In this guide, we ranked and reviewed the 15 best photo editing software for sublimation printing, along with our top 5 choices, so you can decide which one is the best fit for you.
It is essential to choose the best photo editing software for sublimation. The best sublimation software can drastically improve your quality photo and help meet your goals, from illustrating your artwork and scaling vector-based graphics to editing photos.
Adobe Express
Used by over 40 million people, Adobe Express is perfect for beginners. This online design software is free, easy to use, and powerful. You also get free access to 1,000+ templates and millions of free photos and graphics.
Adobe Photoshop
The most popular design software used by millions of people. Photoshop is the best software for sublimation printing and it is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud software suite.
Adobe Illustrator
Illustrator will shape your creative ideas to help you create beautiful illustrative artwork for your sublimation designs. This vector software is also part of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite.
Adobe InDesign
Use this must-have design software to create professional-quality publishing documents and sublimation prints. InDesign is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite.
Adobe Creative Cloud
It is the best software suite for businesses of all sizes. You can use it for sublimation printing, graphic design, video editing, and more. It includes all Adobe creative apps and over 1 million free photos, fonts, and designs.
Introduction
Want to get to the point? You can find the best photo editing tools in Adobe Creative Cloud, including Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator.
Sublimation printing is a trending business as more and more graphic designers, artists, and entrepreneurs are turning to this practice to help bring their beautiful artworks to life and support their livelihood.
Whether you sell products in an eCommerce store or work part-time as a graphic designer, this Adobe Creative Cloud graphic design software suite will help create sublimation designs for you.
Adobe Photoshop is undoubtedly the dominant photo editing software due to its recognizable brand.
However, there is still some software that is just about as capable as Adobe Photoshop is, either for free or at a much lower budget price.
This article will cover the top choices based on quality in the order.
Without further ado, let's get it started.
1 – Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop is one of the best paid software. I recommend this program if you want to edit photos and designs before you sublimate them. Indeed, this software will deliver the desired results with a robust toolset and precise image editing features.
- Best For: Editing Photos
- Price: $31.49/mo, $239.88/yr or $20.99/mo annual, paid monthly
- Annual Discount: Yes
- Promotion: 7-day free trial
Photoshop is for graphic designers and artists who want to edit photos. It comes with a powerful toolset and can perform advanced image edits. That software is the perfect application for sublimation that will captivate the audience.
Main Features
- Color Balance: Adjust the color balance in the displayed image.
- Type Tool: Quickly create vector outlines, shapes, and symbols with the type tool.
- Quick Mask Tool: Select a specific image part to change them with the mask tool.
- Flames Filter: Render hyper-realistic flames in multiple directions.
- Gradient Maps: Creatively grade the color of the image appearance using gradient maps.
User Experience
At first impression, Photoshop may seem overwhelming with its robust array of tools and functions.
However, the main reason people love to use Adobe Photoshop is the ability to edit images quickly, graphic designs, and digital artworks, thanks to complete control of the workflow.
Even with a steep learning curve, Adobe Photoshop has comprehensive tutorials that can help you improve (and faster) with practice and make high-quality images in no time.
Pricing
Photoshop has a monthly subscription of $31.49 per month. The discounted price is $20.99 per month on an annual basis.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Ability to edit images with ease.
- Define canvas size and create custom brushes.
- Isolate and combine elements from multiple backgrounds.
- Built-in photo management toolset.
- Integrated 3D design capabilities.
- Easy to navigate user interface and built-in guidance make it easy to use.
CONS
- Adobe does not offer the option to purchase a license for a lifetime.
- Extensive tool sets may overwhelm new users and beginners.
- It takes up many resources on your computer.
What's New
- Wrap photos inside an object shaped like a glass lens.
- Automatically adjust facial features by opening closed eyes and turning frowns into smiles.
2 – Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign is one of the best design software for sublimation that can edit photos. This software gears toward creating layouts and publications for sublimation printing. InDesign is easier to learn for beginners who want to create dazzling artwork for sublimation printing.
