Best Websites to Make Cover Art in 2025

Key takeaways — best cover art tools at a glance:

• Canva is best for beginners who want polished results fast

• Adobe Express is best for consistent branding across platforms

• Neural Frames is best for experimental artists exploring AI-generated visuals

• 99designs is best for professional, one-of-a-kind cover art

Before diving into specific tools, let’s address the big question: Does cover art still matter in a streaming-first world? The answer is a resounding yes — and here’s why.

Think of your album cover like a profile picture on social media or, even more fittingly, a dating app. It’s designed to be judged, often within seconds. On Spotify, Apple Music, in music magazines and digital shops, or even while scrolling through TikTok or Instagram, your cover is often the very first thing listeners see. While a cover by no means reveals the entire story of the musical body behind it, that snap judgment can determine whether someone is inclined to listen or simply scroll past.

This awareness adds more depth to the true value of an album's cover art – it serves more purposes than just attracting attention by simply ‘looking good’. An album cover acts as a visual representation of the music contained within, potentially conveying the mood, theme, concept, and vision behind it. It also helps to establish an artist’s branding and identity that extends beyond the audio itself. As a result, good cover art becomes a powerful visual tool in marketing and promotional efforts across streaming platforms, social media, and press.

History shows how powerful visuals can be. There are many examples of albums that achieved fame — some even became legendary — not solely because of the music they contain. Their covers have become cultural touchstones in their own right, separate from the music. For instance, it’s hard not to think of the Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road’ album cover, which has become so iconic that it turned the eponymous street in London into one of the most renowned streets in England and its crosswalk into a global tourist magnet. Reportedly, it took just 10 minutes for photographer Ian McMillan to capture that shot.

Other notable album covers include Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon,’ Nirvana’s Nevermind, Bruce Springsteen's ‘Born in the U.S.A.,’ and Phoebe Bridgers’ ‘Punisher.’ These are just a few examples that demonstrate how great cover art can transcend the music itself, embedding an artist into cultural memory.

In 2025, when tens of thousands of tracks drop daily, standing out visually becomes more important than ever. A compelling cover isn’t just decoration — it’s your music’s first marketing tool and one of the most powerful ways to cut through the noise.

Now that we’ve established why cover art is such a powerful part of your release, the next step is figuring out which tool can actually help you create it. Not all platforms are created equal: some are intuitive but limited, while others give you near-professional control at the cost of complexity.

Understanding the essential features of a great cover art tool can save you time, money, frustration, and — most importantly — make sure your final design is truly ready for commercial release. Let’s break down the most important criteria to look for:

1. Templates & starting points: Look for platforms with a wide library of professionally designed, music-specific templates across genres. These give you a solid foundation instead of starting from scratch.

2. High-quality assets: The best sites include access to licensed stock photos, fonts, illustrations, and graphics. A regularly updated library ensures you’re working with fresh, trend-relevant elements.

3. Customization & editing: Great tools strike a balance between guidance and creative freedom. You should be able to adjust colors, fonts, and layouts, add text, upload your own images, and apply effects or textures.

4. Commercial rights: Always confirm you have the license to use your artwork commercially. This protects you when distributing music, selling, or promoting.

5. Export standards: Platforms should deliver files that meet streaming requirements (e.g., 3000x3000 pixels, RGB, JPEG/PNG). Some distributors, like iMusician, also have their own release artwork guidelines for additional requirements, tips, and things to avoid.

6. Ease of use: Drag-and-drop functionality, intuitive navigation, and minimal learning curves are essential for musicians who aren’t designers.

7. AI integration: Increasingly common, AI tools can generate unique concepts or layouts. The best platforms combine this with manual editing so you can refine results.

8. Pricing & value: Free plans work for simple covers, but premium subscriptions typically unlock better templates, assets, and export quality. Transparent pricing is a must.

Canva has long been the gold standard for DIY designers across all creative fields, and music cover art is no exception. This versatile platform combines professional-grade design tools with a drag-and-drop editor and an interface so intuitive that anyone can create polished artwork in minutes — even if you have zero graphic design background.

Key Features:

• Massive library of thousands of album cover templates specifically designed for music releases across every major genre

• Drag-and-drop editor with endless fonts, graphics, and stock photos

• Built-in photo editing tools, including filters, effects, and background removal

• Fully functional desktop version plus a mobile app for creating on the go.

