Whether you’re a professional designer drafting brand images or a social media project manager looking for new ways to engage customers, creating beautiful content can help you get the job done. But it can also be time-consuming, especially if you’re handling a large content project.
That’s where technology and AI content creation tools come in. With these tools and apps, you can save time on images, branding assets, and marketing materials. Here, we’ll show you what to look for in content creation apps and highlight the 10 best options every creator should know about. 🎨
What Should You Look for In Content Creation Apps?
There isn’t one specific content creator app that beats out all the tools. The right software for your business depends on what kind of content you need to create, which areas you need support in, and how it fits into your larger content production process.
Content generation and creation apps that will help you get the job done should:
- Create your desired type of content: Each app is different. Make sure the one you’re considering can create the content type you need—whether it’s video editing, social media graphics, infographics, or a tool to help manage a content workflow
- Integrate with your other tools: Great visual content creation apps offer integrations with other design and publishing tools to streamline the process
- Have pricing tiers to fit your budget: The best tools have various price points so you can choose which option fits your needs
Now that you know what to look for in content creator tools, let’s dive into the best apps you should try. 🛠️
The 10 Best Content Creation Apps to Use in 2024
As a designer, marketing specialist, social media manager, or other related role, creating content is a huge part of your day-to-day. Finding the best AI tools and content tools can help save you time, so you can create even more stunning content.
Here’s a breakdown of our top 10 content creation apps that can set you up with a more efficient workflow. 🤩
1. ClickUp
Thanks to ClickUp, designers and marketing managers across the globe have found it easier to streamline workflows and be more efficient. With new AI tools to streamline processes and content strategy templates to create content faster, it’s no surprise that more than 6 million users have made ClickUp an integral part of their content production programs.
The new AI-powered assistant in ClickUp is designed to help you work smarter in your content creation process and save time while improving your writing skills. It’s easy to work from a specific team prompt in ClickUp Docs—whether it’s social media, SEO, sales, or engineering—to generate creative ideas and summarize lengthy text.
And with Universal Search, it has never been easier to find any file across connected apps like Google Drive, Slack, and Figma—all from one centralized platform.
ClickUp best features
- ClickUp AI is a powerhouse content creator for team-specific needs
- With hundreds of templates, it’s easy to create any type of content at lightning speed
- Time estimate and time tracking functionality offers visibility into your workflows and makes it easier to allocate project timing across bigger projects that require a lot of photo or video editing time
- The easy-to-use interface makes team collaboration and work management a breeze
- With 15+ views, you can plan out content in a Calendar, Board, or List view—making it perfect for managing copy and publishing dates across all your social media platforms
ClickUp limitations
- The free version of ClickUp is limited to five users, which may be challenging if you have a larger team
- The dashboard displays a lot of information, but users can streamline the look and information included in their settings
ClickUp pricing
- Free Forever
- Unlimited: $5/month per user
- Business: $12/month per user
- Business Plus: $19/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
- ClickUp AI is available on all paid plans for $5 per Workspace member per month
ClickUp ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (6,500+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (3,500+ reviews)
2. Canva
Canva is one of the best all-in-one graphic design tools. It features an easy-to-use interface and thousands of templates to complete a project or help you build out your content database in minutes.
Whether you’re an influencer just getting started using content creator tools or a professional who wants to leverage photo editing apps to take your content up a notch, Canva is a great option. Its advanced editing tools are ideal for both photo editing and video editing.
It works well as a single platform for your team that can hold all the branding materials you could ever think of and a place for the correct image sizes for your social media networks. 👩💻
Canva best features
- More than 420,000 templates from designs to content calendars (some paid and some free) means the content possibilities are almost endless
- Users can take their content to the next level thanks to the huge photo and video database
- The photo and video editor supports multiple content types from video content like Reels, Instagram Stories, and TikToks to GIFs and infographics
- The large font database makes it easy to create branding assets that feature your typography and style
- It integrates with hundreds of tools and mobile devices so you can use it on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device to design on the go
- Numerous design and video editing tools let you create transitions, fade effects, speed controls, and animations
- Canva AI for AI art generation
Canva limitations
- Some features are limited to paid users, which can be frustrating if you have your heart set on that premium template that’s just outside your budget
- The learning curve can be steep so plan on setting aside time to get a handle on the tool
Canva pricing
- Free
- Pro: $119.99/year per person
- Canva for Teams: $149.90/year for the first five people, then additional charges apply
Canva ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (4,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (11,100+ reviews)
Check out these Canva alternatives!
