What's the Best Software for Logo Design?

Dive in deep to edit each pixel or create a logo with a few clicks in Canva

You will need a logo if you plan to go into any business. Your logo is your calling card, the most identifiable part of your brand. When it comes to creating one, most business owners are somewhat lost. These applications are your best bet when designing your logo. They range from complex and professional to simple web tools that anyone can use, so you're sure to find something that suits your skill set and needs.

Inkscape

Inkscape
What We Like
  • Open source

  • Professional grade

  • Create anything

  • Focused on vector graphics

What We Don't Like
  • Learning curve

  • Requires some design skill

Inkscape is a full-featured vector graphics editor that focuses on one thing, simple vector images like logos. Unlike some of the other professional grade options on this list, Inkscape doesn't try to do everything. It's focused on allowing designers to draw crisp high-quality logos, icons, and vector art.

Even though Inkscape does have a bit of a learning curve, it's a free open source program, so you can try it out and learn at your own pace. It's widely used too, so you can definitely find quality resources to get yourself started. Inkscape is a top grade tool that can produce amazing results in the right hands.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop
 Adobe

What We Like
  • Super powerful application

  • Loaded with tools

  • Create anything

  • Huge community and documentation

What We Don't Like
  • Steep learning curve

  • High price tag

  • Not focused on logos

Interestingly enough, Photoshop isn't a logo creation program. It's always been more geared toward photo editing, but Adobe's most famous creative program is so full-featured that it can just about anything concerning digital images.

Photoshop is another professional-grade tool packed with features and astounding capabilities. Unfortunately, that also means you must know your way around before you can get much done. When you do, though, there's no denying that it can create a great logo.

GIMP

GIMP
What We Like
  • Open source

  • Create anything you want

  • Tons of different tools

What We Don't Like
  • Some learning time

  • Not focused on logos

Maybe you want something similar to Photoshop but don't love the idea of a hefty price tag or monthly subscription. Well, that's where GIMP comes in. GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program, and it's a popular open-source Photoshop alternative for basic projects, making it an excellent option for logos.

GIMP does require some knowledge to get running, but it's a much more basic application than something like Photoshop or Illustrator. It has a relatively straightforward set of tools that you can use to modify existing images or draw your own. GIMP is something of a "jack of all trades." It can do nearly everything, but it's certainly not the best at any of it. Still, GIMP can be a great way to get into professional-quality logo design with minimal investment.

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator
 Adobe
What We Like
  • The industry standard

  • Packed with powerful tools

  • Create exactly what you need

What We Don't Like
  • Steep learning curve

  • Costly professional grade software

If you're looking for the industry standard in logo design, look no further. It's pretty hard to escape Adobe Illustrator in the design world, and for good reason. Adobe's been at this for a long time, and they've set all their standards.

Adobe Illustrator is probably the most feature-complete program on this list, and it's got the best recognition in the industry, leading to the broadest support and largest communities. Illustrator also isn't for beginners. It's a complex professional tool with a hefty professional price tag.

Canva

Canva
 Canva
What We Like
  • Super simple to get started

  • Use it from anywhere

  • No expensive software

What We Don't Like
  • Some features cost money

Fans of the Google Apps Suite and other simple cloud-based solutions should look no further than Canva. You can design your logo entirely in the cloud without installing a thing on your computer. Canva makes the process as smooth as possible, offering tons of high-quality tools to play with to your heart's content. As an added prize, Canva is primarily free.

Canva offers a gigantic library of stock photos, shapes, and other design elements to work into your original creations. Plenty of them are free, but you'll have to pay for some. Don't worry, though, they aren't expensive.

CorelDRAW

CorelDRAW
 Corel
What We Like
  • Major industry recognized program

  • Loads of tools for designers and illustrators

  • Create anything you want

What We Don't Like
  • For professionals only

  • Steep price tag

CorelDRAW is another major player in the graphic design space. This illustration program has been around for a long time, perfecting its formula and being refined into a truly formidable tool. With CorelDraw, you're certainly not limited to just logos. It's a complete digital illustration application enabling you to create original artwork and modify it to fit a more simplistic logo format.

CorelDRAW is complex, and it'll require some training and practice to become capable enough to produce quality pieces. Once you're ready, you certainly won't find yourself limited. CorelDRAW has a fairly steep price tag like the other major professional programs on this list.

Sothink Logo Maker

Sothink Logo Maker
What We Like
  • Simple to use

  • Tons of templates

  • Color schemes are great for branding

What We Don't Like
  • Custom drawing only available in the Pro version

Sothink Logo Maker is dedicated to enabling businesses to create their logos and branding. Logo Maker features a simple and familiar interface, letting you get straight to work. It includes hundreds of templates to get you started and the tools to modify them to match your brand. Sothink Logo Maker also bundles professionally designed color schemes to convey the right look and feel.

There's also a Pro version of Logo Maker that comes with more of everything. It has more templates, color schemes, and tools for making your logo yours. You can draw your images free-hand with Logo Maker Pro to create anything. The price for Logo Maker Pro is more manageable than some other options.

LogoMaker

LogoMaker
What We Like
  • All online

  • Simple easy to use interface

  • Great library of art resources

What We Don't Like
  • Somewhat limiting

  • Sales pitches for other services

LogoMaker is an online service catering to small businesses that allows you to create your logo in only a few minutes using their collection of fonts, icons, and design resources. With minimal effort, you can easily select positioning, style, colors, and most things you'd want for a business logo.

LogoMaker is entirely online, and you can get away with designing something cheaply. However, they try selling additional services, like business cards and domain registration. That might be welcome news, depending on where you are with your business.

Krita

Krita
What We Like
  • Open source

  • Powerful tools for art and design

  • Paint anything you like

What We Don't Like
  • Requires actual artistic talent

  • Learning curve

Krita is an unlikely candidate for a list like this, but it's here for a good reason. If you are a digital artist looking for a platform to create something entirely original for your logo, Krita can fill that role and more. Krita is an open-source program that aims to compete with Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW... for free.

Over the years, Krita has earned a fantastic reputation for trading blows with the industry's big dogs and offering a genuinely quality application that anyone can access. Since Krita is an open-source application, it plays well with Inkscape and GIMP, allowing you to create a unique open-source workflow for your design. While this is great for artists, Krita probably isn't the best for business owners looking to get a nice logo. It requires some actual artistic skill to be good with Krita.

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