No matter what type of graphic design work you do, at some point you’ll be asked to create a logo for a client or at least for your own design business. Finding the right logo design software saves you time and gives you work a professional edge.
People pay attention to the emblems brands use. Around 78% of customers feel logos are works of art. They expect the graphic to tell the story behind the brand, what the company does and capture their attention.
Do you have the best tools possible to create your next project? We looked at some of the best logo design software and came up with a list of ones we think will help you work more productively and put out better content.
Which Is the Best Software to Design a Logo?
We came up with a system to figure out which was the best logo design software to suit different needs. Some things we looked at the included features, cost, reviews and what systems each program runs with.
We came up with a list of options that should suit just about any level designers. You’ll find some free options and some paid ones.
1. Adobe Illustrator
No list of logo design software is complete without a look at Adobe’s suite of products. Adobe Illustrator stands out as an excellent choice because of its flexibility and the many tutorials newbies can view and read to master the platform.
Adobe Illustrator hit the scene in 1987, so they’ve had a few decades to perfect their logo design options. The great thing about drawings created in AI is the ability to scale them up and down for different purposes. Since you might use a logo on your website and then on a billboard, scalability is a vital part of the design process.
Some features that will help you design the perfect logo include:
- Import scanned images
- Layers
- Templates and Vector Logo Objects
- 16,000 Font types
Price: $19.99 per month paid upfront for a year or $20.99 per month when committing to an annual contract
2. Canva
Canva is an excellent option for new designers or business owners wanting an inexpensive option to create a basic logo. You’ll gain access to dozens of templates with unique fonts. Plug in your own images for a custom look, change colors and save the finished file in a variety of formats.
Some of the top features of Canva include:
- Free and paid logo templates or start from scratch
- See examples and tweak them to fit your needs
- Thousands of stock photos and advanced templates you can purchase
- Ability to share files with others
Canva is a great option for the beginner and small businesses on a tight budget.
Price: Free or $119 per year for the Pro Plan
3. Free Logo Design
This online wizard may not be up to the standards or specificity of most graphic designers, but it can be a great way to create a mockup for free or get a basic logo created on the fly. The software is fully online based. Start with templates and customize based on your name and preferences.
Features include:
- Basic templates
- Ability to add icons, text, shapes and graphics
- Work with your own color palette and use HEX codes
- What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) environment
The free account gives you the ability to download the logo in 200 x 200 pixels for website use. If you need a high resolution image, you will need to upgrade, but you can purchase just one file. The logo design software is simple to use and intuitive.
4. Looka
Tap into artificial intelligence (AI) and build a unique logo based on responses to the AI prompts in the Looka program. Out of the logo design software choices on this list, Looka is arguably one of the easiest because it talks you through the steps. Even if it’s your very first logo design, you won’t have to worry about missing an important item.
Features include:
- Share your design preferences and get suggestions
- Make a logo in about five minutes
- Choose logos you like and the system comes up with a custom template for you
- Sort by Industry
One of the things we liked best about this logo design software was that the system offers a number of logo options. You can choose the one you like best and then tweak it to perfectly meet your needs.
Price: $20 for only the logo–can also purchase a kit with other designs
5. Logo Design Studio Pro
While there are dozens of other logo design software options available, Logo Design Studio Pro made our list because of its user friendliness. Created by Summitsoft, the platform has been around since about 2001. It is a bit less powerful in features than Adobe Illustrator, but has a much less steep learning curve.
When you access the software, you’ll see features such as:
- Over 2,000 logo templates
- 6,000 shapes and fonts
- Ability to sketch and manipulate shapes and drawings
- Effects such as gradients, shadow, blur and emboss
Originally for the PC, it now comes in an online accessible version. You’ll gain unlimited storage and access for a monthly fee that is a bit less than Adobe. You will need to make a 90-day commitment but then can cancel without penalty.
Price: $29.99 first month and then $7.99 per month thereafter
Which Is the Best Logo Design Software?
Although Adobe offers the most features, one can’t overlook the added cost and learning curve. Going with less expensive and lower commitment options such as Canva is smart for those just getting started or small businesses doing some of their own design work until their design budget increases. We choose Canva as one of the most adaptable and customizable options but also inexpensive enough for any small business to afford.
About The Author
Eleanor Hecks is the Editor-in-Chief of Designerly Magazine, an online publication dedicated to providing in-depth content from the design and marketing industries. When she's not designing or writing code, you can find her exploring the outdoors with her husband and dog in their RV, burning calories at a local Zumba class, or curled up with a good book with her cats Gem and Cali.
You can find more of Eleanor's work at www.eleanorhecks.com.