17 Best Software for Screen Printing
Screen Printing is one of the most popular printing techniques there is today. Amateur designers, small-scale businesses, and even large-scale companies are now embracing this type of printing. But like the other printing techniques, it involves a broad process that results in high-quality outcomes. To come up with the highest quality screen printing, you need to have a great companion, and that would be screen printing software.
Top 17 Best Software for Screen Printing
It is not hard to look for design softwares that work well with screen printing because there are many out there. And we prepared a list of the best softwares that you can choose from depending on your needs. We grouped these softwares into two categories: Graphic Design and Color Separation.
Graphic Design Softwares
1. Adobe Illustrator
This powerful and widely used printing software is number one on our list like many professional designers. This software has the best features suited for any method of printing making it the industry standard for art creation. You can find all the amazing tools needed to create clear-cut and vibrant images perfect for screen prints in this software
When it comes to screen printing, this graphic design software is much favored over Photoshop because of its ability to work with vector images. Adobe Illustrator uses vector images as its base image. This type of images are chosen for screen printing because they can be resized without the loss of image details.
Although Illustrator comes with a hefty price and a longer learning curve, it is worth every penny and effort.
2. CorelDraw
CorelDraw is also a great software for screen printing. It is one of the most popular programs when it comes to creating vectors. It has a lot of tools for designing, editing, and illustrating images. A wide array of colors, fonts, templates, clipart, images, stickers, and other art stuff that are not usually in other design software are among its best features. You can create as many designs as you desire.
You only need to pay a one-time payment to get the full features and enjoy this software for your screen printing business.
3. Inkscape
Inkscape is another software best for screen printing. It is free to use and is open source. There is an impressive range of features that is comparable to Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw in this design software. It is perfect for handling and editing vectors. For small businesses and amateur designers, this software is an excellent choice.
Since it is free to use, it requires some time to learn. But, it has developed a quick fan base and online community that offers help and support especially when it comes to screen print.
4. Affinity Designer
The Affinity Designer software is built for professional use. It caters to both vector and raster images. With its competitive tools and features, designers can create complex and unconventional images that are great for screen printing. It can handle large images and control various projects at the same time. Color separation is also simple and easy with Affinity.
This software has gained a reputation for providing the right amount of tools for screen printers. The best thing about this software is that it comes with an enticing reasonable price.
5. GIMP
This is another free open-source design software compatible with screen printers. While it focuses on editing raster than vector images, it comes with upgraded plug-ins that can cater to every design printing needs. GIMP has extensive photo editing tools that are well complemented with a variety of printing features.
6. GraffixPro Studio
The main feature of this software is personalization. While other design software involves the beginning-to-end process of designing images, GraphixPro Studio works best by providing you with the final steps of the process. Because on-the-spot customization is a trend in the printing industry, this software is offering a personalization process making shop and business owners maximize their profit potential.
Its comprehensive features include a wide selection of font collections, color matching, variable data, and a quote generator. This software is recommended for printing studio business as it has a one-time sale price.
7. Fatpaint
Among the most advanced online graphic design software is Fatpaint. It comprises of a vector image editor, photo editor, and page layout maker. There are many graphic tools and resources to choose from. It also has a wide selection of functionalities and most of them are free.
8. Canva
When it comes to graphic design, this web-based design software is a good competitor. Canva’s collection of features works well with any design method like screen printing. It is easy to use with its large assortment of templates that might include everything you need for a design.
Color Separation Softwares
9. EZ ScreenPrint
The screen printing process requires color separation tools to separate screens for every color image. The EZ Screen is the best in the game. It can break down intricate images into three to four layers of color. It provides the option of using halftones and the ability to save projects in various formats.
EZ ScreenPrint does come with an expensive price but it provides quality customer service. It is a well-recommended print shop business software.
10. Separo
Separo is more of an online tool rather than downloadable software. It has automatic color separation feature for screen printing. And it does this in a matter of minutes allowing you to save hours of effort and currencies on materials. With a technology that is rights reserved, this tool delivers the best quality printing.
It comes with two types of plans, starter and plus, both come with a 30-day trial.
11. SimpleSeps
This color separation tool is an add-on to design software such as CorelDraw. Graphic designers favor this tool because it provides all the necessary print setups. Simpleseps is now released on its 5th edition with a favorable price. But, previous editions may come up on sale.
12. Spot Process Separation Studio Software
This software is designed for screen printing. It lets you separate images from up to 16 different color layers by letting you preview and print every layer along the way. It works for both MAC and Windows. Users can subscribe to it annually but at a much lesser price compared to other top-notch softwares.
13. T-Seps
T-Seps is another color separation plug-in that is compatible with Adobe Illustrator. It has all the best features needed to prepare an image for screen printing. It can be purchased through a price but offers a free-trial period.
14. Quikseps
This color separation software is one of the best in the market. It bears a simulated color separation process for a remarkable result. Among its features are the easy-to-print CMYK process, basic spot color, and cool grayscale color separation tools.
With Quikseps, printing businesses could save time and make money by enhancing ability, scope, and speed. All of these without sacrificing the quality of prints.
15. Ultraseps
Ultraseps is also a plug-in tool best for color separation. It is compatible with Adobe Photoshop and is one of the most advanced separation programs for screen printing. It is easy to use and smooth to run. This Photoshop Plug-in comes with a price but most of the time, the company puts it on sale.
16. Xeriosep
Xeriosep is spot color separation software that is relatively new in the industry. It offers simplification of the color selection process of complex images to help save time. It also provides several separation systems to create precise and exclusive spot color separation.
The downside to this software is the language barrier as it is invented by an Italian company. However, it has established a great track record so far.
17. YRGBK
Another color separation plug-in for Adobe Photoshop is the YRGBK. It does not offer a wide variety of features but it works best in supplying a selection of under-base options to make screen printing easier. It offers a simple but dominant approach created for detailed color separation work.
Different versions of the plug-ins come at different prices too.
The Conclusion
Screen printing software is important to any graphic business. It helps in optimizing marketing efforts across all means. It also helps in building company branding and making your products and services known and familiar to many. The screen printing industry will expand more in the coming days. With the right management software and screen printing programs to invest in, certainly, no business will be left behind.
