You may be underestimating your Chromebook’s ability to deliver quality apps. The main reason for this is its lower hardware specs. However, it offers many features and supports productivity, communication, graphic design, social networks and many other applications.
For graphic design tasks like vector editing and drawing, Chromebook gives you plenty of useful options. And since these apps are mostly lightweight, you can easily install them through the Chrome Web Store without worrying about storage and resources.
So, let’s explore some of the best vector editors and drawing apps available for your Chromebook that you can download and use for free.
1. Vector
Vectr is an easy-to-use drawing application for creating and editing vector graphics. It is an application that you can use with little or no prior technical knowledge. It lets you work with all major file formats, including SVG vector files. You also have the option to import local files from your device or upload a file from a URL.
Vectr allows you to create an account which can be useful for saving all your work online. You can see your past projects through the account history.
The app offers various drawing tools like pens and freehand tools to draw shapes easily. It also lets you change the radius of shapes, group multiple layers, and edit them to form unique designs. You can create icons, brochures, posters and more with Vectr.
To download: Vector (Free)
2. Square SVG
Whether you’re a novice or a professional designer, Boxy SVG helps you easily edit your vector graphics. It has a clean interface that minimizes your canvas so you can focus more on ideas and creativity.
To install the application, go to the download link and click on Install Boxy SVG next to the To share icon in the address bar. Alternatively, you can also click Install close to Settings in the upper right corner of the web page.
Boxy SVG provides all the tools needed to work on your vector graphics. You can draw using the freehand tool and add shapes such as squares, triangles, and circles. Each object is selectable, so you can drag it around and create custom art.
Boxy SVG has a similar interface to some popular vector editing apps like Adobe Illustrator. So if you have experience with these apps, it’s easy to upgrade to Boxy SVG. The app is free. However, the cloud sync and save feature is chargeable.
To download: Boxy SVG (Free, in-app purchases available)
3. Inker
Inker is a vector editor mainly used for drawing and sketching. You can easily create shapes and draw lines with this app.
Inker optimizes your drawing to make it smooth, and you can add multiple layers to your project and edit them separately. It also has a path tool which is useful for drawing as it allows you to create multiple points and arrange them to create your art conveniently.
You can further embellish your work by adding shapes and text. It also has an auto-tracing feature that converts your images into editable vector graphics. Additionally, the app lets you organize color palettes and assign a color to each object in your artwork using the Change colors function down.
Inker provides all basic functionality for free. However, some options such as SVG and EPS export, linear and radial gradients, and a few path tool functions are chargeable.
To download: Inker (Free, in-app purchases available)
4. Sketchbook
Sketchpad is a good tool for artists who want to draw on Chromebooks. You can use it to draw and edit vector graphics, and it also lets you easily drag and drop objects to create innovative designs.
Sketchpad is a versatile application that you can use to create advertisements, posters, business cards, and more. It also lets you use your artistic skills to create paintings.
The app offers many different types of brushes to give you a physical, canvas-like experience. It also has tons of fonts to choose from and use.
Sketchpad provides its main features for free. However, there are some limitations with the free version requiring a premium subscription to unlock.
To download: Sketchpad (Free, subscription available)
5. Gravity Designer
Gravit Designer is a complete and feature-rich vector editor and drawing application. If you are a professional, Gravit is a great option for you. However, you must first create an account to use the app.
Gravit allows you to create your graphics from scratch or use available templates. You can create social media content such as posts, profile pictures, LinkedIn graphic content and much more with this application.
Like some other apps on this list, Gravit lets you work with multiple layers and arrange them according to your preferences. You can also add images or draw them using the pen or freehand tool.
The app works online and offline, so you don’t need to be connected to the internet all the time. It also has a pro version which lets you access all of its features. The free version has limitations such as low cloud space, less graphic export formats, etc.
To download: Gravit Designer (free and premium version available)
6. Ink Landscape
Inkscape is one of the most popular graphic design software. You can create illustrations, posts, maps, designs and more using this app.
This Chrome extension basically creates a Linux environment in your browser to open Inkscape on your Chromebook. You can launch it from the Extensions (puzzle icon) close to Parameters (three dots) in the upper right corner of your Chrome browser.
It is a feature-rich application that allows you to create objects using drawings and shapes. You can also add text to your art with its text tool and draw illustrations with the drawing tools.
Each object in your illustration is editable separately because it is layer-based. You can drag and drop these layers to create creative content. The application also allows you to export the file in different formats such as SVG, XML, PNG and others.
To download: Inkscape (Free)
7. Your graphic designer
Your Graphic Designer is a simple drawing application that is very useful for creating diagrams and navigational flows for presentations. It allows you to add various shapes such as squares, polygonal triangles and others to your artwork.
Installing and launching the Your Graphic Designer extension is similar to how you would launch Inkscape, as mentioned above.
You can draw on the screen using the freehand tool and work on layers to make your graphics more personalized and easily editable. It also lets you merge and duplicate your layers.
In the app you can convert your shapes into a path which can help you in customization. Additionally, you can use the color and gradient picker to streamline your color schemes for design.
Using this app, you can create wireframes to showcase your work and save your designs in SVG format.
To download: Your graphic designer (Free)
Android and Linux drawing apps
As Chrome OS is a diverse operating system, you can also install Android and Linux drawing apps on it. Check out this list of great drawing apps available for Linux. And if you have Play Store on your Chromebook, you can also try these Android drawing apps.
Draw vector images on Chromebooks with these apps
Traditional vector editors and drawing applications are developed only for professionals. Most of these applications are paid and require prior technical knowledge to be used.
Chromebooks let you use similar apps for free. They are available as extensions and web applications, so you can easily install them on your machine. The apps listed above will help you find the right tool for your drawing needs.
