Adobe Illustrator
The industry-standard vector graphics app for logos, illustration, icons and print artwork.
- Verified facts
- 3 of 3
- Alternatives ranked
- 6
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is the long-standing professional standard for vector graphics. Designers use it for logos, brand identities, icons, illustrations, packaging, typography and print layouts, and its .ai format is what printers, agencies and clients most often expect. It has deep pen and shape tools, precise type controls, artboards, gradients, patterns and image tracing, along with Adobe Firefly generative features for recolouring artwork and creating vectors from text prompts. Tight links with Photoshop, InDesign and Adobe's font and stock libraries make it the natural pick for people already working in Creative Cloud. The drawbacks are cost, a steep learning curve and a subscription-only model with no perpetual licence. It is sold as a single-app plan or as part of Creative Cloud bundles, billed monthly or annually, with a 7-day free trial. Illustrator runs on Windows and macOS, and an iPad version is included with most plans.
Best for: Professional designers and agencies who need the vector format clients and printers expect.
Pros and cons
What works
- Industry-standard file format and workflows
- Deep vector, type and print tools
- Works closely with Photoshop, InDesign and Adobe Fonts
Why people leave
- Subscription only, no perpetual licence
- Steep learning curve for newcomers
- Expensive compared with Affinity or Inkscape
Top Adobe Illustrator alternatives
See all 6- 1
Inkscape62.6Free, open-source vector editor for Windows, Mac and Linux.
- 2
CorelDRAW59.6Long-running professional rival with a one-time purchase option.
- 3
Figma57.5Better for UI and collaborative work, with solid vector tools.
- 4
Linearity Curve57.2Lighter, cheaper vector app built for Mac and iPad.
- 5
Affinity56.0Free professional vector, pixel and layout app with no subscription.
Why people left Adobe Illustrator
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
No switching stories yet. If you moved away from Adobe Illustrator, review the app you switched to and tell us why.
Reviews
No approved reviews yet. How we verify reviewers
Write a review of Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator: common questions
Is Adobe Illustrator free?
No, Adobe Illustrator is a paid product.
Is Adobe Illustrator open source?
No, Adobe Illustrator is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Inkscape.
What platforms does Adobe Illustrator run on?
Adobe Illustrator is available for Windows, macOS and iOS.
What are the best alternatives to Adobe Illustrator?
The highest-ranked Adobe Illustrator alternatives right now are Inkscape, CorelDRAW and Figma. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.