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Design · head to head

Recraft vs Xara Designer Pro+

Recraft logo

Recraft

Design

AI image and vector generation for design teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Xara Designer Pro+ logo

Xara Designer Pro+

Design

Desktop publishing, web design, photo editing and graphic design in one workspace

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Recraft has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Recraft free plan images are owned by Recraft and made publicly visible; commercial ownership rights only apply while subscribed to a paid plan; Xara Designer Pro+ compatible with Windows only; the product page states no Mac version
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Recraft and Xara Designer Pro+ actually diverge.

Attributes where Recraft and Xara Designer Pro+ differ
AttributeRecraftXara Designer Pro+
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumone-time
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Recraft

  • AI-powered image generation and design creationnot Xara Designer Pro+
  • Commercial-licensed asset creation for businessesnot Xara Designer Pro+

Xara Designer Pro+

  • Desktop publishing and professional layout workflowsnot Recraft
  • Web design and e-commerce site creation without codenot Recraft
  • Photo editing and image retouching for visual projectsnot Recraft
  • Graphic design and illustration in single workspacenot Recraft
  • Multi-discipline creative work with unlimited flexibilitynot Recraft

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Recraft

  • Free plan images are owned by Recraft and made publicly visible; commercial ownership rights only apply while subscribed to a paid plan
  • Subscription credits reset every month and do not carry over, unlike separately purchased top-up credits which never expire
  • Refunds are only considered within 30 days and only if fewer than 30 credits have been used
  • Annual billing is required to get the 20% discount over paying monthly

Xara Designer Pro+

  • Compatible with Windows only; the product page states no Mac version

Pricing, plan by plan

Recraft

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Recraft review.

Xara Designer Pro+

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Xara Designer Pro+ review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Recraft if

  • You want to start without paying.

Choose Xara Designer Pro+ if

Nothing in the data separates Xara Designer Pro+ from Recraft on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Questions people ask

Is Recraft or Xara Designer Pro+ better?
Neither clearly leads. Recraft starts at Free and Xara Designer Pro+ at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Recraft or Xara Designer Pro+?
Recraft has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Recraft and On request for Xara Designer Pro+.
Does Recraft or Xara Designer Pro+ run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Recraft for free?
Yes. Recraft has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Xara Designer Pro+ starts at On request.
What is Recraft best used for?
Recraft is most often used for ai-powered image generation and design creation, commercial-licensed asset creation for businesses. Of those, ai-powered image generation and design creation and commercial-licensed asset creation for businesses are not what Xara Designer Pro+ is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Recraft: Is Recraft free?

Recraft offers a free plan where images generated are publicly visible in the community gallery and not licensed for commercial use. Paid plans (Basic, Pro, Teams) unlock full ownership and commercial rights but specific prices are not published.

Source
Xara Designer Pro+: Does Xara Designer Pro offer a free trial?

Yes, Xara Designer Pro offers a free trial download, allowing users to test the software before purchasing.

Source
Recraft: How does Recraft's credit system work?

Recraft charges based on monthly credit allocation included with each plan. Additional top-up credits can be purchased separately and never expire, used automatically after monthly credits run out.

Source
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