Inkscape is a free and open-source vector graphics editor that caters to illustrators, designers, and web designers. The official site offers detailed information about its features, community involvement, and ways to contribute or support the project. This article will summarize the features, reviews, and other options to consider when using Inkscape.
What is Inkscape?
Inkscape is a community-driven project offering a free and open-source vector graphics editor. It is designed for illustrators, designers, and web designers who need to create vector imagery. The software provides flexible drawing tools and broad file format compatibility.
Inkscape also features a powerful text tool and supports Bezier and spiro curves for precise path creation. As an open-source tool, it is free to use and modify, with active community support for contributions and development.
What to Consider When Selecting a Inkscape Alternative?
When considering alternatives to Inkscape, it's essential to focus on features that will be most beneficial for users who rely on vector graphics editors. Here are the top five features to look for:
Ease of Use: Look for software that offers an intuitive interface and user-friendly tools. This is crucial for both beginners and experienced designers who need to work efficiently.
File Format Compatibility: Ensure the alternative supports a wide range of file formats, including SVG, PNG, JPG, and PDF. This flexibility allows for seamless integration with other design tools and platforms.
Advanced Drawing Tools: Features like Bezier curves, spiro curves, and a powerful text tool are essential for creating precise and complex vector graphics.
Collaboration Features: Real-time collaboration and shared libraries can significantly enhance productivity, especially for teams working on joint projects.
Cross-Platform Availability: Choose a tool that is accessible on multiple operating systems and devices, ensuring you can work from anywhere without compatibility issues.
Best Alternatives to Inkscape
1. Piktochart
Piktochart is a tool designed to transform complex ideas into captivating visuals that inform and engage audiences. It allows users to create stunning infographics, reports, and presentations in seconds, perfectly aligned with their brand, without requiring any design experience. Try Piktochart For Free!
Pros of Using Piktochart
AI-Powered Design Generator: Quickly create professional infographics, reports, and presentations.
Instant Visual Generation: Transform any idea or prompt into professional visuals in seconds.
Document to Visual Conversion: Convert documents into engaging data visualizations without copying and pasting content.
Text-to-Image: Generate high-quality, contextually relevant images from text prompts.
Extensive Library: Access a wide range of icons, illustrations, photos, and design components.
Who should use Piktochart?
Piktochart targets businesses, educators, and individuals who need to create professional-quality visuals quickly and easily. It's ideal for those who want to communicate complex ideas effectively without requiring design experience.
Pricing
Free: $0 (Free forever)
Pro: $29 per member/month (billed monthly) or $14 per member/month (billed annually, save 52%)
Business: $49 per member/month (billed monthly) or $24 per member/month (billed annually, save 52%)
Enterprise: Custom Pricing (Contact for details)
Campus: Custom Pricing (Minimum 3000 seats, contact for details)
Reviews
Piktochart has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Users appreciate its ease of use and the ability to create professional visuals without design experience. Check out more of our reviews here!
2. Easil
Easil is a design tool that allows teams to create brand-compliant digital and print marketing materials using a drag-and-drop interface. It offers pre-designed graphic templates, brand kits, and flexible locking permissions to ensure brand consistency.
Pros of Using Easil
Ease of Use: Drag-and-drop design interface.
Brand Consistency: Tools for maintaining brand standards across all designs.
Comprehensive Templates: Thousands of editable graphic and video templates.
Versatility: Ability to create both digital and print materials in one place.
Cons of Using Easil
Learning Curve: While the tool is user-friendly, non-designers might still need some time to get accustomed to all features.
Dependency on Internet: As a web-based tool, it requires a stable internet connection for optimal performance.
Pricing
Enterprise: Custom pricing with a dedicated account manager and additional controls. Contact Easil for more details.
Reviews
Easil has a rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars. Users have mixed feedback, with some appreciating the ease of use and variety of templates, while others note issues with customer support and the user interface. Check out more Easil reviews here.
