16 Best Design App For iPhone: To Unleash Your Creativity
As of 2022, 6.6 billion people use smartphones worldwide, and iPhone users make up 16% percent! This means software is constantly evolving to adapt its products into mobile versions for smartphones, including the Design industry!
As a designer, life gets easy if you bring out your iPhone and craft a masterpiece while taking the bus back home or on a 5 hours flight to enjoy Christmas with your family. So wouldn't it be nice if you could avoid the constant seriousness of designing with your laptop and unleash your creativity with an iPhone design app!
In this article, we will look at the best graphic design apps for iPhones. They come with quite several powerful features that will satisfy your design needs. So, without further ado, let's take a look.
Best Graphic Design Apps For iPhone
There are a lot of design apps available that you can get on your iPhone. But some apps just work better than others. The problem is that each person has their own preference and there's no real way to know which are the best apps. That's why I decided to create this list to show you the most useful and groundbreaking apps.
Name: Adobe Express
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free
Adobe has been around for ages, and all its creative cloud software has always exceeded expectations, and Adobe Express is not an exception. This iPhone-friendly app allows you to unleash your creativity and develop different illustrations at a lesser time. You can create social media posts, logos, flyers, and ads. You can also choose from many templates if you don't want to design from scratch.
For Adobe users, the good news is that you don't need a creative cloud subscription to use Adobe Express. It is free, and you can create gorgeous illustrations without a dime.
The good part is you don't have to be a designer to use Adobe Express. Unlike other Adobe software that requires a small learning curve, Adobe Express simplifies the whole process. So, if you are looking for a great iPhone app for design, Adobe Express is a powerful graphic design app.
Key Features
It has a free version
The small learning curve for non-designers/amateur designer
Ready-made templates and stock, royalty-free images
Trim and edit video clips
Resize images and convert image type
Remove background from images
2. Canva
Name: Canva
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free
As a designer, you must have heard of Canva. If not, let me bring you up to speed! Canva is an award-winning DIY, drag-and-drop software that has changed the design industry, especially for both new and professional graphic designers. It comes with every tool you need to design graphic designs, such as social media posts, flyers, logos, landing pages, and so much more.
What makes Canva is trusted choice is its simplicity and zero learning curve. Business owners who know nothing about designs can use them for their social media posts and achieve a professional look. It is also a go-to platform for professional graphic designers. Canva has truly made the act of graphic designing simple and accessible.
You should definitely check out these best Canva templates that make your Instagram stand out and how to create a brand board using Canva.
Canva comes with a free and premium version. The Free version is enough for business owners and any graphic designer looking to create simple designs. The premium version only has a few differences, like removing background from images, adding members, etc.
Key Features
Canva Brand kits
Millions of free templates
PDF Converter
Canva Image Enhancer: For photo editing
Video Trimmer
Background removal
Lots of Fonts and design freedom.
Name: Procreate Pocket
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free Trial
Procreate Pocket is the iPhone version of Procreate, originally designed for pads. Procreate has been one of the best iPhone apps to come up with crisp graphics, powerful illustrations, animations, texture drawings, and many more. Exclusive only to its users.
It comes with powerful tools and brushes that can give you various effects. So it is safe to say that Procreate replaces the physical canvas and brushes for designers and painters.
You can sketch and draw whatever your creativity brings, and it is not limited to graphic designers alone. Even calligraphy artists and painters can use Procreate Pocket with its various brush types and customizable brushes.
You can use Procreate Pocket to enhance photos, create designs from scratch, create animations and vector illustrations, and harmonize and modify using its unlimited layers. It is better enjoyed when you use your apple pencil for designs.
Check out the best Procreate classes for digital artists if you want to step up your game as a designer and sell your masterpieces.
Key Features
Access to various brush types and customizable brushes
Create motion designs
Filter library to enhance your designs
Wide range of color palettes
Color Harmony to always get the best colors for your design
Procreate Pocket is a powerful graphic design tool you have to get on your iPhone or iPad if you are serious about illustration and designing.
