Vector graphics are especially great for logos and illustrations since you can make them as large as needed without losing detail. But working with them can be tricky if you aren’t familiar with concepts like paths and compound shapes. Logoist can help: Even if you don’t know what a Bézier curve is, the app’s friendly interface and helpful presets make vector editing approachable.

What we love: Logoist’s versatility. Beginners can learn by using predefined shapes, or use AI to generate vector images from a description. Vector veterans can speed through freehand sketches, craft and adjust sketches using LiveShapes, fill letters and other forms with custom objects and take advantage of sophisticated tools such as Boolean operations to combine shapes. Users of all levels can apply gorgeous, non-destructive effects with a few clicks, then dig into detailed settings to fine-tune.

Quick tip: If you find yourself staring at a blank canvas, go to File > New from Preset. You’ll find scores of templates for everything from logos to business and greeting cards, along with complex images you can explore to learn how they’re made. Or try the 1-2-3 Logo tool: Type in a name and Logoist will automatically create dozens of image ideas you can customise to get just the right look.

Meet the creator: Mendel Kucharzeck, a coder since childhood, founded Synium in 2005. The company released Logoist in 2012 as a simple logo creation tool but feedback from users (and the company’s own employees) encouraged the app’s evolution into a powerful – but always fun and easy to use – vector design app.