Improving your workflow and making your work stand out is the need of the hour for the people in graphic design space. There are several graphic design apps that help you achieve it. There are two varieties of apps in the genre. Those which handle design and photography and then those that handle business management. We will take a look at the Best Graphic Design Apps in both these genres. We have made it a point to include only the free apps and tools. However, there may be some which work on a freemium model.
#1.Adobe Kuler – iOS
Any creative work will need you to make a proper combination of colors. An advanced color picker can be a valuable addition at this point.
The tool works on the basis of design principles related to color. Have found an interesting color outside? You can snap the photograph using your default camera and then use Adobe Kuler to extract the colors you like. These colors can be stored and used in the creation of your new theme.
Kuler also has a huge range of color schemes contributed by the Kuler Community. In fact, you can also add your own favorites. However, the service needs flash to function and with the Flash players being almost outdated, we would seriously look forward to an update.
#2. Adobe Ideas
This is yet another app from Adobe that is available for free on iOS devices. It can work in sync with Adobe Kuler.In fact, rather than working as a standalone app, it should be best-suited work with other apps like Adobe Illustrator.
It comes with a set of vectors, color themes, and layers to explore your ideas further. The app is available only on iOS, but you can sync it with Cloud to continue working on your project on the desktop as well. Some of the features that would make it a perfect choice include simpler drawing tools, options for up to 10 drawing layers & a photo layer and HSG/RGB color pickers.
A couple of other features can be summed up as the ability to extract color themes, a simple color picker so that you can choose a color from your images or drawings and over 50 redo and undo levels.
#3. Cinamatic by Hipstamatic
You can use the app for creating videos of shorter duration. Cinamatic is the best option for creating videos of a duration of around 3 to 15 seconds.
The service has support for unique filters. That would be a perfect choice for making your videos more personalised. In fact, the app is an attempt at making video creation an artwork rather than just a hobby. It is evident from the way the app calls the clips Short Films instead of videos or video clips.
The transition effects that the app adds to different clips stitched together are indeed awesome and artistic. You can post your masterpieces on social media sites like Instagram and Vine seamlessly.
#4. Photo Editor by Aviary
This is one of the most popular photo editors for Android. In fact, it was one of the trendsetters for the photo editing tools that came up later.
Apart from the basic editing features like blur, sharpen and adjustments for standard parameters – Aviary has added stickers to the app. You can also draw text or other hand drawn images onto the images. There are a host of photo effects to chose from.
The app is basically free, but if you are looking for some extra filters, frames and effects, you can buy the additional packs through in app purchases.
#5. Vector Snap by Andreas Borg
If you are working with vectors as a primary feature, you should definitely give VectorSnap a try. It is a perfect choice to convert your photos into vectors.
If you are unaware, vector images are widely used posters, t-shirts, logos and other merchandises. The app lets you save your files in the PNG format. As the name itself indicates, you just need to Snap a photo of the image, and the app can convert it into a vector image.
You can use the built in filters, effects, and other options to touch up the image, or if you want more clarity – you can transfer the image to your desktop and apply the changes using your favourite graphics design software.
#6. Harvest
It is not an app that will help you in working with graphic design projects, but it would be helpful in keeping track of the projects you have completed.
The app can be used to track the time taken on each of the projects. You can also use it to create reports and invoices. You can track your payment status with ease with the aid of Harvest. There are a lot of add ons available making it an ultimate app for accounting and project management.
The Free plan offers you limited clients and projects. You can opt for the paid plans if you are looking for unlimited users and projects to handle.
#7. Invoice by Wave Accounting Inc
This is yet another accounting software for your graphic design business. It has received several rave reviews on iTunes. The app is incidentally available for iOS devices.
It helps you make your accounting faster and easier. You can use it to track your invoices and mark them as paid, unpaid or overdue as the case may be. You can create invoices and accept credit card payments on the go. Credit card payments will attract a small fee though.
The app simple and will do all the basic tasks you need in terms of accounting. A good app in your kitty to make your accounting tasks pretty simpler.
#8. Wunderlist
Designers in general and graphic designers, in particular, find it really hard to keep their schedule organised. This is precisely Wunderlist can do wonders.
You can use Wunderlist to create lists and share them with others. You can also have discussions on the lists through comments. The app lets you create reminders and set deadlines so that you will never miss them. All the lists you have shared will get updated in real time, thus making your list stay su=ynced across all your devices.
Multiplatform functionality is yet another feature that goes in its favour. Wunderlist is available for iOS, Android, WindowsPhone, Mac, Windows and even as a web portal.
#9. Easy Books by Geode Software
We thought accounting is one area that graphic designer may fall flat. That is precisely why we have added yet another app for the purpose here.
Easy Books is a good choice for your requirements in Invoice making and time keeping. The app is available both for free use and as paid option as well. The free version will let you view up to 120 transactions. The paid version has several features for which you can pay based on your needs.
The app lets you add bank and credit card accounts with ease. The functionality of the app remains easy to follow. The app also has a backup and online sync option.
