It’s that time. Whether you’re a professional or a hobbyist, it’s time to create your own logo to brand yourself or your company and stand out from the pack.
Oftentimes, the logo design is the first element that goes into creating a cohesive brand for a company. With this in mind, what software you use becomes incredibly important so that the process is relatively easy, intuitive and gives you the results you need.
So what exactly is the best logo design software? Read on because you’ll find not one but five great options.
Affinity Designer
This software has an extensive amount of functionality while it’s all wrapped up in a simple, aesthetically pleasing user interface. It’s unique because of its ability to create pixel (raster-based) as well as vector layers, and this is significant because you don’t need to use an extra program to insert raster-based pictures into your designs.
There are no subscription fees, all file types are supported and Affinity even offers a printed book that will teach you the ins and outs of using this software.
The only con is that this software lacks advanced features that are available in top-of-the-line programs like perspective grid and workspace presets.
Cost: $49.99 (10 day free trial)
Sketch
Much like Affinity, sketch as a very clean, minimalist user-interface that is easy to understand. For instance, tools are labeled with words so there’s no memorization necessary, and designs can be easily exported in many file types.
What sets this software apart is its strong online design community that shares tips and tricks, as well as online tutorials.
Unfortunately, Sketch isn’t a dedicated logo design program, so many of its preloaded templates are geared toward social media graphics. It’s also only available on Macs.
Cost: $99 per year (30-day free trial)
Inkscape
Inkscape sets itself apart because it’s the only open-source design program that still receives updates. While it’s not as aesthetically pleasing or minimalist as the previous two software programs, it has the most features of any vector program and developers work on it around the clock.
However, it has issues running on Macs and the controls will feel non-intuitive. It also only outputs in the SVG vector format.
Cost: Free!
Adobe Illustrator CC
You knew it was coming – the industry standard. It’s full features allow designers to create anything and everything they can think of.
It comes with a high level of customer support, many learning resources, and a strong online community to get you started. Moreover, Adobe programs let you customize your workspace until you find a set-up that is completely comfortable and intuitive for you.
However, Adobe isn’t as intuitive as the previous programs and there is a large learning curve before you start churning out logo designs.
Cost: $19.99 per month (Free 7 day trial)
Photoshop
Cost: $19.99 per month (Free 7 day trial)
Last but not least is Photoshop, the industry standard for editing photos but also with the capability of non-vector effects to logos. This means you can add effects such as shiny metal, shadows or embossing.
Though this software does have vector editing tools, it makes more sense to use Illustrator, as its features are more robust.
The Best Logo Design Software
As you can see from the above examples, there really is no best logo design software. While Adobe Illustrator CC is the clear industry standard with the most features, it depends on your own circumstances if you don’t want to invest the time it takes to learn the program.
A free online logo maker might be for you if you need ease of use and your under budget constraints. No matter what software program you choose, what matters is you understand the importance of a well-designed logo for business branding – and you get out there and create!