Top 15 T-Shirt Design Software (2024) (2024)

Create a catalog of personalized t-shirts you’ll be proud of – we’ll list the best graphics tools for your own t-shirt designs. Use our up-to-date list of free and paid resources and find amazing graphic design tools for your own t-shirt.

The custom t-shirt industry has made leaps in online retail sales, and the t-shirt design process is now easier than ever. Explore options ranging from high-end subscription software to free and intuitive web browser tools.

In this article, we’ll cover these 15 t-shirt design software options:

1. The Printify Product Creator

Printify’s Product Creator is a highly intuitive in-browser tool. It’s one of the best software for t-shirt design and quality mockups, with a vast library of free design assets, pattern creation, text and image editing tools, and hundreds of printable products.

The Product Creator seamlessly integrates with Printify’s print-on-demand business services, offering a streamlined process from design to production. Overall, it’s a design program with core elements, free photo editing for custom t-shirts, and automated branding and printing services.

• Pricing: Free

• Pros:

• Ease of use. Simple and intuitive interface with accessible in-browser mockup screens and image editing tools.
• Extensive toolset. Everything needed for t-shirt designs, including text editing, pattern creation, and image scaling.
• On-demand printing. Direct integration with custom t-shirt printing services from quality suppliers.
• Realistic mockups. Effective visualization of the final product with lifelike mockup images.
• Image design libraries. Free design assets, AI image generation, and integration with the Shutterstock image library.

• Cons:

• Basic features. Limited design capabilities compared to high-end graphic design software.
• Printify-centric. Best used with Printify’s services through a POD order fulfillment process.
• Fixed mockups. Designers can only choose from the provided product images, limiting editing possibilities.

Learn more about print on demand and starting a print-on-demand business.

2. PlaceIt

• Pricing: Freemium option available or subscriptions from $9.99 per month.

• Pros:

• No installation required. Immediately accessible through your browser.
• Intuitive templates. Simple interface for efficient design and POD t-shirt mockup creation.
• Free design export. Downloadable and free to use anywhere.

• Cons:

• Premium costs. Full software capabilities require a paid subscription.
• File support. Lacks many common image file types and has limited download resolutions for dynamic product images.
• Limited design tools. No in-depth image and design manipulation.

3. GIMP

GIMP is the free, open-source counterpart to software like Photoshop. It offers a robust suite of features and an even bigger developer community, creating third-party plugins to enable additional image editing features.

Though not exclusively made for custom t-shirt designs, GIMP easily integrates online templates, allowing you to layer them beneath your graphics. Change colors, add text, draw designs, and blend your ideas freely and effectively.

• Pricing: Free

• Pros:

• No-cost tools. Free software rivaling other high-end graphic tools.
• Compatible software. Cross-platform accessibility for Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems.
• Thriving user-base. Access extensive guides, tutorials, and open-source editing features.

• Cons:

• Complex toolset. Expect a steep initial learning curve.
• Variable quality. Third-party plugins vary in reliability.
• System constraints. Challenging with large-scale images and layer-intensive projects.
• Limited file exporting. Lacks support for vector graphics used in printing.

4. Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop, part of Adobe Creative Cloud products, is renowned for its extensive ability to create original art. These include brush art, layering, blending, and creating image effects you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

However, this powerhouse comes with a notable learning curve and is one of the pricier options on the market. You might have to consider applying to paid courses focused on its more in-depth techniques.

• Pricing: Subscriptions start from $22.99 per month.

• Pros:

• Extensive toolkit. Unmatched tools and effects for design creation.
• Trusted brand. Adobe’s reputable services provide high-quality tutorials.
• Versatility. No limitations for creating various forms of pixel and vector graphics artwork.

• Cons:

• Learning curve. Software mastery requires time and practice.
• Subscription costs. High recurring fees for long-term access.
• Performance demands. The program takes up a lot of space and may freeze or face frame-rate issues without a capable device.

5. Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is reputable for vector image creation, catering to high-end commercial projects, infographics, and brand logos. With many of the same features as Photoshop, it’s among the most comprehensive graphic design software available and is a staple for professional designers globally.

