CorelDRAW Software Reviews, Pros and Cons (2024)

Reviewed May 2021

Fantastic software!

Reviewed September 2022

Best Graphic Designing Tool

All in all Corel was made with graphic designers in mind, all tools are easily accessible with easy to remember shortcuts too, the ability to drag and edit any object whether in curves, BMP, JPEG or text makes working within this software effortless.

PROS

Corel draw is on of the most user friendly software but yet powerful graphic design software's, most or all the tools needed like color pallets, pen tools, shapes, cropping tools, rulers and measurements plus many more tools are carefully placed on the screen so that I do not have to start looking for tools within the software menus or submenus while working, so in short its very convenient.

CONS

In order to edit images in Corel Draw it has to load Corel paint and now you have two software's for one simple edit, wasting both time and computer resources, that is processing power and RAM.

Reviewed August 2021

Explore CorelDraw

My creative juices are constantly flowing when I'm using this software, I just made a massive fashion catalog in a span of one week because the software reduces all the monotonous tasks I usually have to deal with to a minimal.

PROS

If you are a graphics professional looking for a powerful solution to boost your creativity, then look no further than the new CorelDRAW 2021 Graphics Suite. It amplifies the design process by giving you advanced illustrations and superb photo editing features that help you achieve nothing less than a masterpiece every time. The software comes with a versatility that will satisfy any creative need. It is an all-in-one graphic design suite for vector illustration, page layout, photo editing, font management and so much more.

CONS

I was not able to find any cons about the software, I tried so hard to see were the faults were but till this day, I have been nothing but pleased with it.

Reviewed June 2019

Corel Crash

I am a Corel Draw professional. Been using since Corel Draw2. I have upgraded just about everytime Corel came out with a new version. 2017 (19) was the last stable version. 2018 was terrible and 2019 seems to follow suite. I run it on W10 Pro on a Older MAC Pro (8 Core 32GB, 1G VC) using Parallels desktop PRO version. Do yourself a favor and learn illustrator!

PROS

Looks Fancy, has some cool drawing tools

CONS

Crashes all time, makes thing more complex than they need to be.

Reviewed February 2024

Ticks the Box for print & Cut

Having used CorelDraw for the last 10 years , its kept up with modern day needs , the subscription service is a neater way to stay up to date.

PROS

The Macro & Script feature , allows us to implement lots of different graphic layouts at the touch of a designated hot key.

CONS

The new layout lacked some intuitiveness.

Reviewed January 2024

Good Desiging tool for all

CorelDraw is very good designing software but compare to photoshop lot of features missing in CorelDraw. It's too slow processing and some tools are not working correctly So, completely I am not comfortable with CorelDraw.

PROS

CorelDRAW is Similar to photoshop all photoshop will easily handle to the CorelDRAW. They providing lot of Image editing options, and price wise very less compare to photoshop.

CONS

Pen tools not working properly Image and editing options are very complicated. More number of feature missing compare to photoshop it's very hard to handle Drag and Drop. It's not supported for low configuration laptops. Completely I am not comfortable with CorelDraw .

Reviewed January 2024

CoralDraw is the best

CorelDraw first helped me edit images now i can make adverts when my company employs more people and its very effective. This program is very cheap and fun to play with even if you have nothing to do. It makes everything you edit look very professional.

PROS

-Reasonable price -Good for beginners -Comes with a lot of pre-loaded functions -Easy to learn and handle -Compatible with all windows

CONS

-buying addition programs cost a lot -not part of more complete packages with constant updates

Reviewed December 2023

CorelDraw is still the best for a sign shop business!

Amazing, powerful and will be using it for years and years to come. Very user friendly and makes me a super hero when I am using it.

PROS

The price and the features of CorelDraw is not to ignore. Its the most versatile graphics software in my opinion.

CONS

The CorelDraw App is not as robust than the actual software. But I understand because its a web based software.

Reviewed September 2021

CorelDraw the best powerful graphic editor available

This software is really one of the best old software's for graphic and vector editing. It performs well once you get understanding on how to use it. I would urge people to use since learning how to use it not that complicated.

PROS

First what I liked about this software is because it is user friendly, it is easy to operate or use that software. Another this is its interface, it is so really simple in that I did not have any difficulty working with the features and components to come up with something productive. Another thing I like about this software is that it is available in more than platforms. Lastly it has an excellent collaboration tool in the comments sections which enables other users comment on its artwork without necessarily downloading the application.

