There are many choices available for software that can organize, print, edit, convert, split, and even digitize new designs. Some websites offer tools that allow you to customize stock designs without the need for expensive digitizing software. Online design tools are generally geared towards the consumer rather than professional. Often the software can be tailored so you pay for only those features you need. If all you want is to embroider a design purchased either from the internet or a reputable digitizer, then you probably don't need any additional software at all.

High quality designs can be created and/or edited by trained users with almost any type of digitizing software, expensive or inexpensive; expensive software simply automates common tasks and complex embroidery techniques. Digitizing and editing software ranges from free to $15,000. For basic software, expect to pay anywhere from a few hundred to a couple thousand. For professional software, expect to pay $5,000 to $15,000 or more, depending on the desired features. While there are some software packages that can auto-digitize artwork, auto-digitized designs usually result in more thread breaks and other problems, and have an arguably lower aesthetic quality relative to designs created by professional human digitizers. It is important to understand that digitizing embroidery from artwork is not the same as using a paint program or a vector-based drawing tool. Fabric and thread have very real limitations with which even art or embroidery professionals need to be familiar. For example, the minimum text size is quite a bit larger than most artists expect, circles need to be digitized as ovals to compensate for fabric pull, and underlay must be chosen properly to support the specific design. Even designs that appear to stitch out correctly may have problems once washed if basic digitizing principles aren't applied. Factors such as the fabric and thread types chosen can profoundly affect the final digitized design.

Fortunately, quality training is finally available. Adorable Ideas, Strawberry Stitch, and Floriani Embroidery are just a few of the companies that provide general training on digitizing. There are also tutorials available for most software packages, though this is usually geared toward their software features rather than on general digitizing techniques. Other good resources include Yahoo groups, books, and a number of magazines on machine embroidery.

These are just a few of the top quality entry level (costing several hundred dollar) editing and digitizing programs: BuzzEdit v2, Embroidery Magic 2, Fancyworks Studio, Embird, PE Design/Palette, Origins, and Generations. Manufacturers of professional quality digitizing software include Barudan, Compucon, Pantograms, Pulse, Wilcom, Sierra, Wings and others.