What is the Best Embroidery Digitizing Software?

Looking to start embroidery digitizing to create or edit embroidery designs? As the world’s most awarded embroidery digitizer, people always ask me two questions:
  • “What is the best embroidery digitizing software?” 
  • “Which embroidery digitizing software programs are easy to use?”

Most embroidery digitizing software programs have the essential tools to create an embroidery design file. All embroidery software has the ability to use the three main stitch types; therefore, they can all accomplish (for the most part) the same result.

However, what does differ is the advanced digitizing tools and features that make creating designs easier. Some do require more leg work with manually inputting ‘stitch settings,’ while others are more advanced as they help automate the process and speed things up for you. For this reason, please note that:

All digitizing software is not the same, and there are many angles to consider when you’re in the market of buying a program. If you’re looking for a place to start, Embroidery Legacy Digitizing Software offers next-genrations tools, and a non-cluttered interface that allows you focus on creativity, instead of complexity.

Things to Consider When Looking Into Embroidery Digitizing Software:

Personal Preference

As with anything in life, people have different preferences. Your background and the type of embroidery work you plan to create will probably, in some way, impact your decision more than anything else.

Do Your Research

Go online and see what others think about a particular software brand. Find embroidery help on Facebook, blogs, YouTube, and other platforms to ask questions and get honest feedback.

Reputable Embroidery Software Brands & Embroidery Education

software eld examples
You should also consider the company’s reputation and, more importantly, the level of support and training they offer. I’ve always said: “Any software program is only as good as the support & education that comes with it.”
When learning to digitize designs, the training you get after purchasing your software is crucial. People often purchase software and have to figure things out on their own or learn from an unqualified teacher. This software knowledge “gap” is why my book Digitizing Made Easy sold almost 50,000 copies worldwide.If you do discover a software brand you love that doesn’t have excellent education to help you master it, I highly suggest taking a look at our fan-favorite Digitizer’s Dream Course.The Digitizers Dream Course is taught in 11 of the industry’s most popular software brands. It will take you by the hand and teach you the age-old theory behind creating beautiful embroidery designs.

Should I Buy Through A Dealer Store Or Online?

Honestly, this depends on how much one-on-one assistance you think you’ll need with the basics. I endorse supporting your local dealer if you think their support justifies the extra cost.

Remember that dealers are in business and often have a ton of overhead. They likely have to support staff, brick and mortar stores, and other expenses. The reason why their software can, at times, cost a couple of thousand dollars more isn’t necessarily because it’s better than another program…

Instead, it can be because there are more sales channels that software has to go through before it reaches your hands. The brick-and-mortar store, regional sales coordinator, and of course, software manufacturers all need to profit.

Paying your dealer for help is okay if you need a lot of assistance with the basics. They deserve to get paid for their work and efforts.

However, remember that most stores and store employees often only know the software essentials. If you want to learn how to digitize and create more complex designs, you’ll want to learn from an experienced digitizer and someone who used to digitize professionally. You know, someone who has digitized for Coca-Cola, Disney, the NFL, and the NBA (amongst hundreds of other companies) and now offers software-specific digitizing lessons? (Alright, enough patting myself on the back)

Do You Need To Buy Software Specific To Your Embroidery Machine Brand?

To put it bluntly, no, you do not. For example, just because you own a Janome or Brother machine, doesn’t mean you need to buy Janome or Brother software. Almost all software brands export their embroidery files in most machine file formats.

To be fair, although you don’t need it, sometimes some bells and whistles come from having the same brand of machine and software. Things like wireless connection can be significant motivating factors for some.

However, when it comes to creating embroidery projects and digitizing in particular, there aren’t any huge advantages to buying software specific to your machine brand. In fact, you usually just end up paying more.

Where Can You Get Embroidery Software Support/Help?

more support less stress

There’s always a slight learning curve when it comes to learning anything new.

Education is key! Our lessons help an incredible amount when learning how to digitize, but sometimes you have questions about how to do something or where to find a tool. Although Google is an awesome resource, sometimes it’s easiest just to post your question online, where live humans can answer.

