Inkscape

Interface design and prototyping in a browser

Figma is the browser route to vector design with a free tier, built around interface design and prototyping where Inkscape is general-purpose illustration saved as SVG.

Open source design you can host yourself

Penpot shares Inkscape's open-source posture and can be self-hosted, though it does its design work in the browser with a free tier rather than as a desktop app.

Free painting software built for drawing tablets

Krita is free painting software built for drawing tablets, for illustration rather than precise vector shapes.

Interface design with a one-time licence

Sketch is a vector design app for interfaces sold with a one-time licence from $12; it has no free tier, so it suits people who want a commercial editor without an ongoing subscription.

A logo and brand kit from a few answers

Looka at $20 produces a logo and brand kit from a few answers, an outcome rather than a canvas to draw it on.

Photo, vector and layout, free for individuals

Affinity covers vector work alongside photo and layout and is free for individuals, the closest commercial-grade swap for Inkscape that still avoids a subscription.

A free image editor for retouching and paint

GIMP is a free image editor for retouching and paint, pixels rather than the plain SVG vector work Inkscape writes.

Built for comics, and it shows

Clip Studio Paint is built for comics specifically, starting at $0.99 on a trial rather than free forever the way Inkscape is.

Thumbnails, covers and posts without a designer

Canva handles the covers, posts and quick graphic jobs many people open Inkscape for, working template-first in the browser, free to use with paid plans from $14.99.

Works with YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest

Paint on an iPad for the price of one lunch

Procreate is $13 once on an iPad, painting by hand where Inkscape draws with anchor points.