once off
Hitfilm is free and works on both Windows and MacOS. Despite being free, the program offers a professional-like experience for aspiring video makers. You can easily adjust the color balance of your videos, export into various formats, and trim clips with little hassle. Most video editing programs have intimidating interfaces for first-time users, and Hitfilm is no different. However, once you get to know the ins and outs a little better, you’ll notice that it’s all organized quite nicely and is generally catered towards people who have worked with video editors before.
#6. Adobe Premiere
Compatible with: MacOS, Windows, Linux
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: $24.99 per month for pro, $437.99 for once off
Some of the top video editors in the world rely on Adobe Premiere’s fantastic features to edit their videos. It’s the industry leader for film, TV, and the web. Footage can be edited in any format and the automated tools saves a lot of time. Work can be polished and brushed up without leaving your timeline.
The Price Lowdown
- Really Free: OpenShot
- Almost Free: Lightworks
- You’ve Gotta Pay to Play: HitFilm, Pinnacle Studio, Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere
Online Meme Editors
Stop the bus, shut the front door. Our 2020 saviors are here. The meme editors have entered the building. The reason we all feel some semblance of connection, despite what’s shaping up to be a crazy year. Meme accounts have exploded in the last few years, raking in millions of Instagram followers, and even carving out nifty meme niches on Imgur and 9gag. Strangely, despite the popularity of memes, app developers haven’t managed to keep up with the demand and meme editing tools remain somewhat rudimentary. Some popular meme accounts have to use up to four apps to get what they want. Others have even hired their own developers. The programs below are good for creating basic memes and for getting the ball rolling.
#1. Filmora
Compatible with: web-based
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: free
Probably the most popular meme generator on the market, mainly because its free and comes without a watermark. You don’t have to sign up for anything – just drag your desired image on to the page, adjust your background to black or white, and then add your text and adjust the color and position. Once you’re done editing, you can upload directly to Facebook and Instagram, or export it.
#2. Mematic
Compatible with: web-based
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: free basic features, pro is $4.99 per month
There’s a lack of competition and features in the meme app world, so as long as you have one that you’re comfortable with, you wouldn’t really be missing out on anything with the other apps.There are premade templates and styles, like free style, demotivational posters, breaking news, and tweets. Once you’ve chosen the style, you can upload an image or search from Mematic’s gallery. Add the text, change and style it according to your vision, and voila, meme made.
#3. Imgur
Compatible with: web-based, iOs, Android
How to Access: via browser and phone download
Pricing: free
Imgur is a popular meme hosting platform, and it has the ability to create memes in under a minute. You can select from the default images on the site and then add your text or you can upload from your camera roll. Moving the text from top to bottom can be done with one top and once you click publish, there’s no exporting and additional uploading – it’s published direct to your Imgur account.
#4. Memes Creator
Compatible with: iOs, Android
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: free. Pro is $9.99/week or and $29.99/year
The interface and design of Memes Creator is a little cleaner and seems better thought-out than some of the other apps. On the homepage, you’ll see a selection of the trending memes and the most popular memes. Simply click on the picture and add your custom text. You can also adjust the text positioning. It also has the option to upload your own image.
The Price Lowdown
- Really Free: Imgur, Filmora
- Almost Free: Mematic
- You’ve Gotta Pay to Play: Meme Maker
Online Vector Editors
Vector editors have unlimited scalability, so you can create an image fit for your social media page and a massive billboard from the comfort of your PC. With vector images, you can modify, draw, edit, and adjust diagrams to suit your needs. It also allows for freehand illustration, high-definition images, graphic design and page layout options, and printing and 3-D graphics. Its easy to rattle off all the benefits of vector software, but the bottom line is that its fantastic. It’s great for newbies and for professionals and the uses are nearly unlimited. It’s a great way to expand your creativity, while familiarizing yourself with design tricks and best practices. Although Photoshop has many fine features, it can’t fully edit vectors. However, Adobe’s vast array of products more than compensates for this with Illustrator and InDesign.
#1. Adobe Illustrator
Compatible with: Windows and MacOS
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: $19.99 per month
Welp! We haven’t mentioned Adobe in any other section, and now we’ve gone and thrown them in twice. There’s a good reason for this. Presentations, flyers, and posters are a marketer’s forte, even if they’re working with a designer. Illustrator creates that perfect bridge for the marketing mind to reach the design mind and create stunning, goal-orientated imagery. The crisp, sharp lines, standout text and ability to bring everything together in one cohesive look are typical Illustrator benefits.