CONS

Sometimes loading this application takes a lot time and this is really boring. Its pricing is somehow high compared to adobe related software's. It also has free version although it has limited features. I don't have much more negative about this software since it addresses all issues related to editing.

Reviewed October 2023

User friendly

PROS

I have been using this product for over 16 years. That alone means a lot. It helps display the creativity I feel inside

CONS

Can this product have a language interface

Reviewed October 2023

CorelDRAW for screen printing

so far i really enjoy it, its very easy to use and my kids like it to.

PROS

I love that I can use it with all my programs, computer and tablet

CONS

Sometimes, it cliches a lot, needs an update, and will crash and not save my work

Reviewed July 2022

Ease of Use for Tutors, Hardware considerations and Tools

Teaching this software comes with a bit of difficulty. I taught Corel Draw to High school students for years, and they struggled to recognise the tools as each new version was released quickly. However, there is some harmony in recent versions of icons in the app. I suggest user input is also taken to know the most used commands and make more of them readily handy. However, I have seen progress in this regard but not enough. I lose a lot of progress in my designs even when I save them because the app hangs halfway and erases my progress. My students wept when I instructed them to design MasterCard Debit cards because they shared the same experience. (Corel 2018). So it's definitely not I or my PC. More 3D effects need to be added, and they should be programmed into the app. More polls from designers will solve that issue for me. I experienced disharmony of colouring among varying hardware specifications. There should also be harmony in colours irrespective of hardware as long as the graphics requirement are met.

PROS

CorelDRAW gave me the flexibility to design anything my imagination could conceive. All the tools give the right effect in the right precision for whatever concept I dreamt of bringing to reality, and with ease. Ability to edit a document-like design in a document environment like MS-word is one of the best Experiences for designing a corporate letter headed document. It ensures you maintain document formatting of the originally typed text.

CONS

Limited tools for certain effects, which forces you to improvise and combine different effects and tools to achieve your goals. I designed Bitcoin graphics in two PCs with the same exact colour code in the same exact system requirements and got a little colour variation. So colour output varies a bit due to hardware considerations not being harmonized.

Reviewed June 2022

CorelDraw- amazing vector software when you don't need all those Adobe bells and whistles.

I wouldn't keep paying for Corel every year if it wasn't worth the cost. The software feels very intuitive to me, and is easy to become fluent with. It has so many features that I still don't even fully understand how to use, but with the help guide and large user following, it's easy to figure out. And the stuff that I do use, it's really good at.

PROS

The features I use the most are the image trace and vector editing. I first learned CorelDraw when I was working as a laser engraver, and it was relatively easy to learn compared to Adobe products. There is an extensive support forum and help guide that you can use if you aren't sure how to use a feature, or even if you aren't sure what feature you need to achieve a certain effect. Now that I own my own business, I bought my own license for the software and use it to design all of my custom products, company apparel, and most of my branding and marketing materials.

CONS

I do wish there were more image editing tools such as background eraser and a wider selection of filters and automatic presets for photos.

Reviewed July 2019

One of The Essential Software for Graphic Design

I have been using CorelDraw since i started my vocational highschool back around 2009. Currently i am using CorelDraw X7 to help me finish my work as Web and Graphic Designer. It isn't the most updated version but i can still find features or tools that i needed the most. I took Multimedia as my major when i was in highschool. I work a lot in creating vector image, especially for logo making. I work as Graphic Desiner as my side job when i went to college to help me cover up my bills. I work a lot in logo making, banner and flyer design and also some website layout design. I also did some comission art work for souvenirs or gift. Now i am using CorelDraw for building the brand of my company where i work a lot in graphic and visual for website and social media. CorelDraw is a part of my life i would say, if that doesn't sounds too cheesy. But seriously, CorelDraw has helped me in many aspects such as hobby, career and even financial. It is user friendly and challenging your creativity.

PROS

CorelDraw is one of the most essential software for graphic design. It helps you create many things such as vector illustration, logo, web graphics etc. It is easy to use and came with many advanced tools that you can use to build your professional project or art work. When you open the software to start a new project, it will first give you an option in which kind of graphic you would like to work. Start from the work area or page size, resolution and dimension. It is very important because it is related to the quality of your final project. Once you are in the work area or page, you can can always add a new page for each project but it will saved in one .cdr project file which i find it really convenient. Instead of having a lot of project file, you can have one project file which consist several works. Another thing, there is a hint tab which give you tips and tricks on designing.