3. Jasper
Jasper is an AI copywriter that makes writing content faster. Content creators can use Jasper to create images as well as blog posts or social media content and ad copy to meet their marketing goals.
Use it to create an AI-generated image and then hop into the text creator to draft a caption or infographic text to pair with the design. Polish the content with the built-in editing tool and get ready to share your shiny new content. ✨
Jasper best features
- The tool features brand voice memory, which it uses to create content that matches your brand’s tone of voice—even when you’re creating different types of content across all your different social media networks
- Choose from the large template database to make content generation even faster
- The Chrome browser extension means you can work quickly without having to open a new app or tool
- Generate professional bios with AI
Jasper limitations
- Jasper is pricier than alternatives, making it challenging for small or budget-constrained teams
- Beginners may find the interface difficult to use at first
- Obviously—no photo and video editing features
Jasper pricing
- Creator: Starting at $39/month, limited to one user
- Teams: Starting at $99/month, including three users, with the option to add up to seven more
- Business: Custom pricing
Jasper ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (1,200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.8/5 (1,700+ reviews)
4. HubSpot
From high-ranking blog articles on the best practices for creating content to handy tools that make workflows easier, HubSpot has long been a leader in the content creation industry. The company’s Marketing Hub software includes a CRM, automation, reporting, and campaign functionality.
But HubSpot’s offerings aren’t limited to large platform solutions. Try the Brand Kit Generator if you’re just starting out and need to create branding assets like a favicon, logo, and color scheme. The Blog Ideas Generator tool is a great way to research keywords and determine what types of content you should create for your audience.
HubSpot best features
- There are plenty of HubSpot integrations, including with ClickUp, so you can use your favorite tools together to get even more out of them
- HubSpot’s customer service team is responsive, making it easy to get help if you get stuck designing
HubSpot limitations
- Advanced features like A/B testing and marketing automation are limited to paid users
- Its CRM and automation software is among the more expensive options, which can restrict its use to teams with more capital
HubSpot pricing
- Professional: $800/month
- Enterprise: $3,600/month
HubSpot ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (9,800+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (5,500+ reviews)
5. Buffer
Like HubSpot, Buffer’s reputation precedes it. Known in the marketing industry as a useful tool for scheduling social media content, the brand’s tool lineup has expanded to include analytics, engagement tracking, and an AI assistant.
Use Buffer to schedule social media posts and announcements for marketing collabs. Share content from blog posts, podcasts, and tutorials to meet your content marketing goals. Use their tracking functionality to see which social media content pieces are generating the most engagement. Easily track your posts within the calendar by toggling between week and month. 📝
Buffer best features
- Schedule content to post to several social media accounts and set time slots so future content publishes at the same time
- Manage your marketing campaigns by using the calendar view to see what’s being published and fill in any gaps
- The photo editor, called Pablo, features more than 600,000 images so you can create content right in the app and post them to your social media channels
Buffer limitations
- Publishing to Instagram and Pinterest is not included in the free app version
- You may have to supplement with other tools like Tailwind or Hootsuite to engage with content users and schedule content across every social media platform
Buffer pricing
- Free: Connect up to three channels
- Essentials: $6/month for one channel
- Team: $12/month for one channel
Buffer ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.3/5 (900+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (1,400+ reviews)
6. Typeform
Typeform is a company that makes it easy to get data from your users or have them sign up for a new service or offering. The forms are customizable and feature a streamlined interface, keeping the focus on the information rather than styling.
Inform project management structures like mind maps using the results of your Typeform surveys. Or use the tool to generate feedback on your marketing campaigns.
Typeform best features
- Integrates with over 200 apps and services so you can use it just about anywhere
- The free version offers unlimited forms so you can use it to your heart’s content
- Conditional logic funnels users through to the next steps based on their early answers
- Lead monitoring lets you track performance and capture data
Typeform limitations
- There aren’t as many data privacy controls compared to similar tools
- Some beginner users find that the customization tools are overwhelming when creating simple surveys
Typeform pricing:
- Basic: $25/month including up to 100 responses and one user
- Plus: $50/month including up to 1000 responses and three users
- Business: $83/month including up to 10,000 responses and five users
Typeform ratings and reviews:
- G2: 4.5/5 (600+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (700+ reviews)
Check out these Typeform alternatives!