Illustrator excels in intricate detailing, manipulation of complex shapes, pattern creation, and delivering high-resolution images. It reigns as the premier Adobe vector tool, where you can shape images without compromising quality, making it suitable for most print methods.

• Pricing: Subscriptions start from $22.99 per month.

• Pros:

• Vector mastery. Full-image editing software for precise and complex vector manipulation.
• Print detail. Ideal for intricate shapes, patterns, and high-resolution designs.
• Community involvement. Access to a wide range of support, from minor fixes to extensive tutorials.

• Cons:

• Learning curve. Software mastery requires time and practice.
• Subscription costs. High recurring fees for long-term access.
• Photo editing. Lacks some complex photo editing tools for finishing touches.

6. Adobe Express

Adobe Express, part of Adobe’s mobile app suite, is a stand-alone option for mobile devices, including desktop and in-browser alternatives. Its intuitive, creative tools for graphic editing are tailored for quick edits, collages, and social media graphics.

With easy access to thousands of fonts and a library of royalty-free stock, it’s excellent for designing t-shirts on the go.

• Pricing: Freemium option or premium subscriptions from $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually.

• Pros:

• Mobile-centric design. Optimized for creative work on mobile devices.
• Ease of use. Intuitive interface for quick and straightforward edits.
• Advanced tools. Including generative AI, enhanced image effects, and animation.
• Free basic version. Access to all basic features without a subscription.

• Cons:

• Limited advanced features. May lack some advanced features found in other high-end graphics tools.
• Premium costs. The full suite of editing features comes with a subscription.
• Platform dependency. Lacks functionality on its desktop counterpart.

7. CorelDRAW

The CorelDraw Graphics Suite presents a unique blend of variety, standing out as a high-end commercial vector graphics design tool in an easy-to-learn environment.

CorelDRAW holds thousands of unique art assets, typefaces, and images for professional-grade results. While it comes at a higher cost, for those willing to invest, CorelDRAW proves its worth.

• Pricing: Subscription costs $269 per year, or one-time purchase for $549.

• Pros:

• Detailed mockups. Excellent for creating intricate design mockups.
• Intuitive software. Easy-to-learn interface supplemented with tips and tutorials.
• Rich design library. Access a wide selection of premium assets and images.
• Versatile editing. Extensive tools catering to various product, branding, and marketing themes.

• Cons:

• Costly investment. Much higher purchase or subscription costs compared to competitors.
• Oversaturation of features. Many premium tools may be unnecessary for creating a custom t-shirt style.
• File-transfer concerns. Mixed feedback on the quality of file exports and imports.

8. Canva

• Pricing: Freemium or pro subscription from $14.99 per month or $119.99 annually.

• Pros:

• Design library. Wide range of t-shirt templates and design assets for personalization.
• Easy-to-use interface. Ideal layout for both beginners and experienced designers.
• Brand consistency. You can save features for specific brand palettes and assets, as well as direct content scheduling.

• Cons:

• Limited free options. Advanced tools are only available with a pro version.
• Toolset features. Design manipulation, such as layer management and typography, is less extensive than paid software.
• Limited exports. Struggles with direct-to-print exports and lacks various file formats.

9. Photopea

• Pricing: Freemium option available, premium from $5 per month, or donate $15 to remove ads for 30 days.

• Pros:

• Photoshop-like features. Offers advanced editing tools similar to Photoshop.
• Format support. Compatible with PSD and other file types.
• Mockup capabilities. Suitable for complex t-shirt designs and mockup creation.
• Cost-effective. Core features are free to use and can produce high-quality designs.

• Cons:

• Ads in the free version. Advertising can only be disabled with a paid donation.
• Steep learning curve. Can be challenging for beginners.
• Internet dependency. Requires a stable internet connection to maintain project workflow.
• Limited templates. Fewer pre-designed templates for t-shirts than other dedicated software.

10. Vectr

• Pricing: Freemium is available with premium options starting at $3.99 per month.

• Pros:

• Ease of use. Beginner-friendly, and you can make designs quickly.
• Scalable graphics. Ideal for creating clean, resizable designs.
• Core functionality. All design tools are freely accessible – premium versions remove ads and offer more space and exclusive elements.

