Best Design Apps for MacBook

1. Adobe Creative Cloud: The All-in-One Solution

Adobe Creative Cloud is perhaps the most well-known suite of design apps available on any platform, and it’s particularly well-optimized for MacBook. The suite includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, XD, and many other applications that are industry standards.

Key Features:

• Photoshop: Best for photo editing, retouching, and compositing.
• Illustrator: Perfect for creating vector graphics, logos, and illustrations.
• InDesign: Ideal for page layout and design, particularly for print media.
• XD: A powerful tool for UX/UI design, wireframing, and prototyping.

Pricing: Adobe Creative Cloud operates on a subscription model, with various plans starting at $9.99/month for individual apps and $52.99/month for the full suite.

Why Choose Adobe Creative Cloud?

• Comprehensive: Everything a designer could need is included in one package.
• Industry Standard: Most professionals in design-related fields are familiar with Adobe’s tools, making collaboration easier.
• Frequent Updates: Adobe consistently adds new features and improvements to their apps.

2. Sketch: Best for UI/UX Design

Sketch is a vector-based design tool that's become a staple in the world of UI and UX design. It’s lightweight, Mac-exclusive, and offers a robust set of features tailored to the needs of modern designers.

Key Features:

• Artboards: Organize your work in a scalable, flexible workspace.
• Symbols: Create reusable components that streamline the design process.
• Collaborative: Share designs easily with teams and stakeholders.

Pricing: Sketch requires a one-time purchase of $99 for a year of updates, with optional renewals each year.

Why Choose Sketch?

• Specialized for UI/UX: Focused on web and app design, with tools that cater specifically to these fields.
• Efficient: Faster and more intuitive for digital design than some larger suites like Adobe.
• Community Support: Extensive plugin ecosystem and community resources.

3. Affinity Designer: A Powerful Alternative to Adobe

Affinity Designer is a versatile vector graphic design app that rivals Adobe Illustrator. It’s known for being affordable while offering a rich feature set.

Key Features:

• Precision: Sub-pixel accuracy for precise layouts and designs.
• Performance: Fast and responsive, even with complex designs.
• Cross-platform: Available on both macOS and Windows, making it a good option for teams using different operating systems.

Pricing: A one-time payment of $54.99, with no subscription required.

Why Choose Affinity Designer?

• Cost-effective: A one-time payment makes it more affordable than Adobe’s subscription model.
• Comparable Features: Many of the same tools and features as Illustrator, without the need for ongoing payments.
• Growing Popularity: Increasingly popular among designers who want a robust tool without the Adobe price tag.

4. Figma: Best for Collaboration

Figma has taken the design world by storm with its cloud-based, collaborative approach to design. It’s particularly strong in UI/UX design, but its versatility makes it useful for a wide range of design tasks.

Key Features:

• Real-time Collaboration: Work with your team simultaneously on the same file, making it perfect for remote work.
• Prototyping: Create interactive prototypes directly within the app.
• Cross-platform: Works on any operating system through the browser, with a dedicated Mac app for offline work.

Pricing: Figma offers a free tier, with paid plans starting at $12/user/month.

Why Choose Figma?

• Collaboration: Ideal for teams that need to work together in real time.
• Accessible: Being browser-based means it’s accessible from virtually any device.
• Integrated Tools: Combines design, prototyping, and collaboration tools in one place.

5. Procreate: Best for Digital Illustrations

Procreate is an app that has gained immense popularity among digital illustrators. While it’s traditionally associated with iPad, the Procreate experience can also be brought to Mac through apps like Astropad, which mirror the iPad screen to a Mac.

Key Features:

• Brush Engine: Extensive brush library with customizable options.
• Layer System: Similar to Photoshop, with a focus on ease of use.
• Time-lapse: Automatically records your progress, allowing you to create shareable videos of your process.

Pricing: Procreate is a one-time purchase of $9.99 on iPad, with additional costs for apps like Astropad to integrate it with Mac.

Why Choose Procreate?

• Artistic Flexibility: Favored by illustrators and artists for its natural drawing feel.
• Affordable: One of the most cost-effective options for professional-level illustration.
• Portable: Works seamlessly between iPad and Mac, especially for artists on the go.

6. InVision Studio: Best for Prototyping

InVision Studio is a design and prototyping tool that’s particularly strong for creating high-fidelity prototypes and animations. It’s a robust alternative to Adobe XD or Figma, with some unique features that set it apart.

Key Features:

• Motion Design: Create advanced animations and transitions with ease.
• Responsive Design: Design with different screen sizes and orientations in mind.
• Collaboration: Like Figma, it offers robust collaborative tools.

Pricing: InVision Studio is free, with additional costs for premium features and collaboration tools.

Why Choose InVision Studio?

• Animation Tools: Superior motion design capabilities compared to other tools.
• Cost-effective: The core tool is free, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
• Integrations: Works well with other design tools like Sketch and Adobe XD.

7. Canva: Best for Beginners and Non-Designers

Canva is a web-based design tool that’s extremely user-friendly, making it a great choice for beginners or non-designers. It’s not as powerful as the other tools on this list, but for simple tasks like social media graphics or presentations, it’s hard to beat.

Key Features:

• Templates: Thousands of templates for everything from social media posts to presentations.
• Drag-and-Drop Interface: Extremely intuitive and easy to use.
• Stock Resources: Access to a large library of stock photos, illustrations, and icons.

Pricing: Canva offers a free tier, with premium plans starting at $12.99/month.

Why Choose Canva?

• Ease of Use: No design experience is necessary to create professional-looking designs.
• Templates: Makes it easy to start from a well-designed template and customize it to your needs.
• Affordable: The free tier is sufficient for many users, and even the premium plan is relatively inexpensive.

Conclusion: Choosing the Best Design App for Your Needs

Choosing the best design app for your MacBook depends on your specific needs and workflow. For those deeply entrenched in professional design, Adobe Creative Cloud offers a comprehensive suite of tools. UI/UX designers might prefer the streamlined capabilities of Sketch or the collaborative nature of Figma. For illustrators, Procreate (with Astropad) offers an unbeatable experience, while Affinity Designer and InVision Studio provide powerful alternatives at a lower cost. Finally, for beginners or those needing to create simple designs quickly, Canva is an excellent choice. Each of these apps has its strengths, and the best choice will depend on your specific requirements and budget.