Meet Kermit. He’s a simple frog who’s trying to get the word out about his business.

He knows that images make an impact, and he wants to take full advantage. He’s not sure which is the best image software for the job.

So he took his headshot (above) and ran it through some of the best image editing programs he could find. They range from free, to cheap, to pretty expensive. (The links to the paid products are affiliate links, because he’s adding to his fly collection).

Here are his results:

iPiccy

Pros

• iPiccy is completely free: it’s supported by (sometimes annoying) ads.
• The easy-to-use controls allow you to apply a variety of effects to your images.
• The interface is intuitive and (dare we say it?) fun.

Cons

• It’s not easy to layer one effect on top of another.
• Fonts are limited to their in-application collections which are heavy on funky, unreadable fonts, and light on fonts that are good for business.

Try iPiccy here.

Pixlr.com/editor

Pros

• Pixlr.com/editor has sophisticated image editing capabilities which are similar to Photoshop.
• Users can access some of the fonts installed on the computer they’re using, which expands the number of available fonts.
• This online tool is 100% free.

Cons

• It’s not as sophisticated as Photoshop, and can be a little buggy.
• Fonts are still somewhat limited because not all your installed fonts will work.

Try the Pixlr.com/editor tool here.

PicMonkey

Pros

• Easily layer effects by applying one after another.
• Better font selection than iPiccy.
• Easy-to-use patterns, stickers and more.

Cons

• Caution: some effects can’t be undone after you apply them!
• The Pro version offers better tools, but does have a cost (it’s a few dollars/month).

Try PicMonkey here.

OpenOffice Draw

Pros

• OpenOffice Draw is perfect for combining simple graphics with images.
• Since this is free open source software, every font installed on your computer is available for your use.
• A wide variety of shapes, rules and fonts can be applied.

Cons

• Doesn’t apply image effects. Use one of the programs above and import the image to OpenOffice Draw to add graphics.
• Doesn’t support transparent images — yet.

Download and try OpenOffice Draw.

Adobe Illustrator

Pros

• Create vector images that can be enlarged to an infinite size (Kermit on a billboard, anyone?).
• Industry-standard software for logo creation.
• Robust tools that allow you to scale, skew and morph images using layers so they stay organized and flexible.

Cons

• Expensive.
• Steep learning curve.

Try Adobe Illustrator.

Adobe Photoshop

Pros

• State-of-the-art software for print and web graphics.
• Sophisticated high-resolution effects with almost no limits: want to put Kermit on a soda can? Done.
• Beautiful, believable results (once you know how to use it).

Cons

• Very steep learning curve.
• Pricy: if you’re not using it to directly produce income for your business, it’s probably not a good choice for you.

Try Adobe Photoshop.

How about you?

Do you have questions about which software to use for your image creation projects? Have other favorite websites or apps you want to share? Scroll on down to the comments section and let’s talk!