Free Design tools

Affinity

Vector graphics, page layout and photo editing in one desktop

draw.io

Map out processes and structures for clients cleanly, no account needed

Audacity

Clean up and edit voice recordings for podcasts and video

GIMP

Retouch photos and build graphics like in Photoshop, without the subscription

darktable

Develop and organise RAW photos like in Lightroom, without a subscription

Kdenlive

Edit client videos and reels with no watermark and no subscription

Adobe Color

Pick brand colors that work together and check contrast before you ship

Krita

Paint digitally the way you would on paper: illustrations and comics with no license fee

Upscayl

Enlarge small client images sharply, locally on your own computer

Realtime Colors

Try website colors and fonts on a live page before you build anything

Inkscape

Make logos and SVG graphics without signing up for another subscription

Shotcut

Cut videos without converting files first, up to 4K

Color Hunt

Grab a ready-made color mood for a project instead of starting from scratch

Huemint

See a color scheme on an actual layout instead of guessing from swatches

Khroma

Stuck on color combos? Khroma learns what you like and suggests pairs that fit

Excalidraw

Browser whiteboard for hand-drawn sketches and diagrams

HandBrake

Convert and compress videos across Mac, Windows and Linux

ImageOptim

Lossless image compression for PNG, JPEG and GIF files on Mac

Pexels

Free stock photos and videos for commercial design projects

tldraw

Sketch wireframes and diagrams together in real time

Unsplash

Free high-resolution photos for designers with no attribution

Penpot

Browser-based design tool with real-time collaboration

Photopea

Edit photos and designs directly

Microsoft Whiteboard

Sketch ideas live in a Teams call without rolling out yet another tool to clients

Paletton

Build a full color scheme from one base color, no color theory needed

ArtCraft

AI images and video with scene control instead of prompts alone, open source

OBS Studio

Open source, free, no watermark — the standard for screen recording