- Best For: Publishing
- Price: $31.49/mo, $239.88/yr or $20.99/mo annual, paid monthly
- Annual Discount: Yes
- Promotion: 7-day free trial
InDesign is a good design software tool if you own a sublimation printing business. Indeed, its robust capabilities allow you to craft beautiful layouts for fabrics such as t-shirts or mugs with a custom sublimation design. It works well too, with magazines, infographics, eBooks, and brochures.
Main Features
- Modern UI Design: Easy to navigate the user interface, thanks to modern design.
- Retina Support: Display high-resolution graphics in the correct size with built-in Retina support.
- Instant Font Preview: View how the font looks in real time with an instant font previewer.
- QR Code Generator: Generate a unique QR code that can be used to identify products or for marketing.
- Font Searching: Find the missing fonts and identify similar fonts powered by Adobe Sensei.
User Experience
For those users who have already used Adobe products, the InDesign user interface brings familiarity to them.
InDesign works exceptionally well with vector artwork, texts, and images that will help you get the results.
It also has a much lower learning curve than Photoshop, making it a popular choice for sublimation printing.
Pricing
InDesign starts at $31.49 per month. The discounted price is $20.99 per month on an annual basis.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Ability to create attractive and professional layouts.
- Isolate and package multiple formats for easy sharing.
- Complete typography control to fine-tune and space out letters.
- Authentic styling for total control eliminates adjusting previous work manually.
- Built-in quality control for precise image printing.
- Streamlined layout process.
- The software gears toward the sublimation printing business.
CONS
- There is no option to purchase a lifetime license which makes this product expensive.
What's New
- Scalable user interface size on a high-resolution screen to suit your needs.
- Capture fonts, color palettes, and shapes to save them later for reuse.
3 – Adobe Illustrator
If you work with layouts, logos, artwork, and typography, Adobe Illustrator is the best design software for these. It has built-in industry-standard tools that provide a complete toolset to create stunning designs for sublimation printing.
- Best For: Illustration
- Price: $31.49/mo, $239.88/yr or $20.99/mo annual, paid monthly
- Annual Discount: Yes
- Promotion: 7-day free trial
Adobe Illustrator is more than the average graphic design software that allows you to design industry-standard artworks, logos, mockups, layouts, and more. In addition, it is the perfect tool for creating vector-based designs for sublimation printing.
Main Features
- Color Management: Reconcile color differences in various devices and provide accurate color decisions to the final products.
- Collaboration Tool: Invite and work remotely with other team members via the Collaboration tool.
- Activity Tracker: View all of the actions made with Activity Tracker.
- CAD Tool: Design layout, products, and models using the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tool.
- Custom Layouts: Versatile, switchable customizable layouts with a set of powerful tools for a good workflow.
User Experience
Adobe Illustrator is a user-friendly design software with a simplified toolset that makes it easy for beginners to use.
The application comes with the ability to design logos, artworks, and graphics with ease.
In addition, several features enhance your ability to illustrate images like gradients, strokes, and customizing shapes.
Pricing
Illustrator starts at $31.49 per month. The discounted price is $20.99 per month on an annual basis.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Scalable resolution.
- It integrates with other Adobe products well.
- Multiple options to export files.
- Ability to draw freehand.
- Great for creating large and complex designs.
CONS
- Illustrator takes up a lot of resources, not great for low-performing computers.
- It does not have the photo editing capability that Photoshop has.
- Before you master the tools, you must practice and learn how to use them.
What's New
- Improved access and glyph management.
- Reduced file opening and launch time.
4 – CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
If you are a professional graphic designer, you will love this design software for sublimation printing. The
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is the perfect program for creating logos, illustrations, editing photos, and artworks for your projects.
- Best For: Illustrations
- Price: $19.92/mo or $239/yr
- Annual Discount: Yes
- Promotion: 15-day free trial
The CorelDRAW Graphics Suite comes with several powerful tools and an accessible user interface that makes it easy for beginners—bundled with several applications that let you quickly edit images.
