In this article, I will discuss the best software for creating YouTube thumbnails. Thumbnails are crucial for attracting viewers and driving clicks on your videos. With so many options available, choosing the right tool can be challenging.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced creator, I’ll highlight the top software solutions to help you design eye-catching, professional-looking thumbnails for your YouTube channel.
Key Points & Best Software For YouTube Thumbnails List
| Tool | Key Features | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canva | Templates, drag-and-drop design, collaborative features, free & paid versions | User-friendly, wide variety of templates, cloud-based, easy sharing | Limited customization, some features locked behind paywall |
| Adobe Photoshop | Advanced photo editing, professional design, supports PSD files, layers, 3D designs, brushes, filters | Industry-standard, powerful features, extensive plugins, high-quality results | Steep learning curve, expensive subscription, resource-heavy |
| Fotor | Easy-to-use editor, templates, photo enhancement, basic design tools, collage maker | Simple interface, great for beginners, free version available | Limited advanced features, ads in free version |
| PicMonkey | Templates, photo editing, design tools, collaboration, background remover, retouching tools | User-friendly, rich in templates, photo editing capabilities | Some features require premium, limited file storage in free plan |
| Snappa | Templates, drag-and-drop, stock photos, fonts, social media-focused, quick design tools | Fast, simple interface, great for social media graphics, free plan available | Limited advanced design options, some features only in paid plans |
| Crello | Graphic design tool, animations, templates, photo editing, drag-and-drop functionality | Easy-to-use, supports animations, free plan available | Lacks some advanced features, watermark on free exports |
| Adobe Spark | Templates, video creation, design tools, branding, cloud integration | Fast design creation, integrates with Adobe Creative Cloud, great for quick designs | Limited customization, free version has restrictions |
| Pixlr | Photo editing, templates, AI tools, supports PSD files | Intuitive, AI-powered tools, works well for quick editing | Limited free features, not as advanced as Photoshop |
| GIMP | Open-source, powerful photo and graphic editing, customizable, layer support | Free and highly customizable, extensive features for advanced users | Steep learning curve, interface is not as intuitive |
| Easil | Templates, drag-and-drop, marketing graphics, design for businesses, team collaboration | Simple, focused on business needs, fast design process | Limited advanced features, export options restricted in free version |
| Visme | Infographics, presentations, templates, data visualizations, collaborative features | Great for business, presentations, and infographics, wide template selection | Limited functionality in free version, requires subscription for full access |
| BeFunky | Photo editor, templates, collage maker, design tools | Easy interface, good for basic tasks, wide variety of templates | Advanced features behind paywall, limited design options compared to competitors |
| FotoJet | Templates, photo editor, collage maker, design tools | Simple, free version available, easy to use | Limited advanced tools, watermark on free exports |
| InShot | Video and photo editing, templates, easy-to-use interface, background music, text tools | Excellent for mobile, user-friendly, great for video content creation | Limited advanced editing features compared to desktop software |
| Kapwing | Video editing, templates, meme creator, collaboration, multimedia editing | Easy for video content creation, real-time collaboration | Some features limited to paid plans, free plan has watermarks |
| Stencil | Templates, quick graphics, social media, branding tools, simple design tools | Great for social media content, fast, simple to use | Limited features in free version, lacks advanced design options |
| Veed.io | Video editing, audio editing, subtitles, text overlays, video resizing | Focused on video content, easy editing, cloud-based, excellent for social media | Limited advanced editing tools, free plan has watermark on exports |
| Thumbnail Blaster | Automated thumbnail creation, YouTube-focused, templates, drag-and-drop | Fast and easy YouTube thumbnail creation, template-based | Focused primarily on YouTube thumbnails, lacks other design features |
| DesignWizard | Templates, video editing, stock photos, design tools | Easy to use, great for social media, affordable plans | Limited customization, features locked behind paywall |
| Paint.NET | Photo editing, layers, transparency, supports plugins | Free, lightweight, easy for beginners, good for basic photo editing | Lacks advanced features, limited support for vector graphics |
20 Best Software For YouTube Thumbnails
1.Canva
For creating YouTube thumbnails, Canva is one of the best software tools that are freely available. Start design right away using the simple drag and drop style of the software. There are countless templates, graphics and fonts designed specifically for YouTube thumbnails.
Canva has a simple version which is good, but the premium version is better for unlocking different design capabilities. You can easily create stunning looking thumbnails that will get you more views.
2.Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is great for designing youtube thumbnails because of its advanced editing tools. Photoshop has many advanced features such as layer management, custom brushes, and photo manipulation which enable you to create amazing high quality thumbnails.
