You need to create an infographic for your next presentation. What are the best software options? (2024)

In my experience Canva offers simple and versatile options for designers and content creators of all skill levels. The pro version includes designing with team members, and using new AI capabilities. Since Canva is on the cloud and offers several useful features, any other equivalent products may be worth considering as long as there is simplicity and usability, in my opinion.

Canva is a great tool to use if you have an idea but not the advanced skill to make it happen. They have great templates and premade icons/fonts to choose from to make your idea come to life!

Call me old school… I don’t believe our default should immediately go to technology when going through the creative process. I have always found a whiteboard to be extremely valuable to track ideas and easily relocate concepts. I know you can do these things with a variety of apps and other digital tools, but the physical process of writing out, categorizing, stepping back and having a tangible platform to interact with, has always been my go to… at least to get underway!

Desktop software, like Adobe Illustrator or PowerPoint, gives you more control and features for creating infographics. They allow editing, animations, and different formats. But, they might be a bit harder to learn, cost more, and take up space on your computer. Check if they work well with your computer type (Windows or Mac), and consider regular updates and support. Keep in mind, while desktop tools offer more, online options are simpler and just need a web browser. Think about what fits your needs best!

I have used many different software tools for creating presentations. I noticed the tool I use depends on my audience, what I may have access to at the time, how much time I have to prepare, and my skill level. If you're comfortable with design tools, you can use software like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Canva, or even PowerPoint to create your infographic. These offer flexibility and precision, but require some design knowledge. Canva has been the easiest for me, especially with the new AI features. I can also make quick edits through my phone on the go. This is really handy for those last minute tweaks when I’m not at my computer.

Canva, by far my favourite, easy to use online tool, also has a mobile app. To be honest, when I came to know about it, I was pretty sceptical about its effeciency, as I had no idea how many people would actually use it on a small screen, but often, I have seen the interns at my own office use it to design easy infographics on the go. Not as effecient as mastering a more profound software, but certainly a handy feature to have.

Canva has a mobile app, and I have used it often. Fusioncharts and Venngage will help to elevate your game. I subscribe to Buffer.com and use it for scheduling posts; that said, they also have a resource section where they feature multiple apps, including Piktochart, Easel.ly, and Animaker. Explore the options, and select the one that works for you and aligns with your goals.

I harness the wonderful technical skills of my graphic design colleague who has a unique ability to translate my written word and the message I am trying to convey into the most brilliant, concise, good looking and on brand infographic that I can share across a multitude of channels to a cross section of audiences. I leverage support from those around me who have the talent and skills!

Canva, my preferred online tool, stands out for its user-friendly interface and even offers a mobile app. Initially skeptical about its efficiency on smaller screens, I've observed interns in my office efficiently designing quick infographics while on the move. While it may not match the efficiency of mastering more advanced software, it is undoubtedly a convenient feature to have.

If you are not good at designing your own images, then you can use some GenAI-based image tools. The other option that I use is the SVG icons library in PowerPoint to create a sequence diagram. The benefit of those SVG icons is that you can quickly change their colors to your PowerPoint theme, and with minimal effort, they look like a professionally done slide.

Another under-the-radar infographic option is Datawrapper. Particularly, when your infographic has numerous pieces of data, this platform works very well. I have used this service for presenting data in my thesis and in my upcoming book.