Main Features
- LiveSketch Tool: Transform free-form sketching into a precise vector curve powered by the LiveSketch tool.
- Gaussian Blur: Reduce noise by smoothing out unevenness and creating an in-depth image appearance.
- Stylus Enhancements: Design graphics with the stylus.
- Curve Segments: Create curve segments with four different points.
- Custom Node Shapes: Scale objects proportionally to the size of nodes.
User Experience
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite follows a concept from similar image editor software by bundling and combining applications that help you get the results.
With features, an intuitive user interface, and powerful tools to edit photos and images to your liking.
If you own or work in the sublimation printing business, there is a good chance that some of the features will be familiar, thanks to the software's popularity for printing projects.
Pricing
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite starts at $19.92 per month or $239 per year. A lifetime license also can be bought for $494.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Export multiple assets at once.
- Robust and reliable toolset.
- Budget-friendly and affordable.
- Create various things like logos, artworks, and more.
- Highly customizable.
CONS
- Geared towards professional graphic designers, not beginner-friendly. Indeed, getting started with CorelDRAW is easy, but it takes time to master it.
What's New
- Edit photos faster, featuring commands, shortcuts, and more tools.
- Manage and view multiple pages via Page docker.
5 – Canva
If you are looking for affordable graphic design software to use, Canva is an excellent program. You can use it to perform basic photo edits to design images for social media, flyers, artwork, and layouts for sublimation printing.
- Best For: Photo Editing
- Price: $12.99/mo or $119.99/yr
- Annual Discount: Yes
- Promotion: Free plan with essential features and a free 30-day trial with a Pro plan.
The Canva Pro plan comes with all the tools that make it easy to create professional designs. In addition, with the ability to have teams work simultaneously on a task, Canva can help edit photos and turn them into a reality.
On top of that, with the Pro plan, you get access to 100+ million premium graphics, stock photos, videos, and audio on top of thousands of premium templates.
Main Features
- Team Collaboration: Easily collaborate with your team thanks to shared space (up to 5 team members in Canva Pro)
- Graphic Design Tools: Makers for logos, print art, flyers, videos, banners, and posters
- Graphs: Create custom graphs in minutes
- Edit Photos
- Templates: Template preset for seamless design integration
User Experience
Canva Pro plan comes with several features and templates to choose from that aim to deliver the desired results.
Unlike Adobe Photoshop or CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, Canva focuses mainly on editing photos and vector-based artworks.
It is excellent for anyone who prints out materials like brochures, flyers, and posters or to use as designing software for your sublimation printing business.
Pricing
The free version is for everyone to use. The Pro plan starts at $12.99/mo or $119.99/yr.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Free to use for everyone.
- No prior experience or skills are required.
- Choose a template from its extensive library.
- Very easy for users to use.
- Create a team.
CONS
- Canva does not have local file storage, meaning they save your designs to their servers.
- Overusing popular templates loses its uniqueness.
- Pay extra for fonts, images, and templates you like and want to use unless you have the Pro version.
What's New
- Sortable designs in folders by switching to list view.
- Charts for seamless integration to Google Sheets to impress your audience.
6 – Gravit Designer
Gravit Designer is one of the best sublimation software, thanks to its impressive usability. It is primarily a vector design and editing software that lets you edit multiple images such as styles, structures, texts, and more.
- Best For Graphic Design
- Price: $49.99/yr for the first year, $99.99/yr the year after.
- Annual Discount: No
- Promotion: 15 days free trial
Gravit Designer is software that produces high-quality vector-based designs. It is the perfect tool for designing products, graphics, and artwork for graphic designers.
Main Features
- Multiple Styles: choose between multiple graphic design styles.
- Auto Layouts: Automatically adapt the size of contents within a container.
- Export Options: Various export options, PDF at 300 dpi.
- Powerful Grids: for precise measurement.
- Customizable Texts: Highly customizable texts.
