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Home Articles 5 Best Label Design & Printing Software Programs For 2025

5 Best Label Design & Printing Software Programs For 2025

Tips on choosing software for designing and printing labels

Labels are helpful for certain projects like organizing files, but when it comes to branding products, they're critical. Your label design could influence whether a customer picks up your product or a competitor's.

If your skill sets lie in creating products rather than designing their labels, online programs can help you create and print professional-looking labels.

Label design software can range from free to pricey, with varying levels of tools and features. Below, we provide a little more information about the best label software programs for 2025 and how they might benefit you throughout the design and printing process.

Maestro Label Designer

Your screen when designing a label in Maestro Label Designer

About

Maestro Label Designer is online label design software created by OnlineLabels.com. It includes blank and pre-designed templates for hundreds of label sizes and configurations, clipart, fonts, and more. It also has an alignment tool built-in to help with printing.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Maestro Label Designer was created specifically for label design and printing, so its specialized for those needs. It's easy address label software that works as a product label designer, and everything in between. It has a limited selection of shapes and fonts, but you can upload unlimited graphics and use typefaces installed on your personal computer. It's also web-based, so you can access your labels from anywhere. For high-level users, there are nutrition and barcode generator tools integrated into the platform, among others.

How It Works

You choose your desired label configuration or pick a pre-designed template to start. Adding text, photos, and more is easy using the left toolbar. When it's time to print, the program automatically detects and includes bleed, and replicates your design across the entire sheet. You then download your design and print from your preferred PDF viewer. You can also choose to have us print your labels for you.

Check out these Maestro Label Designer tutorials to make the most of your experience. Ready to design? Launch now.

Who is it for?

Maestro Label Designer is a great option for beginner-to-intermediate designers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners who want to create visually appealing labels. With a variety of templates that fit every label measurement, this platform makes it easy to design product labels, packing tags, or shipping stickers, even without advanced design experience.

Adobe Creative Suite

Your screen when designing a label in Adobe Photoshop

About

The Adobe Suite is an all-encompassing option for advanced-level designers. The various programs (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign in particular) offer photo editing, vector creation, and page layout.

Strengths & Weaknesses

These platforms shine when it comes to creating intricate, sophisticated label and sticker designs. For product labels, it may be worth the investment. For personal use, it's a little harder to justify the hefty price tag and steep learning curve.

How It Works

You can upload a blank label template or create your own. Build your own shapes, insert your own photos, and more – the program is a blank slate for your creativity. You can print directly from the programs and/or download your design for safe-keeping.

Who is it for?

For those who need complete creative control, Adobe Creative Suite, especially Illustrator and Photoshop, offers tools for professional graphic designers and branding agencies. These standard tools are perfect for creating highly customized, brand-forward label designs with precision. Also, this is one of the best platforms for creating pixel-perfect artwork that truly stands out on shelves. Adobe Illustrator also allows you to create vectorized artwork, which is required for special custom printing techniques, such as white ink printing.

AI Generator

Adobe Creative Cloud includes AI-powered features through its proprietary engine, Adobe Sensei, which is integrated into key design programs like Photoshop and Illustrator. Adobe also offers a standalone AI image generator with AI-assisted features, unique color palettes, and text-to-vector graphics that allow designers to generate editable artwork from a written prompt. Because Adobe’s AI tools are built directly into professional-grade software, they offer more creative control than simple AI generators.

Canva

Your screen when designing a label in Canva

About

Canva is an design website with hundreds of templates to help entry-level designers execute their vision. Its free platform is available for photo editing, layout design, and graphics of all kinds.

Strengths & Weaknesses

The website features hundreds of expertly-designed templates and the ability to add charts, icons, shapes, and more. It makes designing online very simple, though professional designers may miss some of the advanced features that come with paid alternatives. Many of the best templates also cost extra.

How It Works

You can choose a pre-designed template or start with a blank canvas. Drag and drop any desired elements onto your design and download the file for printing. You have to open the file in your own viewer and print from there.