#10. Asana by Asana
The app is available both on Android and iOS platforms. It is an app meant for project management. Asana can be a great companion for the teams involved in project management.
The app is used to send tasks to the constituent members rather than communicating through emails. This will make collaboration easier between the teams. You can set goals and keep tracking them. There are several other features like notifications to keep you updated.
The app lets you have unlimited teams with the maximum number of 15 members per team. You can have unlimited tasks and projects.
#11. Mailstrom by 410Labs
This is an essential app for organizing your emails in an effective manner. It will help you delete hundreds of emails – all at once. Isn’t that something you have been looking forward to.
It organizes all the similar emails together. That would make it easy to view them at one place, or if you want – delete them all of them together. The application has a considerably stringent privacy policy. Unsubscribing from the unwanted emails is also made easy with this app.
The free plan has limited functionality, while you can go for the paid plan at $ 4.95 per month.
#12. Bidsketch by Bidsketch
A great means of putting together all your client proposals together. In fact, it is the best way you can use to bid for the projects from the prospective clients.
Using Bidsketch will make your proposals look professional and incredible at the same time. You can add digital signatures and videos or images. The app lets you add additional services that the client may decide to accept or reject.
The app offers you a free 14-day trial option. If you want to continue using the tool, you may need to opt for the paid option. The minimum plan charges would be $ 29 per month.
#13. Dashlane
That is one of the great password manager apps. The app is available for free use on Android and iOS.
The app will make remembering your passwords quite easier. Once you install the app on your device, you would need to remember only one password – that of Dashlane. It does not store any of your passwords in its database. Apart from remembering your passwords, the app does perform several other additional tasks as well.
Dashlane can also generate secure passwords for you. It will also alert you if it thinks your password has been compromised. If your password is weak, it will also ask you to update the password.
#14. Pixlr
Pixlr is considered to be the best online photo editor ever available. The service is available on both Android and iOS.
In fact, it is a free graphic design software and the best at it. It has over 600 effects, overlays, and filters. You have everything you want to do with a photo editing application. The interface of the app is quite intuitive. If you are into Instagram and deeply into photography – Pixlr is a must use the app for your needs.
However, please note that though the functionality of the app is quite easy, yet you need to have a brief knowledge of photography and editing.
#15. Adobe Photoshop Touch
We are discussing Photo Editing and graphic design apps, and how can we forget Adobe Photoshop? Adobe Photoshop Touch is the app meant for Touch Screen phones. The app has been made available for iOS.
The app needs no explanation. Adobe is something that has gone synonymous with photo editing and related tasks. It comes with all the features you will find on the desktop version. Layers, selections, filters, graphics – you name it and the app has it. The Camera Roll function will work with your phone camera – making it an excellent choice.
The free membership will come with a Creative Cloud capacity of 2 GB. You can sync it between your devices. The service also has apps for Android. If you are interested in additional features, you can opt for paid plans.
#16. Autodesk FormIt
AutoDesk FormIt comes from a company that has been behind world-class Computer Aided design tool. It is a great way to model buildings with your fingers.
AutoDesk FormIt offers you a free professional functionality. It has apps for iOS and Android. You have access to 3D sketching tools and an advanced geometry. The tool works best in terms of creation, editing, and analysis of the tasks at hand.
One of the features we liked about it is the ability of the tool to work seamlessly across mobile phones and web portals. Conceptualisation, creation, and analysis of the 3D models is what would make it a great option.
#17. Instapaper
This is a read it later app for your offline reading pleasure. You can save the web pages for offline viewing.
There are several other apps that have the same functionality. Pocket can be a good example. However, Instapaper stands out among the rest of them. The unique selling point of the app is its enhanced sort and share capabilities.
The app also has options to save videos. However, its capacity to handle images and videos is not up to the mark. The app has recently been acquired by Pinterest.
#18. Bjork: Biophilia – Android and iOS
The app is best suited for art and music. Interactive apps are what makes it an app you should opt for. You can play it with Karaoke.
It may not be an app that you will be using day in and day out. The app is available both on Android and iOS. Download it once and we are sure you will not regret it.
#19. Adobe Edge Inspect
If you want to test your websites on the mobile platform, this is what you would need. Adobe Edge Inspect is an app that helps you in Mobile Web optimization.
If you want your designs and applications to be compatible on multiple platforms, this should be your ultimate choice. Preview your designs on all your devices by syncing them with your computer. The app in essence makes it the best choice for cross platform testing.
#20. Draw Something! for Android and iOS
Here comes the most popular social drawing game. The app is available both on Android and iOS. It is believed that the game has created over 7 million downloads.
You do not need to have any experience in drawing to be able to play the game with your friends. It has over 50 colors to choose. It is based on a turn based game play. Maybe it will not help you in any of your graphic design projects, but it can be the best place to get some ideas.
Just give it try. We are sure you won’t be disappointed.
#21. Simplenote
A great app for taking notes – SimpleNote is one of the popular in its genre. The app is available across multiple platforms that include Android, iOS, WindowsPhone, Linux, and Mac.
