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Free vs Paid Mobile Graphic Design Apps 2022
In need of graphics on the go? From the pricier $100 a year options to the free ones, we have tested the top contenders and found some refreshingly good apps for your budget.

Table of Contents
A firm favorite
Want a platform that is able to create business cards AND Instagram stories? What about newspaper ads as well as animated presentations? Then you've come to the right place because Canva has everything.
Why we chose Canva:
- A great solution for small businesses that want to make a lasting impression on social media audiences
- Amazing for individuals and teams alike
- Free 14-day-trial that lets you take full advantage of the app's wonderful functionality - after which you can stick to the basic plan and save money
- The premium option lets you create and edit the most diverse range of content - from social media images to full-fledged animated videos - for $8.49 a month
Yes, you may be right in saying that the price point is not exactly ideal but what you get more than makes up for it. If you run a business, you can rest assured that it will pay off.
Read Canva's Full ReviewSlowly turning into a classic
Conversions from desktop to smartphone don't often work. There are too many variables to consider. The creators of BeFunky have covered them all and made an app that is well worth trying out.
Why we chose BeFunky:
- One of the best photo editors we have ever come across with plenty of free features and only $4.99 a month for premium
- A wide selection of effects and filters available free of charge
- The sheer speed at which each task can be performed is absolutely amazing
- The app is well connected to all major social media platforms, including some lesser know gems
Even if BeFunky doesn't cast as wide a net as Canva, it performs wonderfully and is an app we cannot possibly recommend enough.
Read BeFunky's Full ReviewOver the Moon for it
Graphic design doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, it is possible to create some genuinely powerful images without opting for vectors. Over strikes a perfect balance between ease of use and superb functionality.
Why we chose Over?
- An excellent selection of graphic design options that can rival professional software for half the price of Canva
- Awesome for creating printed promotional material as well as book covers
- An enormous database of templates in the premium version
- Full control of your privacy through advanced settings
While the app is not quite there yet when it comes to video, it is still a great multi-purpose platform you can rely on for almost any part of the graphic design process.
Read Over's Full ReviewEverything We Recommend
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Our Pick
Canva: Design, Photo & Video
4.8 Ratings 10M+ Reviews 100M+ DownloadsCanva is your free photo editor and video editor in one graphic design app! Create stunning social media posts, videos, cards, flyers, photo collages & more. Stand out with one-tap animations and fun music for Insta stories and video collages.
No design experience or expertise? No problem! From photo editor to collage maker, to logo maker – we made Canva really simple & easy for anyone in the world to design.
THOUSANDS OF TEMPLATES – endless creative possibilities
• Start inspired with thousands of customizable templates
• Playful Facebook posts, Insta layouts, Instagram post maker, IG Story, & mood boards
• Professionally-designed invitations, flyers, gift certificates, etc. to boost your business or event
• Showcase your product with our logo maker
• Visualize data with sleek presentation templates and slideshow maker
PHOTO EDITOR – free to use, no ads, no watermarks
• Effortless picture apps to crop, flip, & edit photos
• Adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, tint, blur, etc.
• Auto Focus for background blur & sharpen photo subject
• Apply your style with aesthetic filters & effects (Retro, Pixelate, Liquify, etc.)
• Top it off with text on photos and loads of stickers
• Fun photo grid & photo collage maker
• Design easily on a small screen without disruption from ads
VIDEO EDITOR – make amazing videos in just a few taps
• Produce professional videos right on your phone
• Trim, cut, & split video layout and audio tracks
• Crop, resize, and flip videos & images to any dimensions
• Make static images move with one-tap animations & page transitions
• Overlay multiple audio tracks of music, sound effects, & voiceovers
• Use the video editor as a video collage maker & slideshow maker too!
SOCIAL MEDIA – hit it big with on-trend content
• Discover thousands of templates for Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, LinkedIn etc.
• Queue your planned posts on Instagram with Scheduler [Canva Pro]
• Play with our photo editor for thumb-stopping Instagram layouts
• Use as a banner maker for eye-catching thumbnails & ads
• Easy collage maker & video editor to create photo grids, collages
HUGE STOCK LIBRARY – over 2M+ assets for you
• Complete package: all the elements you need are here
• 2M+ royalty-free images
• Thousands of watermark-free stock videos
• 25K+ pre-licensed audio & music tracks
• Add text on photos with 500+ fonts & effects (curved, neon, and more)
• Graphic design elements - illustrations, stickers, photo frames, etc.