• Cons:

• Basic toolset. Lacks more advanced t-shirt design features.
• No offline mode. Relies on a stable internet connection for the web version.
• Design management. Less advanced for template creation compared to other software.

11. VistaCreate

Formerly known as Crello, VistaCreate is a graphic design tool that caters to a broad range of product design needs. It offers a drag-and-drop editor, numerous templates, and a vast library of images and design elements.

This tool is particularly useful for creating branded and ready-made t-shirt graphics.

• Pricing: Freemium and a pro version starting at $10 per month.

• Pros:

• Intuitive interface. Easy to use, even with limited design experience.
• Extensive library. Wide range of t-shirt design templates, images, and branding features.
• Format support. Exportable in various file formats for t-shirt printing.

• Cons:

• Limited advanced tools. Not suitable for complex graphic designs.
• Pro version dependency. Essential features and large assets behind a paywall.
• Device compatibility. While mobile features are included, they have mixed reviews in terms of quality.

12. InkScape

InkScape is a hands-on graphics drawing software favored by many professional designers. It’s praised as a free high-end alternative to options like Adobe Illustrator.

Tailored for vector editing, InkScape has a very easy setup and features extensive editing tools, dynamic font options, stylized effects, and precise measuring guidelines. InkScape ensures vector images are exportable in a format compatible with t-shirt printing.

• Pricing: Free

• Pros:

• Comprehensive tools. A wide range of tools for extensive design capabilities.
• Pixel-to-vector conversion. Easily converts pixel bitmaps to vector images.
• Cross-platform compatibility. Works seamlessly on all major operating systems.

• Cons:

• Initial learning curve. Users may face an initial learning curve.
• Limited previews. Lack of dedicated t-shirt templates and previews.
• Not very intuitive. Mixed reviews about the interface layout.

13. Kittl

• Pricing: Freemium or pro subscriptions starting from $15 per month or $120 annually.

• Pros:

• Creative flexibility. Wide range of artistic tools for illustrative designs.
• User-friendly. Great for beginners and experienced professionals.
• High-quality outputs. Suitable for high-quality and professional-level designs.

• Cons:

• Pro version limitations. Premium design assets are behind subscriptions.
• Learning curve. Some features may require practice and patience.
• Design tools. Harder for manipulating complex shapes and pixels than other software.

14. Fatpaint

Fatpaint is a free, browser-based design tool equipped with thousands of typefaces, hundreds of clip art images, and original templates from a community-driven collection.

Despite its basic layout, Fatpaint is a great graphic design software for t-shirts, offering a partnered print-on-demand service.

• Pricing: Freemium, or get a Fatpaint Pro subscription for $9 per month.

• Pros:

• Diverse library. Incorporate multiple assets and a massive range of templates.
• Printing services. Features web-based custom-design t-shirt printing options.
• Free access. All essential features and templates are available free of charge.

• Cons:

• Outdated UI. Website interface appears outdated, with longer load times.
• Proprietary use. Commercial use of designs is allowed only under a paid subscription.
• Ad clutter. Ads and affiliate sponsorships can clutter the workspace.

15. Fotor

• Pricing: Freemium option and pro subscription at $8.99 per month or from $3.33 monthly if billed annually.

• Pros:

• Intuitive design interface. Easy for beginners and professionals.
• Rich template library. Diverse options for creative designs.
• Robust photo editing. Excels in photo-based t-shirt graphic design.

• Cons:

• Limited features. Not as many advanced functions as other vector graphics editor options.
• Pro features are restricted. Many essential tools are available only in the paid version.
• Focus on photo editing. More suited to photo-centric designs.

The best t-shirt design app or software varies for everyone. When designing t-shirts, consider factors like pricing, quality, print options, and the overall user experience.

With the Printify Product Creator, you can design a blank t-shirt from scratch, order it for yourself, or publish it online for your t-shirt business.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned designer, there are many t-shirt design apps to bring your unique creations to life. Count on Printify to help blend your artistic flair with practicality and market trends. Start designing today!