A free alternative to Illustrator for scientific figures
Most researchers assemble their figures in whatever they already have open: PowerPoint, Illustrator, Photoshop, sometimes Inkscape. None of those was built for the job. Illustrator and Photoshop are powerful but expensive and slow to learn. PowerPoint cannot guarantee the resolution or file format a journal checks for at submission. FigureForge is built for one thing: assembling multi-panel scientific figures and exporting them to a journal's exact spec. It runs in your browser, it is free, and you do not need to sign up.
New to FigureForge? See what it does.
When Illustrator is still the right tool
FigureForge is not a vector drawing program. If you need to redraw artwork, edit curves, or build an illustration from scratch, Illustrator does that and FigureForge does not. FigureForge assumes your panels already exist (micrographs, blots, gels, plots, schematics) and helps you arrange, resize, label, and export them without fighting a general-purpose design tool.
At a glance
| FigureForge | Illustrator | PowerPoint | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built for figure assembly | Yes | No (general vector) | No |
| Price | Free | Subscription | Office licence |
| Install | None (browser) | Desktop | Desktop |
| Journal size + format presets | >1,000 built in | None | None |
| Writes DPI + sRGB metadata journals check | Automatic | Manual | Often missing |
| Auto-arrange + auto-label panels | Yes | Manual | Manual |
| Time to a first figure | Minutes | Steep learning curve | Low, but limited output |
How it works
- Import your panels (PNG, JPEG, TIFF, SVG, PDF, WebP, BMP).
- Click Assemble; FigureForge scores layout options and arranges the panels.
- Pick your target journal; the figure resizes to its column width and DPI.
- Labels (A, B, C) are added automatically; adjust any panel's crop, zoom, or gaps.
- Export to PNG, PDF, TIFF, or JPEG with the metadata submission systems read.
Common questions
Is it really free?
Yes. Guest use is free and needs no account. An optional free account adds cloud saves.
Do I need to install anything?
No. It runs entirely in your browser.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. All image processing happens on your own computer. Files are never sent to a server.
Can it open Illustrator (.ai) files?
Not .ai directly, but it imports PDF and SVG, which is how most vector panels move between tools. PDF and SVG sources stay vector in a PDF export.
Does it export at 300 DPI?
Yes. You set the target DPI and the export is re-rendered from your original files at that resolution, with the DPI written into the file so submission systems read it correctly.