• Beautifully animated charts, graphs, & tables from any data
SMART MOCKUPS – see your designs on a shirt or poster
• Look professional by visualizing your designs on products
• High-res mockups for phones, laptops, posters & other displays
• Order printed flyers, mugs, and apparel for gifts or business
REAL-TIME COLLABORATION – with anyone across any device
• Edit team projects & presentations anytime, anywhere
• Start a design on mobile & finish on your desktop seamlessly
• Work with your team in real-time, leave comments & apply changes
CANVA PRO – get more for a low monthly cost
• Access premium templates, images, videos, audio & graphic design elements
• One-click Background Remover
• Magic Resize - Instantly resize your project to any photo & video layout
• Brand Kit - Stay on brand with consistent logos, fonts, & colors
• Scheduled publishing to Instagram, Facebook & more
DESIGN FOR EVERYONE
• Personal - Layout designs for creative & professional pursuits like Instagram templates, resume, photo collages, etc.
• Entrepreneurs - Grow your business with our logo creator, video editor, poster maker, etc.
• Students & Teachers - Engage with beautiful presentations and worksheets
• Social Media Managers & Content Creators - Use the photo editor and collage maker for consistent visuals & mood boards for your brandCostFreeFreeIn-App Purchases$1.49 - $119.99 per item$0.99 - $119.99 per item -
Runner Up
Photo Editor by BeFunky
4.5 Ratings 258K+ Reviews 10M+ DownloadsEdit your photos. Create beautiful collages. Design stunning graphic design layouts.
With BeFunky, you can do it all! We've taken the complexity out of the photo editing and graphic design process with our easy-to-use, one-tap features. With our A.I.-powered photo editing tools, intelligent auto-collage feature, and professionally made design templates, BeFunky truly is photo editing and graphic design made for everyone!
Turn Your Photos Into Paintings, Cartoons, Sketches, and More
Our Artsy effects are the most unique feature of our Photo Editor. With one tap, your photos will take on stunning, artistic characteristics. From realistic textures to natural-looking brush strokes and saturated color palettes, our artsy effects will instantly turn your photo into a work of art!
Remove Backgrounds From Photos in One Tap
Our A.I.-powered Background Remover intelligently detects the subject of your image and precisely removes the surrounding background. Perfect for changing backgrounds on product photography, portraits, and more!
Enhance Image Appearance With A.I.
There's a lot of trial and error and fine-tuning involved in enhancing a photo. Our A.I. Image Enhancer takes the guesswork out of photo editing. With a single tap, it'll make colors more vibrant and add a touch of contrast to enhance details, giving your photos what they need to really pop.
Bring Out the Natural Beauty in Your Portraits
Our A.I. Portrait Enhancer gives you professional portrait retouching results, all in a single tap. Quickly enhance exposure, soften the appearance of fine lines and blemishes on all skin tones, whiten teeth and brighten eyes without eliminating freckles and beauty marks!
Create Photo Collages with a Single Tap
Automatically generate the optimal collage layout with our Collage Wizard. It can quickly and easily produce high-resolution photo collages without cropping or clipping a single image, so no fine details get lost in the process. It’s automatic collage generating technology like no other!
Access to Hundreds of Free Font Options
Our Text Editor is packed full of fonts and customization options to add text to photos, designs, and collages. Choose from our collection of fonts hand-selected by our team of graphic designers, upload your own fonts, or use Google Fonts!
Free Templates For Quick and Easy Graphic Design
Our design templates offer the perfect starting point for any project. You’ll find thousands of design templates created by our team of professional graphic designers. We provide templates for birthdays, weddings, small businesses, and more! Don't want to start with a template? No problem! Start your design with a blank canvas and let your creativity take over!
Give Your Photos a Unique Look
There's truly no limit to what you can create! Everything from Vintage and Chromatic effects to filters that make your photo resemble a Van Gogh painting is right at your fingertips. Are you looking to add a texture, bokeh, or a design overlay? You'll find all that and more in BeFunky.
Access Hundreds of Premium Features with BeFunky Plus
Subscribe to BeFunky Plus on a monthly or annual basis to gain access to premium photo editing, collage making, and graphic design tools. Easily access our Plus features across our mobile and tablet apps as well as on the desktop web browser version of BeFunky by simply logging in.
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For tips and inspiration, go to befunky.com/learn/ and follow @befunkyapp on Instagram
Get help when you need it at support.befunky.comCostFreeFreeIn-App Purchases$9.99 - $59.88 per item$9.99 - $59.99 per item -
Also Groovy
GoDaddy Studio: Graphic Design
4.7 Ratings 148K+ Reviews 5M+ DownloadsWelcome to GoDaddy Studio (formerly Over), the easy-to-use social media content creator, photo editor and graphic design app. Create stand-out social posts, Instagram stories, logos, Link in Bio sites and so much more — no design skills necessary!
