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

Top 10 Alternatives to Stencil in 2025

In the ever-evolving world of graphic design, new tools continuously emerge to meet diverse creative needs. While Stencil remains popular, several other alternatives offer unique features and capabilities. This article explores the top 10 Stencil alternatives in 2025, comparing them in terms of ease of use, features, pricing, and more.

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1. Canva

Ease of Use: Simple drag-and-drop interface, suitable for beginners and non-designers.
Templates: Offers a wide array of pre-designed templates for various projects.
Features: Includes AI tools for image editing and text generation, stock photos, and video editing capabilities.
Collaboration: Supports sharing and publishing designs across different platforms.
Pricing: Offers free options as well as paid plans starting at $15/month. Learn more about Canva

2. Adobe Photoshop

Features: Layer-based editing, comprehensive photo retouching, and generative AI capabilities.
Industry Standard: Considered the standard for photo editing and graphic design.
Functionality: Suitable for a wide range of tasks from photo manipulation to creating graphics.
AI Tools: Incorporates generative AI features to enhance creativity.
Pricing: Subscription based, starts at $20.99/month. Explore Adobe Photoshop

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3. Adobe Illustrator

Vector-Based: Specializes in vector graphics for scalable designs.
Typography: Offers extensive options for typography.
Color Manipulation: Provides advanced tools for color manipulation.
Professional Use: Widely used for professional logo design and illustrations.
Pricing: Subscription based, starts at $20.99/month. Discover Adobe Illustrator

4. Figma

Collaboration: Enables real-time collaboration for remote teams.
Functionality: Supports wireframing, prototyping, and design in one platform.
Adaptability: Suitable for both design and prototyping tasks.
Integration: Includes integrations with AI tools for testing and insights.
Pricing: Offers free and paid plans with different features. Learn more about Figma

5. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

Cost: Free and open-source.
Functionality: Offers a wide range of photo editing and graphic design tools.
Customization: Highly customizable with plugins.
Platform: Suitable for Linux-based operating systems.
Community Support: Supported by an active community. Explore GIMP

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6. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite

Features: Includes multi-page layout design, interactive PDFs, and dynamic publishing options.
Use Cases: Suitable for logo design, marketing materials, and product packaging.
Vector-Based: Strong in vector illustration and design.
Pricing: Available as one-time purchase or subscription.
Functionality: Suitable for both print and digital design. Discover CorelDRAW Graphics Suite

7. Pixlr

Accessibility: Web-oriented for easy access.
Photo Editing: Offers a good range of tools for photo editing.
Use Cases: Suitable for both photo editing and general graphic design.
User Interface: User friendly.
Pricing: Offers free and paid plans with varying features. Learn more about Pixlr

8. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic

Photo Management: Excellent for organizing large photo libraries.
Editing Tools: Offers a range of editing and enhancement features.
User Interface: User friendly interface for professionals and beginners alike.
Professional Use: Popular among photographers for post-processing.
Integration: Part of the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem. Explore Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic

9. Affinity Designer

Vector Design: Known for its powerful vector design tools.
User Interface: User friendly interface.
One Time Purchase: Available for a one-time purchase.
Compatibility: Compatible across various platforms.
Professional Use: Suitable for professional graphic designers. Discover Affinity Designer

10. Microsoft Copilot

Cost: Free to use.
AI Image Generation: Creates images from text prompts quickly.
AI Edits: Provides AI-powered edits and filters after image creation.
Accessibility: Accessible via Bing apps and other platforms.
AI Tech: Uses GPT-4 and DALL-E 3 AI tech.

These alternatives offer a range of features and capabilities, suitable for various users from beginners to professionals. Each has its strengths, making them strong alternatives to Stencil in 2025.

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FAQ

1. What is a user-friendly alternative to Stencil for beginners?

Canva is a highly recommended alternative for beginners due to its simple drag-and-drop interface and extensive template library. Learn more about Canva

2. What is a professional alternative to Stencil for photo editing?

Adobe Photoshop is considered the industry standard for photo editing and offers advanced tools for detailed photo manipulation. Discover Adobe Photoshop

3. Which alternative is best for creating vector graphics?

Adobe Illustrator excels in vector-based graphic design and is widely used for professional logo designs and scalable graphics. Explore Adobe Illustrator

4. What tool offers real-time collaboration for design and prototyping?

Figma is known for its real-time collaboration features, making it ideal for remote design and prototyping tasks. Check out Figma

5. Is there a free alternative to Stencil for image editing?

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free and open-source image editing software that offers a wide range of tools for photo editing and graphic design. Learn more about GIMP

6. Which alternative is suitable for both print and digital design?

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite offers versatile tools for vector illustration, page layout, and interactive PDF creation, suitable for both print and digital design. Discover CorelDRAW Graphics Suite

7. What is a web-based alternative to Stencil for photo editing?

Pixlr is a web-based photo editing and graphic design tool known for its ease of use and accessibility. Explore Pixlr

8. What software is best for managing and editing large photo libraries?

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is excellent for organizing large photo libraries and offers comprehensive editing tools for enhancing photos. Learn more about Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic

9. What is a cost-effective vector design software?

Affinity Designer is a powerful vector graphics editor available for a one-time purchase, making it a cost-effective alternative to Adobe Illustrator. Check out Affinity Designer

10. Which AI tool can generate images from text prompts quickly?

Microsoft Copilot allows users to create images from text prompts using its powerful AI technology, accessible for free via Bing apps.

References

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

2025-06-29 07:31 Top Alternatives