Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) often have limited resources, so it’s important to choose the right digital marketing tools to help you reach your target audience and grow your business.
Not everyone has a graphic designer at their disposal so I have come up with the following list to help you navigate some of the best and easy-to-use software for the African market:
- Canva – Is a graphic design tool that allows users to create professional-looking graphics, social media posts, presentations and other marketing materials without any design experience.
- Design Wizard – Is a simple and easy-to-use graphic design tool that is perfect for businesses that need to create quick and easy designs. It has a limited number of features, but is very easy to use and offers a free plan.
- Adobe Express (formerly Adobe Spark) – Is a freemium graphic design tool like Canva in many ways. It has a variety of templates and tools for creating social media graphics, presentations and other marketing materials.
- Snappa – Is another freemium graphic design tool that is similar to Canva. It has a wide variety of templates and tools for creating social media graphics, presentations and other marketing materials. Snappa is a good option for if you need a simple and easy-to-use tool.
- Vista Create (Formerly Crello) – Is another freemium graphic design tool that is similar to Canva. It has a wide variety of templates and tools for creating social media graphics, presentations, and other marketing materials. Vista Create is a good option for businesses that need a versatile tool that can be used for a variety of purposes.
How do they compare?
Here is a comparison table of the free plans to help you navigate the differences between each tool and choose the right one for your needs and business goals:
| Tool | Pros | Cons | Overall Rating & Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canva | Drag and drop interface AI powered design tools Wide variety of templates 5GB Cloud-based storage Prints can be ordered and delivered to your door | Can be slow on older computers Brand toolkit not available on free plan | 5/5 from R109,00 per month |
| Design Wizard | Simple interface Quick design creation Good for beginners Brand toolkit | Limited features Not as versatile as other tools Pay as you go download on free plan Only 15MB cloud storage | 3.5/5 from R190,00* per month |
| Adobe Express | Moderate number of templates and editing tools Limited access to Adobe Stock images and GIFs 25 AI generating credits per month | Not as easy to use as other software tools No cloud storage | 4/5 from R190,00* per month |
| Snappa | Wide variety of HD photos and graphics | Only 3 download per month on the free plan Very limited number of templates | 2/5 from R285,00* per month |
| VistaCreate | Brand Toolkit 10GB cloud storage for files and projects Scheduling and posting to Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest | No HD Downloads on free plan Not as easy to use as some of the tools on this list | 4.5/5 from R245,00* per month |
Rising Star
Microsoft Designer is a nimble little piece of software and you have access to all its amazing features for free if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription. There is a FREE preview version of the app but it has limited features and is currently used to collect user feedback and make improvements to the tool.
The generative AI on this app for both text and image is pretty neat. I didn’t include it on the comparison table as its not a subscription based app but bolts on to a bigger service offering from Microsoft at this time.
Overall Rating: 5/5
Ultimately the best tool will depend on your specific needs and budget. Most micro and small businesses don’t have the budget for a design professional and that’s where these tools will be able to add the most value to you and your business.
Until next time, let’s continue igniting MSME success.
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