Name: Adobe Capture
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free
Adobe capture is the perfect tool for capturing colors and fonts and turning your sketches into vector graphics. In other words, Adobe capture allows you to bring up fonts and colors from an image or text. So, for example, let's say you upload a picture on Adobe Capture, it will bring out the main colors, and you can save it to use on other adobe software later, like Adobe photoshop sketch or Adobe illustrator.
In addition, you can vectorize shapes and use them later on any other Adobe software. Also, remember that you can create custom brushes that you can use later on your other Adobe design software.
Lastly, since it is part of the Adobe software, you can save your designs to the Adobe creative cloud library and use it on other Adobe software.
Key Features
Create custom brushes
Vectorize shapes and graphics for later use
Capture colors and fonts from images
Design textures and customize 3D shapes
Find out the fonts used in an image
Capture specific patterns for your design
5. Unfold
Name: Unfold
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free
Unfold is an online photo editor and graphic design tool most suitable for improving your Instagram stories and reels. It has many Instagram templates you can use for your next Instagram stories. You're also with editing features that you can use to enhance your photos.
For iOS users, you can upload your custom fonts, export your stories for sharing or download them. So, if you want an app created to spice up your Instagram stories, Unfold is a perfect choice.
Key Features
Post Scheduling feature
Multiple Bio sites
Lots of templates for your Instagram stories
Music integration
Upload custom fonts.
6. Color Grab
Name: Color Grab
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free
As a designer, color is one of the important elements to get right when designing stunning graphics. Getting the right shade can be a big determiner of how your design turns out. That is why having a color pick tool like Color Grab is a must-have for all designers.
Color Grab is a digital design tool that allows you to capture any color you see in your immediate surrounding. All you need to do is point your phone's camera to the object, and the app will tell you what color it should be with the HSV values and the hexadecimal value. This means you don't have to worry about getting the right value of the color for your next design.
Key Features
Color metering
Color palette generator
related article: 81+ Best Procreate Brushes For All Your Sketching And Drawing NeedsName: Go Daddy Studio
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free
GoDaddy Studio is a perfect design platform for business owners and designers looking to create a brand identity. It is a graphic design app with everything you need to design from scratch or choose a template to customize. In addition, GoDaddy studio is suitable for creating logos, social media posts, and Instagram posts.
The good part is that it comes with no learning curve, which means you can get the hang of it even if you know nothing about the design world. However, the selling point of this app for your iPhone is its curated templates. There is a stunning template for any design you are looking to create.
It also comes with editing tools for your images and color palette. GoDaddy is a great iPhone app for business owners looking to create a brand style.
Key Features
Stunning templates
Great font collections
Powerful photo editing features
Filters and understandable design features.
related article: 13+ Best Procreate Classes For Digital Artists8. Milanote
Name: Milanote
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free
Milanote is an organizational tool for creatives. It allows creative professionals to gather their thoughts and resources for design projects in one app. You can store links, attach documents, create to-do lists, and share resources on Milanote. In other words, you can organize your project into visual boards.
This is particularly helpful for designers that get ideas anywhere and at any time. All you need to do is to bring out your iPhone, go to Milanote and attach any idea that comes to mind.
What makes Milanote more versatile is that you can brainstorm and collaborate with other people on a particular project, which is super helpful if you are working as a team. In addition, other people can check out your designs or ideas and leave comments or make changes from anywhere in the world.
Milanote supports most kinds of files, and you can import editable files into Milanote. It also comes with a web clipper to store ideas from any website.
Key Features
Brainstorming and collaboration
Customizable templates
Note-taking and mind mapping
Task Progress Tracking
related article: 78+ Gifts For Artist & Art Lovers9. Splice
Name: Splice
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free trial
Splice is all about video editing. Splice is a video editor that amateurs and professionals can use without feeling overwhelmed. Splice features powerful editing features that can transform your videos as influencers or a TikToker.
