Best tools · Design
Best graphic design tools
Template-based visuals for marketing and social. 4 tools in this list, 3 with a free plan.
How this list is ranked. Tools are ordered by how strongly they are built for this job (as tagged in VERILO’s catalogue), then by editorial score and editor rating. Affiliate relationships and featured status are never inputs.
- 01
Canva
Built for itTemplate-driven online design tool for social graphics, presentations, video, documents and print.
4.6From $10/moFree plan- This is a core use case of the product.
- Includes AI content generation, Real-time collaboration, Comments & mentions
- 02
Adobe Express
Built for itAdobe's template-based design app for social content, flyers, short video and PDFs with Firefly AI.
3.9From $9.99/moFree plan- This is a core use case of the product.
- Includes AI content generation, Real-time collaboration, Comments & mentions
- 03
Figma
Supports itCollaborative browser-based UI design, prototyping and developer handoff platform.
4.8From $20/moFree plan- Possible, but other tools on this list are more purpose-built.
- Includes AI content generation, Real-time collaboration, Comments & mentions
- 04
Midjourney
Supports itSubscription AI image generator known for stylized, high-quality output, available on the web and Discord.
4.4From $10/mo- Possible, but other tools on this list are more purpose-built.
- Includes AI content generation, Real-time collaboration, Import & export
Who this list is for
For marketers, founders and anyone who has to produce social posts, presentations and flyers without a designer to hand. Product teams designing interfaces are better served by dedicated UI tools, and illustrators by vector software.
How to choose
Most of this work is templates and staying on brand. Canva has the largest template library of the four and covers social, print, presentations and short video; Adobe Express is the closest equivalent and the better fit for teams already paying for Creative Cloud, since it opens Photoshop and Illustrator files.
Check how generative AI is licensed and metered, because it is now part of both. Adobe's Firefly is trained on licensed content, which matters when the output goes into paid campaigns, and its generation is capped by monthly credits; Canva's Magic Studio covers text and image generation, resizing and background removal on its paid tier.
Figma and Midjourney are here for adjacent jobs rather than as replacements. Figma is a collaborative interface design tool whose precision suits product work; Midjourney generates stylised imagery, has no free plan, and still renders text inside images unreliably.
What to compare
- Templates and brand kit
- Speed comes from starting somewhere. Judge the library for the formats you actually produce, then check what a brand kit locks down: fonts, colours and logos applied automatically save the most time.
- Where the output goes
- Social, print and presentation exports have different requirements. Check resolution, bleed and file formats for the two or three places your work really lands.
- Licensing of AI and stock
- If images go into paid campaigns, the licence matters as much as the look. Check what the generator was trained on, what rights the plan grants, and how the monthly allowance is metered.
- Who else edits
- Design work gets reviewed. Look at shared folders, comments and whether a reviewer needs a paid seat just to leave feedback on a draft.
Common questions
- Which graphic design tools have a free plan?
- Figma has a free plan, with limits on usage, users or features. Pricing for Canva and Adobe Express has not been checked against the vendor in the last 90 days, so they are not included.
- How much does graphic design software cost?
- The entry paid plans as each vendor lists them, checked against its pricing page: Figma Professional at $20 per user a month. Some vendors quote the annual-billing rate, and seat minimums, higher tiers and add-ons all change the real cost, so price the plan you actually need. Pricing for Canva and Adobe Express has not been checked against the vendor in the last 90 days, so they are not included.
- Do I need professional design software for social graphics?
- Usually not. Template-based editors cover social posts, presentations and simple print, and they keep a non-designer inside the brand. Detailed vector illustration, print production and interface design are where they stop being enough.
- Canva or Adobe Express?
- Canva for the widest template selection and the shortest learning curve. Adobe Express if you already pay for Creative Cloud, need to open Photoshop or Illustrator files, or want generative AI trained on licensed content.
Read next
Choosing between the top two?
See Canva and Adobe Express side by side on pricing, free plans, ease of use and features.
Compare Canva vs Adobe Express4 tools compared. Each listing shows when its information was last reviewed; prices can change, so check the vendor’s pricing page before you decide.