If you have multiple devices, you can use it on all your devices. Creating a Simple note account will let you sync all your notes across multiple devices. The interface is simple and minimalistic. However, you may not be happy with a few features, or to be precise, the lack of it. Inserting videos and images to your notes is something that cannot be accomplished. You cannot specify the font and its size either.
If you are the one who has felt no need to add images to your notes, Simple Note can be a good choice.
#22. Snapseed – Android and iOS
Snapseed has always been a photographers’ delight since long. In fact, it is one of those apps that has surpassed the popularity the bigwigs like Photoshop.
In fact, it isn’t the app meant for casual photographers. The features of the app make it an excellent choice for the professional photographers who swear by its name. Snapseed does support a wider range of file formats. The nondestructive editing options would be something that would set it apart from the competition.
It has been receiving frequent updates and indeed has a loyal user base which swears by it. Now acquired by Google, the app has a well-developed version for iOS as well. One of the drawbacks could be the fact that it will need a fair level of knowledge in photography.
#23. SimpleMind
SimpleMind is an app that helps you find what’s in your mind. In other words, it is a mind mapping or brainstorming app available across multiple platforms.
The app does not have support for images and videos. If you are into the simplest form of brainstorming, then it could be the best option for you. It can be considered to be a simple looking, yet the colorful app for your needs. In fact, it can be the best option if you are mostly on the move.
The app is completely free. There are no complex features available. What makes it a good option is the fact that it is quite simple to use. The application is available both as a mobile app and web portal. SimpleMind offers a simple solution for all your needs and can be your best friend in mind mapping solutions.
#24. iDeviant
iDeviant is the mobile app version of the Deviant Art online community. DeviantArt, if you are unaware, is the huge online community in the genre of design and art.
If you love accessing the websites for your daily dose of inspiration, then this is your prime choice. You can have access to all the art work on Deviant Art. The app is simple and beautifully designed.
#25. RealColors
If you are looking for a color palette generator. It can be used to select color swatches.
The app can be used to generate color palettes from your photos using a special algorithm. If you have any favorite color of your own, you can submit it to the RealColors feed and check out how is it received by the community.
RealColors can offer a real life experience, as you can snap a photo of anything you like around you and then use the app to extract the colors from it to be used in your themes. This will give a natural look to your creations. The app is simple and straightforward in its performance.
#26. PicLab
Here is yet another photo editor app for the graphic designers. It lets you touch up your photos to give it a new look and refreshing effects.
Some of the features that would make it stay ahead of the competition include typography, stickers, and artworks, collage and Image masks. The app offers a huge list of fonts you can choose from. It can definitely be considered to be one of the best photo editors with the long list features.
Almost all the filters and effects that the app offers you are of professional quality. Apart from the most used features, Piclab also packs in a few special features like PostCard creation and sending them.
#27. myPantone
This is yet another color extractor app to be included in this list. <myPantone is indeed an expert in inventing colors.
You should be able to build a color library with ease with the app. Whenever you are impressed with a color on the move, you can snap the scene. The my Pantone app can extract color from any of your images downloaded on or uploaded to your phone.
The app lets you create a palette of your own. You can share your personal palette with your friends through email, Facebook or Twitter. You can download the app on Android and iOS.
#28. Photobucket
If you are a graphic designer, you will definitely need a photo sharing service. Photobucket is a prime choice for those needs.
The service meets all your needs as a photo sharing app. It lets you upload images in bulk. The service has mobile apps for both Android and iOS. The social media sharing is quite simple on the service. Photobucket offers you a website portal for easy functionality.
If you have a blog, Photobucket can be a great choice. It offers you links for embedding the images into your blogs.
#29. InstaQuote
As the name itself indicates, InstaQuote helps you add text and quotes on your Instagram pictures. You can create a great combination of beautiful text messages for Instagram.
The InstaQote app has 19 different design styles. The app also lets you choose your own images as the background.You also have access to over 50 different fonts. The application is best suited for adding captions to the images. You can also add motivational quotes and improvise the pictures by adding up more details.
The app is available on iOS.
#30. Design Duet
Design Duet is an app that helps you preview your design. The app works with Photoshop Remote Connections.
Once you have created the design, you may want to have a look at how would it look on your iPhone. Design Duet helps you checking it out. The app syncs with Photoshop through Photoshop Remote Connections. You just need to enable Remote Connections on your Photoshop. Design Duet will sync with it and mirror the changes you make on your Photoshop on your iPhone.
If you are satisfied, you can save the file to your camera roll. We just appreciate the app for its simplicity. It is the best option to preview your Photoshop creations on the go.
Wrapping Up
In case you are looking forward to good graphic design apps for your day to day needs, we must bring to your attention that there are thousands of applications that should meet your requirements. However, including all of them in a single article may not be an easy task. That is precisely why we have settled on a top 30 list.
If you have used any of the apps featured herein, we would welcome you to share your views with us. If you are using any app that should have been in this list, we would welcome you to share your list with us. We amy add it in our updated list. Do come up with your inputs through comments.