CONS

As a graphic design software, CorelDraw have so many tools which is makes it a little difficult to use if you have never work with any of graphic design software before. But you can always read the manual, watching tutorials or read the hint tab. Even though it has many tools, CorelDraw still lack of photo editing tools or features but i can still use Corel Photo-Paint if ineed to do a photo editing

Reviewed April 2021

Essential program, but needs improvement

In general, Corel Draw is helping me to solve my business problems. What are my business problems? I needed an application suite where I could create a layout: flyer, business card, banner, billboard, newspapers, magazines and also pieces for social networks and Corel Draw with its versatility helped me a lot. I have been a Corel Draw user since version 11, I have been using it since 2005. As time goes by, it has improved getting faster and lighter, bringing more comfort and practicality to the user. However, improvements are still needed in the Corel Draw Suite, better integration with other applications, and it is possible to sell the programs separately, without the obligation to buy the complete suite. It is interesting that the value is lower in order to attract more and more users. From 0 to 10 stars, I consider the program to be 8.5 stars.

PROS

The Corel Draw application suite has features that are necessary to have a great workflow. Some features are impactful like the font manager, something very useful, as it is not necessary to install the fonts (typography) in the computer's operating system. Another good feature is the possibility of working with scale. This allows us to create a layout for cars, buses and billboards in a quiet and wise way. The product is very versatile, simple and easy to use. Integrating it with my business processes is extremely easy, enabling a very fast and productive learning curve.

CONS

The Corel Draw suite has many features that are excellent, but you need to improve many details. When working with many geometric points (or vectors), Corel Draw has a little difficulty in processing, even on a computer with a great processor, video card and memory. Another detail to be improved is the need to have more fluidity in some effects, to add existing effects on competitors: Adobe Illustrator and Affinity Designer. Improving the integration with EPS files made in Illustrator, as well as improving the integration of Illustrator - Corel Draw and Photoshop - Corel Draw is extremely necessary. What makes Corel Draw difficult to use is when it is necessary to work with files made in Illustrator, as many effects Corel Draw cannot read. Despite the flaws, there was not much difficulty in integrating Corel Draw with my business processes.

Reviewed March 2023

CorelDRAW - A Comprehensive Vector Graphics Editor

Overall, CorelDRAW is an excellent vector graphics editor that offers a wide range of tools and features for creating professional designs. Its intuitive user interface, vast library of templates and clip art, and robust set of drawing and photo editing tools make it a favorite among designers and artists.

PROS

Intuitive User Interface: CorelDRAW's user interface is well-organized, customizable, and easy to navigate, making it simple for both beginners and professionals to use.Vast Library of Templates and Clip Art: CorelDRAW has an extensive library of templates, clip art, and fonts that can be used to jump-start any project.Robust Set of Drawing Tools: CorelDRAW offers a wide range of pen and brush tools, geometric shapes, and other drawing tools to create custom designs and layouts.Advanced Image Editing Features: CorelDRAW supports a range of advanced image editing features, such as color correction, image retouching, and masking.Multi-Page Document Support: CorelDRAW's advanced layout tools make it easy to create multi-page documents, such as brochures, booklets, and magazines.Versatile Export Options: CorelDRAW supports a variety of file formats, including PDF, EPS, and SVG, making it easy to export designs for various purposes.Regular Updates and Improvements: CorelDRAW receives regular updates and improvements, ensuring that users always have access to the latest tools and features.

CONS

Steep Learning Curve: While CorelDRAW's user interface is intuitive, it can still take some time to learn all of the software's features and tools.Resource-Intensive: CorelDRAW can be resource-intensive, particularly when working with large files or complex designs. This can lead to slower performance on older or less powerful computers.Limited Compatibility: CorelDRAW's file formats are not always compatible with other software, which can cause issues when collaborating with others or sharing files.Price: CorelDRAW can be expensive compared to other graphic design software options, especially for individuals or small businesses on a budget.Customer Support: Some users have reported issues with CorelDRAW's customer support, citing long wait times or unhelpful responses.Lack of Integration with Other Software: CorelDRAW doesn't always integrate well with other software, which can be a downside for users who rely on other tools or platforms in their design workflows.

