Design Tools

AI vector design platform for generating, editing, and animating production-ready SVGs from text prompts or image input. a16z-backed with API access to their Arrow models.

Node-based AI design workspace aggregating 30+ AI models for image generation, video, animation, and style transfer in a single platform with team workflows and ready-made templates.

Creative automation platform that generates thousands of on-brand visuals from a single template — images, GIFs, video, HTML5, and PDF — via a visual editor and REST API.

Inkscape is a free, open-source vector graphics editor that uses SVG as its native file format — not an export option, but the actual working file — making it the only major vector tool whose output is web-standard code. Its feature set now genuinely rivals Illustrator: bezier tools, boolean operations, bitmap tracing via Potrace, a Shape Builder tool (added in v1.3), and advanced typography. No subscription, no AI upsell, no file hostage-taking.

Professional design suite now free following Canva's acquisition. Combines Affinity Designer (vector), Photo (raster), and Publisher (page layout) into a single unified app with three studio modes. No subscription required — Canva AI features available as an optional paid add-on. Over one million new signups in its first four days as a free product.

Photopea is a browser-based photo and graphics editor built by a solo developer whose UI matches Photoshop closely enough that Adobe users can start immediately. It handles PSD, AI, PDF, SVG, and CDR formats, stores files locally rather than uploading them, and works offline after the initial load. Free with ads; $9/month removes ads and adds AI credits. No installation, no subscription required for core use.

Generative image platform for concept art, visual exploration, and design ideation. V8 (2025) brought a major quality jump — stronger prompt adherence, better photorealism, native web app. V8.1 (April 2026) added HD mode running 3x faster and 3x cheaper than before, standard resolution roughly 4x faster than V8, and an aesthetic closer to V7 with more consistent style references and better prompt retention.

GIMP is the leading free, open-source image editor — the practical alternative to Photoshop for anyone unwilling to pay subscription fees. Version 3.0 (released February 2025 after seven years) added non-destructive layer effects, multi-layer selection, improved CMYK support, and native Wayland support. The plugin ecosystem is large but some older plugins broke in the Python 2 to Python 3 migration.

Node-based AI workspace for generating images, video, animation, and VFX. Acquired by Figma in October 2025 as Weavy and rebranded as Figma Weave. In April 2026, Figma launched 20+ Weave Workflows on Figma Community — reusable AI pipelines for image-to-SVG conversion, generative variation, and media production. At Config 2026 (June), Weave Tools landed directly on the Figma design canvas: style transfer, image generation, and asset extraction are now available without leaving a Figma file.

Flora is a node-based generative AI canvas where each step in a creative workflow is a node — prompt, generate, transform, branch — letting teams explore multiple directions without losing history. It unifies 50+ models (Veo 3, Kling, FLUX, Gemini, and others) for text, image, and video in one environment. Raised $52M total; used by designers at Nike, Levi's, Pentagram, and Lionsgate.

The first open-source design and prototyping platform, built on actual web standards — SVG, CSS Flexbox, and Grid — rather than proprietary formats. Native design tokens, real-time collaboration, self-hostable, and free. The developer-friendliest design tool available: Code Inspect outputs real HTML and CSS, not approximations.

AI design studio for generating production-quality vector and raster assets with brand consistency.