Graphic Design Apps Like Adobe

A Short History Of Adobe Illustrator 🧑🏽‍🏫

Adobe Illustrator is one of the most popular vector graphics editors and design programs out there.

Initially designed for Apple Macintosh, the development of Adobe Illustration by Adobe officially started in 1985 and launched in 1987.

In its early versions, Adobe Illustrator allowed users to design and develop fonts, typography, logos and use their creativity to create graphic designs.

This popular design app has come a long way since then, offering numerous improvements and a wide range of applications. Illustrator also supports multiple artboards and Microsoft's Surface Dial.

A great feature introduced in late 2019 was the "Simplify Tool", which aims to remove the unnecessary anchor points. This is especially important if you have any paths created by tracing or with mobile apps.

Since the app is very precise and intuitive to use, you don't necessarily need to be a graphic designer to enjoy this innovative tool. Adobe Illustrator is also helpful for artists, accountants, digital marketers, engineers, and so on.

Nevertheless, these days consumers have started to turn to other alternatives to Adobe Illustrator for various reasons.

Some are looking for free alternatives to Adobe Illustrator or alternatives that offer more affordable prices. Some are looking for other alternatives that better suit their needs.

Some are not 100% convinced and are just looking at other options before purchasing Adobe Illustrator.

In any case, it can be useful to take a look at the top 12 Adobe Illustrator alternatives out there before you decide which one is best for you or your company.

12 Best Adobe Illustrator Alternatives:

Affinity Designer

Vectornator

Figma

Sketch

CorelDRAW

Inkscape

Vectr

GravitDesigner

Xara Photo & Graphic Design

Graphic

Vecteezy

Boxy-SVG

Important disclosure: we're proud affiliates of some tools mentioned in this guide. If you click an affiliate link and subsequently make a purchase, we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you (you pay nothing extra).

1. Affinity Designer

Pricing: $24.99 ($9.99 for iPad)

Pros: It offers real-time blend mode previews, pan and zoom at 60fps, fast response to any of your commands, and can handle thousands of objects with no lag.

Cons: Among some of the shortcomings of this software are the lack of a wide range of textures and a realistic perspective grid.

Converting images to vectors can be challenging, and the option for multiple strokes and fills only works for one object at a time.

Professional illustrators, web designers, and game developers all over the world use this graphic design software, which is considered one of Adobe Illustrator's biggest competitors.

After winning the Apple Design Award in 2015, Affinity Designer gained even more fame. Users love its easy-to-use interface and its smooth combination of vector and raster design tools.

Not only does Affinity Designer offer almost the same features as Adobe Illustrator, but its interface is more user-friendly and feels more modern than the new version of Illustrator.

Since it is available on iPadOS as well, it allows users to design and illustrate on the go, especially on their tablets.

Moreover, compared to Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer is much more affordable.

Did you know that you only have to pay only once instead of a monthly or yearly subscription fee?

Its one-off payment is around the same price as what you would have to pay for a month's subscription to Adobe Illustrator, making this a low-budget alternative that offers a comprehensive set of features and tools.

It is available on macOS, Windows, and iPadOS platforms.

2. Vectornator

Pricing: Free

Pros: Vectornator is an impressive Illustrator alternative for iPad, Mac, and iPhone. It offers video tutorials covering all the basics. This way, its users can understand the software better and know how to use all its tools.

Its creative cloud library allows users to design on their iPad and Desktop and pick up where they left off whenever they switch their devices.

Vectornator also offers the highest resolution digital canvas for artists. It is excellent for everyone who manages social media channels and needs to use the proper dimensions for all the different channels.

Cons: Vectornator is not very customizable and so far, the app is only available to Apple users. You can download it on macOS, iPadOS13, and iOS13.

Vectornator allows you to export to JPG, PNG, SVG, and PDF. You can also export a Time-lapse video of your project, but keep in mind that Vectornator doesn't allow Time-Lapse exports for documents with multiple artboards.

When it comes to importing, Vectornator supports Figma, Sketch, AI, EPS, PNG, SVG and JPEG files. You can also import mages from the Document Picker, using the Import Tab, as well as Import Unsplash Images.

Even though it launched in 2017, in this short period of time Vectornator has become one of the favorite vector graphics software for designers worldwide.

Currently, this intuitive and precise illustration software is the most powerful vector graphics design software for iPad. Its MacOS version is less popular because it lacks some of the advanced features offered by Adobe Illustrator.

