Microsoft Designer

FreemiumAI Design & Presentations

Free AI graphic design app powered by DALL-E, backed by Microsoft.

Bq By Benchquill Editorial Team ·Updated July 30, 2026 ·How we rate

Microsoft Designer is a free, AI-first graphic design app that generates social posts, invitations, and graphics from text prompts using integrated image generation. Backed by Microsoft's infrastructure and included with Microsoft 365, it is an attractive no-cost option for users who don't need advanced platform features. It uses a credit/boost system for AI generations.

Key features

  • AI image generation from text prompts
  • Templates for social posts, invitations, and graphics
  • Background removal and quick editing tools
  • Included free with Microsoft 365 subscriptions
  • Tight integration with the Microsoft ecosystem

Pros & cons

Pros

  • Genuinely free with no required subscription
  • Bundled with Microsoft 365 at no extra cost
  • Simple, fast for quick social graphics

Cons

  • Credit/boost limits restrict heavy AI use
  • Smaller feature set than Canva or Adobe Express

Microsoft Designer pricing

Microsoft Designer uses a freemium pricing model, with paid plans from Free (15 boosts/credits per day or month); included with Microsoft 365 ($6.99/mo+, 60 credits/mo). A free tier lets you test it before committing. Browse all freemium AI tools we track.

Who should use Microsoft Designer?

Microsoft Designer is best suited for casual users and Microsoft 365 subscribers who want free AI graphic design. It earns its place for genuinely free with no required subscription. The main trade-off: credit/boost limits restrict heavy AI use.

Comparing options? See our best ai design & presentations tools guide, or browse every ai design & presentations tool tracked on Benchquill.

Key concepts behind ai design & presentations tools: Text-to-image · Diffusion model · Multimodal.

Microsoft Designer FAQ

Is Microsoft Designer free?

Microsoft Designer is freemium. Pricing starts at Free (15 boosts/credits per day or month); included with Microsoft 365 ($6.99/mo+, 60 credits/mo).

What is Microsoft Designer best for?

Microsoft Designer is best for casual users and Microsoft 365 subscribers who want free AI graphic design. Its standout strength: genuinely free with no required subscription.

What are the best Microsoft Designer alternatives?

The closest alternatives are Canva AI (Magic Studio) and Figma AI. Canva AI (Magic Studio) is all-in-one design platform with a full suite of AI tools built in, while Figma AI is aI features inside the industry-standard design platform, plus prompt-to-app with Figma Make.

Microsoft Designer alternatives

Other top ai design & presentations tools worth comparing.

All 11 alternatives →

Canva AI (Magic Studio)

AI Design & Presentations
Freemium

All-in-one design platform with a full suite of AI tools built in.

100
Best for: Teams and non-designers who want presentations, social graphics, and design assets plus AI in a single platform.

Figma AI

AI Design & Presentations
Paid

AI features inside the industry-standard design platform, plus prompt-to-app with Figma Make.

100
Best for: Professional product and design teams who want AI inside the tool they already use for production design.

Gamma

AI Design & Presentations
Freemium

Generate complete presentations, docs, and webpages from a prompt in seconds.

100
Best for: Anyone who needs a polished first-draft deck or document generated extremely fast from a prompt.

Adobe Express

AI Design & Presentations
Freemium

Firefly-powered design with commercially safe AI and Creative Cloud integration.

75
Best for: Creators and small businesses who need commercially safe AI design for client-facing work.