- Portability: you can work from multiple devices.
User Experience
Gravit Designer is free to use for anyone who wants to design their artwork or choose a template from the library, similar to Canva.
It has built-in print management that lets you print for websites, devices, and even t-shirts on-demand, making it the perfect pick for sublimation printing.
Gravit Designer is also a solid application to use if you are a publisher or publish many materials.
Pricing
The pro plan starts at $49.99; afterward, it goes up to $99.99 annually.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Easy to understand and simple user interface.
- Cross-platform compatibility.
- Essential tools such as pen and lasso tools.
- Excellent shortcuts for quick navigation.
- On-demand print management.
CONS
- The majority of locked features are behind the pro plan.
- There is not much information about the program.
- Subscription price increases after the first year.
7 – Sawgrass CreativeStudio
If you want a design software for sublimation, I recommend Sawgrass CreativeStudio. That software comes with a wide selection of print-ready designs, making it easy to print sublimation designs onto the products and materials.
- Best For: Printing with a Sawgrass sublimation printer
- Price: $19.95/mo or $199.95/yr for the Premium membership
- Annual Discount: Yes
- Promotion: Free Plan
Sawgrass CreativeStudio is one of the best sublimation design software that offers solutions for your printing needs. It is the perfect tool for importing designs and transforming creative ideas into tangible products.
CreativeStudio is a free sublimation software for your designs, and it comes with your Sawgrass sublimation printer (SG500, SG1000, Virtuoso VJ628). This free designing software is perfect for dealing with sublimation prints using Unisub/ChromaLuxe items.
Main Features
- Integrated Print Management System.
- Modify and Customize Print Size.
- Import your Sublimation Design Easily.
- Precise Measurement.
- Choose a Template from the library.
User Experience
Sawgrass CreativeStudio is free for anyone who wants to design using preset templates and fonts from its library.
The premium membership plan takes it to the next level by allowing you to import your sublimation designs and customize the print area with the built-in print management system.
That software is the perfect tool if you are a business owner selling physical products like custom t-shirts, mugs, and pillows.
Pricing
Sawgrass CreativeStudio is free to use. The Premium membership plan starts at $19.95/mo or $199.95/yr.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Seamless printing management system.
- Intuitive and straightforward user interface.
- Easy to learn, perfect for beginners.
- Multiple imports for creative designs.
- Fast and precise designing software for sublimation printers.
CONS
- Specific presets require a premium membership plan, which costs money.
- No photo or image editing tools as it is mainly a printing application.
- To get optimal results for your sublimation designs, you need to purchase Sawgrass sublimation printers, which can be expensive.
8 – Xara Designer Pro+
Graphic designers and professionals who want to design graphics need to check Xara Designer Pro+ out. It is excellent for anyone who wants a program that runs fast and can handle complex compositions.
- Best For: Graphics
- Price: $16.95/mo for an individual plan or $9.98/mo for a team plan
- Annual Discount: Yes
- Promotion: 14-day free trial.
The Xara Designer Pro+ is a powerful vector-based rendering design software that combines high performance and speed. With a comprehensive tool set capable of transforming your work into a stunning product.
Main Features
- One Integrated Program: Provides all tools needed to work with graphic design in one program instead of three suite programs such as Adobe products.
- Direct Action Tools.
- Easy Drag & Drop.
- Solid Object Editing.
- Collaboration Tools.
User Experience
Xara Designer Pro+ is a premium vector-based software similar to Adobe InDesign but emphasizes performance and speed more.
It lets you edit images and photos that achieve the results you want.
That application can also improve the screen's design quality, making it the perfect choice for designers with eyes for details.
Pricing
Xara Designer Pro+ costs $16.95/mo or $9.98/mo with three people on the same account.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Impressive performance and speed.
- Powerful zoom tool that lets you view images up to 25,000% closer.
- Collaboration feature that allows teams to work on the same project.
- Supports importing of Adobe files.
- Built-in quality improvement tools on the screen.