• Collaboration options for bands or teams to co-design artwork in real time.

• Direct exports that meet streaming platform requirements

• An online AI image generator, powered by Dream Lab, that lets you sketch out creative concepts and turn ideas into visuals instantly

Pros:

• The free version alone offers plenty of design assets

• Templates are modern, professionally designed, and genre-diverse

• Extensive tutorials, guides, and design resources

• Commercial license included with both free and paid plans

• Regular updates with trending, on-brand design styles

Cons:

• Premium elements require a Canva Pro subscription ($120/year or $12/month)

• Some templates can feel overused or repetitive if you don't customize or personalize them heavily

• Free version includes Canva watermark on premium elements

Best For: Musicians, bands, or DIY artists at beginner to intermediate levels who want professional-looking results without a steep learning curve. Canva is also perfect for those who need a versatile tool that goes beyond cover art—ideal for designing social media posts, press kits, and promotional visuals.

Formerly known as Adobe Spark, Adobe Express delivers simplified Adobe power for musicians who need professional cover art without diving into Photoshop or Illustrator. It strikes an excellent balance between functionality and accessibility, making it ideal for artists seeking more customization than Canva, but less complexity than the full Creative Suite.

Key Features:

• Adobe-quality templates with sleek, modern design aesthetics

• Integration with Adobe Stock for high-quality imagery

• Brand kit functionality to maintain consistent visuals across platforms

• Animation options for creating promotional content

• One-click resize for social media formats

• Cloud storage and syncing across devices

Pros:

• Free plan available with solid core features

• Premium plan includes Adobe Stock access

• Clean, modern interface that's less overwhelming than Photoshop

• Seamless integration if you already use other Adobe products

• High-quality export options for both print and digital

Cons:

• Free plan has limited templates and Adobe Stock access

• Premium plan ($100/year) required for full functionality

• Fewer music-specific templates compared to Canva

• May feel restrictive for advanced designers

Best For: Musicians who want Adobe quality without the complexity, particularly those planning to build a broader brand presence with consistent design elements across multiple platforms.

Kittl has exploded in popularity among independent creators for its unique blend of ease-of-use and advanced typography tools. Its vintage-inspired templates and bold text effects make it particularly appealing for rock, indie, folk, or any genre where typography plays a central role.

Key Features:

• AI-powered design suggestions and auto-layout features

• Wide range of modern, trendy templates

• Advanced typography tools with unique text effects

• Built-in illustration library with editable vector graphics

• Texture and effect overlays for depth and dimension

• Commercial licensing across all plans

Pros:

• Templates feel fresh and current with 2025 design trends

• Excellent for creating bold, standout designs

• Strong typography tools for text-heavy covers

• Free plan allows full design creation with some limitations (limited exports)

• Active design community for inspiration

Cons:

• Free plan limits monthly downloads to 3 designs

• Premium subscription required for unlimited exports ($180/year)

• Slightly steeper learning curve than Canva for beginners

• Smaller overall template library than established competitors

Best For: Artists creating visually bold, typography-driven, or illustration-based cover art who want their visuals to stand out from generic stock-photo designs.

While PosterMyWall markets itself broadly for event posters and marketing materials, it's become a surprisingly powerful option for musicians needing quick and professional cover art. Its strength lies in speed, simplicity, and promotional versatility.

Key Features:

• Thousands of customizable music templates

• Simple drag-and-drop editor for easy design

• Built-in stock photo and video libraries

• Animation and video creation for promotional content

• Social media scheduling integration

• Bulk design creation for multiple releases

Pros:

• Completely free option available with no subscription needed

• Extremely beginner-friendly with a minimal learning curve

• Great for designing full promo campaigns, not just covers

• Regularly updated templates

• Print-on-demand integration for physical merchandise

Cons:

• Interface feels less polished than premium competitors

• Watermark on free downloads (removable with $40/year subscription)

• Limited advanced customization options

• Templates can look generic without adjustments

Best For: Budget-conscious musicians who need both cover art and promotional assets, or those who prefer one-time purchases over recurring subscriptions.

Best known as a video editing app, CapCut has expanded into image design with impressive AI-powered features that make it particularly interesting for musicians creating multimedia content. It’s especially useful if you want both cover art and promotional video content in one place.