3. Fotor
Fotor is an online photo editor that offers a comprehensive suite of tools for enhancing and editing photos. It provides features for basic adjustments like brightness and contrast, as well as advanced editing options such as retouching portraits, removing backgrounds, and applying AI effects.
Pros of Using Fotor
User-Friendly Interface: Designed to be accessible for both amateurs and professionals.
AI-Powered Tools: Features like AI photo enhancer, background remover, and object remover simplify complex editing tasks.
Cross-Platform Availability: Available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
Cons of Using Fotor
Advanced Features Require Upgrade: Some advanced tools are only available in the Pro version.
Overwhelming Range of Features: The extensive list of tools might be daunting for new users.
Pricing
Fotor's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
Fotor has a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Users generally mention the ease of use and the variety of templates. Check out more Fotor reviews here.
4. DesignBold
DesignBold is a digital agency that aims to democratize design by making it accessible to everyone, regardless of their skill level or background. They offer a variety of services including a graphics marketplace, a graphic design platform, a website builder platform, and a design and digital agency service.
Pros of Using DesignBold
User-Friendly Interface: DesignBold provides an easy-to-use interface that allows users to create stunning visuals for various projects.
Vast Library of Resources: The platform offers a wide range of templates, graphics, and fonts to choose from.
Comprehensive Services: From graphic design tools to website building and digital agency services, DesignBold covers a broad spectrum of design needs.
Cons of Using DesignBold
Potential Overlap in Offerings: With multiple services and products, users might find some overlap or redundancy in the tools and resources provided.
Learning Curve: Despite being user-friendly, new users might still face a learning curve when navigating the various features and tools.
Pricing
DesignBold's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
DesignBold has a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Users generally mention issues with drag-and-drop functionality and limited free templates. Check out more DesignBold reviews here.
5. PicMonkey
PicMonkey is a photo editing and design tool that allows users to create eye-catching images for social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as for ads and logos. It offers a wide range of templates for various design needs, including flyers, presentations, logos, and invitations.
Pros of Using PicMonkey
Wide Range of Templates: Offers stunning templates for logos, banners, thumbnails, and more.
Advanced Photo Editing Tools: Includes features like Touch Up, Color Changer, and background remover.
Extensive Library: Provides access to 9,000+ graphics and textures, 100s of fonts, and thousands of templates.
Cons of Using PicMonkey
Browser Compatibility: Some features may not be supported by all browsers.
Subscription Required: Full access to all features likely requires a subscription.
Pricing
Business Plan: $228.00 USD per user annually or $23.00 USD per user monthly
Reviews
PicMonkey has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Users generally mention issues with limited stock photo libraries and performance lags. Check out more PicMonkey reviews here.
6. Vectr
Vectr is an AI-powered vector graphics editor that allows users to create and edit vector images online. It offers a range of tools for background removal, image to vector conversion, and real-time collaboration.
Pros of Using Vectr
User-Friendly Interface: Easy to learn and use, suitable for both beginners and professionals.
Real-Time Collaboration: Allows for live sharing and collaboration with integrated chat features.
Cross-Platform Sync: Ensures designs are synchronized across all devices in real-time.
Cons of Using Vectr
Premium Account Required for Some Features: Sharing vector graphics and downloading them requires a premium account.
Browser Compatibility: Works best on Chrome; other browsers may have compatibility issues.
Pricing
Vectr's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
Vectr has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Users generally mention issues with limited editing options and software bugs. Check out more Vectr reviews here.
7. Lucidpress
Lucidpress is a web-based design and publishing tool that allows users to create and collaborate on various types of visual content such as brochures, flyers, newsletters, presentations, and more. It offers a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality, making it accessible to users with varying design skills.
Pros of Using Lucidpress
Brand Consistency: Guarantees brand consistency by locking critical elements like logos, fonts, and colors.
