Best Graphic Design Tools

Canva is a practical starting point for Australian businesses creating everyday marketing graphics. Its template-led approach suits owners and staff who need attractive content without learning a specialist illustration application. Free and paid plans offer different assets, brand tools and AI allowances, making the right package dependent on your team and the content you regularly produce.

• Create social posts, presentations, promotional graphics and simple print designs. Reusable templates can help maintain consistency, although a recognisable brand also needs thoughtful choices about typography, colour and imagery.
• Compare brand management, collaboration and export requirements across plans. Premium content and AI tools have conditions, while some capabilities or usage allowances may involve additional subscriptions or credits.
• Test your preferred formats and printer specifications before committing. Review licences for stock, templates and fonts, especially when creating logos or distributing editable designs to customers.

Our view: A useful shortlist choice for accessible business content creation.

Adobe Photoshop gives creative professionals detailed control over photographs and image-based graphics. It is particularly relevant for retouching, selections, layers and composites, rather than template-led design. Subscription and bundle choices affect the tools and services included, so check whether an existing Adobe package already provides the access you require.

• Refine product photographs, build promotional images and combine visual elements using layered editing. Professional results still depend on suitable source images, design judgement and time spent learning the workflow.
• Compare desktop, web and mobile capabilities before choosing how to work. Generative features have credit and eligibility conditions, and related stock assets may require separate licensing or purchases.
• Trial real projects and test export resolution, colour settings and compatibility. Review subscription commitments, cancellation conditions and asset rights, and keep editable files organised for future changes and client handovers.

Our view: A strong option when precise image editing is central to your work.

Adobe Illustrator is a specialist vector design tool for Australian businesses producing scalable artwork. It is relevant for logos, icons, illustrations and graphics that need to remain sharp at different sizes. Its subscription model should be assessed against Adobe bundles and team arrangements, particularly when your designers also require Photoshop or other applications within Adobe.

• Create and refine paths, shapes and typography for original artwork. Vector files support flexible scaling, but effective logos still require judgement and originality checks.
• Compare supported devices, collaboration and export requirements. Generative capabilities have plan and credit conditions, and stock graphics or fonts may have separate restrictions affecting commercial use and redistribution.
• Test artwork with printers and downstream applications before relying on a format. Review colour modes, bleed, font handling and subscription terms, and maintain clear file versions for clients and colleagues.

Our view: A strong shortlist option when professional vector artwork is the priority.

Adobe Express supports Australian businesses creating quick promotional content through templates and accessible editing tools. It is relevant for social graphics, promotional and everyday visuals, especially when staff already use Adobe products. Free and Premium arrangements differ, and some existing subscriptions may include access, so review existing entitlements before purchasing.

• Adapt templates, combine text and images and prepare content for common publishing channels. Establish reusable brand choices so speed does not come at the expense of consistency across campaigns.
• Compare premium assets, brand features, collaboration and export options against your needs. Firefly and other AI capabilities have credit and usage conditions, so check the exact allowance in your package.
• Trial representative designs and review stock, font and template licences. Confirm renewal and cancellation terms, and check output quality and printer specifications when preparing materials beyond online publication.

Our view: A practical comparison for quick business content in an Adobe workflow.

Figma is relevant to Australian teams designing websites, applications and digital interfaces. Its collaborative environment helps designers and stakeholders work on shared files, with prototypes supporting discussion of product behaviour. It differs from a specialist photo editor or print layout application, so choose it around interface requirements rather than every design workflow.

• Build layouts, reusable components and interface graphics, then use prototypes to explore user journeys. Shared comments can help organise feedback before a developer implements the experience.
• Compare Starter and paid tiers, seat types and design-system needs. AI features and credits have conditions, while access for designers, developers and other collaborators can affect the overall subscription cost.
• Test handoff, permissions, exports and version workflows with your team. Review community resource licences and connected plugins, and confirm whether the selected package meets your security and collaboration requirements.

Our view: A useful choice when collaborative interface design is the main requirement.

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite offers Australian businesses vector and layout tools. It is worth comparing for signage, promotional materials and print-oriented work, where suppliers use Corel formats. Subscription and purchase options can differ in included features and ongoing entitlements, so assess the exact edition rather than the product name alone.

• Create illustrations, typography and multipage layouts, with photo-editing tools included in applicable suite arrangements. Check which applications and capabilities belong to your chosen operating system and purchase option.
• Compare collaboration, AI functionality and supported export formats against the work you produce. The published trial has feature and application exclusions, so it may not demonstrate every purchased capability.
• Test compatibility with printers, cutters and client files before migrating. Review colour settings, fonts and asset licences, and compare renewal, upgrade and cancellation terms alongside the initial purchase cost.

Our view: A practical shortlist option for vector and print-focused production.

Affinity provides Australian creatives with vector, photo-editing and page-layout workflows through its current unified application. The core app is free, making it relevant to businesses wanting editing without a core subscription. This differs from older Affinity versions and purchase arrangements, so check the current application and device requirements rather than historical descriptions.

• Use Vector, Pixel and Layout studios for illustration, image refinement and multipage design. The professional toolset requires learning, particularly when moving from template-based services or another design application.
• Canva integrations offer additional workflow options, while Canva AI Studio requires an eligible premium plan. Free access to the core application does not mean every connected service or asset is free.
• Test client files, exports and printer specifications before switching. Review font and asset licences, maintain backups and confirm that compatibility meets your delivery requirements.

Our view: A useful option when professional tools and a free core application appeal.

VistaCreate helps Australian businesses prepare marketing visuals through templates and accessible design tools. Its Starter plan provides a free entry point, while Pro expands content, advanced tools and collaboration capabilities. It is relevant to businesses producing regular promotional or social material, particularly when staff want a workflow rather than manual illustration or specialist editing.

• Adapt templates, combine text and graphics and prepare content for common channels. Review the available formats and build consistent brand choices before creating a large library of promotional materials.
• Compare Starter and Pro assets, team features and AI allowances. Premium content and advanced tools have conditions, so trial the package against the actual designs your business needs to publish.
• Check licences for commercial use, fonts and stock, and confirm export quality. Review trial, renewal and cancellation conditions before upgrading, and test print specifications where relevant.

Our view: Worth comparing when template-led marketing content is the priority.