Key Features:

• AI background generation and replacement

• Photo enhancement and upscaling tools

• Template library with music-focused options

• Seamless integration of still images and video content

• Advanced editing tools, including layers and masking

• Free exports with no watermark

Pros:

• Completely free with pro-grade features

• Excellent if you're also creating video content for releases

• AI tools help non-designers achieve polished results

• Mobile-first design works great for smartphone creators

• Regular feature updates and improvements

Cons:

• Primarily optimized for social media dimensions (requires adjustment for cover art specs)

• Smaller template selection specifically for album covers

• The Interface feels more video-centric than design-focused

• Limited typography compared to design-specific platforms

Best For: Musicians who are creating content across multiple formats (cover art, music videos, social clips) and want one unified, mobile-friendly platform.

Neural Frames pushes the boundaries of design with AI-generated cover art, utilising advanced machine learning to create surreal, one-of-a-kind visuals based on text prompts or audio input. It’s the perfect tool for experimental musicians who want something unique beyond templates and stock images.

Key Features:

• Text-to-image AI generation from descriptions and audio inputs

• Audio-reactive visuals that respond to your music

• Style transfer to apply artistic aesthetics to images

• Animation options for dynamic cover variations

• Upscaling and image enhancement

• Commercial use rights included

Pros:

• Creates truly unique artwork, unlike anything in template libraries

• Audio-reactive feature generates visuals that mirror your music's mood

• No design skills required — just describe what you want

• Fascinating creative starting points, even if you edit elsewhere

• Rapidly improving AI quality with regular model updates

Cons:

• Requires subscription starting at $19/month

• Results can be unpredictable and require multiple generations

• May need additional editing in traditional tools for text overlays

• Some streaming platforms scrutinize AI art for rights compliance

• Learning to write effective prompts takes practice

Best For: Experimental artists, electronic musicians, and creators who want genuinely unique visuals and are comfortable with AI's creative unpredictability.

Fotor bridges the gap between simple template-based design and advanced photo editing software, making it ideal for musicians who want to use their own photography as the core of cover art.

Key Features:

• Professional photo editing tools, including RAW support

• AI-powered background removal and object selection

• Design templates specifically for album covers

• Batch editing for multiple release versions

• HDR and portrait enhancement features

• Cloud storage with cross-device syncing

Pros:

• Strong photo editing capabilities beyond basic design

• Free version offers substantial functionality

• Clean, professional interface

• One-click enhancement tools for photography

• Good balance of automation and manual control

Cons:

• Premium features require Fotor Pro ($90/year)

• Smaller template library compared to dedicated design platforms

• Some AI features can produce inconsistent results

• The mobile app has limited functionality compared to the desktop version

Best For: Photographer-musicians who want to show their own images and need powerful editing tools alongside template-based design options.

If you're ready to invest in completely unique, professional-quality cover art, 99designs remains the gold standard marketplace connecting musicians with experienced graphic designers worldwide.

Key Features:

• Access to vetted professional designers

• Design contest format with 30+ concepts typically

• One-on-one project option for direct collaboration

• Multiple revision rounds included

• Full commercial rights transfer

• Satisfaction guarantee

Pros:

• Professional-quality results that stand out from template-based designs

• Multiple designers provide diverse creative directions

• Designers understand industry specifications and best practices

• Customer support throughout the process

• Builds long-term relationships with designers for brand consistency

Cons:

• Most expensive option (contests start around $300-500)

• Requires detailed briefing and active participation

• Timelines of 1-2 weeks minimum

• May be overkill for basic releases or limited budgets

Best For: Established artists with a budget for professional design, major releases requiring distinctive branding, or musicians building long-term visual identities who want custom artwork.

Your cover art is more than decoration—it's a crucial component of your music's success in the streaming era. Whether you choose a free DIY tool like Canva for its versatility, explore AI-generated options with Neural Frames for unique visuals, or invest in professional design through 99designs for a major release, the key is matching the tool to your specific needs, budget, and creative vision.

The platforms highlighted in this guide give you professional-quality options regardless of your experience level or budget. Start with free tools to develop your design skills, experiment with AI generators for creative inspiration, and graduate to professional designers when your releases demand that extra polish.

And if you’re preparing your very first release, iMusician makes it easy — our built-in artwork generator, powered by Unsplash, ensures your debut gets the professional look it deserves. Because in 2025, great music paired with great visuals is what helps you stand out.