While you have to invest more time in learning how it works, you will have incredible capabilities in your design. This program is made for professional creators who want to create wonderful and distinct thumbnails for their videos.
3.Fotor
With its intuitive drag and drop interface alongside powerful editing features, Fotor is ideal when making YouTube thumbnails. With its Youtube templates, you will make stunning thumbnails in no time.
Other features include background removal, adding texts, and several photo-enhancing techniques. While the free version offers the bare minimums it is a good starting point with its premium offering a great range of higher-end tools which will be a major advantage for newbies as well as people looking for a professional template in a jiffy.
4.PicMonkey
As a top option in creating YouTube thumbnails, PicMonkey’s design tools and interface are commendable. The platform provides you with a library of templates, text, and images which allows you to make appealing thumbnails rapidly.
PicMonkey has a background remover and retouch tools making your visuals better, and it aids collaborative efforts as well. Despite having some of the advanced features under the subscription, to the many creators trying to find a balance between simplicity and professional design, PicMonkey serves well.
5.Snappa
Snappa is an amazing tool for designing YouTube thumbnails thanks to its intuitive drag-and-drop system. The service provides a number of ready to customize YouTube specific templates, allowing users to design professional thumbnails in a matter of minutes.
Snappa gives you the ability to use stock images, fonts, and graphics which only improves your design. With its easy-to-use features and even its free version, Snappa is well-suited for amateur or other creators who need a quick but quality outcome.
6.Crello
Crello is a great tool when it comes to making YouTube thumbnails as it has a variety of pre-designed templates for video content which can be edited easily. Users are able to create professional looking thumbnails in no time due to their simple drag and drop interface.
Moreover, Crello has a huge collection of images, fonts and animations which come in handy when making impressive designs. Considering that there is a free plan that has basic features and a premium one which adds more features, Crello is suitable for all new and advanced creators.
7.Adobe Spark
Adobe Spark Thumbnail Creator has an appealing interface along with easy to navigate templates for all its users. Spark’s library of fonts, photos, and icons enables a user to create a professional quality thumbnail within minutes.
Because of its ‘drag and drop’ options, even beginners can create beautiful thumbnails in short time. The free version is functional but the premium version has even more capabilities which designers would love to exploit.
8.Pixlr
Creating engaging and appealing thumbnails is definitely a must-have YT strategy within the wide variety of tools available. Pixlr is a great software aimed towards making YT thumbnails as it is quite simple to use and at the same time quite robust.
It adds supporting features such as removal of background, adding text, filters and layers as well which is great for making awesome thumbnails.
Its free version covers core features while the paid version adds some whooping tools for finer designs. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced creator, designing and editing Pixlr’s thumbnails is quite easy and for Youtube, it is the best.
9.GIMP
GIMP might be the best option when creating YouTube thumbnails as it helps to manipulate photos and make graphic designs free of charge. It has powerful features such as layers, custom brushes, and editing which enables you to produce high quality thumbnails with Gimp.
Its interface is relatively more complex than other simple tools. GIMP gives you absolute control over your designs, which is great for more advanced users who want options and freedom when making YouTube thumbnails.
10.Easil
If you’re looking for a tool that is easy to use for creating thumbnails for Youtube videos then Easil is a great place to start. It has its own drag and drop interface which makes it really easy to use. There are templates that can be used for youtube which are optimally designed to be editable and therefore user friendly.
Easil stocks images and fonts that can be used as well as design elements that can help improve your visuals. The free version has basic features but offers more advanced tools for premium users, making it perfect for budding as well as advanced YouTube creators.
11.Visme
Visme is one of the best tools for designing Youtube thumbnails, lets you choose from many templates and design elements that can be customized. Using stock photos, icons and fonts, creators can drag and drop images onto the thumbnail creating a professional look in mere seconds.
Another of the interesting features of Visme is that it allows fine-tuning of the layout, which is both good for novices and for more advanced user. The free version is enough to satisfy basic needs but the premium plan offers more advanced features suitable for more sophisticated designs.
12.BeFunky
BeFunky is a free tool perfect for thumbnail creation as it has numerous templates, and users are allowed to edit photos, add text as well as remove and change the background. BeFunky’s drag and drop feature allows even novices to create incredible thumbnails with ease but it also offers advanced editing services such photo editing for those who want more detail.
The free plan covers most basic needs while the premium plan offers better features where one would use for more elaborate designs which are great for content creators in need of opportunities for expansion.
