In 2025, the landscape of graphic design tools continues to evolve rapidly, with powerful software suites and agile mobile apps giving designers unprecedented flexibility and control. From industry-standard behemoths to emerging AI-powered platforms, creative professionals have more choices than ever. Whether working on branding, UI/UX, motion graphics, or digital art, these are the most popular and widely used graphic design suites and apps of 2025.
Adobe Creative Cloud: Still the Industry Standard
Adobe Creative Cloud remains the undisputed leader in graphic design software in 2025. With a subscription model refined for flexibility, Adobe continues to offer best-in-class tools such as:
- Adobe Photoshop – Still the top choice for image editing, compositing, and digital painting.
- Adobe Illustrator – Dominating vector design for logos, icons, and complex illustrations.
- Adobe InDesign – Preferred for layout design in publishing, from digital magazines to print.
- Adobe After Effects & Premiere Pro – Essential for motion graphics and video editing.
New AI features have boosted Adobe’s offerings. Photoshop’s Generative Fill now works in real time with better contextual awareness, and Illustrator’s Vector Recolor AI helps generate color palettes and variations automatically. Adobe Firefly, the company’s integrated generative AI engine, now works seamlessly across all Creative Cloud apps.
Figma: The UI/UX Powerhouse
Figma has cemented its position as the most popular tool for user interface and user experience design. Its collaborative, cloud-based approach has made it indispensable for design teams. In 2025, Figma continues to dominate thanks to:
- Real-time collaboration that surpasses traditional design handoff methods.
- Component and auto-layout systems that streamline responsive design.
- Built-in prototyping that reduces reliance on external tools.
Recent additions include native version branching, better design-token integration for dev teams, and enhanced plugin support powered by AI, allowing for smarter UI generation and usability testing.
Canva: Design for Everyone
Canva’s popularity keeps soaring, particularly among non-designers, marketers, and small business owners. As of 2025, Canva offers a feature-rich experience for web and print design, social media content, presentations, and more.
What makes Canva stand out:
- Ease of use with drag-and-drop design.
- Thousands of templates for every possible use case.
- Magic Studio, Canva’s AI toolkit, which includes background removal, text-to-image generation, and AI copywriting tools.
The platform has also expanded its offerings to include Canva Docs, Canva Websites, and Canva Whiteboards, making it an all-in-one design and productivity hub.
Affinity Suite: A Budget-Friendly Adobe Alternative
Serif’s Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Publisher remain popular with freelance designers and small studios in 2025. The biggest draw is their one-time payment model, offering a full-featured alternative to Adobe’s subscription-based approach.
Key strengths:
- Affinity Designer – Excellent for vector and raster workflows in one app.
- Affinity Photo – Powerful photo editing with support for PSD files.
- Affinity Publisher – A strong alternative to InDesign for print and digital layout.
In 2025, Affinity 3.0 introduced major upgrades including real-time collaboration, enhanced 3D effects, and more robust performance on Apple Silicon and Windows ARM devices.
Procreate: The Digital Art Favorite
On the iPad, Procreate remains unmatched for illustrators and digital painters. Its intuitive interface and powerful brush engine make it a favorite among professionals and hobbyists alike.
Recent updates include:
- Procreate Dreams, a standalone app focused on motion graphics and animation.
- Advanced brush dynamics and layered time-lapse recording.
- AI-assisted sketching tools, which speed up ideation and early drafts.
With the iPad Pro’s continued evolution in 2025, Procreate keeps pace with performance and stylus precision improvements.
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite: Legacy with a Modern Twist
CorelDRAW continues to have a dedicated user base, especially in industrial design, signage, and print. Corel’s 2025 suite has integrated AI-powered trace tools, real-time collaboration, and an overhauled UI for touch and stylus users.
While it doesn’t dominate the mainstream digital design scene like Adobe or Figma, it remains a staple in niche industries where precision vector control and legacy compatibility are key.
Sketch: Still Relevant in UI/UX
Although it has lost ground to Figma, Sketch continues to serve loyal users in UI/UX design. Its lightweight native macOS application and large plugin ecosystem still appeal to solo designers and small teams.
In 2025, Sketch has improved with:
- Faster cloud performance.
- Enhanced prototyping tools.
- Improved handoff features for developers via Sketch Cloud.
Its focus on privacy and offline-first workflows keeps it competitive for designers concerned about cloud dependency.
Vectornator (now Linearity Curve)
Vectornator, now rebranded as Linearity Curve, is gaining traction in 2025 thanks to its cross-platform design and strong mobile experience. It’s increasingly seen as a mobile-first vector design tool suitable for creatives on the go.
Key features include:
- Seamless iPad-Mac synchronization.
- AI-powered layout suggestions.
- Real-time collaboration and export to multiple formats, including Figma and Adobe.
AI-Powered Tools on the Rise
2025 has also seen an explosion in AI-native design tools. Popular options include:
- Kittl – A design tool with built-in AI for logo creation, typography, and mockups.
- Visily – Tailored for wireframes and web mockups with minimal effort.
- Uizard – Converts sketches and screenshots into editable UI prototypes.
These tools aren’t replacing traditional design suites but are augmenting workflows and speeding up ideation.
Final Thoughts
Graphic design in 2025 is more diverse, collaborative, and AI-driven than ever. While Adobe Creative Cloud still leads the pack, tools like Figma, Canva, Affinity, and Procreate are reshaping how and where design happens. The rise of mobile design apps and AI-powered platforms means the future is fast, flexible, and full of creative potential. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a beginner, there’s never been a better time to explore the expanding toolkit of modern design.