Best Microsoft Designer Alternatives in 2026
The top Microsoft Designer alternatives are Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva and Figma: 15 graphic design software our editors would look at instead of Microsoft Designer, in our ranking order.
Microsoft Designer: A convenient AI design tool for Microsoft users, with less depth for professional design work. Where it falls short: less feature-deep than professional graphic design software.
Switching from Microsoft Designer? For most graphic design software buyers the best Microsoft Designer alternative is Adobe Creative Cloud, built for full creative teams needing a broad suite. On a budget, Clip Studio Paint starts at $0.99/mo, against $9.99/user/mo for Microsoft Designer.
Why People Look for a Microsoft Designer Alternative
- Less feature-deep than professional graphic design software
- No brand kits; the legacy Brand kits feature was deprecated
- Licensed for personal, non-commercial use
- No brand kit — 7 of the alternatives below have it
- Paid from $9.99/user/mo — Clip Studio Paint is $0.99/user/mo
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallAdobe Creative Cloud9.4
Full creative teams needing a broad suite
Visit Adobe Creative Cloud - Lowest priceClip Studio Paint8.4
Paid plans from $0.99/mo
Visit Clip Studio Paint - Best free optionAdobe Creative Cloud9.4
Has a free plan
Visit Adobe Creative Cloud - Best for brand kitAdobe Creative Cloud9.4
Brand kit (Microsoft Designer: no)
Visit Adobe Creative Cloud
All 15 Microsoft Designer Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
-
Best forFull creative teams needing a broad suite
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Brand kit
- Editor score 9.4 vs 6.2
A broad creative suite for teams that need design, video, collaboration, and asset management.
- Mobile app
- Presentation design
- Desktop app
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Adobe -
Best forTeams and individuals making varied visual content
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Brand kit
- Editor score 9.3 vs 6.2
A broad template-based editor for creating and sharing varied visual content.
- Real-time collaboration
- Mobile app
- Presentation design
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Canva -
Best forCollaborative digital and interface design teams
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Brand kit
- Editor score 9.2 vs 6.2
A shared workspace for interface design, prototyping, developer handoff and more.
- Real-time collaboration
- Mobile app
- Presentation design
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Figma -
Best forProfessionals wanting a free all-in-one design suite
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Brand kit
- Editor score 9.0 vs 6.2
A free desktop suite covering vector, pixel, layout, scripting, and print production.
- Real-time collaboration
- Desktop app
- Brand kit
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Affinity -
Best forFull-featured vector and publishing workflows
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 6.2
A broad creative suite for vector work, publishing, typography, photo editing, and web design.
- Presentation design
- Desktop app
- Template library
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit CorelDRAW -
Best forProfessional vector design and illustration
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 6.2
A deep vector design suite for professional artwork across desktop, iPad, and web.
- Mobile app
- Desktop app
- Template library
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forFree open-source vector design
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Editor score 8.7 vs 6.2
A capable free SVG editor for illustration, diagrams, typography, and technical graphics.
- Desktop app
- Template library
- Illustration tools
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Inkscape -
Best forFree digital painting and illustration
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 6.2
A capable free choice for digital painting, illustration, animation, and reusable creative workflows.
- Mobile app
- Presentation design
- Desktop app
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Krita -
Best forTeam visuals, presentations, and infographics
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Brand kit
- Editor score 8.5 vs 6.2
A broad visual design workspace for teams creating presentations, infographics, and branded content.
- Real-time collaboration
- Mobile app
- Presentation design
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Visme -
Best forComic artists and illustrators
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Paid from: $0.99/user/mo vs $9.99/user/mo
- Editor score 8.4 vs 6.2
A feature-rich drawing suite for artists who need comic, animation, and 3D reference tools.
- Mobile app
- Desktop app
- Illustration tools
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forFree brush-based illustration across Apple and Windows
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 6.2
A capable free illustration app with strong brush variety and Adobe workflow connections.
- Mobile app
- Desktop app
- Illustration tools
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Adobe Fresco -
Best forAffordable cross-platform digital illustrators
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Editor score 8.2 vs 6.2
A capable, affordable illustration app with strong brushes, layers, and stylus controls.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit ibisPaint -
Best forProfessional page-layout production
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Brand kit
- Editor score 8.1 vs 6.2
A focused choice for multipage layouts, typography, preflight, and PDF workflows.
- Presentation design
- Desktop app
- Brand kit
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Adobe InDesign -
Best forAI-generated graphics and editable vectors
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 6.2
A focused AI design workspace for generating, editing, and vectorizing visual assets.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Recraft -
Best forBrand-controlled publishing teams
- Better than Microsoft Designer:
- Brand kit
- Editor score 7.9 vs 6.2
A strong choice for governed branded content, not deep illustration or image editing.
- Real-time collaboration
- Presentation design
- Brand kit
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Marq
Microsoft Designer Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Microsoft Designer?
Adobe Creative Cloud: #1 in our Graphic Design Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A broad creative suite for teams that need design, video, collaboration, and asset management.
Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Designer?
Yes. Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, Figma, Affinity and Inkscape have a free plan or a free tier (11 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Microsoft Designer?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Clip Studio Paint starts lowest, at $0.99/mo.
Why do people look for Microsoft Designer alternatives?
Less feature-deep than professional graphic design software; No brand kits; the legacy Brand kits feature was deprecated; Licensed for personal, non-commercial use.
How do I switch from Microsoft Designer?
Export your data from Microsoft Designer (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Microsoft Designer.
How to Switch from Microsoft Designer
- Export your data from Microsoft Designer (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Microsoft Designer.
Microsoft Designer vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Template library | Presentation design | Illustration tools | Brand kit | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | Microsoft Designer | Yes | $9.99/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 6.2 |
| 1 | Adobe Creative Cloud | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.4 | |
| 2 | Canva | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.3 | |
| 3 | Figma | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 | |
| 4 | Affinity | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 5 | CorelDRAW | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.9 | ||
| 6 | Adobe Illustrator | No | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | |||
| 7 | Inkscape | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | 8.7 | ||
| 8 | Krita | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.6 | |
| 9 | Visme | Yes | $12.25/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.5 |
| 10 | Clip Studio Paint | No | $0.99/mo | Yes | 8.4 | |||
| 11 | Adobe Fresco | Yes | Free | No | Yes | 8.3 | ||
| 12 | ibisPaint | Yes | $27.99/yr | 8.2 | ||||
| 13 | Adobe InDesign | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 8.1 | |
| 14 | Recraft | Yes | 8.0 | |||||
| 15 | Marq | Yes | $10/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update