Good for: Making GIFs
Pricing: Free, with different payment levels depending on tools you desire

With the aim to equip people all over the world with the tools to create their own content and designs, Canva is a free online design and publishing tool. Often used as a substitute to Photoshop, it is mainly used for graphic design posters, social media graphics, presentations and an array of other visual content. It's especially good for making GIFS, and according to Jaheed is surprisingly easy to use!

Check it out here.

Good for: Photo editing
Cost: Free

If you’re familiar with Photoshop, using Photopea will come naturally to you. Modelled on the Adobe software, Photopea is an industry-standard photo editing software. It is great for anything from small retouches like adjusting photos or editing lighting to creating psychedelic photo art.

Check it out here.

Good for: UX and UI design and collaboration
Pricing: Free, with priced options depending on your desired tools

Figma is used by UX and UI designers all over the world to edit vector graphics, create prototypes and generate code. It’s also a collaborative design tool with commenting and link sharing options, as well as a multiplayer feature. And with it being available as both a web application and mobile app, it’s accessible to those who wish to experiment on their phone.

Check it out here.

Good for: Online illustrations
Cost: Free

Ideal for logos, icons and illustrations and typography that need scalability, Inkscape is a free vector graphics editor known for its professional-grade features. Similar to Adobe Illustrator, it offers tools for drawing, path editing, text manipulation, and more while supporting various file formats.

Check it out here.

Good for: Anything PDF-related
Cost: Free

Keeping all your PDF needs in one place, this site makes it easy to edit and organise PDFs quickly. It's free, simple, and saves time on tasks like merging or compressing files. If you want to export your PDF portfolio into different formats, sign a new contract, or compress a deck to make it easier to send – IlovePDF.com has the tools!

Check it out here.

Good for: Finding colour combinations
Cost: Free

Coolors is a tool for generating and exploring new colour palettes, allowing randomised combinations alongside careful curation. Whether you're designing your website, a PDF portfolio or choosing colours for an outfit – Coolors is worth looking at for inspiration.

Check it out here.

Good for: Sourcing free fonts
Cost: Free

Offering a curated selection of high-quality, free fonts that are licensed for commercial use, Font Squirrel is a great money-saver if you're looking to branch out from the classics. Jaheed also recommends Google Fonts for a similar purpose, alongside the advice to “just ask other designers if you see a font you like, and they'll have a link or files most of the time”.

Check it out here.

Good for: Social video editing
Cost: Free, with a paid premium option

If you've been near the TikTok editing process, it's likely you'll be aware of CapCut – the free editing software designed to make professional-quality videos from your phone. Also available on desktop and online, it's great for functionalities like adding transitions and music in-app.

Check it out here.

Good for: Royalty-free stock images
Cost: Free

Pexels is a platform that offers a huge collection of high-quality, royalty-free photos and videos, making it easy for creators to find visual content for their projects, both personal and commercial. Jaheed also recommends Unsplash for a similar purpose.

Check it out here.

Good for: Video editing
Cost: Free, with paid options

Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve originally started as a colour-grading application but has developed into post-production software with tools for editing, colour, VFX, motion graphics and audio. Their free version exists in a world of high-cost subscription services, with ultra-HD video editing capabilities, multi-user collaboration and HDR grading.

Check it out here.

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If you have any other suggestions for affordable creative software, feel free to get in touch and let us know at [email protected]!