NEW Features ✨
Boost awareness and grow an engaged audience with a beautifully designed Link in Bio site — free with GoDaddy Studio.
• Highlight your most important links in one place and drive traffic to your best content
• Access professionally designed Link in Bio templates that are easily customizable to consistently reflect your brand look and feel
GoDaddy Studio is your all-in-one app to design, promote, and grow your business online.
BOOST YOUR BRAND 🚀
Big business or side hustle, GoDaddy’s got you covered.
• Define your brand identity with our easy-to-use logo maker – create your own unique design!
• Draw or select a logo template to make a design and apply it to your social profiles and marketing materials
• Use our banner maker to easily promote your brand across Facebook and YouTube
BUILD TRUST WITH BRAND CONSISTENCY 💜
Easily define your style and apply it everywhere for immediate recognition.
• Stay consistent by resizing content to perfectly fit all social platforms
• Choose and save your brand color palette and apply it to a whole project with just one tap
• Create a beautiful Link in Bio that matches all your content, no more cookie cutter bios
UP YOUR SOCIAL GAME 👍
Build your social following and create engaging, thumb-stopping social content.
• Create like-worthy Instagram story templates, Facebook posts, covers, profile pictures and more with our story maker
• Banish post-paralysis the easy way with 30 days of done-for-you Instagram posts
• Create with a wide range of templates, fonts and designs from our vast library
PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS 📢
Design beautiful content that grows your business.
• Get traffic and build audience loyalty with engaging content created in minutes
• Remove background and cut out items to create clean, professional product shots with just one tap
• Powerful video creation made easy – add your own video or select a video from our exclusive stock library, blend videos with images, and promote anything online with unique, immersive content
FAST & EASY CREATION ✅
The best graphic design tools at your fingertips, all in one place.
• Start off inspired – choose from tons of flexible, social-first templates
• Discover layers and design layouts for faster creation
• Pick from a selection of over 600 fonts, use curved text and advanced text tools
• Photo editor – add text and edit photos like a pro with different filters in just a few taps
GROW WITH STUDIO PRO 💪
Take your content creation and video editing skills to the next level with a Studio Pro subscription.
• Access to a vast library of templates, images, videos & fonts
• Unlimited use of the magical remove background tool
• Unlock access to all premium content and exclusive creator tools
• New content added regularly
Terms and Conditions
https://godaddy.com/legal/agreements/websites-marketing-agreement
Privacy Policy
https://godaddy.com/legal/agreements/privacy-policy
Got feedback? Email us at
oversupport@godaddy.comCostFreeFreeIn-App Purchases$4.99 - $69.99 per item$9.99 - $99.99 per item
The 411 from our Appventurer
How we tested?
Testing a functional piece of software that has a definite purpose is always different from focusing on a game. There are plenty of nuts and bolts to pay attention to. Ultimately, however, it all boils down to one piece of criteria - how useful the app is. This, in turn, is mirrored in the software's interface, the number of features, and overall design.
Since most people who will use these apps will be either social media managers or those who are running their own business, we have made sure that our top 3 have absolutely everything you may need to make it on the web.
We also made sure to pay attention to the financial side of things. Is the app free or do you have to invest to get the full set of features? While not crucial, this was still something we wanted to cover.
Why get the app?
There's a multitude of reasons why you would want to download and use any of our top three (or, indeed, a few of our "honorable mentions"). Satisfying your creative curiosity is the first. Who wouldn't want to make something nice? With any of these, the process can be surprisingly simple - not to mention fun.
This, however, is not where the story ends. There are more than a couple of purely professional scenarios in which you may opt for Canva or BeFunky. Perhaps you find yourself working for a small company that can't afford to hire a graphic designer. Or, perhaps, you are trying to promote your own business on social media. The possibilities are endless.
These apps are also excellent learning tools as they cover the basics of design without burdening you with any of the advanced features. That way, you can take your time and build a strong foundation without getting the slightest bit confused - at least not at first.
More About Canva: Our Pick
Nowadays, it seems to be typical for one product to serve one purpose alone. This applies to tech, gym equipment, makeup, and, to a certain extent, smartphone apps. Comprehensive solutions are truly rare and it almost feels like a miracle when you run into something that attempts to cover more ground. This week, we have had one such miraculous encounter and discovered a truly multi-purpose gem.
