NERDY PICKS · DESIGN & GRAPHICS
Best Design & Graphics tools
Make logos, social graphics, flyers and brand assets.
Prices checked Oct 26, 2026
Which design & graphics tool should I start with?
If you want free, start with Canva, Figma, Adobe Express. Make logos, social graphics, flyers and brand assets. Below you'll find 35 tools with what each one does, the free plan and the cheapest solo plan in US dollars, checked Oct 26, 2026.
| Tool | What it does | Free plan | Paid from | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canva | Drag-and-drop design tool with templates and built-in AI image and writing tools. | Yes | Canva Pro: US$18/month, or US$12/month on a yearly plan (US$144/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Figma | Browser-based design tool for app screens, websites, mockups and shared design files. | Yes | Professional (Full seat): US$20/month, or US$16/month on a yearly plan (US$192/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Adobe Express | Template-based design app from Adobe for social posts, flyers and short videos. | Yes | Premium: US$9.99/month, or US$8.33/month on a yearly plan (US$99.99/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Kittl | Online design tool with strong text effects and templates, popular for logos and merch. | Yes | Pro: US$19/month, or US$12/month on a yearly plan (US$144/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Looka | Makes a logo and matching brand kit from your business name and style choices. | No | Brand Kit Subscription: US$8/month | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Photoroom | Removes backgrounds and makes clean product photos, including in batches. | Unclear | Pro: US$12.99/month, or US$7.50/month on a yearly plan | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Pixlr | Browser photo editor and quick design tool with AI helpers. | Yes | Plus: US$2.49/month, or US$1.99/month on a yearly plan | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Fotor | Photo editor and template-based design tool with AI image features. | Yes | Pro: US$8.99/month, or US$3.33/month on a yearly plan (US$39.99/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Piktochart | Makes infographics, reports and simple visuals from templates. | Yes | Pro: US$15/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Venngage | Template library for infographics, reports and diagrams. | Yes | Premium: US$19/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Uizard | Turns text prompts, sketches or screenshots into editable app and website mockups. | Yes | Pro: US$19/month, or US$12/month on a yearly plan (US$144/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Designs.ai | Suite of AI tools for logos, graphics, videos and voiceovers. | No | Go: US$9.90/month, or US$8.30/month on a yearly plan (US$99/year) | Oct 30, 2026 |
| PicMonkey | Photo editor and design tool for social graphics and simple marketing images. | No | Basic: US$7.99/month, or US$6/month on a yearly plan (US$72/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Snappa | Simple drag-and-drop editor for social posts, blog headers and ad images. | Yes | Pro: US$15/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Pixelcut | AI photo tool for product shots: remove backgrounds, upscale and create scenes. | Yes | Pro: US$10/month, or US$8/month on a yearly plan (US$96/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| LogoAI | Generates logo ideas and brand assets from your business name. | No | Pro: US$20/month | Oct 26, 2026 |
| VistaCreate | Template-based design tool from Vista for social posts, ads and animations. | Yes | Pro: US$13/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Excalidraw | Hand-drawn style whiteboard for quick diagrams, free to use. | Yes | Excalidraw+: US$7/month, or US$6/month on a yearly plan (US$72/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Penpot | Free, open-source design and prototyping tool, similar to Figma. | Yes | Unlimited: US$7/month | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Midjourney | Creates high-quality artistic images from text prompts. | No | Basic: US$10/month, or US$8/month on a yearly plan (US$96/year) | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Ideogram | Makes AI images that are especially good at readable text, like posters and logos. | Yes | Plus: US$20/month, or US$15/month on a yearly plan (US$180/year) | Oct 30, 2026 |
| Leonardo.Ai | Generates images and short videos from prompts, with many styles and models. | Yes | Essential: US$12/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year) | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Adobe Firefly | Adobe's AI image, video and audio generator, built into its creative apps. | Yes | Firefly Standard: US$9.99/month, or US$8.33/month on a yearly plan (US$99.99/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Recraft | Generates images, icons and editable vector graphics in a consistent brand style. | Yes | Basic: US$12/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Playground | Makes AI images and simple designs like posters, logos and social posts. | Yes | Pro: US$15/month, or US$12/month on a yearly plan (US$144/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Picsart | Photo and design app with AI image generation, background removal and templates. | Unclear | Pro: US$15/month, or