The realm of graphic and digital design is in a constant state of evolution. From office professionals and students to teenagers and everyday individuals, everyone is gradually embracing digital and graphic design in many different aspects of their lives. This growth necessitates the development of graphic design tools to meet the demands of the graphic design industry.
Therefore, designers need to master graphic design tools that make the design work easier. Are you one of them? Are you a designer looking to upgrade tools, or are you a beginner wanting to dive into the creative world? You have come to the right place.
In this article, we will discuss a list of the best graphic design tools that you must try. And also, most of the applications that will be discussed have used AI technology in the design process. Interesting, isn’t it? So, stay tuned until the end!
Table of Contents
Graphic design has become essential for us, whether we are at home, using our mobile devices, or out in public. We will, in fact, see and find a lot of graphic design products. Moreover, graphic design has become an important part of communication strategy, marketing, and personal branding. Regardless of whether you are a business owner, content creator, or student, appealing visuals will be necessary for you to stand out in this era.
Graphic designers must have excellent skills in visual communication practices, as they are responsible for creating visual content with the primary goal of conveying ideas and messages in real products.
In addition, graphic designers have an important role in business marketing, as it helps create a brand identity and reach the target audience. Thus, designers need to stay updated with the trends and newest graphic design tools to make the design process easier and more effective.
Adobe Photoshop is one of the most popular graphic design tools. The first version was released in the 1990s, and the 2000s marked the beginning of its widespread use. Its standout characteristic is its ability to process raster and bitmap images, making it a highly recognized photo editor packed with various features. Additionally, the recent advancements in AI have transformed Adobe Photoshop into a highly sophisticated graphic design and photo editing tool, now enriched with innovative AI features.
Still a part of the Adobe family, Adobe Illustrator is the most popular vector-based graphic design tool. This tool is a favorite, especially for those working in the digital illustration field like comic and digital art illustrators, due to its focus on vector designs.
As a newcomer, Canva has managed to achieve success among designers. Canva is an online graphic design platform that was first launched in 2013 and has become a popular choice among all graphic design tools.
According to Google, Canva has more than 230 million active users as of April 2025. The main reason Canva is so popular is its very user-friendly interface, making it suitable for both beginners and professionals. Moreover, Canva also offers free access to its users, albeit with limited features.
CorelDRAW, just like Adobe Illustrator, is a vector-based graphic design tool. According to Wikipedia, CorelDRAW was first released on January 16th, 1989, by Corel Corporation. This tool is also known as Corel’s Graphic Suite.
The majority of CorelDRAW’s global customer base is loyal to the app and hesitant to switch due to their familiarity with its tools. Although Adobe Illustrator has the same functions, the use of Adobe’s tools may not be easy for Corel users.
The last one on the list of top graphic design tools is Figma. Like Canva, Figma is easy to use. It is a UI design tool, especially for creating prototypes and collaboration. However, Figma can also be used as a powerful tool with various plugins included.
Figma is also referred to as the collaborative interface design tool. Because of its advantages in collaboration features, Figma makes it easier for users to share and provide feedback among teams.
The Cons
Therefore, it can be concluded that with the continuous advancement of technology, becoming a graphic designer is not a major issue. We can easily choose and use the many graphic design tools now available. These tools come in various options, including monthly subscriptions, one-time purchases, and even free versions.
Choose graphic design tools according to your needs and expertise, and always ensure that your designs are responsible and wise. And last but not least, always make sure to use legal applications.
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