7. Unsplash
Unsplash is a user-generated database of photos and videos. Discover all types of visual content—from collages and cartoon stickers to animations like Giphy. Owned by Getty Images, you’ll find thousands of high-quality images you can use for free to support your content creation. 🖼️
Unsplash best features
- Royalty-free and high-quality, these images can supplement your content without breaking the bank
- Easily find images by searching through pre-designed categories or typing in a keyword
- Downloading takes just a few seconds and you can save your favorite images to reuse again
Unsplash limitations
- There aren’t any vector files or stock videos, limiting the site’s usefulness for bigger content creation teams
- It can take a lot of time to find photos you haven’t seen on other sites
- No image or video editor
Unsplash pricing
- Free
- Unsplash+: $7/month (members-only content, unlimited downloads, and enhanced legal protections)
Unsplash ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (80+ reviews)
- Capterra: NA
8. InStories
InStories is designed for bloggers, influencers, and social media marketing professionals who are looking to create beautiful video content. To start designing content, just select the format or a template from the database. Add graphics, captions, and transitions to boost engagement.
InStories best features
- Choose from more than 500 stylish templates to edit photos and create beautiful graphics
- Upload and edit videos directly in the app
- Add a tune by selecting a royalty-free song from the large library of music files
InStories limitations
- Beginners might find the app interface isn’t always intuitive
- The app glitches at times and has a long lag time when finalizing the content from the video editor
InStories pricing
- Free
- Pro: Starting at $11.99/month
InStories ratings and reviews
- G2: NA
- Capterra: NA
9. Notion
Notion helps you manage productivity and keep track of all your content creation data. Create to-do lists to outline the next batch of content and set up a separate page to track metrics of past posts.
Do you work with a team of content creators? Establish a content style guide in Notion where designers can refer to rules, best practices, and guidelines when crafting visual content.
Notion is also excellent for handling project management structure. Create a company info database and quickly lay out each team member’s role, decision-making authority, and team communication strategies. Use Notion AI to automate mindless tasks, summarize meetings in seconds, and highlight key takeaways from sales calls.
Notion best features
- Organize your Notion anyway you like. The block style makes it easy to design a layout that makes sense to you and your team
- The drag-and-drop feature lets you move content around so you can create new ad copy, draft a blog, or conduct keyword research all in one space
- Supports asynchronous communication and team collaboration, even in the free version
Notion limitations
- You may find the vast capabilities overwhelming at first
- For small content creation teams or individuals who are only creating a few pieces of content here and there, Notion can be overkill (try out these Notion alternatives)
Notion pricing
- Free: Up to 10 guests
- Plus: $8/month, up to 100 guests
- Business: $15/month, up to 250 guests
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Notion ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (4,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (1,600+ reviews)
10. Procreate
Procreate is a digital painting app designed for artists in the content creation community. The award-winning tool works with iPad Pro and Apple Pencil to create the experience of real-life painting in a digital format. Use it to create sketches and custom illustrations to supplement your blogs, logos, and social media imagery. 🖌️
Procreate best features
- The library of over 200 brushes equips artists with the tools they need to create stunning imagery with a classic feel
- With complete color control, you choose the shade, tone harmony, and dynamics for each element
- Create imagery using touch control and and shortcuts
Procreate limitations
- Image resolution of 300 DPI is limited to prints 36 inches and under
- The app may slow down as you create more content
Procreate pricing
- $12.99 one-time purchase (no subscriptions)
Procreate ratings and reviews
- G2: 5/5 (60+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.8/5 (80+ reviews)
Design Gorgeous Content With These Top Tools
Whether you’re creating visual content for social media platforms or looking for a tool to help build your branding assets, these content apps can help you meet your goals.
Not sure where to start? Give ClickUp a try. Our AI writing assistant can help you draft content for social media posts, ad copy, blog posts, and so much more. Then, use the Content Plan Template to schedule and keep track of everything in the creation process. 🌻
Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.