US$10.50/month on a yearly plan | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Visme | Design tool for presentations, infographics, charts and reports with templates and AI help. | Yes | Starter: US$29/month, or US$12.25/month on a yearly plan (US$147/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Napkin AI | Turns written text into diagrams, flowcharts and visuals you can drop into slides or docs. | Yes | Plus: US$12/month, or US$9/month on a yearly plan (US$108/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Adobe Photoshop | Adobe's professional photo editor for retouching, compositing and AI-powered edits. | Unclear | Photoshop: US$34.49/month, or US$22.99/month on a yearly plan (US$275.88/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Affinity | Pro photo, design and layout app from Canva that is free for individuals. | Yes | Free | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Magnific (formerly Freepik) | AI image, video and audio generation plus a large stock library, now under the Magnific name. | Yes | Premium: US$20/month, or US$14.50/month on a yearly plan (US$174/year) | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Envato Elements | One subscription for unlimited royalty-free music, stock footage, photos and templates. | No | Core: US$33/month, or US$16.50/month on a yearly plan (US$198/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Miro | Online whiteboard for brainstorming, diagrams and planning together. | Yes | Starter: US$10/month, or US$8/month on a yearly plan (US$96/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Whimsical | Quick flowcharts, mind maps and docs in one workspace. | Yes | Pro: US$12/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year) | Oct 26, 2026 |
| Photopea | Free photo editor in the browser that opens Photoshop files. | Yes | Free | Oct 26, 2026 |
All 35 tools
Canva
Drag-and-drop design tool with templates and built-in AI image and writing tools.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan: 1 Brand Kit, 5 GB storage, limited AI uses.
Paid from: Canva Pro: US$18/month, or US$12/month on a yearly plan (US$144/year)
Discounts: Yearly billing saves up to 16% on Business and a third on Pro; free trial of Pro.
Cheaper or similar: Adobe Firefly, Picsart · cheaper Canva alternatives
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Figma
Browser-based design tool for app screens, websites, mockups and shared design files.
Free plan: Yes: Starter plan free (limited files and AI credits).
Paid from: Professional (Full seat): US$20/month, or US$16/month on a yearly plan (US$192/year)
Discounts: Cheaper per month with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Uizard, Canva
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Adobe Express
Template-based design app from Adobe for social posts, flyers and short videos.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan with core features and limited generative credits.
Paid from: Premium: US$9.99/month, or US$8.33/month on a yearly plan (US$99.99/year)
Discounts: 30-day free trial of Premium.
Cheaper or similar: Canva, Fotor
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Kittl
Online design tool with strong text effects and templates, popular for logos and merch.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan for personal use only.
Paid from: Pro: US$19/month, or US$12/month on a yearly plan (US$144/year)
Discounts: A promo landing page offered 50% off annual plans.
Cheaper or similar: Canva, Looka
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Looka
Makes a logo and matching brand kit from your business name and style choices.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Brand Kit Subscription: US$8/month
Discounts: One-time logo packages also available.
Cheaper or similar: LogoAI, Canva
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Photoroom
Removes backgrounds and makes clean product photos, including in batches.
Free plan: Unclear: Free plan not confirmed on the pricing page.
Paid from: Pro: US$12.99/month, or US$7.50/month on a yearly plan
Cheaper or similar: Pixelcut, Canva
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Pixlr
Browser photo editor and quick design tool with AI helpers.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan with limited saves and AI credits.
Paid from: Plus: US$2.49/month, or US$1.99/month on a yearly plan
Discounts: Save 20% with yearly billing.
Cheaper or similar: Fotor, Canva
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Fotor
Photo editor and template-based design tool with AI image features.
Free plan: Yes: Basic plan free with limited features.
Paid from: Pro: US$8.99/month, or US$3.33/month on a yearly plan (US$39.99/year)
Discounts: Big saving with yearly billing.
Cheaper or similar: Pixlr, Canva
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Piktochart
Makes infographics, reports and simple visuals from templates.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan with limited downloads.
Paid from: Pro: US$15/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year)
Discounts: Cheaper with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Venngage, Canva
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Venngage
Template library for infographics, reports and diagrams.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan: 5 designs, public sharing.
