Professional Graphic Design Software
- Adobe Photoshop – Industry standard for raster graphics, photo editing, and digital painting.
- Adobe Illustrator – Leading software for vector graphics and illustration.
- CorelDRAW – Powerful vector design and layout software, especially popular for print.
- Affinity Designer – Affordable, professional alternative to Illustrator with a one-time purchase model.
- Affinity Photo – Photoshop alternative with strong editing and retouching tools.
- Sketch (Mac only) – Widely used in UI/UX and web design.
- Adobe InDesign – For layout design, publishing, and multi-page document work (e.g., magazines, brochures).
- Figma – Cloud-based interface design tool; great for collaboration and UI/UX design.
Free & Open-Source Tools
- GIMP – Powerful open-source alternative to Photoshop.
- Inkscape – Free vector graphics software similar to Illustrator.
- Krita – Great for digital painting and illustration.
- Gravit Designer – Cross-platform vector design tool (free and pro versions).
- Vectr – Browser-based vector graphic design tool.
Specialized/Other Tools
- Canva – Beginner-friendly online design tool with templates for social media, presentations, etc.
- Procreate (iPad) – Favorite among digital illustrators and concept artists.
- Blender – 3D graphics, but also used in motion graphics and visual effects.
- Adobe Express – Easy-to-use web app for quick design projects with templates.
- Desygner – Canva alternative focused on business-oriented templates and branding.