CONS
- Exclusive to Windows only.
- Difficult to learn how to use the program.
- Some features may be confusing to new users.
What's New
- Extended support for numbered lists to make it easier to navigate.
- Improved auto-fit to save more time.
9 – Inkscape
If you are on a tight budget, Inkscape is a great choice that allows you to create professional sublimation designs as big or small as you want. It is the best free software out there for designers.
- Best For Scalable Graphics
- Price: Free
- Annual Discount: No (free)
- Promotion: Free
Inkscape is a reliable free software that lets you scale images without blurring them during the resize process. Its simple user interface is suitable for beginners who want to work with vector-based designs.
Main Features
- Bitmap Tracing: Define an area and select a part of the bitmap to be traced.
- Grouping Objects: Group and split objects.
- Edit and Align Nodes.
- Format Files.
- Transformation Tool: Scale, rotate, and flip images via the transformation tool.
User Experience
The user interface is pretty self-explanatory and easy to understand. It is also intuitive enough to create sublimation designs, artworks, and logos easily to send to sublimation printers.
Inkscape does an excellent job of showing you the information you are currently working on with selected objects.
Pricing
Inkscape is free to use.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Free to use.
- Numerous filters.
- Creative gradient map.
- Works with custom-made or ready-to-use plugins.
- Bezier handles for smooth movement.
CONS
- Can edit .eps files, which is a widely used file format used by designers
- The processing speed is slow.
- It is not compatible with Adobe Illustrator. You can open .ai files from Illustrator, but you may see compatibility issues when trying to edit your .ai file in Inkscape.
What's New
- Multiple page documents with the new page tool.
- Color palette and swatches with configurable coloring tools.
10 – Pixlr
Suppose you are looking for a simple application that lets you easily edit photos. Then, you should check out Pixlr.
- Best For: Editing Photos
- Price: Free
- Annual Discount: No (free)
- Promotion: Free
Pixlr is a free photo editor that allows you to edit photos professionally. It is simple, easy to use, and beginner-friendly. It also comes with a premium and creative plan if you want access to its template library, but they are optional.
Main Features
- Editing Tools
- Animations: Create animations easily.
- Text Tool: Add texts to images.
- Effect Tool: Custom effects to enhance photo appearance.
- Redraw tool: Trace images with the Redraw tool.
- Retouch tool: Match the texture of a selected area of pixels with the Retouch tool.
User Experience
Pixlr is pretty straightforward to use, with no prior experience required.
It mainly focuses on enhancing photo quality through tools like Retouch and Redraw.
Though its toolset is somewhat limited compared to Adobe Photoshop, Pixlr designing software is only suitable for hobbyists and individuals who want to do minor tweaks to photos or sublimation designs.
Pricing
Free plan for everyone. The premium plan starts at $7.99/mo or $4.90/mo on an annual plan and comes with a 30-day free trial.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Easy to use.
- The simple tool set.
- Good for doing minor touch-ups.
- Fast processing.
- Free for everyone.
CONS
- Limited editing capabilities compared to Photoshop
- The premium plan costs money to unlock additional features and templates.
11 – GIMP
GIMP is one of the best open-source photo editing software for sublimation. It is a free image editing tool that lets you edit RAW photos, HDR toning, and other advanced features with third-party plugins.
- Best For: Editing Photos
- Price: Free
- Annual Discount: No (free)
- Promotion: Free
Despite Photoshop being a popular choice, GIMP is a stellar alternative for designers who prefer to stay within their budget. It is free to use and comes with a great toolset with advanced features you typically find in premium plans or paid software.
Main Features
- Painting: Paint images.
- Animation: Create animations such as GIFs.
- Customizable Interface: Customizable and versatile user interface.
- Digital Retouching: Retouch images to improve texture.
- Multi-Platform Image Editing: Compatible with multiple operating systems like Linux, Mac, and Windows.
User Experience
GIMP is open-source software that does not need any prior experience to learn how to use it.
