You might be thinking, “How is an article about the latest version of CorelDraw relevant if it was released in the spring of 2023?” Well, if you’re like me, the best time to purchase new software is when it’s on sale. And if you’re patient, it eventually gets cheaper, whether you’ve been designing with it for years or a first-time user.

CorelDraw 2023 Purchasing Guide

Advice for when and how to buy the software, plus a quick dive into new features. 

By: Shon Roti

(Originally printed in the January/February 2024 issue of Insights.)

You might be thinking, “How is an article about the latest version of CorelDraw relevant if it was released in the spring of 2023?” Well, if you’re like me, the best time to purchase new software is when it’s on sale. And if you’re patient, it eventually gets cheaper, whether you’ve been designing with it for years or a first-time user.

I’ve been using the CorelDraw Suite since 1998, and the software continues to improve its functionality, capabilities and user-friendly qualities that have made me an avid fan of this sometimes-disrespected graphics platform. (Corel seems to be forever taking the proverbial backseat to the shiny star that is the Adobe Suite.) Although I continue to applaud Corel for its improvements, I’m never one to be on the edge of my seat while waiting for the latest version to be unveiled. I guess I’m a believer that I can’t miss or anticipate that of which I’m not aware. And it is often months after using a new version before I take notice of or start utilizing the new features.

I recently started using the latest version of CorelDraw (2023), and my initial thought was a sigh of relief that the overall look and feel changed little, just the way I like it. That said, there are some new features, to be sure. But first, a comment about purchase options.

Subscription vs. Perpetual License

If you are looking to get CorelDraw for the first time, you have two purchase options: a subscription or a one-time purchase. In a world that is pushing everything to a subscription model, CorelDraw continues to provide options, which is a decent thing to do and a bit rare. If you wait a few months for a sale, you can get the full version at about a 20% discount and use it forever or until your computer dies, whichever comes first. A subscription is monthly and a bit easier to finance, too. It also gives you the latest new features as they become available. But you will also be stuck in a subscription (never fun).

See coreldraw.com for a deeper dive into pricing and options (Figure A), and visit community.coreldraw.com for nearly endless discussions over pricing, perpetual licenses versus subscriptions, upgrade options and all the pros and cons of every Corel decision.

Ultimately, you’ll have to determine what works best for your needs. Whatever you choose, the cost to operate this software may be less than one latte per week. If your business can’t operate with that extra overhead, you may be in the wrong line of work.

What’s New in 2023?

Well, to be honest, I’m just a few months in with this version, and I’ve not yet explored all the new features, as you may have expected. This article is not big enough for all the new features, but a couple of things stick out as potentially useful.

First, the Variable Outline Tool, which is a good defense against the idea that software developers are running out of ideas. The Variable Outline Tool does just what it sounds like: It lets the user add additional points on a single outline to vary the width. Double-click with the Variable Outline Tool to add a point (Figure B) to a line. The arrows allow for a free-form transformation, or precise values can be added in the menu above. The shortcut for this tool is (V). I can see this tool adding a new dimension—quite literally—to my designs in the future.

The other new tool that stood out is Focus Mode. I often have projects that have thousands of objects involved: grouped, ungrouped, layered in a specific way. Modifying a single object without selecting or moving other nearby objects can be difficult, even with the Objects docker utilized. Using the Focus Mode can allow you to right-click on a group of objects and choose Bring into Focus (Figure C). The selected objects remain in full color; the remaining objects in the document are faded and also appear grayed out in the Objects docker and are not accessible. Changes can only be made to the objects in full color. Further drilling down can be done within that group, including isolating other grouped objects with the same set of tools. Countless frustrating moments averted in the design process for sure!

Additionally, new templates can be accessed in the online templates library, and Practice Project files for CorelDraw and Photo-Paint are now available for training and demos. More information about Practice Projects can be found in the Learn docker (Figure D). There is also a CorelDraw Academy feature located on the welcome screen that allows people to use modular-based training sessions with real-life design scenarios that can be applied to future design concepts. Lastly, the New Document settings have been redesigned to allow users to choose from a number of preset documents or for a fully customized document (Figure E).

New features in Photo-Paint are also worth a mention—but we’ll save that discussion for a future article.

CorelDraw is competing against many more options than ever, and major enhancements do not seem to occur as often as they used to. But for those who use CorelDraw for its intuitive design tools and tool option versatility, this software is still relevant and worth every penny to me.

Shon Roti is the owner of 9th Street Designs, a sublimation and graphic design consulting and promotional products business. A graphic designer, Shon has spent more than two decades working as a production artist and instructor in the awards and promotional products industry. In 2014, APA named him Speaker of the Year. Contact him at shon@sublimationconsultant.com.