Content Creation Speed: Speeds up content creation, allowing for faster delivery to the audience.
Empowerment: Empowers teams to self-serve their content needs, leading to higher content production velocity.
Cons of Using Lucidpress
Backlog Issues: Without Lucidpress, teams may face an unmanageable backlog of content requests and long lead times.
Generic Content: Generic content may miss the mark, leading to missed growth opportunities.
Pricing
Lucidpress's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
Lucidpress has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Users generally mention issues with downloading large projects and limitations in supporting certain file formats. Check out more Lucidpress reviews here.
8. BeFunky
BeFunky is an all-in-one online Creative Platform that provides tools for photo editing, graphic design, and collage making. It offers a variety of features such as crop and resize, artsy filters, batch processing, background remover, touch-up tools, and customizable design templates. The platform is designed to be user-friendly, making it easy for anyone to create stunning visuals.
Pros of Using BeFunky
User-Friendly Interface: Easy to use for beginners and professionals alike.
AI-Powered Tools: Features like Background Remover and Batch Processing enhance productivity.
Customizable Templates: Pre-made design templates for quick and easy customization.
Cons of Using BeFunky
Limited Advanced Features: May not have all the advanced features that professional software like Photoshop offers.
Subscription Model: Some of the most powerful features are locked behind a subscription (BeFunky Plus).
Pricing
BeFunky's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
BeFunky has a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Users generally mention limitations in advanced editing features and occasional performance issues. Check out more BeFunky reviews here.
9. RelayThat
RelayThat is a design automation app that helps marketing teams, agencies, and managers create consistent, high-performing images across various channels. It automates the process of converting brand guidelines into on-brand digital marketing materials, display ads, and social media content.
Pros of Using RelayThat
Brand Management: Easily manage and switch between multiple workspaces and campaigns with a single click.
Headline Generator: Automatically generate perfect copy using wildcard keywords, helping to overcome writer's block.
One Click Resize: Resize and remix layouts to fit any advertising or social media channel without additional tweaking.
Access to Free Images: Over 3 million royalty-free images available with no usage fees or additional costs.
Cons of Using RelayThat
Learning Curve: Users might need some time to get accustomed to the tool and its features.
Customization Limits: Automated designs might have limitations in terms of customization compared to manual design work.
Pricing
RelayThat 's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
RelayThat has a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Users generally mention issues with subscription management and lack of updates. Check out more RelayThat reviews here.
10. Desygner
Desygner is an all-in-one business growth and marketing solution that provides tools for creating and managing marketing materials. It offers features like design tools, PDF editing, a vast stock image library, AI-powered text and image generation, and more. The platform is designed to be user-friendly and cost-effective, catering to individuals, small to medium-sized businesses, and large enterprises. Desygner aims to streamline the content creation process, enhance productivity, and ensure brand consistency.
Pros of Using Desygner
Cost-Effective: Helps businesses save money on design and marketing materials.
User-Friendly: No design expertise needed to create professional materials.
Comprehensive Tools: Includes design tools, PDF editor, stock images, AI text generator, and more.
Customization: Allows for complete creative control with 100% editable templates.
Cons of Using Desygner
Subscription Cost: While cost-effective, there is still a monthly fee, which might be a consideration for very small businesses or startups.
Learning Curve: Despite being user-friendly, new users might still need some time to explore and utilize all features effectively.
Pricing
Desygner's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
Desygner has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. Users generally mention issues with the cost of the subscription and the need for a good internet connection. Check out more Desygner reviews here.
Which One Should You Go With?
While each of these tools offers unique features and benefits, Piktochart stands out for its ability to transform complex ideas into captivating visuals effortlessly. Whether you're a business, educator, or individual, Piktochart's user-friendly interface and AI-powered design generator make it an excellent choice for creating professional-quality visuals quickly. If you're exploring alternatives, give Piktochart a try—you might find it to be the perfect fit for your needs.
Piktochart Team
