10 Best Free Thumbnail Makers in 2024

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If you want to create a stylish thumbnail for a video or PC game, these are the best free thumbnail makers. These programs can help you make a high-quality thumbnail in a matter of minutes to draw the attention of even the most demanding viewers.

Top 10 Free Thumbnail Makers

  1. Adobe Express - Pre-made thumbnail layouts
  2. Filmora - Perfect for fast thumbnail creation
  3. Canva - Library includes a million photos
  4. Fotor - Cloud storage
  5. Picmonkey - Artistic presets
  6. Backgrounder - Dozens of image editing tools
  7. Fotojet - 600+ templates
  8. Pixlr - Useful brushes for photo editing
  9. Snappa - Custom backgrounds
  10. Visme - Best color adjustments

With these free thumbnail makers, you can create a catchy video cover for almost any digital content in a matter of minutes. It is possible to work with both pre-designed templates and tools, as well as your original photos.

1. Adobe Express – Our Choice

Pre-made thumbnail layouts
  • User-friendly platform
  • Great for novices
  • Adjustable colors, backgrounds and text
  • You can insert additional images if you want
  • Not found

Verdict: Adobe Express (formerly - Adobe Spark) has a collection of adjustable thumbnail templates that you can use to make catchy thumbnails with ease. You can utilize pre-made thumbnail layouts as well as those specifically crafted for YouTube without spending a cent.

Though some users may say that available features are too basic, they are sufficient to create eye-catching thumbnails without much effort. For example, you can customize backgrounds, texts, colors, and other elements of your thumbnail for a more personalized look. The service appeared in 2016 and has become very popular among users all over the globe. So, don’t miss a chance to try it out to see whether it will work for your needs.

adobe creative cloud express free thumbnail maker interface

2. Filmora

Perfect for fast thumbnail creation
  • Intuitive interface
  • Numerous video editing features
  • 300+ brushes and effects
  • None

Verdict: Filmora is popular thumbnail software that allows you to easily create video covers for almost any content. It is also one of the best free video editing software, so you can create video thumbnails right after enhancing your clip.

You can make the best use of filters, texts, overlays, and objects, and then take a photo using the special Filmora tool. The program allows you to select the most appealing frame from the video and use it as a video cover.

filmora thumbnail maker interface

3. Canva

Library includes a million photos
  • Over 1 million images
  • Straightforward interface
  • Perfect for beginners
  • Contains ads

Verdict: Canva is one of the best free graphic design software, which lets you make stylish video thumbnails. It includes templates to create professional-looking YouTube video covers, regardless of your design experience.

You can use Canva to create thumbnails using your photos or pre-installed templates. The service offers over 1 million images, photos, and fonts for your projects.

canva thumbnail maker interface

4. Fotor

Cloud storage
  • Fast video editing
  • Ready-made templates and designs
  • Intuitive navigation
  • Can freeze

Verdict: Fotor is an online thumbnail maker that offers excellent tools for creating video covers. Novice users can test well-designed customizable templates for YouTube.

The service has a simple interface, so you can edit your designs and access all the elements you need without any hassle. Fotor includes a text editor and design elements, stickers, and emojis, which you can also use to complement your projects.

fotor thumbnail maker interface

5. PicMonkey

Artistic presets
  • Fast video editing
  • No watermarks
  • Numerous tools for video editing
  • No batch video editing feature

Verdict: PicMonkey can serve as the best thumbnail maker for those, who are looking for an online service with many filters, exclusive overlays, fonts, frames, and additional tools. The program is suitable for beginners due to the detailed step-by-step guidelines.

PicMonkey has over 100 professionally-designed templates that you can instantly customize to match your brand. You can also start with a blank canvas and add your own photos, text, graphics, and logo to create a custom thumbnail.

picmonkey thumbnail maker interface

6. Backgrounder

Dozens of image editing tools
  • Intuitive interface
  • Community for sharing works
  • No watermarks
  • Can freeze

Verdict: Backgrounder is an online service that lets you create high-quality and stylish video covers for YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and more. It is easy to use and has an interactive interface suitable for both professionals and beginners.

Backgrounder offers pre-designed templates, so you can easily find the right thumbnail size for YouTube or other platforms. You can use this robust thumbnail software and take advantage of its first-class image editing tools, the possibility to add new layers, and extra features such as images and custom text.

backgrounder thumbnail maker interface

7. Fotojet

Intuitive interface
  • 600+ templates
  • Thumbnails in a few clicks
  • Numerous image editing features
  • Contains ads

Verdict: Fotojet is an online tool that is widely used as a collage maker and graphic design software. Also, many users consider it the best free photo editor that allows for making video covers, rotating, cropping, resizing or filtering images, creating direct publications for social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, etc.

Fotojet includes over 600 stunning collage templates to speed up your work. It is also possible to design images from scratch and create unique custom covers.

fotojet thumbnail maker interface

8. Pixlr

Useful brushes for photo editing
  • Library with free effects
  • Convenient interface
  • Stylish templates
  • Requires Flash

Verdict: Pixlr is an online service that lets you create stylish and modern video covers in just a few minutes. The program has built-in templates that are ideal for quick work.

Also, this video thumbnail maker allows you to develop your projects from scratch. An extensive set of built-in fonts will help you create a catchy and stylish caption to enhance your video cover. Also, users can add stickers and other visual elements to complement the project.

pixlr thumbnail maker interface

9. Snappa

Custom backgrounds
  • Convenient work with fonts
  • Pre-designed templates
  • Customizable designs for different social media platforms
  • Contains ads

Verdict: Snappa is a useful tool that allows users to create eye-catching thumbnails for videos or games. The main advantage of the service is that it allows you to choose the best template for a specific social media platform by adjusting its size.

The program offers numerous pre-designed customizable backgrounds for your projects. The variety of fonts allows you to create unique captions. The only downside of this thumbnail creator is that it contains ads. However, it doesn’t distract the attention from your creative process.

snappa thumbnail maker interface

10. Visme

Best color adjustments
  • 50+ pre-designed templates
  • Intuitive interface
  • Basic image editing
  • Occasional crashes

Verdict: Visme is a user-friendly video thumbnail maker for YouTube that incorporates a rich array of templates. The program has a drag-and-drop interface, so it will be convenient to use it even if you are a beginner.

It is possible to change the shape, position, and size of each template. You can add new sections from the panel on the left side of the screen to include custom text, icons, and graphics. Visme also lets you quickly apply an existing color scheme or create your own one to match your brand aesthetics.

visme thumbnail maker interface
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