AI Generator

Canva has an AI Generator tool that helps build images using artificial intelligence, making it easy to generate creative content with minimal effort. Its most noticeable feature is Text to Image, which lets users create original visuals simply by entering a prompt, which is perfect for designing unique label artwork or backgrounds. Canva also offers AI generative fill, allowing users to edit or replace parts of an image using natural language instructions. For those working on advertisements, Canva includes AI video generation, enabling users to produce short, cinematic video clips from a simple description. While not as advanced as standalone AI tools in some areas, Canva’s built-in AI features are highly accessible and user-friendly, especially for small businesses, content creators, or anyone looking to speed up the design process.

Who is it for?

Canva is an ideal choice for individuals and small business owners who want to create professional-looking labels without the steep learning curve of traditional design software. Since this platform is web-based, Canva allows users to design labels from any device, and offers a generous library of pre-made templates, fonts, icons, and illustrations. However, this platform doesn’t include barcode generation, variable data integration, or precise label sheet alignment.

Microsoft Word

Your screen when designing a label in Microsoft Word

About

Microsoft Word is word-processing software. It's most popular for writing, but it offers various design tools like clipart, shapes, and more. The program also includes popular label templates for easy configuring.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Microsoft Word is already installed on most computers, making it widely accessible. Most people are very comfortable with the program, or at least vaguely familiar with it. Having templates preloaded is convenient for users, though you have to duplicate your design across the entire sheet with is tedious and can lead to errors.

How It Works

You can choose a blank template from their selection, download a template online, or configure the layout yourself. Then, it's up to you to add your desired elements, complete the design, and replicate as needed. You can print directly from Microsoft Word without needing to open any additional programs.

Who is it for?

Microsoft Word isn’t a dedicated label design program, but it’s a surprisingly effective option for users who need to print labels occasionally. It’s a great alternative for basic tasks like address labels, file folder tabs, name tags, and simple product labels. This makes Word a solid choice for beginner and intermediate professionals who need to create straightforward labels without investing in a new program.

Design Software Comparison Chart

Whether you're looking for a barcode generator or unlimited storage space, this chart will help you determine the best professional label-making program for your needs.

Maestro Label Designer Adobe Creative Suite Canva Microsoft Word Avery Design & Print Online
Ability to resize design
Access to clipart, templates
Barcode generator
Custom fonts
Downloadable PDF for printing
Mail merge
Multi-sheet design
Nutrition label generator
Organize designs with folders
PDF upload
Photo editing
Support
Unlimited designs
Web-based
Windows/Mac-compatible
Tablet Functionality
Cost Free $$$$ Free $$ Free


Frequently Asked Questions About Label Design Software

1. Which software is best for printing product labels at scale?

Maestro Label Designer is compatible with all of our blank label templates. They have generator tools and are compatible with custom labels, making them ideal for orders that are increasing in scale.

2. Is Microsoft Word an efficient solution for label design?

Yes, Microsoft Word can be used for basic label design, especially for address labels, mailing labels, or organizational tips, and it includes built-in support for popular label templates.

3. Which is the most professional-level label design platform?

If you want full advanced customization, Adobe Creative Suite is the best choice. It’s perfect for brand designers and agencies, especially if they need precision with pixels and fully customizable designs.

4. Does label design software work with any printer?

Most design software supports basic printing; however, Maestro Label Designer is the best choice if you have a specific OnlineLabels template you'd like to print. It includes blank templates for all of our label sizes.

5. Can I generate barcodes or QR codes with these tools?

Yes, but only with certain software. Maestro Label Designer and some Adobe plug-ins allow you to generate barcodes and QR codes directly within the platform.

6. What features should I look for in label software?

Key features include template availability, custom sizing, printer compatibility, barcode/QR code generation, design flexibility, ease of use or learning curve.

Contact Us for More Information!

From installing discs to downloading software or accessing it online, there are hundreds of label-making web apps. We hope this list helps you design a label for your needs.

If you have any questions about the label making website by OnlineLabels.com, please call our customer service team at 1-888-575-2235 or get started directly with Maestro Label Designer today.

You can also explore all of your label template options for OnlineLabels.com products, including a list of the various file types and designs we offer.

All product names, product numbers, logos, and trademarks are registered to their respective companies.


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