Design tools are objects, media, or computer programs, which can be used to design. They may influence the process of production, expression, and perception of design ideas.
Here, you will find our list of ten essential web design tools to help you with your next project. Our picks come from across various categories and industries, but more importantly, they are free to download and use.
Canva
Pexels
Remove.bg
Coolors
Unsplash
Carrd
Bubble
Design Wizard
What is a design tool?
A design tool is any software used to create or edit visual graphics, illustrations, or photos. This can include anything from simple paint programs to more complex vector drawing and 3D modeling software.
There are many different design tools available, and the best one for you will depend on the type of project you’re working on. For example, if you’re creating a logo, you’ll need a tool that lets you create vector graphics. On the other hand, if you’re working on a website design, you’ll need a tool that lets you create responsive layouts.
The Benefits of Using Design Tools
There are many benefits to using design tools when creating or revamping a website. Perhaps the most obvious benefit is that design tools can help you create a professional-looking website without needing to hire a professional designer.
Another great benefit of using design tools is that they can help you save time. By using pre-designed templates and other time-saving features, you can quickly put together a great looking website without spending hours (or even days) working on it.
Design tools can also help you learn more about web design. By experimenting with different features and trying out new things, you can gain a better understanding of how web design works and what goes into creating a successful website.
3 Types Of Design Tools:
There are many different types of design tools available to help you with your projects. Here are three of the most popular types:
1. Vector graphics editors allow you to create and edit images made up of lines and shapes. They’re often used for logos, illustrations, and infographics. Adobe Illustrator is a popular vector graphics editor.
2. Raster graphics editors let you work with digital images made up of pixels. These are the kind of images you typically see on the web or in photos. Photoshop is a well-known raster graphics editor.
3. 3D modeling software lets you create three-dimensional objects and scenes. These can be used for product design, architectural rendering, and more. Autodesk 3ds Max is a popular 3D modeling program.
Here are some of the most popular online design tools:
1. Canva
Canva is not just another design tool; it’s the best. The Canva team has been working to provide an excellent experience for designers of all kinds and abilities. Whether you want to create amazing presentations, beautiful invitations, stunning posters or engaging social media posts, Canva will help you get the job done.
Pros:
- Easy to use drag and drop interface
- Thousands of templates for any occasion
- Over 1 million stock photos and illustrations
- Affordable pricing plans
- Excellent customer support
Cons:
- Some features require a Canva Pro subscription
- Can be time-consuming to create a design from scratch
- Limited options for free users
2. Pexels
Pexels is a design tool that gives you access to over 3 million high-resolution photos and videos. Images are available under the Creative Commons Zero license, so they can be used without any restrictions or attribution. The app offers a new, user-friendly interface that lets you browse the database by category or search for specific content.
Pros:
- Access to over 3 million free, high-resolution photos and videos.
- Re-designed app for easy email access.
- No need to sign up for an account – just download and start using.
- Images can be used for commercial or non-commercial purposes.
- New photos and videos are added every day.
Cons:
- Some images may be low quality or watermarked.
- May be difficult to find specific types of photos or videos.
- Limited editing options for photos and videos.
3. Remove.bg
Remove.bg is an intelligent online tool for editing photos in a matter of seconds. We’ve developed cutting-edge artificial intelligence that can automatically remove backgrounds, so photographers can work more effectively and get more time to do what they love: taking beautiful pictures!
Pros:
- Saves time
- Automated
- Accurate
- Easy to use
- Free trial
Cons:
- Requires internet connection
- May not work on very complex images
- Limited features in the free trial
4. Coolors
Coolors is a color palette generator that lets you create amazing colors in seconds. On Coolors, you can create new palettes, search and collect them, and share the ones you like with friends. Coolors also has a Color Bar feature, which provides an easy way to select colors from any website.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Beautiful color palettes
- Over 1M users worldwide
- Trusted service
- Coolors is the most popular color palette generator
Cons:
- Some features are only available with a paid subscription
- Limited color palette options for free users
- Can be difficult to find the perfect color palette for your project
5. Unsplash
Unsplash is a website dedicated to high-quality, copyright-free, open source photos that are free to download and use. Unsplash has a huge library of 3.48 million photos which includes pictures of people, landscapes, animals and buildings. They offer a digital library of high-resolution images for commercial licensing as well as desktop wallpaper downloads.
Pros:
- Over 265,000 contributing photographers
- Generates more than 16 billion photo impressions per month
- Unsplash has been cited as one of the world’s leading photography websites by Forbes, Design Hub, CNET and etc.
- Growing library of over 3.48 million photos
- Proprietary stock photography
Cons:
- Owned by Getty Images
- Some photographers may not want their photos on a website dedicated to proprietary stock photography
- May be difficult to find specific photos
6. Carrd
This is just the tool for you if you are looking to create a fresh, simple and professional website. Carrd delivers everything you need to make a website in half an hour, without any coding knowledge: Drag-and-drop modules, customizable themes and user roles to manage content.
Pros:
- Free to use
- Simple to use
- Fully responsive
- Over 4000 upvotes on Product Hunt
- Popular product
Cons:
- Limited features
- No customer support
- Not suitable for complex websites
7. Bubble
Bubble is a point-and-click programming tool for web applications. We recognize the importance of drag and drop interfaces, so we created a system based on graphical instructions, without any code. Bubble is available on our cloud platform, which hosts all applications with no need to install anything locally.
Pros:
- Easy to use point-and-click interface
- No need to learn code
- Hosting is provided by Bubble
- Bubble has a large and growing user community
- Bubble applications can be easily shared and embedded
Cons:
- Limited functionality compared to traditional web development tools
- Some features require a paid subscription
- Not as widely adopted as other tools
8. Design Wizard
Design Wizard is a design tool that can be used to create stunning graphic designs of all types, such as social media and print. The software offers thousands of graphic templates to choose from, and this number increases every day. The images are high quality, guaranteeing a stunning final product.
Pros:
- Thousands of templates for social media and print
- Over a million high-quality images
- Attention to visual detail
- Affordable
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Some users find the interface overwhelming
- Limited customization options
- Cannot create designs from scratch
Conclusion
We hope you found this list of design tools helpful for your next project. Design is a complex process, but with the right tools, it can be much easier to create something that is both beautiful and functional. Do you have a favorite design tool that you use? Let us know in the comments below!