Reviewed January 2021

Best illustration software around

I have been using versions of this program for over 15 years, mostly for sign making, but also printed brochures, and web graphics. I have used the comparable Adobe products, I find this much better. However Adobe won't import CDR files, and there may be issues if you are dealing with designers that us Adobe.

PROS

Very well featured, comes with an amazing tool set, plus a separate but integrated full featured photo editing software, similar to Photoshop, and a font organizer, and other optional goodies. Multi page layout, can import almost any other graphics such as PSD, AI, DXF, PDF, DOC and all image formats. Imports generally work fine, though with occasional formatting glitches that need to be worked around. It's main strength is as a vector graphics editing software- though not simple, it's way easier and more intuitive than any other I've tried. Currently you can still buy the software, but it may go to a subscription plan in the near future. For cross platform, the save as PDF seems very reliable. The newest version is available for Mac, older ones were only Windows.

CONS

This actually has way more features than I can ever use, frankly for my purposes I could have stayed with a much earlier version, however Windows upgrades forced me into the newer versions. Some of the versions were very buggy, but the one I'm using 2018 seems pretty stable, though can get slow even with fairly simple work. Support is inconsistent, but there's a lot of online forums.

Reviewed March 2018

Simply a great and useful graphing program.

In general it has allowed me to represent with excellent quality, the various products for whose development I have used this software. I am currently testing the latest version 2017 and the LiveSketch tool is really sensational as it allows to draw freehand vector curves directly on the screen, being very promising the tests that I have and am doing.

PROS

What I find most remarkable is its vectorial character, a quality that is very useful especially when the work done has to be enlarged or printed in large size, because if it were based on pixels, the sharpness of the image would be lost on which one worked. Another good feature is that it works based on objects that are independent of each other, and it is also multipage (which significantly differentiates it from similar programs such as Illustrator that is not). Also worth noting is the fact that it is one of the few commercial software that can be installed indiscriminately on a PC, or on a mac (apple) and even under Linux, allowing to save, import and export documents from a wide range of formats such as: Adobe Illustrator , PCT (Macintosh PICT), PSD (Adobe photoShop), etc

CONS

The basic disadvantage that I find is the same as it applies to any graphic software of vector character: you must have a computer equipped with a powerful and powerful processor that allows you to perform all the calculations necessary to design with this software, a task that becomes a lot slower to the extent that the number of data rises, as more elaborate designs are desired. In particular work with surfaces composed of a large number of points, because they must be characterized with enough detail, and in a number of occasions I had to "filter" the number of data that make up that surface to use the software and get results in a peremptory time On the other hand, it is not compatible with freeware programs such as the inskcape.

Reviewed March 2022

Graphic Design Made Easy with CorelDraw!

I mostly do my graphic designs with CorelDraw and it has served me for so many years. Honestly, it is very reliable and can be used by anybody interested in designs generally. It only takes a little consistency.

PROS

I especially like the way CorelDraw improves on each upgrades to their software. The introduction of Artificial Intelligence is especially endearing to me. The developers recognise the competition in the AI field and the potential it has in assisting designers to finish up a task without too much strain. This is quite useful. I also appreciate the variety of tools available in CorelDraw, it makes it easy to apply different approaches to achieve a project in a much more creative way. Integration with other applications is another feature of this software that I appreciate. I can easily drag typed documents in MS Word to the Corel platform and continue my job.

CONS

One major issue I often have with the software is that it sometimes crashes when I am working with heavy files. Although, I know that the memory of the computer contributes to a large extent but I suggest that the developers still have a look into this. Also, the volume of tools to be learnt in the Corel space can be somewhat overwhelming, especially for new users. In addition, Corel files saved in later versions do not open in earlier versions. If the developers can also do something about this, it will make working with the software more user-friendly.

Reviewed March 2022

Graphic design program of the highest quality and ease of use

Using CorelDraw, you can create professional designs and artworks. Because this program can import and export a wide variety of graphic files, it can be used for a wide variety of graphic design projects. Print materials such as brochures, posters, banners, flyers, and business cards may all be created with CorelDraw. It's also quite easy for us to come up with a lot of various layouts so that we can provide solutions with a variety of options.