The beginning is straightforward enough - you sign up either with Facebook, Google, or your email. That's it. That's the whole procedure. It will take about five seconds of your time and then you'll be ready to explore your creative side.
Immediately, you will notice a wide selection of paths you can take. Want to create an Instagram post? An animated presentation? Or perhaps a book cover? All this and so much more is now at your fingertips.
It is safe to assume that many of our readers will be interested in the social media component. This is where Canva excels. You can start from scratch or use a template - and work on your next Pinterest pin on the Facebook graphic. Believe it or not, many small to medium-sized companies will use this platform as their main tool for social media content. It is perfect for motivational quotes and hilarious memes.
In addition, you can also create logos, business cards, and posters which makes Canva ideal for non-governmental organizations, charities, and small-scale entrepreneurs. You can even make an ad for your local newspaper - as old-fashioned as that may sound.
That is not to say that the app is stuck in the past. Quite the contrary. It has a generous number of options focusing on animated content. You can edit short clips, create vivid presentations, and even make silly cartoons. The tools are all there. It's up to you to put them to good use.
Canva lets you work on your own - as well as as a part of a team. The app has an excellent way of connecting users, allowing them to cooperate and create something truly stunning together. It doesn't matter where you or your team members are - you can get everything done on the go, in real-time.
The app can be used either for free, with limited functionality, or be paid for and enjoyed to the max. Whichever option you choose, you can rest assured that it will likely satisfy all your graphic design and image editing needs.
Snags but not drags:
Obviously, much like many other apps on the market, Canva too has a basic and a premium plan. As budget-conscious as we at AppGrooves tend to be - it is only natural that we'd want to get everything for free. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Developers do, after all, have bills to pay so, if you want a truly amazing experience, you'll need to invest a bit in order to unlock everything Canva has to offer. A 14-day trial will give you a chance to try before you buy but, after that, the premium section will cost you $8.49 per month.
Apart from this minor flaw, there is little else we could possibly point out that would pass for an issue. If we are to be particularly nit-picky (and everyone following us knows we are not above it), we could say that the loading times do take a bit longer than expected - at least when you launch the app, that is. Everything else in it, however, runs very smoothly.
More About BeFunky: Runner Up
Today, we have an app that is just as reliable as its desktop counterpart. It is an amazing solution for amateur photographs and social media personalities alike. In fact, in some departments, it may even rival Photoshop, if not Lightroom. We are by no means exaggerating when we say this. The sheer number of options is a real miracle.
Never too big, never slow, never cumbersome - BeFunky pretty much always delivers. You start your journey by picking a photo from one of many sources - your own camera roll, social media, one of many stock images, or even a search engine. Then it's time to get editing.
A selection of powerful tools, filters, presets will give you a chance to turn any creative vision you have into reality. If this is not enough, you can also take full advantage of photo frames and overlays. In addition, there is a separate part of the app that focuses on collages. We are not exactly sure why the creators decided to section it off but, regardless, it works just fine.
Cool stickers and fun effects are perfect for anyone focusing on social media. Speaking of which, you might want to consider the fact that BeFunky covers the widest selection of platforms - from mainstream stuff like Instagram, old school classics along the lines of Tumblr, and newcomers such as TikTok. Editing and sharing are incredibly fast. Even the most impatient influencer is bound to be impressed.
Perhaps the only downside is the app's limited functionality when it comes to pure graphic design. Instead, developers have decided to focus on photo editing and bring this segment to perfection.
One big advantage that BeFunky has over many of the apps in our "honorable mentions" section is the fact that you won't have to deal with watermarks, ads, or popups when using it. Of course, full functionality will only be available to premium users (for $4.99 per month, to be precise) but, even if you stick to free, you will still be able to do a good deal of pro-level editing.
More About Over: Also Groovy
Most of the time, we like to include distinctly different apps into our top 3, making sure that everyone reading the article can find top-quality products to fit their needs. When it comes to Over, it could easily be described as the exact opposite of BeFunky. Instead of photography, this app focuses on pure graphic design, social media posts, flyers, book covers, and even product packaging! You can easily design just about anything with this specialized yet powerful tool. Total amateurs, as well as experienced professionals, can benefit from it.
You can log in with Google, Facebook, email, or even your Apple account. The app gives you a chance to review what permissions are granted and, even further down the line, puts great emphasis on privacy and security. In our book, this is definitely a nice move to make - and something we haven't seen from many other apps in this category.
