Fe/male Switch: Your Startup Facilitator & Incubator for Women

Top 10 Open Source Alternatives to DesignBold in 2025

2025 has seen an emergence of powerful open-source alternatives to graphic design tools like DesignBold. Each of these tools offers unique features and capabilities that cater to a wide spectrum of design needs. From vector editing to full-fledged image manipulation, these open-source software options provide robust solutions for designers. Here are the top 10 open-source alternatives to DesignBold in 2025, with detailed data points for each.

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1. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

Features: Supports layers, masks, filters, and a wide range of file formats; customizable interface with many plugins available.
Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
Ease of Use: Has a steeper learning curve, especially for those familiar with other image editing software.
Use Cases: Photo manipulation, digital painting, graphic design, creating original artwork, and UI components.
Community: Large, active community for development, plugins, and support. Learn more about GIMP

2. Inkscape

Features: Tools for object creation, manipulation, path editing, text tools, node editing, and various export options including SVG; supports a wide range of formats.
Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
Ease of Use: While powerful, its interface can be complex and confusing for beginners.
Use Cases: Creating logos, icons, illustrations, and other scalable vector graphics.
Community: Active community that develops the software and provides support. Explore Inkscape

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3. Krita

Features: Brush engines, color management, layer management, and animation tools; also has robust vector capabilities.
Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
Ease of Use: Focused on digital painting, it is user-friendly for artists; however, it has a learning curve for vector editing.
Use Cases: Digital painting, concept art, illustrations, comics, textures for games, and more.
Community: Vibrant community, with active development and support, with many community provided brushes and resources. Discover Krita

4. Blender

Features: 3D modeling, sculpting, texturing, animation, rendering, and even video editing; also has a grease pencil feature for 2D drawing and animation.
Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
Ease of Use: Steep learning curve due to the complexity, but has extensive documentation and an active community.
Use Cases: 3D modeling, animation, visual effects, game design, and 2D animation, video editing, and even VR.
Community: Huge and dedicated community; with abundant tutorials and resources available. Learn more about Blender

5. Polotno Studio

Features: User-friendly drag-and-drop interface, extensive template library, and good collaboration options.
Platform: Web-based.
Ease of Use: Designed to be accessible for both beginners and professionals.
Use Cases: Creating visuals for various purposes without requiring software installation, design templates.

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6. Lunacy

Features: Strong layer editing capabilities, designed for UI/UX and web design; integrates with cloud storage for easy file management; compatible with Sketch files.
Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
Ease of Use: Aims for a user-friendly experience with fast performance.
Use Cases: UI/UX design, web design, graphic assets creation.
Community: Active community and responsive developers.

7. Gravit Designer

Features: Intuitive interface, a rich set of design tools, vector editing, and cross-platform compatibility.
Platform: Web-based, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS
Ease of Use: User-friendly and suitable for both beginners and experienced designers.
Use Cases: Vector design, creating illustrations, logos, and other graphics.
Community: Growing community and project that is actively maintained.

8. Vectr

Features: Simple, yet powerful vector graphics editing tools, supports real-time collaboration, and is available as a web app and desktop app.
Platform: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Ease of Use: Easy to use and ideal for beginners.
Use Cases: Basic vector graphics, icon design, and simple illustrations.
Community: Smaller community, but actively developed.

9. Penpot

Features: Designed for collaborative UI/UX design, with tools for prototyping, and design systems; aims to be a complete open-source alternative to Figma.
Platform: Web-based
Ease of Use: Built for UI/UX designers, with a focus on collaboration.
Use Cases: Collaborative UI/UX design, prototyping, and design systems.
Community: Active and growing community and open source project.

10. SVG-Edit

Features: A variety of vector graphics editing tools with a focus on SVG file editing and creation.
Platform: Web-based (can be used as a browser extension or widget)
Ease of Use: Lightweight and easy to use, especially for those familiar with vector editing.
Use Cases: Editing SVG files for websites and apps, simple illustrations.
Community: An open-source project that is actively developed by a community.

These open-source alternatives to DesignBold offer a range of features, from basic vector editing to advanced image manipulation and design collaboration. Whether you're a beginner or a professional designer, there's likely an option here that fits your needs. Each project benefits from active development and community support, ensuring that you'll have the tools and resources you need to create stunning designs.

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FAQ

1. What is a powerful open-source alternative to Adobe Photoshop?

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free, open-source image editor comparable to Adobe Photoshop, offering extensive image editing capabilities. Learn more about GIMP

2. Is there an open-source vector graphics editor?

Inkscape is a robust vector graphics editor that serves as an excellent open-source alternative to Adobe Illustrator. Discover Inkscape

3. What open-source software is recommended for digital painting?

Krita is highly recommended for digital painting and illustration, especially for creating concept art, comics, and textures. Explore Krita

4. Which open-source tool offers 3D modeling and animation?

Blender is a comprehensive 3D creation suite that also supports 2D animation and video editing. Learn more about Blender

5. Are there any open-source online design tools?

Polotno Studio is an open-source online design tool providing professional-grade graphic design capabilities directly in the browser.

6. What is a good open-source tool for UI/UX design?

Lunacy is a free graphic software specifically designed for UI, UX, and web design.

7. What is a versatile open-source graphic design software?

Gravit Designer is a versatile tool suitable for both professional designers and beginners, offering a rich set of design tools and cross-platform compatibility.

8. Is there a simple vector graphics editor available as open-source?

Vectr offers simple, yet powerful vector graphics editing and supports real-time collaboration across multiple platforms.

9. Which open-source platform is focused on collaborative UI/UX design?

Penpot is an open-source design and prototyping platform that emphasizes collaboration in UI/UX projects.

10. What tool is optimal for editing SVG files?

SVG-Edit is a web-based, open-source vector graphics editor designed specifically for editing and creating SVG files.

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.

Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).

She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.

For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

Mission and Purpose

Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

Key Features

The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:

Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:

3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
100+ startup tools built
5,000+ pieces of articles and news written

Partnerships

Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.

Recognition

Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.

Violetta Bonenkamp

2025-08-23 07:17 Top Alternatives