Design Tools & Resources

Discover the best graphic design tools, software recommendations, and resources to enhance your creative workflow

Tip of the Day

When choosing design software, prioritize tools that export to industry-standard file formats to ensure compatibility with clients and collaborators.

Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe Creative Cloud

A comprehensive suite of creative applications including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and more for professional design work.

✓ Industry standard design applications
✓ Cloud storage and file sharing
✓ Regular updates and new features
Windows macOS iPad (selected apps)
Subscription: $52.99/month
Suite Visit Website
Figma

Figma

A collaborative interface design tool that lets teams work together in real-time on UI/UX projects.

✓ Real-time collaboration
✓ Prototyping and interactive design
✓ Design systems and component libraries
Web Browser Windows macOS
Free (limited) / Pro: $12/month
UI/UX Design Visit Website
Procreate

Procreate

A powerful digital illustration app designed specifically for iPad, offering a natural drawing experience with advanced features.

✓ Intuitive brushes and tools
✓ Animation capabilities
✓ High resolution canvas support
iPad
One-time purchase: $9.99
Illustration Visit Website
Affinity Designer

Affinity Designer

A professional vector graphics editor that offers a powerful alternative to Adobe Illustrator with a one-time purchase model.

✓ Vector and raster capabilities
✓ Precise tools for illustration and design
✓ No subscription required
Windows macOS iPad
One-time purchase: $54.99
Illustration Visit Website
Blender

Blender

A free and open-source 3D creation suite that supports the entire 3D pipeline: modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, and more.

✓ Comprehensive 3D modeling tools
✓ Animation and rendering capabilities
✓ Active community and regular updates
Windows macOS Linux
Free & Open Source
3D & Animation Visit Website
Adobe Fonts

Adobe Fonts

A library of high-quality fonts that are cleared for both personal and commercial use, included with Creative Cloud subscriptions.

✓ Thousands of professional fonts
✓ Web font integration
✓ Commercial licensing included
Web Browser Creative Cloud apps
Included with Creative Cloud
Typography Visit Website

Photo Editing Software Comparison

Feature Adobe Photoshop Affinity Photo GIMP Capture One
Price Model Subscription One-time purchase Free Subscription or one-time
RAW Processing Advanced Advanced Basic Excellent
Layer Support Comprehensive Comprehensive Yes Limited
Advanced Retouching Excellent Very Good Good Good
Healing/Clone Tools Advanced Advanced Basic Basic
Selection Tools AI-powered Advanced Good Basic
Color Management Professional Professional Good Excellent
Batch Processing Yes Yes Limited Excellent
Performance Resource-heavy Optimized Moderate Very Good
Plugin Ecosystem Extensive Growing Moderate Limited

Free Design Resources

🖼️

Unsplash

Beautiful, free high-resolution photographs you can use for personal and commercial projects.

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🎨

Coolors

The super fast color schemes generator for cool designers.

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🔤

Google Fonts

A library of free licensed font families for web and design projects.

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📦

Freepik

Free vectors, stock photos, PSD files, and icons for personal and commercial use.

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