For this reason, being a part of a community/group is a huge bonus! We personally run one of the world’s largest digitizing related groups: Machine Embroidery & Digitizing Made Easy group. If you have a question or just want some inspiration, post it to the group, and one of our amazing members or administrators will guide you in the right direction.
Key tip: Having your software brand’s support team in your time zone can make a huge difference! If your provider is halfway around the world and you need help, waking up at 2 am can be a real pain.

See if Embroidery Digitizing is Something You’re Really Interested In First

Now, I realize that some embroiderers don’t fully understand what digitizing is or if it’s something you’ll really want to invest your time into. For this reason, I created a Free Embroidery Digitizing 101 Video Course with a Cheat Sheet PDF.

It’s the perfect starting point to teach you the basic digitizing principles that EVERY embroiderer should know, like stitch types, underlay, pull compensation, and more. Trust me, whether you want to digitize or not, the theory you’ll learn here will help you achieve better-embroidered results.

My Suggestion? Check Out Embroidery Legacy Digitizing Software for Simplified Design Creation

Embroidery Legacy Digitizing Software

If you’re searching for a powerful yet easy-to-use digitizing solution, Embroidery Legacy Digitizing Software is the perfect choice. It streamlines the digitizing process, allowing you to focus on creativity rather than complexity.

Unlike traditional software that may feel overly complicated, EL Digitizer features a modern, intuitive interface and smart automation tools that make embroidery design creation effortless—just like switching from a manual to an automatic car! ??

With EL Digitizer, you can:

  • Work smarter, not harder with innovative, next-generation features
  • Skip the frustration with a non-cluttered, user-friendly workspace
  • Turn ideas into stunning embroidery designs—quickly and easily

Whether you’re new to digitizing or a seasoned pro, this software simplifies the digitizing process and helps you create with confidence.

Ready to upgrade your embroidery experience? Discover how simple digitizing can be with EL Digitizer Software!

Conclusion: Discover if Digitizing is Right for You—Then Make an Informed Choice!

As you know, you need to consider many factors when looking into digitizing software. However, the main thing to remember is to look for a reputable brand with quality education and support.

Still not sure if digitizing is right for you or want to learn the basics first? Try our free Embroidery Digitizing 101 Course before buying your embroidery software. We suggest saving money and learning the basics. This will help you understand digitizing and learn important theories that all embroiderers should know.

If you’re ready to create stunning embroidery designs and want our top recommendation, explore our revolutionary new Embroidery Legacy Digitizing Software. With its modern, clutter-free interface and next-generation tools, designing has never been easier—or faster!

I hope this helps you narrow your search for embroidery digitizing software. If you have any questions, we’re always happy to help.

John Deer

John Deer

Winning 30 commercial digitizing awards, John Deer has been the most awarded embroidery digitizer in the world for over two decades now. As a 4th generation embroiderer, John has an incredibly unique history in the embroidery digitizing industry as he is the last remaining Schiffli Master Digitizer still alive and teaching in North America. John learned and apprenticed under Swiss Schiffli Master Digitizers (then known as “punchers”) over 30 years ago in his grandparents’ factory, before computers even entered the digitizing world. John has run 2 commercial embroidery factories, owned one of the world’s largest production digitizing houses, wrote the book “Digitizing Made Easy” (which has sold over 44,300 copies), and coached 100,000+ home and commercial embroiderers globally.

Winning 30 commercial digitizing awards, John Deer has been the most awarded embroidery digitizer in the world for over two decades now. As a 4th generation embroiderer, John has an incredibly unique history in the embroidery digitizing industry as he is the last remaining Schiffli Master Digitizer still alive and teaching in North America. John learned and apprenticed under Swiss Schiffli Master Digitizers (then known as “punchers”) over 30 years ago in his grandparents’ factory, before computers even entered the digitizing world. John has run 2 commercial embroidery factories, owned one of the world’s largest production digitizing houses, wrote the book “Digitizing Made Easy” (which has sold over 44,300 copies), and coached 100,000+ home and commercial embroiderers globally.

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