5 Free Online Graphic Design Tools

Plenty of small businesses require the use of a great image editing software. However, when you think about software options, many people think about Adobe Photoshop, and unfortunatley, it’s an expensive option. Not everyone can afford to spend that type of money on graphic design tools, especially startup companies. Fortunately, we live in the digital age, and the graphic design tools needed for your business are just a click away.

1. FatPaint

Fatpaint is great for graphics needed completed in a pinch. You can upload images from your computer, as well as Flickr or Picasa. Not to mention, you can use images from search engines like Google or Bing. Fatpaint doesn’t require you to register, pay, or to download anything to use their services. Plus it houses a large selection of tools, features, and services. Images can be saved as PNG and JPG files.

2. Canva

Canva is a wonderful choice for anyone who is a beginner to image editing software. The site is based on options using the drag and drop feature. Whether you are adding, removing, or editing the elements for your project, it’s very easy to understand what you need to do. Canva also offers the ability to choose custom dimensions or from a list of preset projects, such as a Facebook cover, poster, or blog graphic. Compared to other graphic tools, Canva offers a more limited amount of features. For instance, color options you can choose from for your text is generally around 5 to 8 colors. The color choices you are given are based on your overall color scheme of your design.

3. Inkscape

Inkscape is an open source program used for vector graphics. This means not only is the program free, but you can also distribute it, as well as open it all the way down to the source code. This editor workspace is setup similar to Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. You can create objects using the pencil, pen, calligraphy, shape and text tools, or you can utilise the cloning tool to create exact replicas. Inkscape is available for use for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

4. Serif’s PagePlus X7

PagePlus X7 is one of a variety of graphic editing tools available from Serif. The free version of PagePlus X7 is the PagePlus X7 Starter Edition. To download the program, you are required to register and keep an open account with Serif. The full version of the program requires a one-time payment of around $100 and contains features not available in the desktop publishing programs like Adobe InDesign or Microsoft Publisher. Unfortunately, these, and many other features are not available for use in the free Starter Edition.

5. SumoPaint

I love how SumoPaint offers their graphic editing tools for both download and as an offline application. Unfortunately, not all options are available with the free edition. SumoPaint offers 3 different subscriptions: the free account, which features basic online tools; the Pro account for $9, which features online basic tools, ad free usage, as well as over 35 PRO filters and tools; and the Pro Plus account for $19. The Pro Plus account is the only option featuring the Desktop application for use offline. There are a wide variety of features including: 3D filters, magic wand, clone stamps, blur and smudge tools, and it supports both grouping and layers. Files can be saved to SUMO, JPG, and PNG formats.

From Canva to SumoPaint, there are plenty of online graphic editing tools available for free. Each editing option varies in features depending upon the program and subscription. However, some options, such as Fatpaint, don’t even require you to download anything. It’s all online. If you go tryout these five options, and still can’t find one that works for you, don’t worry. There are plenty of other options out there.