Paid from: Premium: US$19/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year)
Discounts: Yearly billing advertised as saving 51%.
Cheaper or similar: Piktochart, Canva
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Uizard
Turns text prompts, sketches or screenshots into editable app and website mockups.
Free plan: Yes: Free: 3 AI generations per month.
Paid from: Pro: US$19/month, or US$12/month on a yearly plan (US$144/year)
Discounts: Save 40% with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Figma
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Designs.ai
Suite of AI tools for logos, graphics, videos and voiceovers.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Go: US$9.90/month, or US$8.30/month on a yearly plan (US$99/year)
Discounts: Plus plan 50% off until Dec 30.
Cheaper or similar: Canva, Looka
Checked Oct 30, 2026
PicMonkey
Photo editor and design tool for social graphics and simple marketing images.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Basic: US$7.99/month, or US$6/month on a yearly plan (US$72/year)
Discounts: Cheaper with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Fotor, Canva
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Snappa
Simple drag-and-drop editor for social posts, blog headers and ad images.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan: 3 downloads per month.
Paid from: Pro: US$15/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year)
Cheaper or similar: Canva, Fotor
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Pixelcut
AI photo tool for product shots: remove backgrounds, upscale and create scenes.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan with watermark-free exports.
Paid from: Pro: US$10/month, or US$8/month on a yearly plan (US$96/year)
Discounts: Cheaper with yearly billing.
Cheaper or similar: Photoroom, Canva
Checked Oct 26, 2026
LogoAI
Generates logo ideas and brand assets from your business name.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Pro: US$20/month
Cheaper or similar: Looka
Checked Oct 26, 2026
VistaCreate
Template-based design tool from Vista for social posts, ads and animations.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan for 1 seat.
Paid from: Pro: US$13/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year)
Discounts: Annual billing advertised as saving 23%; 14-day free trial.
Cheaper or similar: Canva, Snappa
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Excalidraw
Hand-drawn style whiteboard for quick diagrams, free to use.
Free plan: Yes: Free forever: full editor, 1 scene, unlimited collaborators.
Paid from: Excalidraw+: US$7/month, or US$6/month on a yearly plan (US$72/year)
Discounts: Save 14% with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Miro, Whimsical
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Penpot
Free, open-source design and prototyping tool, similar to Figma.
Free plan: Yes: Professional: $0, free and fully featured.
Paid from: Unlimited: US$7/month
Cheaper or similar: Figma, Canva
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Midjourney
Creates high-quality artistic images from text prompts.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Basic: US$10/month, or US$8/month on a yearly plan (US$96/year)
Discounts: About 20% off with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Ideogram, Leonardo.Ai, Recraft
Checked Oct 25, 2026
Ideogram
Makes AI images that are especially good at readable text, like posters and logos.
Free plan: Yes: Free weekly credits.
Paid from: Plus: US$20/month, or US$15/month on a yearly plan (US$180/year)
Discounts: Pricing page states no discounts or free trials are offered; annual billing is cheaper per month.
Cheaper or similar: Leonardo.Ai, Recraft
Checked Oct 30, 2026
Leonardo.Ai
Generates images and short videos from prompts, with many styles and models.
Free plan: Yes: 150 tokens per day.
Paid from: Essential: US$12/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year)
Discounts: Up to 20% off with yearly billing.
Cheaper or similar: Recraft, Ideogram
Checked Oct 25, 2026
Adobe Firefly
Adobe's AI image, video and audio generator, built into its creative apps.
Free plan: Yes: Some free daily generations without a paid plan (per Adobe's help page).
Paid from: Firefly Standard: US$9.99/month, or US$8.33/month on a yearly plan (US$99.99/year)
Discounts: Free trial; student and teacher pricing shown on the plans page.
Cheaper or similar: Leonardo.Ai, Recraft, Ideogram
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Recraft
Generates images, icons and editable vector graphics in a consistent brand style.
Free plan: Yes: Daily free credits; images are public and not for commercial use.
Paid from: Basic: US$12/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year)
Discounts: Cheaper per month with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Leonardo.Ai
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Playground
Makes AI images and simple designs like posters, logos and social posts.
