# Adobe Express vs Microsoft Designer

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Adobe Express at 367K against Microsoft Designer's 552. Adobe Express also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and chart position (#11 vs #139). Microsoft Designer's advantage is review sentiment (77% vs 58%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Adobe Express sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Microsoft Designer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Adobe Express holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Adobe Express has 367K ratings behind it against 552, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of Adobe Express's written reviews are positive against 77% of Microsoft Designer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Adobe Express | Microsoft Designer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (367K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adobe-express-create-anything/id1051937863/reviews)** | [4.5 (552 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-designer/id6448308247/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **367K** | 552 |
| Positive reviews | 58.0% of reviews | **76.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#11** | #139 |
| Size | 188 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Adobe Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/331646274) | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) |

## What reviewers say

### Adobe Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adobe-express-create-anything/id1051937863)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Free · Graphics & Design, #16 Top Grossing · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

Create professional marketing and business materials with ease. This app offers intuitive tools for video editing, photo enhancement, background removal, and QR code generation. Maintain brand consistency with customizable templates and brand kits.

**Highlights:** Video editing with templates, music, and effects, AI-powered photo editing and object manipulation, One-tap background removal for photos and videos, Branded QR code generation, Brand kit for consistent visuals, PDF editing and conversion

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adobe Express Mobile | $4.99 | per month |
| Express Subscription - Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Adobe Express Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Adobe Express Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Adobe Design Mobile : Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Adobe Express Mobile - Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Adobe Express - Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Adobe Express Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Adobe Express Premium - Annual | $99.99 | per month |
| Adobe Design Mobile: Yearly | $149.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Quick and efficient
- 💡 Vast collection of templates and design options
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🚀 Seamless cross-platform sync

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Subscription model limits free features
- 🔒 Watermark issues with free version
- 🐛 Syncing and file management problems
- 👎 Cluttered and confusing UI after recent update

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes when using certain features
- Disappearing fonts and design elements
- Issues with exporting high-quality images
- Inconsistent behavior across mobile and desktop versions

**Requested features**

- Add more customization options for text, shapes, and layouts
- Improve alignment and resizing tools
- Introduce a search function for templates and design elements
- Allow offline editing and local file storage
- Provide better organization and management of projects and assets


### Microsoft Designer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-designer/id6448308247)

**Currently charting:** #139 Top Free · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

Visually create and edit anything imaginable with AI. Generate unique images from text, design personalized cards and wallpapers, and enhance photos by removing distractions or backgrounds.

**Highlights:** AI image generation, Custom sticker creation, Generative erase tool, Background removal, Custom wallpaper design, Greeting card creation, Photo restyling

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft 365 Basic Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Premium Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Microsoft Copilot Pro | $20.00 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Microsoft 365 Family Yearly | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration with Microsoft 365
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Powerful AI-powered design capabilities
- 💡 Versatile and creative features
- 🎉 Fun and enjoyable to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Strict content guidelines
- 💰 Subscription-based model with limited free usage
- 📱 Limited functionality on iPad devices

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent performance and loading issues
- Inability to view or manage past designs on mobile
- Unexpected content restrictions and rejections

**Requested features**

- AI-powered video editing capabilities
- More advanced image editing tools
- Improved handling of diverse character designs
- Better organization and navigation of past projects


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Adobe Express free?

Adobe Express is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Microsoft Designer free?

Microsoft Designer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Adobe Express or Microsoft Designer?

Adobe Express is rated higher. Adobe Express averages 4.8 out of 5 from 367K ratings, while Microsoft Designer averages 4.5 from 552 ratings.

### Do Adobe Express or Microsoft Designer have ads?

Neither Adobe Express nor Microsoft Designer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Adobe Express or Microsoft Designer?

Adobe Express ships an update every 3 weeks, and Microsoft Designer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Adobe Express was updated on September 25, 2026 and Microsoft Designer on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Adobe Express or Microsoft Designer?

Adobe Express currently peaks at #11 in the App Store charts, and Microsoft Designer at #139. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*