The design is modern, not exactly minimalist, but not overwhelming either. The choice of colors is refreshing and the vibrant hues are almost certain to pleasantly surprise younger users. The balance is struck between aesthetics and functionality.
With Over, you can easily create an Instagram story, a Facebook post, Pinterest pin, a flyer or a poster. The list goes on to include motivational quotes, logos, , and even wallpapers. In fact, the app almost rivals Canva in this department - even if it does lack the Photoshop-like qualities of BeFunky.
Even if it was initially meant as a graphic design platform, Over has recently branched into the realm of video editing. The steps in this direction, however, are still pretty timid. The controls feel pretty basic and Instagram itself will offer more variety when it comes to videos. Of course, this is something that is bound to improve in the future but, for now, the average user will be better off focusing on the rest of the app which is impressive enough.
When it comes to the costs, it is good to know that most options are available free of charge. In fact, it is only the templates that will require you to make a small investment (of $4.19 per month). This may be worth considering if it will make your work easier and more streamlined. If not, if you prefer to let your imagination run wild, you can just as easily manage with the basic plan. The app is great either way.
Other Apps Considered
A pretty decent platform that aims to cover a lot of ground. Adobe has a reputation for quality products and, for the most part, this applies to Spark Post as well. However, a few glitches soured the experience for us and cemented our decision not to include it among the winners. While everything else runs comparatively smoothly, the app tends to freeze when you try to insert or edit any sort of text. This problem persists even after reinstallation - and an update. It seems that there is not much that can be done about it, at least not for now. Since stock images also tend to take their time to load, we definitely prefer to give other software a chance. Adobe could do better, so much better.
This is a solid solution that, while sometimes basic, had a clear chance of it being one of our top 3. Unfortunately, one thing threw us off balance from the get-go. Even after we played with it for a while, the issue was still there. What was it, you ask? You see, no matter what we tried to do - a poster, a collage, or a social media graphic - things would always go ever so slightly out of alignment. It was a strange yet persistent problem - in all formats, in all sizes, in all sorts of contexts. Centering something exactly the way we wanted seemed borderline impossible. This is definitely not the one for detail-oriented professionals - or people with OCD. No other app frustrated us as much as this one did.
Ok, we admit it, we are suckers for a beautiful interface. After all, the aesthetic component is not something you can easily ignore. It is really important if you're going to spend a lot of time looking at an app so we always make sure to assess the situation objectively. In this department, PicMonkey performs wonderfully. The functionality, however, is not quite there yet. Without a serious expansion in the number of tools available, the app will forever be confined to our "honorable mentions".
Covering photos, videos, collage, and graphic design - we couldn't help but be intrigued by this potentially comprehensive solution to all our problems. However, once we started using it, we realized that the collage component was wonderfully constructed while the others were left as an afterthought - still in different stages of development. In addition, we constantly had to fight our way through an enormous number of ads - something that we rarely (if ever) are able to tolerate. Paying for the privilege of removing them somehow didn't seem worth it.
As the name implies, this one is good for flyers and posters but not so much for social media. In fact, there are more than a few issues that hinder its performance in this particular department. Exporting images can take a while and, frankly, the other bits of the app are not that speedy either. This is not meant for your average influencer, and definitely not for a professional who expects everything to be delivered on time. If you're in a hurry, you might want to run away from this one as fast as you possibly can.
Stefan Racic
My phone tends to be filled to the brim with apps I am either trying on for size of using on a regular basis. I use them for a variety of tasks, including sketching and creating art, keeping in touch with friends, being up to date with the latest news, learning about diverse spiritual practices and, of course, playing games!
With over 10 years of experience as a translator and writer, I channel my creativity into writing about things I enjoy. My education in business (I hold a bachelor's degree in operations management) is but one part of expertise. I have worked for art magazines, spiritual blogs, news and business sites, and now I explore the fascinating world of apps.
My previous work is as diverse as my interests. Fresh out of college, I was employed as a translator and interpreter at the fringes of the corporate world and the NGO sector. After switching to writing, I first focused on business news, then shifted to working for a series of art magazines (WideWalls perhaps being the most well known), and even wrote content for a couple of spirituality-focused apps for Labyrinthos Academy. Little did I know that I would eventually devote a good chunk of my time to writing about all sorts of interesting new apps out there.
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This, however, doesn't mean that you require a powerful computer nor complex software. In fact, much of the work can be done on your smartphone. Recently, we have had the pleasure of testing a number of apps that aim to make the process as easy as possible. Which one has performed the best? We urge you to read on and find out.