#2. Inkscape
Compatible with: Windows, MacOS, Linux
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: free
Inkscape’s features packs a mighty punch in the vector design world. The pattern creation tool, special spirals, object manipulation choices, vast array of filters, bevels, textures, overlays, and the drawing and shape tools make Inkscape a must-try for anyone interested in vector images. It’s a little on the slow side, but that’s to be expected when you think about all the things you can do with it.
#3. BoxySVG
Compatible with: web-based, Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS,
How to Access: download and install and via browser
Pricing: starts at $9.99
Desktop apps are cool, but why fill your drive with software when you can get all of that from a browser-based editor? Because its web-based, its optimized for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Illustrator is known as the crème de crème of image and vector creators, but it can be tricky to pick up. BoxySVG closes that gap with its simplicity and keeps the ball rolling with some strong basic tools that focuses on stroke and fill, layers, shapes, text, different pens, and Bezier curves. The import and export formats are useful as it supports JPEGs and PNGs.
#4. Fotor
Compatible with: Windows, Mac, web-based
Pricing: Free basic version, pro starts at $8.99 per month
Fotor provides several vector design templates and layouts that are easy to select and edit. You can create completely new designs with the clipart and build on existing templates to create beautiful, unique designs that align with your vision. The interface is well organized, so its suitable for people who don’t know much about design, but would like to dip their toes into the waters. You can play around with the different retouching tools to add an extra flair to your images.
#3. Draw SVG
Compatible with: Chrome, Safari, Firefox
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: Free
We love a good poster or sign design, and Draw SVG is the perfect partner for that. Its browser-based and can be used with a variety of devices. For those touch device technology lovers, Draw SVG works well with your pen and users can experiment with their drawing skills to their heart’s content. Drawings can also be edited using the basic tools and then converted to PNG images.
The Price Lowdown
- Really Free: Draw SVG, Inkscape
- Almost Free: Fotor
- You’ve Gotta Pay to Play: Boxy SVG
Collage Creators
You’d think that all you needed from a collage creator was a few templates and the ability to add pictures. While that’s true in most cases, some applications perform better than others and have more scope for fiddling, moving around, and adding borders and texts.
#1. Diptic
Compatible with: iOs, Android, Windows
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: $0.99 in app store and additional in-app purchases
For beginners, it might seem a little silly to pay Diptic’s fee when there are dozens of free apps out there with great layout options. It’s not pricey, but there’s stiff competition from some of the free apps. However, have a scroll through the layouts and borders on Diptic and you’ll see that it’s worth forking out some money to have access to the unique designs, bold frame options, and fun bordered layouts. If there’s a layout you like but would want to tweak slightly, you can do it with Diptic.
#2. Pic Stitch
Compatible with: iOs
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: Basic free version or Pro for $29.99 per year or $129 one-time payment
Pic Stitch stands apart from other collage editors as it allows video clips and even music to your collage. Adding the video does take some trimming and maneuvering with the video function, but its all relatively quick and easy. In terms of templates and borders, Pic Stitch does have some fun, unique frames that you can play around with to give your collage an extra dash of artistry.
#3. Layout
Compatible with: Android, iOs
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: free
Layout often ranks among the best collage apps as its extremely easy-to-use, free, and best friends with Instagram. It can’t be customized or adjusted as well as some of the other applications, but for people just wanting to put together quick collages, all you have to do is drag and drop and add whichever frames you like.
#4. Photopad
Compatible with: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOs
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: free basic, pro for $50
Photopad is for the more serious collage-makers out there as it has to be installed on your desktop, which increases its flexibility and speed. You can choose a background from the templates provided, use a solid color, or use one of your own pictures. There’s a choice of collages you can select once you’ve chosen your background, and once that’s done, you’ve got your collage.
The Price Lowdown
- Really Free: Layout
- Almost Free: Photopad, Pic Stitch
- You’ve Gotta Pay to Play: Diptic
Infographic Makers
We’ covered some infographic makers in the social media and blogger section of this article, so we’ll avoid going over those again and introduce you to some new ones. Infographics are a great way to convey a lot of dense information in an attractive, easy-to-absorb way and it’s a lot of fun creating it. Some apps come with premade templates that allow you to insert custom icons, and others allow you to create it from scratch. Let’s get into them.
#1. Easel.ly
Compatible with: iOs, Android
How to Access: download and install
Pricing: $2 per month
As the name suggests, Easel.ly’s goal is to make infographic making as hassle-free as possible. Beginners and people simply interested in playing around with facts, figures, and images can extend their creative prowess and create beautiful infographics with just a few button clicks.