Mainly it is used for photo editing but can perform other functions such as animation and designing graphics.
Even though the layers feel clunky and awkward to use, GIMP remains one of the best open-source photo editing software for designers. Therefore, you can use it as a sublimation design software.
Pricing
GIMP is free to use.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Free to use, and it is open source.
- Expand your toolset with free third-party plugins.
- Great for simple paint, retouching, or batching processes.
- Plenty of tutorials and videos to help get you up to speed.
- Flexible and straightforward tools.
CONS
- The selection tool is not exactly precise, as sometimes it selects unwanted objects.
- Fewer features compared to other programs (but can be solved via third-party plugin installations).
- No customer support due to being open-sourced software.
12 – Vectr
Another great free vector image editing software for sublimation to use is Vectr. That vector-based graphics app is powerful and very intuitive enough that a beginner will have an easy time learning how to create digital artwork.
- Best For Vector Graphics
- Price: Free
- Annual Discount: No (free)
- Promotion: Free
Vectr is a free vector-based program with a built-in native app desktop and mobile version. It can scale designs without losing quality or creating blurs. Tools are simple and easy to master, perfect for beginners.
Main Features
- Arrange and align elements
- Pen Tool: Create paths for designing with a pen tool.
- Shape Tools: Create shapes with the shape tool.
- Gradients: Choose and mix colors via a gradient.
- Pathfinders: Combine, divide, and subtract vectors or paths to create neat-looking images.
User Experience
If you are new to graphic design, Vectr is the perfect app to start with for beginners.
Its toolset is simple and easy to master within minutes to create the images you have always wanted while retaining quality.
Vectr's intuitive and straightforward user interface and speed make it a popular choice for making some quick changes.
Pricing
Free for everyone.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Free to use.
- Beginner-friendly, easy-to-use tools, pen tool.
- Simple user interface.
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Great for minor and quick image edits.
CONS
- It does not have the flexibility and extensive toolset compared to Adobe Illustrator.
- Fundamental editing tools are not suitable for professionals.
13 – PhotoScape
PhotoScape is another popular free software for your sublimation printing. Thanks to the ability to work with multiple images for batch editing, leveling, and correcting, it is easy to use.
- Best For Editing photos
- Price: Free
- Annual Discount: No
- Promotion: Free
PhotoScape is simple, fun, and easy to use that lets you edit, scale, and enhance your photos. Combined with a simple user interface for a seamless workflow, this application is the perfect choice to improve photo quality and create designs for your sublimation prints.
Main Features
- Splitter: Split images.
- Converter: Import RAW files and convert them to JPG.
- Paper Print: Add photos to the selected list for printing.
- Color Picker: Select a color via Color Picker.
- Batch Editor: Edit multiple images at the same time via Batch Editor.
User Experience
If you are looking for simple software to edit photos or create a sublimation design, PhotoScape comes with all the tools to create final touch-ups.
There is nothing too fancy about its user interface, as it is straightforward.
While Photoshop is several leagues above, PhotoScape is free to use for minor image editing that does not involve complex or advanced manipulation.
Pricing
Free to use.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Free.
- Easy to use.
- Simple tool set.
- Great for editing photos or images.
- It works with multiple file formats.
CONS
- You can only work with one file at a time.
- Batch processing is slow compared to GIMP.
- The interface looks clunky at first before you get used to it.
14 – Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer is a high-performing, low-budget alternative to the expensive Adobe Illustrator. That program is built for beginners learning to design but is packed with powerful tools for graphic designers.
- Best For Illustrations
- Price: $54.99 (Mac/Windows) or $21.99 (iPad)
- Annual Discount: No
- Promotion: 30-day free trial
Affinity Designer is an affordable program that is best in class for drafting concept art, sublimation prints, and other print projects—packed with fast performance, responsiveness, and a modern interface built to handle multiple objects.
Main Features
- Vector + Raster: Enhance vector designs by adding in-depth visuals with the Raster feature.
- Advanced Grid Alignments and snapping for precision.
