You are thinking about how to improve your vinyl cutting experience?
Are we looking for ways to meet the growing demands of the industry?
Does your inbuilt software not seem sufficient?
Then this is for you.
Most vinyl cutting comes with inbuilt software programs that may require subscriptions to unlock certain features. But lots of free software are available these days which can provide a better user interface, improved set of tools, better compatibility with a wide range of vinyl cutters and work with operating systems like windows. We hope to bring forth the best free Vinyl cutting software in 2020 via TechyHost. These free softwares are poised to make your life easier by giving you a lot of flexibility while working. Here are a few of the best vinyl cutting software ruling the industry at the moment.
1. Adobe illustrator
It was initially released in 1987 and underwent many updates during these years, and is now included as a part of adobe creative cloud.
This is one of the most widely used software by digital designers, artists, and illustrators worldwide.
It supports Windows and macOS and offers a free trial.
Pros:
- Wide range of drawing tools that help save time significantly.
- Image quality is independent of resolution(especially advantageous for large screens)
- We can sync and save documents to the adobe cloud.
- Ability to save files in various vector graphic formats like SVG, PDF, EPS, WMF, and VML.
- It can also import and export various file formats, including the most common file formats used. That eliminates the unnecessary hassle of converting into a certain file format.
Cons
- It can be hard for beginners, and it might take up to 6 months to master this software.
- Requires a lot of patience for sophisticated artworks.
- The interface seems similar to Photoshop.
2. Inkscape
A professional quality vector graphics software that runs on Linux, macOS, and windows. The easiest to use accessible design tool currently available in the market.
Pros
- Flexible and attractive collection drawing tools
- Large file format compatibility
- Useful Text tool
- Highly recommended for beginners
- User-friendly, easy to learn interface.
Cons
- Some complex features can be confusing for beginners
- For high-quality artworks, patience and practice is inevitable
- It cannot save documents in some file formats like jpg, jpeg, png.
- When working with large files, more patience is expected.
3. Sure Cuts A Lot
It is easy to use software that works on most vinyl machines except Cricut. It works on Windows and macOS, and a pro version is also available with additional features.
Pros
- Works with installed TrueType and OpenType fonts and a lot of other fonts.
- Can import file-formats including SVG,PDF,AI,WPC
- Unique drawing tools
- Over 200 built-in shapes
- Free technical support
Cons
- The user interface could have been better
- Need for better zooming options
- Node editing features needs an upgrade
4. Easy cut studio
It is a sign of making and vinyl cutting software. It supports vectorizing your images, and a built-in library includes hundreds of designs.
Pros
- Works with most vinyl cutters in the market (except Cricut)
- Works with both Windows and macOS.
- Available in 8 languages, including English.
- Supports USB, Bluetooth, ICP/IP, etc
- We can scan images directly into the software.
- Autofill function for laser engraving
- Weld text and shapes together.
Cons
- The user interface could be better
- Doesn’t work with Cricut machines.
5. CorelDRAW Home and Student suite for Vinyl cutting
It is innovative software specially designed to help students with projects. It makes photo editing quick and fun. The CorelDRAW graphic suite version can satisfy professional needs, and it has hundreds of preloaded creative templates that can be used when desired.
Pros
- Good for custom designs
- Easy to use interface
- Fast to load and operate.
- Extensive toolset
- The prepress aspect helps vinyl cutting
- Well suited for flyers, newsletters, and books
Cons
- The printing preview feature needs improvement
- Photo editing is not as sophisticated as photoshop
Conclusion for Vinyl cutting
We sincerely hope this helped and you understood how you can find vinyl cutting software. Most of the software programs mentioned above are compatible with a wide range of vinyl printers, and you can check their compatibility in the case before deciding on the software. Choosing the right software is a crucial step in vinyl printing, and if you want to know more about this software, you can always read an in-depth article. Few tutorials are available on the internet that can help you understand these software programs better. Being a beginner is not a problem but staying a beginner is. Don’t be afraid to try out new things and test your limits as the more you do more limits you lengths you can go. These efforts will prove to be fruitful in the end. Let’s level up to meet consumer standards. This will help you go to the lengths that you have always thought of.
Have fun printing!!