You can speed up or slow down the rate of your video at specific time lapses depending on your intuition with the Speed Ramp feature. You also get a good editor workflow to keep track of all your projects. In addition, you get an option to change the color of your video at any time and even swap the background! How cool!
The best part is that you can do this on your iPhone, making Splice one of the best graphic design apps for video editing. Fortunately, Splice is free to use and requires a little learning curve to grasp the editing features fully. So let's take a look at some key features you stand to enjoy when you use Splice.
Key Features
Seamless import and export of files
Music integration into your vidos
Insert transition
Crop and refine videos
Varieties of effects to enhance videos.
related article: 51+ Best Gifts For Business Women 10. iArtbook
Name: artbook
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free
iArtbook is a professional painting and graphic design app that allows painters, illustrators, and designers to create stunning designs using realistic brushes and various effects and colors. See iArtbook as the free version of Procreate Pocket. It has many similar features to Procreate, and your design has unlimited layers. It has everything you need, from drawing sketches to full-blown designs and animations.
The great thing about iArtbook is that it is beginner-friendly and requires no learning curve. Even kids enjoy drawing with this app. This is one of the best iPhone apps you can use to practice your drawing as a designer, and it also comes with breathtaking pieces.
Key Features
User friendly
Unlimited layers
Customizable brushes
Blend Modes and Masks
Free to use
related article: 10+ Best AI Story Generator Tools For Fiction Compared11. Drawing Desk
Name: Drawing Desk
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free
Drawing desk is a family-friendly graphic design app that allows you to sketch, draw, doodle, paint, and color on the same app. Kids and adults love Drawing desk because of its elaborate features. For example, kids have access to 3500+ coloring pages that they can fill up, 3D brushes for painters and illustrators to bring their ideas to life, and a wholesome community from which you can draw inspiration. In addition, this app has many features that enable you to get the best out of your designs.
So, whether you are an aspiring artist looking for an app where you can sketch and doodle, or you are an advanced professional that wants a place to keep your creativity flowing, then Drawing desk is a great graphic design app.
Key Features
Built-in brush editor
Color Picker and Color Palette
13 drawing tools
A Kid’s Desk for kids to unleash their creativity
Multiple sharing platforms
related article: 35+ Best Adobe Fonts Pairings For Your Next Project12. Sketchbook
Name: Sketchbook
Short description:
Available for: iPad and selected tablets
Price: Free
You never know when an idea will pop up, so it is important to always have your sketchbook with you. But no, I am not talking about a physical sketchbook, but a digital sketchbook with advanced brushes and features that makes everything seamless.
Sketchbook is a powerful graphic design tool that considers the uncontrollable flow of creativity that designers usually have at the weirdest places. Therefore, they developed this app that allows you to sketch precisely and even create full artwork.
Sketchbook comes with a precision ruler, realistic brushes, color tools, symmetry tools, and much more.
Key Features
Unlimited layers
Blending modes and layer grouping
140 brushes with the ability to create new brushes
User-friendly
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Now that we've gone through twelve design apps for iPhone. Let's reveal our top three picks that we believe you will definitely enjoy and that will give you the best results.
1.Procreate Pocket
Although it is a paid app, Procreate Pocket has the best features for any graphic designer. You get realistic brushes ranging from watercolor brushes to acrylic paintbrushes. You also get to create motion designs and experiment with different designs.
2. Canva
Canva makes it to the list because of how easy it is to understand. You don't have to have any design experience to be able to use Canva. No wonder a lot of business owners rely on Canva for their branding. You can even build a quick website using Canva.
3. Milanote
Apart from designing, graphic designers also have to be able to collaborate and arrange their ideas and projects into visual boards, and that is what Milanote does. It allows you to create an archive where you can store your projects and other resources. You also get a whiteboard to collaborate with other team members.
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We've gone through the popular iPhone apps for graphic designers, and I am sure you were able to get the perfect match. If not, you can try out a few and see which one you are more comfortable with.
Designing doesn't need to be stressful or tied down to sitting behind a desk designing with a laptop. The joy of designing is being able to create stunning graphics wherever and whenever.