PROS

The quality of this tool much exceeds the scope of any evaluation. No review, in my opinion, could do it justice. It's clear to me that this software has made my design team more efficient. You may use CorelDraw to turn a raster image into a vector design with ease. In terms of ease of use, the dynamic asset management tool is unmatched. Additionally, it features the best font management system in the world. You won't need to purchase any further tools after purchasing the suite. Everything you need is included in the suite and may be easily coupled with other modules to create new and better solutions. My team also benefits greatly from the assistance provided by the developers.

CONS

Even though it's wonderful for beginners, it's not industry standard, making it difficult for teams to collaborate. CorelDRAW has a bad reputation for being a bit of a volatile beast. The program will slow down, stall, and in many cases stop working completely if you switch between different tools too quickly.

Reviewed February 2021

Image Manipulation at a mouse click

Overall, this app has all the functionalities needed to create professional outputs of your image projects, has a lot of options for effects, nice and smooth rendering, added vector function and ability to export in different formats.

PROS

This was the first app I used for my photo manipulation projects and although it was quite overwhelming learning its interface at first, it was worth it. I was lazy to learn this until I discovered tricks like background removal, masking effects, recoloring, making composites and collages, recoloring, deblurring, etc. These functionalities make a not so professional picture turn into a pro by a few mouse clicks. I also learned from this software how important vector graphics is when I learned about logo and icon creation, since it avoids the hassle of resizing non high resolution images into a bigger canvass which ends up pixelated. The vector functionality allowed me create my own designs as I was fascinated by Manga and anime at that time. In addition, the paths function was really amazing as it allows text to follow the contours of my image designs.

CONS

All I can say is that this app requires higher RAM, like most multimedia apps, as it creates lagtime especially when stacking up multiple layers with high resolution and large image sizes.

Reviewed November 2019

coreldraw - perfect for layouts

we use it for layouting plans, text and renderings. as soon as one understands how the software works one can produce great layouts within short amounts of time.

PROS

powerful tool when it comes to layouting plans, text and renderings. images are referenced, so any change of the image is also done within corel, which is great and saves a lot of time. we created a number of templates, so for different uses like presentations, competitions we use different templates. this saves time and energy to concentrate on the quality of the work displayed. with many export options, nearly any professional software can be addressed, like photoshop or illustrator.

CONS

the price. corel draw is a professional software, with very deep and complex workflows and possibilities, this comes with a price.

Reviewed April 2022

Quality above it all always, that is CorelDRAW!

I can’t complain at all. The quality of my service increased a lot and my design team is working faster and happier. The quality of CorelDRAW is fantastic, even with their minor issues.

PROS

This software is extremely user friendly, nobody in my team had troubles with it. It has a multi page layout function that helps A LOT when we’re making large reports. High resolution in this software is the default, it’s incredible! It also has the ability to mantain this high resolution exporting into various formats.

CONS

Sometimes, when exporting to PNG, the archive corrupts somehow, I’ve had 2 transparent files that wasn’t 100% transparent. Everytime that the software upgrades, some things change their place or name, thats a bit cofusing at first, but you get used to it.

Reviewed June 2023

CorelDraw Review

PROS

I find CorelDRAW Graphics Suite to be a powerful vector graphics editor that offers a variety of impactful features. With its dedicated Symmetry feature, I can create symmetrical objects and designs in real-time, saving me valuable time. The software also provides tools like Draw in Perspective, LiveSketch, and Pointillizer, which I find efficient and user-friendly. I appreciate how the workspace is organized and the design and layout functionality is seamlessly integrated, making it easy for me to navigate and use. Additionally, the extensive file compatibility allows me to smoothly transition from other software applications. As a graphic designer, illustrator, and digital artist, I believe CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is an excellent choice, offering both power and intuitive usability for my creative work.

CONS

It doesn't support importing a lot of other types of file especially when they are not saved as .cdr

Reviewed July 2022

My Opinion about Corel Draw

Corel draw has been good overall,I definitely like that over time, there have been so many enhancement to Corel Draw.

PROS

When choosing a graphic design software based on ease, I will definitely choose Corel Draw. And when Compared to a design software I use often, corel draw doesn't work based on layers, I consider this a great relieve.

CONS

There is nothing I can think of right now, but nevertheless, improvement is bliss