Free plan: Yes: 10 images every 3 hours, 3 monthly generations on premium models, commercial use allowed.
Paid from: Pro: US$15/month, or US$12/month on a yearly plan (US$144/year)
Discounts: Save 20% with annual billing.
Cheaper or similar: Ideogram, Canva
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Picsart
Photo and design app with AI image generation, background removal and templates.
Free plan: Unclear: Some features are 'included with every plan', but free plan limits were not listed.
Paid from: Pro: US$15/month, or US$10.50/month on a yearly plan
Discounts: Yearly billing saves up to 30% ('save $54 with yearly' on Pro).
Cheaper or similar: Canva, Adobe Firefly
Checked Oct 25, 2026
Visme
Design tool for presentations, infographics, charts and reports with templates and AI help.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan at $0 with 10 AI credits.
Paid from: Starter: US$29/month, or US$12.25/month on a yearly plan (US$147/year)
Cheaper or similar: Canva, Gamma
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Napkin AI
Turns written text into diagrams, flowcharts and visuals you can drop into slides or docs.
Free plan: Yes: Free forever plan.
Paid from: Plus: US$12/month, or US$9/month on a yearly plan (US$108/year)
Discounts: Save 25% with yearly billing.
Cheaper or similar: Gamma
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe's professional photo editor for retouching, compositing and AI-powered edits.
Free plan: Unclear: Not shown in what we could read.
Paid from: Photoshop: US$34.49/month, or US$22.99/month on a yearly plan (US$275.88/year)
Cheaper or similar: Affinity, GIMP
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Affinity
Pro photo, design and layout app from Canva that is free for individuals.
Free plan: Yes: Free for individuals.
Price: Free
Cheaper or similar: GIMP, Adobe Photoshop
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Magnific (formerly Freepik)
AI image, video and audio generation plus a large stock library, now under the Magnific name.
Free plan: Yes: Free account.
Paid from: Premium: US$20/month, or US$14.50/month on a yearly plan (US$174/year)
Discounts: Save 25% with annual billing (per the official page).
Cheaper or similar: Leonardo.Ai, Adobe Firefly
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 27, 2026
Envato Elements
One subscription for unlimited royalty-free music, stock footage, photos and templates.
Free plan: No
Paid from: Core: US$33/month, or US$16.50/month on a yearly plan (US$198/year)
Cheaper or similar: Epidemic Sound, Artlist
Some details on this one weren't confirmed on the official pricing page, so we left them blank.
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Miro
Online whiteboard for brainstorming, diagrams and planning together.
Free plan: Yes: Free plan.
Paid from: Starter: US$10/month, or US$8/month on a yearly plan (US$96/year)
Discounts: Lower per-member price with yearly billing.
Cheaper or similar: Excalidraw, Whimsical
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Whimsical
Quick flowcharts, mind maps and docs in one workspace.
Free plan: Yes: Free: up to 50 board objects and 50 doc blocks per month.
Paid from: Pro: US$12/month, or US$10/month on a yearly plan (US$120/year)
Discounts: Annual billing saves 17%.
Cheaper or similar: Miro, Excalidraw
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Photopea
Free photo editor in the browser that opens Photoshop files.
Free plan: Yes: Free online editor.
Price: Free
Cheaper or similar: Adobe Photoshop, GIMP
Checked Oct 26, 2026
Other jobs
FAQ
What's the best free design & graphics tool?
26 of the 35 design & graphics tools here have a free plan, including Canva, Figma, Adobe Express, Kittl. Start with the one whose job description matches yours, and check the free-plan limits in each card before you commit.
What's the cheapest paid design & graphics tool?
Of the prices we could confirm, Pixlr is cheapest: its Plus plan is US$2.49/month, or US$1.99/month on a yearly plan. Next is Fotor: its Pro plan is US$8.99/month, or US$3.33/month on a yearly plan (US$39.99/year). Prices are in US dollars before tax, checked Oct 26, 2026.
How do you check these prices?
We read each tool's official pricing page (or the maker's own help pages) in US dollars before tax, and note the date. If a price isn't shown clearly, we leave it blank rather than guess.
Want to spend less? Tick the tools you pay for in the Nerdy Savings calculator.