A cool feature of Vectornator is its auto-trace technology. This feature can help you save a lot of time (up to 30% of the time compared to other alternatives), since you will not need to trace images by hand anymore. Auto-trace allows you to handle that instantly by just pressing a button.

Vectornator empowers users to design anything they want from expressive lettering and bold logo design to sophisticated illustrations.

Vectornator is the best alternative if you need to work with letters, but do not have the patience to spend hours practicing.

Its path guides allow you to frame your content perfectly while its Pen tool workflow allows you to create complex and detailed paths effortlessly.

3. Figma

Pricing:

Starter: Free
Professional: $12 per editor/month
Organization: $45 per editor/month

Pros: This all-in-one tool is available on Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, and macOS platforms. It also has unique tools such as the Arc tool and Vector Networks.

As mentioned earlier, this tool removes the need to constantly save your workspace and helps you optimize your workflow. It also allows groups of artists and designers to collaborate and design together.

If you are working on your own and do not need to constantly share your work progress, you will be better off with Adobe Illustrator.

Cons: To run smoothly, Figma needs a RAM and Graphics card. Unlike Vectornator, this tool does not offer video tutorials, and there are few resources out there that can help you understand the way it works.

Because Figma is browser-based, it can be challenging to zoom in and out on a specific file, especially if your laptop/computer isn't too powerful, or if your Internet connection isn't that fast.

Once you start using Figma, the never-ending question "where's the final version?" becomes a thing of the past. That's because Figma allows anyone to work together in the same design file.

If you are a Google Docs lover and were wishing for something similar when it comes to design, then you're in luck! Especially if all your team members are scattered in different countries or even continents.

Since 2015, this innovative design tool has empowered companies worldwide to re-design the way they design.

While aiming to push forward the way we design, Figma is working on making the future of design more transparent, borderless, collaborative, community-driven, and open-sourced.

Figma users can invite others to collaborate on the same file by sending the link to their projects. This way, anyone who has access to the link can design and co-edit simultaneously.

Since it is a cloud-based design tool, it also allows users to design and work on the same project in real-time.

4. Sketch

Pricing:

Individuals: $99 one-off payment
Teams: $9 per contributor/month

Pros: As mentioned earlier, Sketch is very easy to use. You will not have to research for tutorials or other resources to learn how to use it since its interface is super intuitive.

Since it was built for teams, it is easily shareable and has excellent plugins and integrations. If you are looking for an Adobe Illustrator Alternative that is easy to use and you do not mind its shortcomings, this is the one you should go for.

Cons: If you're a graphic designer or an illustrator, there is a high chance that you will not find all the features you are looking for.

Unlike Figma, this tool lacks cloud storage, so you will have to save and backup your projects frequently just to be on the safe side.

Moreover, Sketch is only available to Mac users and can be accessed only on a desktop. If you are looking to work on the go and constantly switch between devices, you will be better off with Vectornator.

Similar to Figma, this tool is perfect for digital designers. What makes it better than Figma is that it has a low learning curve, so anyone can learn how to use it quickly.

It has an intuitive interface, a clean layout and makes it easy to share the projects with your coworkers or team members.

This tool is built with teamwork in mind- meaning it is perfect for teams, from design teams to marketing and sales.

As it is easy to share the projects and easy to use, Sketch can become the perfect tool for different teams from different backgrounds.

📚️ Check out our detailed comparison of Sketch alternatives.

5. CorelDRAW

Pricing: $324.59/year

Pros: As mentioned earlier, this software offers a wide range of fonts. With its many compatibilities, you can use CorelDRAW for both print and the web.

It is effortless to share, and all the project contributors can leave their respective feedback on the designs as well.

CorelDRAW is available on Mac OS and Windows platforms. For over a decade, this Adobe Illustrator alternative has built advanced training and offers customer support for new users or anyone who is a beginner.

The latest version of CorelDraw has introduced different levels so beginner designers or professionals can select their skill level at any time.

Cons: When it comes to creating animation, this tool is not the best alternative out there. Keep in mind that if your data volume is high, the rendering of your image will slow down.

Also, the freehand brush is not easy to use. If you make small mistakes in your designs or images, they will be visible if the images are enlarged.

Not only does CorelDRAW offers excellent performance, but it also provides an intuitive interface, which means this Adobe Illustrator Alternative is great for anyone who is a beginner, design-wise.

Even though it is easier to learn compared to Adobe Illustrator, that does not mean CorelDRAW lacks many features. This design software offers a range of unique features.