- Timesaving Function: Match attributes and select particular objects for quick editing to save time.
- Color Control: Extensive color control and characteristics for a complete, in-depth color grading.
- Unlimited Artboards: Ability to work on multiple artboards.
User Experience
Affinity Designer has earned an impressive reputation as a photo editing software for sublimation due to its comprehensive tool set.
Affinity Designer is much simpler in terms of usability and has a lower learning curve.
Thanks to fast-performing multiple artboards, Affinity Designer works seamlessly to create quality artwork.
Pricing
One time $54.99 for both Mac/Windows or $21.99 for iPad.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Incredibly affordable budget.
- Compatible with Mac, Windows, and iPad
- Impressive organization and workspace to work on multiple projects.
- Supports various files, including Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
- Fast performance with the ability to handle multiple objects at the same time.
CONS
- Disorganized layers can be confusing.
- Processing power is limited with the iPad.
15 – Sketch
Finally, Sketch is a budget-friendly vector graphics editing software that lets you create, customize, or edit existing images. Sketch's popular software is simple but packed with robust and reliable tools that give you complete workflow control.
- Best For Vector Graphics
- Price: $9/mo or $99/yr
- Annual Discount: Yes
- Promotion: 30-day free trial.
Sketch is an all-in-one designer tool kit with an intuitive user interface and a powerful toolset. It allows you to prototype sublimation designs and collaborates with the team to bring them to life, combined with flexibility for an ultimate designer experience.
Main Features
- Large Plugin Features: Extensive third-party plugins for additional features and tools.
- Artboard Presets: Preset artboards, ready to use.
- Pixel Alignments: Alignments based on the pixel.
- Symbols: Set the direction of a symbol or nested symbols that automatically adjust when modifying content.
- Real-Time Team Collaboration.
User Experience
Sketch is a powerful native app that makes it easy to edit and scale vector graphics.
With precise tools, it lets you tweak texts and images via sliders and frames precisely to your liking, which is quite impressive for a budget-friendly program.
Furthermore, Sketch has countless extensions that designers can use to enhance its capability and flexibility for in-depth image editing.
Pricing
Sketch offers a 30-day free trial and charges $9 per month afterward. The annual plan is $99.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Easy to learn.
- Industry standard for both web and mobile design.
- Huge user-created plugins.
- Design software integration.
- Sync Sketch library with multiple files.
CONS
- A small team runs Sketch; some bugs and enhancements take a while to fix.
- Plugins sometimes cause issues when Sketch updates.
- Customizing keyboard shortcuts are needed to become efficient.
What's New
- The new version comes with smoother, faster, and more reliable prototypes.
- Now you can snap up to a quarter pixels in vector editing mode.
Conclusion
Picking the best software for sublimation prints is essential for designers to create beautiful graphics that will help your products sell. However, there are a few points that you need to consider when it comes to using sublimation software.
- Flexibility and Scalability: It allows you to edit photos easily and scale them while maintaining the original quality.
- Budgeting: Depending on your budget and how often you work with photos. Graphic designers who work with images may want to consider high-end software, while free apps or work involving minor tweaks is a better option for the short term.
- Saves time: It should make it easy to help complete your work faster with minimal effort.
- Collaboration: If you work with a team, you want to check out this sublimation software with collaboration management tools.
- Features: Does quality matter to you? If you need extensive manipulation or advanced editing to deliver stunning images, go for Adobe Photoshop. But other than that, essential software like GIMP or PhotoScape is simple and is perfect to start with sublimation designing.
Top 5 best choices:
- Adobe Express: free essential software for basic photo editing.
- Adobe Photoshop: The most popular and powerful photo editing software for creating your sublimation designs.
- Adobe InDesign: One of the best graphic design software for sublimation printing with design and layout tools.
- Adobe Illustrator: Illustrate graphic designs and artworks for sublimation printing.
- Adobe Creative Cloud: Create logos, photos, paintings, designs, and illustrations.
About The Author
