Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving Microsoft Designer.
Want the closest match?
Adobe ExpressMost similar to Microsoft Designer in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens Adobe Express in a new tab)Need a free plan?
remove.bgHas a free plan, rated 4.6 out of 5.
Visit (opens remove.bg in a new tab)Want the lowest price?
Plus AI
From $10/mo, the lowest starting price here.
Visit (opens Plus AI in a new tab)Want the best rated?
AutoDrawRated 4.5 out of 5 in our review, against 4.1 for Microsoft Designer.
Visit (opens AutoDraw in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than Microsoft Designer, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Microsoft DesignerBaseline | 4.1 | Free | Yes | Microsoft's Canva competitor, backed by DALL-E image generation | |
| Adobe Express | 4.3+0.2 | $10/mo | Yes | Canva's simplicity, backed by Adobe's stock library and Firefly | vs Microsoft Designer |
| remove.bg | 4.6+0.5 | $9/mo | Yes | The original one-click background remover, now owned by Canva | vs Microsoft Designer |
 Google Stitch | 4.2+0.1 | Free | Yes | Google's AI design canvas, exporting straight into Figma or code | vs Microsoft Designer |
| Plus AI | 4.3+0.2 | $10/mo | No | AI slide generation that lives inside Google Slides and PowerPoint | vs Microsoft Designer |
 Mockuplabs | 3.7−0.4 | Free | Yes | Product mockups that stay editable, plus the rest of the listing page. | vs Microsoft Designer |
 LogoMakr | 3.7−0.4 | $29/mo | Yes | Describe your business, get original AI-generated logo concepts in seconds, then fine-tune on a full design canvas - free until you download. | vs Microsoft Designer |
| AutoDraw | 4.5+0.4 | Free | Yes | A free 2017 Google experiment that still cleans up rough doodles | vs Microsoft Designer |
 Gliffy | 3.7−0.4 | Not listed | No | Diagramming built for Confluence and Jira, with AI diagram generation from a prompt and drag-and-drop editing inside the page. | vs Microsoft Designer |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches Microsoft Designer.
Adobe Express
4.3$10/mo
vs Microsoft Designer+0.2
Canva's simplicity, backed by Adobe's stock library and Firefly.
- Template-first, quick design editing
- Direct access to Firefly image generation
- Adobe Stock photo and font library included
Direct Firefly integration for AI-generated content within designs
Smaller template variety than Canva's larger, longer-established library
remove.bg
4.6$9/mo
vs Microsoft Designer+0.5
The original one-click background remover, now owned by Canva.
- Originated one-click background removal as a mainstream category
- Founded by Austrian startup Kaleido AI in 2018
- Acquired by Canva in 2021
Genuinely pioneered the category most competitors now compete in
Higher resolution and batch processing require a paid plan
Google Stitch
4.2Free
vs Microsoft Designer+0.1
Google's AI design canvas, exporting straight into Figma or code.
- AI-native design canvas built on Gemini models
- Generation from text prompts, sketches, or screenshots
- Direct export to Figma or HTML/CSS code
Direct export to both Figma and code streamlines design-to-development handoff
Free generation limits are more restrictive on the higher-quality Pro mode
Plus AI
4.3$10/mo
vs Microsoft Designer+0.2
AI slide generation that lives inside Google Slides and PowerPoint.
- AI generation embedded inside Google Slides and PowerPoint
- No separate standalone app or file format to manage
- Works within existing team templates and brand assets
No migration needed for teams already using Slides or PowerPoint
No free tier to test before committing
Mockuplabs
3.7Free
vs Microsoft Designer−0.4
Product mockups that stay editable, plus the rest of the listing page.
- Editable, reusable mockups rather than one-shot images
- Complete product detail page asset generation
- 30,000+ ready-to-use mockup templates
Reusable templates suit catalogues, where one-shot generators fail
Generated main images can breach marketplace accuracy rules
LogoMakr
3.7$29/mo
vs Microsoft Designer−0.4
Describe your business, get original AI-generated logo concepts in seconds, then fine-tune on a full design canvas - free until you download.
- AI-generated logo concepts from business name, industry, and style
- Full drag-and-drop design canvas for refinement
- Editable professional starting templates
Free to design and preview - only pay when you download
Self-design output quality still depends on how much you refine it
AutoDraw
4.5Free
vs Microsoft Designer+0.4
A free 2017 Google experiment that still cleans up rough doodles.
- Matches rough doodles to professional icon-style illustrations
- Completely free with no account required
- Library of illustrations from working artists
Genuinely free with no signup or payment required
Limited to simple icon-style illustrations, not complex artwork
Gliffy
3.7Not listed
vs Microsoft Designer−0.4
Diagramming built for Confluence and Jira, with AI diagram generation from a prompt and drag-and-drop editing inside the page.
- AI diagram generation from a description
- Native Confluence and Jira integration
- In-page editing so diagrams stay current with the docs
In-page editing keeps diagrams from going stale the way exported images do
The main advantage disappears if you do not use Confluence or Jira
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is Microsoft Designer free?
Microsoft Designer has a free plan.
What is the best free alternative to Microsoft Designer?
remove.bg is the highest-rated alternative here with a free plan (4.6 out of 5). Other free options: AutoDraw, Adobe Express, Google Stitch.
What is the cheapest alternative to Microsoft Designer?
Among paid plans, remove.bg has the lowest starting price (from $9/mo). If you need it free, start with remove.bg.
How did you pick these alternatives?
We match tools on what they do, their category and their price, using the details in our directory. Ratings come from our reviews and reader reviews.