13.FotoJet
If you’re looking for a good service to create thumbnails FotoJet is a great option. The service is user friendly and has numerous templates for users to choose from. Within minutes, you can utilize its photo editing, text layering, and background removal options to create high-quality thumbnails.
Premium plan offers additional funtionalities allowing both casual creators and creators seeking more customization features.FotoJet’s drag-and-drop feature is quite easy to use and the free plan contains all the basics.
14.InShot
For mobile users, InShot is a top-rated app for YT thumbnails as it allows to do basic editing like text, cropping, and even removing backgrounds. In case a user is video centric, InShot is perfect for him/her as it is designed especially for video editing and making thumbnails can be done in a hurry.
The user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop that is offered allows one to create cool-looking thumbnails in no time. The free version does work, but the premium unlocks a lot more design options.
15.Kapwing
Kapwing is an amazing tool for designing YouTube video thumbnails which is quite user friendly and provides a variety of templates. It has impressive photo editing features, easy text inclusion, and quick background removal which is especially great for fast thumbnail creation.
Also, Kapwing allows for collaboration, which can be beneficial in many projects. Basic functions are enabled in the free version; more features are available with a premium plan, giving creators a broader selection to make more professional videos with quality thumbnails.
16.Stencil
Stencil is effective in creating YouTube thumbnails, as it has an easy interface along with a variety of templates that can be edited. It also allows users to use pictures from a library of stock images, icons, and even fonts which makes it easier to make good looking thumbnails.
Stencil is ideal for novices because of its drag-and-drop features, yet there are more sophisticated tools available in the premium edition. The free plan includes the essentials, but the paid one has more designing features which are suitable for YouTube creators.
17.Veed.io
Veed.io Yours is a go-to tool when creating Youtube thumbnails. There is no need of getting tutorials for the tool as it is not complicated. It gives you those advantages of typing, color changing and image overlaying on text thumbnails.
True, its major application is video editing, however Veed.io is also great for creating appealing thumbnails. The platform offers a drag and drop feature making it easier for beginners, and the free version is enough for basic requirements, but the premium plan has more advanced capabilities for more elaborate designs.
18.Thumbnail Blaster
Thumbnail Blaster is a great software for designers who wish to create superior Youtube thumbnails in a matter of seconds. This software has fully automated features which allow users to easily customize templates, text and images and create a thumbnail in no time.
Besides offering plethora of templates for Youtube thumbnails, Thumbnail Blaster has its main core around thumbnail creation and its ideal for creators who wish to save time yet obtain professional outcomes. As other apps, premium unlocks additional features.
19.DesignWizard
DesignWizard is a good option for creating YouTube thumbnails as it comes with a user-friendly interface and a number of templates as well as a number of design elements you can customize.
The thumbs can be built in a professional manner within seconds since the platform allows for easy photo editing, text adding and layout changing.
Furthermore, with plenty of fonts and images available to them, the designers will have no issues ensuring that the designs are appealing. The free version has basic features whereas the premium plan is more flexible with more tools available.
20.Paint.NET
Paint.NET is a powerful application used for making YouTube thumbnails but it’s free. The only drawback is that it doesn’t come with complex features like some professional software. This makes it easier for them to use. The software supports layers transparency and effects as well.
In other words, thumbnail images can be created as detailed as possible with Paint.NET. Overall, users who require a free and basic yet powerful application for thumbnail designing should consider Paint. NET. It’s a great fit for content creators with low budgets.
When Choosing the Best Software For YouTube Thumbnails, Consider The following key Points
User Friendly: In particular, a beginner user of the software interface with drag and drop should be simple.
Ready-Made Templates: There are templates that allow modification meant for use on YouTube thumbnails.
Core Editing Features: Necessary features like adding text over images, removing backgrounds from images, adjusting colors of the images or images in general, and changing images.
Sources of Stock Content: Including stock images, fonts, and icons to improve the designs.
Designs Flexibility: To be able to improve and enhance the designs to make them more original and professional.
Efficiency: The application must enable a fast production of thumbnail reduction the time of the creators.
No Charge Versions: No charge plans that starting users can employ without prior investment by paying for a plan.
Other features: More advanced capabilities for complicated designs are included in the high-end plan.
Accessibility: Available on desktop as well as mobile to allow variety.
Conclusion
The best software for YouTube thumbnails has to do more with your requirements and capabilities. Applications such as Canva and PicMonkey are highly useful owing to their models for simple graphic creation. For advanced users, Adobe Photoshop and GIMP increases the control and customisation available.
Fotor and Snappa also fit the bill by being easy to use but also providing necessary key editing tools. In the end, it really comes down to your requirements, complexity of design and features as well as the budget.