Design Software for Mac: Top Choices for Apple Users in 2023

Adobe Photoshop is a household name in the design world, and for good reason. It offers a powerful toolkit for pros, excellent sky replacement tools, and a clean UI. It's the industry standard for raster and layer editing.

Pros:

• Powerful toolkit for professionals
• Excellent sky replacement tool
• Clean UI
• Sets an industry standard

Cons:

• Requires a Creative Cloud subscription
• May overwhelm design beginners

Pricing: Adobe Photoshop operates on a subscription model.

Affinity Designer is a great alternative to Adobe products, offering a one-off price with no subscriptions. It's a vector-based graphic design software that's also compatible with Mac.

Pros:

• Multi-platform
• One-off price, no subscriptions
• Outstanding new tools
• Easy to use

Cons:

• No auto-save on Mac
• Not quite as many tools as Illustrator

Pricing: Affinity Designer operates on a perpetual license.

Canva is an online design tool that's incredibly fast and easy to use. It includes a logo maker, video maker, and PDF editor.

Pros:

• Free
• Incredibly fast and easy to use
• More powerful than you'd think

Cons:

• Premium assets locked behind subscription
• Not a full graphic design suite

Pricing: Canva offers a free version and a Pro version with a subscription.

Adobe Fresco is best for drawing and painting on the iPad but is also compatible with Mac. It offers lifelike brush, pen, and pencil physics.

Pros:

• Lifelike brush, pen, and pencil physics
• Available for iPad, iPhone, and Windows tablets
• Simple, effective animation

Cons:

• Can’t create new brushes or access Illustrator brushes
• No Chrome OS version

Pricing: Adobe Fresco operates on a subscription model.

Adobe Illustrator is the premier vector editing and drawing application. It offers the best vector design tools on the market and excellent touch type features.

Pros:

• The best vector design tools on the market
• Excellent touch type feature
• Simplified free transform tool

Cons:

• No perpetual license option
• No uniformity of key commands with Photoshop and InDesign

Pricing: Adobe Illustrator operates on a subscription model.

Alright, here is a quick summary. We've explored some fantastic design software options for Mac users, each with its own set of pros and cons.

• Adobe Photoshop is the go-to for professionals, especially those who need advanced raster and layer editing. However, it comes with a subscription model that might not be everyone's cup of tea.
• Affinity Designer is a strong contender, offering a one-time payment option and a focus on vector-based design. It's a bit lighter on features compared to Photoshop but offers great value for the money.
• Canva is the most user-friendly and offers a free version. It's not as feature-rich as the others, but it's perfect for quick and simple projects.
• Adobe Fresco is your best bet if you're into digital painting and drawing, especially if you're also an iPad user. It's subscription-based but offers a unique set of tools for artistic endeavors.
• Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard for vector editing and illustration. It's packed with features but, like Photoshop, requires a subscription.

So, whether you're a seasoned pro or a budding designer, there's something here for you. Choose the one that fits your needs and budget, and you'll be well on your way to creating stunning designs on your Mac.