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.
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Best forFull creative teams needing a broad suite
A broad creative suite for teams that need design, video, collaboration, and asset management.
- Mobile app
- Presentation design
- Desktop app
9.5/10★★★★★Visit Adobe -
Best forTeams and individuals making varied visual content
A broad template-based editor for creating and sharing varied visual content.
- Real-time collaboration
- Mobile app
- Presentation design
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Canva -
Best forCollaborative digital and interface design teams
A shared workspace for interface design, prototyping, developer handoff and more.
- Real-time collaboration
- Mobile app
- Presentation design
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Figma -
Best forProfessionals wanting a free all-in-one design suite
A free desktop suite covering vector, pixel, layout, scripting, and print production.
- Real-time collaboration
- Desktop app
- Brand kit
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Affinity -
Best forFull-featured vector and publishing workflows
A broad creative suite for vector work, publishing, typography, photo editing, and web design.
- Presentation design
- Desktop app
- Template library
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit CorelDRAW -
Best forTeam visuals, presentations, and infographics
A broad visual design workspace for teams creating presentations, infographics, and branded content.
- Real-time collaboration
- Mobile app
- Presentation design
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit Visme -
Best forProfessional vector design and illustration
A deep vector design suite for professional artwork across desktop, iPad, and web.
- Mobile app
- Desktop app
- Template library
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forFree open-source vector design
A capable free SVG editor for illustration, diagrams, typography, and technical graphics.
- Desktop app
- Template library
- Illustration tools
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Inkscape -
Best forFree digital painting and illustration
A capable free choice for digital painting, illustration, animation, and reusable creative workflows.
- Mobile app
- Presentation design
- Desktop app
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Krita -
Best forFree brush-based illustration across Apple and Windows
A capable free illustration app with strong brush variety and Adobe workflow connections.
- Mobile app
- Desktop app
- Illustration tools
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Adobe Fresco -
Best forSocial content and lightweight marketing design
A practical choice for social content and lightweight marketing design.
- Real-time collaboration
- Mobile app
- Presentation design
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit VistaCreate -
Best forBrand-controlled publishing teams
A strong choice for governed branded content, not deep illustration or image editing.
- Real-time collaboration
- Presentation design
- Brand kit
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Marq -
Best forComic artists and illustrators
A feature-rich drawing suite for artists who need comic, animation, and 3D reference tools.
- Mobile app
- Desktop app
- Illustration tools
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit site -
Best forProfessional page-layout production
A focused choice for multipage layouts, typography, preflight, and PDF workflows.
- Presentation design
- Desktop app
- Brand kit
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit Adobe InDesign -
Best forInfographics and accessible visual communication
A focused web app for creating infographics, presentations, and accessible visual content.
- Real-time collaboration
- Presentation design
- Brand kit
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit Venngage
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 9.5 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 Visme 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/user/mo.
Microsoft Designer vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Template library | Presentation design | Illustration tools | Brand kit | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Microsoft Designer | Yes | $9.99/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 5.4 |
| 1 | Adobe Creative Cloud | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.5 |
| 2 | Canva | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 3 | Figma | Yes | $12/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.5 |
| 4 | Affinity | Yes | None | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
| 5 | CorelDRAW | No | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | 7.4 |
| 6 | Visme | Yes | $12.25/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.3 |
| 7 | Adobe Illustrator | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | — | 7.2 |
| 8 | Inkscape | Yes | None | Yes | — | Yes | — | 6.8 |
| 9 | Krita | Yes | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | 6.6 |
| 10 | Adobe Fresco | Yes | None | — | No | Yes | — | 6.6 |
| 11 | VistaCreate | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6.6 |
| 12 | Marq | Yes | $10/user/mo | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | 6.5 |
| 13 | Clip Studio Paint | No | $0.99/user/mo | — | — | Yes | — | 6.4 |
| 14 | Adobe InDesign | No | — | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 6.3 |
| 15 | Venngage | Yes | $10/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6.3 |
Guides on Graphic Design Software
- The Best Graphic Design Software We've Tested for 2026Aug 2026
- List of 12 Best Graphic Design Software 2020: Which Graphic Design Apps and Tools Still Matter in 2026?Aug 2026
- The best graphic design software of 2026: Feature-packed, professional toolsAug 2026
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
Last updated · How we research and update