Sublimation Software: Free and Paid Options by Printer

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You don't need special sublimation software to start. Any design app that exports a high-resolution image will do, as long as you mirror the print and send it through the right printer settings. What changes from printer to printer is how color is handled: Epson, Sawgrass and Brother each ship their own tools, while a converted EcoTank relies on the ink maker's ICC profile or settings.

So think of sublimation software as two layers: a design app where you make the artwork, and the print software that turns it into accurate color. Below are free and paid options for each layer, matched to the printer you own.

Sublimation software at a glance

Printer software: where color is decided

Sublimation ink looks dull on paper and changes color in the press, so you can't judge it by eye. Printer software solves that by applying settings matched to the ink and paper.

Epson F170 and F570

Epson ships dye-sublimation print software for Mac and Windows, tuned for its own T49M ink. You design in any app, print through Epson's driver, and choose the paper setting for your sublimation paper. Check Epson's support page for current OS versions before you buy. The 24-inch F570 Pro (SCF570PE) adds Epson Edge Print Pro, a RIP with an Adobe PDF Print Engine that handles job layout and nesting, pattern repeats and advanced color controls. More in our Epson F570 review.

Sawgrass SG500 and SG1000

Sawgrass Print Utility applies Sawgrass color settings for its ink and paper, so you don't download or troubleshoot ICC profiles. Authorized retailer JP Plus says it accepts JPG, PNG, PDF, TIFF, GIF, AVIF, WEBP and EPS files and works with Silhouette for print-and-cut. The MySawgrass Design Tool adds templates, shapes and masks, layers and access to DesignMate+ artwork, per JP Plus. Sawgrass lists Windows 10 or macOS 13 with an Intel or AMD processor for the SG500. Our Sawgrass SG500 vs SG1000 guide covers both printers.

Brother SP-1

The SP-1 is built around Brother's free Artspira app, with 100+ sublimation designs, AR previews of your design on the product, image conversion and a Poster Style feature. It prints wirelessly from iOS or Android. US retailers also list Windows 10/11 and macOS 11–14 via AirPrint. Our Brother SP-1 vs Epson F170 comparison covers the app-first workflow.

Converted Epson EcoTanks

Epson's drivers are tuned for Epson's regular ink, not third-party sublimation ink, so color becomes your job. Some ink makers supply ICC profiles; others, including Cosmos Ink and A-SUB, say their inks are formulated to print without one. Follow your ink maker's instructions for driver settings, and if you use a profile, design or print from an app that supports color management. Expect a few test presses. Our EcoTank conversion guide walks through the setup.

Free design software for sublimation

Free plans change, so check what each one includes today. For most sublimation work, you need four things: setting a canvas to an exact size, placing text and images, exporting at 300 dpi or more, and exporting PNG or PDF.

Paid design software

• Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator: the industry standard for photo work and vector logos, with full color management for ICC profiles.
• Affinity Photo and Designer: one-time-purchase alternatives with professional color management.
• CorelDRAW: popular in sign and awards shops for layouts and gang sheets.
• Procreate (iPad): drawing and illustration, with print-ready exports.

Pay for these when you're designing original artwork every week or managing ICC profiles on a converted printer. If you buy ready-made designs, a free app is usually enough.

How to set up a sublimation design in any app

1. Set the canvas to the finished size of the print area, for example a mug wrap or tumbler wrap. Our sublimation tumbler size guide shows how to measure.
2. Work at 300 dpi or more. Low-resolution images print soft.
3. Use a transparent background (PNG) for shapes and text, so you don't print a white or colored box.
4. Leave a safety margin around text near edges and seams.
5. Export as PNG or PDF at full size.
6. Mirror the print. Do it in the print dialog (most drivers have a mirror or "flip horizontal" option) or in the app, but not both, or you'll flip it back.
7. Pick the sublimation paper setting your printer or ink maker recommends.

Software for gang sheets and production

Once you print many small items at once, layout becomes the bottleneck. A gang sheet places many designs on one sheet or roll to save paper and printing time. You can build simple gang sheets in any design app by duplicating designs on a letter or 13 x 19 canvas. For roll printers, a RIP such as Epson Edge Print Pro, included with the F570 Pro, adds nesting, pattern repeats and job layout, which saves real time on big orders.

Two habits make production easier whatever software you use: save a template for each blank you sell, with the print area and safety margin marked, and name files with the blank, size and date so reorders print the same way.

Print Then Cut and cutting machines

If you sublimate stickers, iron-on or shaped designs, your cutting machine's software joins the workflow. Cricut Design Space handles Print Then Cut with any home printer, including sublimation printers; on letter paper, the cuttable area is 9.94 x 7.44 inches on the Joy Xtra, Explore, Maker and Venture. Sawgrass Print Utility works with Silhouette for print-and-cut, per JP Plus. Our Cricut sublimation printer guide covers the Cricut side.

Common mistakes

• Mirroring twice, once in the app and again in the print dialog.
• Designing at screen resolution, then enlarging. Start at 300 dpi at full size.
• Judging color on paper. Press a test strip before changing settings.
• Using the wrong paper setting. Media settings change how much ink goes down.
• Ignoring licensing. Free design files often have personal-use-only licenses; read them before selling.
• Mixing color workflows on a converted printer, such as applying a profile in the app and color adjustment in the driver at the same time.

FAQ

Next steps

If you're still choosing a printer, the software is a good tiebreaker: Sawgrass for managed color, Brother for an app-first workflow, Epson for the freedom to use any design app. Compare them in our Brother SP-1 vs Epson F170 and Sawgrass SG500 vs SG1000 guides.