#2. Visme
Compatible with: web-based
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: basic free version, $12 per month for pro
Visme is every content creator’s dream versatile tool. It can create appealing, beautiful infographics just based off the information you’ve inserted. You can adjust the icons, color, templates, and font depending on what you’re looking for, and you can move content around easily. Although it’s created by designers, it was made with the idea of non-designers in mind, so you get all the benefits of their knowledge and experience with just a few button clicks.
#3. Snappa
Compatible with: web-based
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: $10 per month
Good templates make all the difference, especially when you want to throw something together quickly. Snappa is one of programs that offer a variety of eye-catching, fun templates, and then it builds on that and extends into more complex design programs. You’ll also have access to their free, high-resolution stock photos, their more than 200 fonts, and 100,00 vectors and shapes. If you’re looking to start your infographic journey, Snappa is the place to be.
#4.Infogram
Compatible with: Chrome, Firefox, Safari
How to Access: via browser
Price: Free
Infogram’s interface has the best combination of simple, professional look, and fun, colorful imagery to get those creative juices flowing. The left and right bars show different templates and adjustment tools, and all you have to do is drag and drop to see your desired template. You can also use it to make charts, simply by filling in the information similar to an excel sheet, and watch Infogram generate a gorgeous, easily-digestible chart or infographic.
The Price Lowdown
- Really Free: Infogram
- Almost Free: Visme, Easel.ly
- You’ve Gotta Pay to Play: Snappa
Editors for Presentations, Posters, and Flyers
A lot of the apps mentioned in the Infographic section above also specialize in creating stunning presentations, posters, and flyers. Pastel, minimalistic colors and aesthetics are still quiet the rage, so you’ll find that many of the premade templates follow a similar look and feel. Posters and flyers represent your brand and carry your name out into the world, so creating something unique and gorgeous should be a top priority. These are the programs that let you play around and experiment easily without compromising on quality.
#1.Adobe Spark
Compatible with: Windows, MacOS, Chrome, Firefox, Safari
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: $9.99 per month
It’s almost strange that we haven’t mentioned Adobe in nearly every section of this article. Their vast array of editing tools, photograph enhancers, and design and sketch programs makes Adobe one of the top picks for designers, artists, and photographers. Our goal was to highlight different programs in each section, but we’d be remiss to not mention Adobe at least once. The beauty of Adobe is that even though you have access to so many features, you can play around with the program for a day and learn all of the important basics. With Adobe Spark you can select images on the web or import pictures from other programs, such as Lightroom, Google Photos, or Adobe Creative Cloud. For a more professional look, you can use some of Spark’s existing images and adjust colors, fonts, textures, sizing, and positions until you get that perfect design.
#2. DesignCap
Compatible with: Chrome, Firefox, IE
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: Free version, $4.99 per month for Basic, $5.99 for Plus
DesignCap is another program that already hosts thousands of templates – all designed by professionals. There are also several in-built fonts, various shapes and backgrounds, and an extensive library packed with stock photos, and our favorites: icons! It’s more basic and easier to use than Illustrator, but what it lacks in flexibility, it more than makes up for with all the templates and images.
#3. Crello
Compatible with: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Edge
Pricing: Free version, $9.99 per month for You’ve Gotta Pay to Play version
Crello allow you to take your flyers and posters to the next level and create video imagery with it. Think moving newspaper photographs in the Harry Pottwer movies, and you’ll get an idea of Crello’s appeal. There are thousands of templates ready-to-go for your next ad, and lots of video clips and pre-designed formats. It can be exported to MP4 or GIF. There’s also a premium feature that gives you access to their entire database of images, templates, clips, and animations.
#4. Venngage
Compatible with: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Edge
How to Access: via browser
Pricing: Free
Venngage has a cool and totally free online poster and flyer maker that allows you to choose from their extensive template library. You can import your own image, use the brush up tools, and adjust the fonts, sizing, and colors. It’s not as talented as some of the programs mentioned above, but as a free tool, it does the job reasonably well.
The Price Lowdown
- Really Free: Venngage
- Almost Free: DesignCap
- You’ve Gotta Pay to Play: Adobe Spark, Adobe Illustrator
Final thoughts
Wowza, that was a mouthful. We tried to be as inclusive, informative, and diplomatic as possible with our coverage. Some of the tools you might have heard of often, others you might delegate to the No pile, having tried, tested, and rejected it. Design and editing can be a fun and educational experience, but it can also be slightly painful when you don’t know which program to start with to perform a specific function. We hope we’ve been able to provide some valuable insight on this, and if you have any suggestions or feedback, let us know. We love to hear your thoughts.