For instance, CorelDRAW users have access to a wide range of unique fonts that they can use in their design. It also offers AI-powered image solutions and is perfect for creating impressive page layouts.

Photo editing is yet another feature you get with CorelDRAW. And who knows? CorelDRAW might one day become a rival to Adobe Photoshop.

For the past decade, CorelDRAW has become a leader in the graphic design space, so it is only natural to think this software will offer more advanced new features in the near future.

6. Inkscape

Pricing: Free

Pros: Not only does it offer a user-friendly interface and a simple setup, but it also offers a wide range of advanced tools.

Unlike some other software out there, Inkscape lets you export in PDF, PNG, sk1, EPS, OpenDocument Drawing, DXF, and PostScript formats. It might not be the best Adobe Illustrator alternative if you are just starting out.

But for those who are more experienced, this alternative offers the chance to produce a high-quality design that you can easily share with others.

Cons: Like CorelDRAW, this one also struggles with a high volume of data, and it can freeze if you feed many commands to it.

And let's just say that its text formatting tools are not the best, but Inkscape is pretty good for a free tool, especially if you want to use it to perfect your design skills.

Keep in mind that it will not be very easy to use it at first, but once you start using it more often, you will become a pro at using Inkscape in no time.

Inkscape is very similar to Adobe Illustrator, so of course, it will be included in this list of the best alternatives.

Both software options offer a wide range of qualitative tools. While Adobe Illustrator might offer more tools, Inkscape is easier to use than Adobe Illustrator. And it is entirely free, so bonus points for that, right?

This advanced illustration and design program is available across most platforms. Until now, it is available on Windows, Linux, Mac OS, and Android.

Inkscape is not as easy to learn as some of its alternatives. Nevertheless, once you get the hang of it, it can be effortless to use, and you will instantly fall in love with its interface and the wide range of exporting options.

7. Vectr

Pricing: Free

Pros: It is easy to use, supports collaboration with easy URL sharing, and is entirely free.

If you need to import previous design files in Vectr, you can do so as well, and the process is very easy. The program is available on Linux, Windows, Mac OS, and Web.

Cons: To use this program, you will need to have an internet connection. When it comes to exporting, you will also have to be patient because you have to export page by page.

As you can see, it lacks some professional features, but if you are just starting out, you will not need advanced features at the beginning.

Compared to Adobe Illustrator, at first sight, Vectr appears much less professional. That's because it offers only a limited set of tools you can use.

If you are a professional and want to do more technical design work, this one might not be the right choice for you.

However, this illustration and design program is perfect for those beginning or working on non-design work.

Since there is only a limited selection of tools available, Vectr can be learned pretty quickly. If you are just starting out or want to experiment with designing on a budget, this Adobe Illustrator alternative is the way to go.

8. Gravit Designer

Pricing:

Basic version: Free
Gravit Designer Pro: $49.00/ year

Pros: Its autosave feature is one of the best features since it autosaves every five minutes, and you will not have to worry about losing any of your designs.

With 500MB cloud storage, we can say that Gravit Designer is pretty generous in terms of space for documents. The learning curve for this program is very easy, and it also offers a simple PDF export.

Gravit Designer is available in browser as well as on Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Chrome OS, and Progressive Web App platforms.

Cons: Gravit Designer does not offer many advanced tools. For instance, you cannot share it with other users or work on the same project simultaneously.

As mentioned earlier, the web app requires an internet connection. However, if you get the Pro version, you will be able to use it without an internet connection as well.

Gravit Designer is very similar to Vectr. Both of them are easy to use, lack professional and advanced tools, and need an internet connection to use them.

But just like Vectr, this Adobe Illustrator alternative is perfect for beginners who are just starting to learn how to design and illustrate.

Gravit Designer offers users video tutorials about each of its tools, so you will never get stuck or have to search external sources to help you figure out how to use the program.

9. Xara Photo & Graphic Design

Image Source: YouTube

Pricing: $18.35/month

Pros: It offers a professional level for background editing, and its graphics package includes lots of features.

Resizing is also easy since it treats each image as a vector file. Xara Photo & Graphic Design is available on Mac OS, Android, and Chrome OS platforms. An older version of the program is also available for Windows.

Cons: Since it offers many features, its interface can become a bit too much, especially if you are a beginner and have no idea where to start. The learning curve is steep and the software is hard to navigate, and there are no tutorials offered.

Unless you enjoy "Finding Nemo," the lack of tutorials can be a massive downside for you.

Even though Xara Photo & Graphic Design does not offer as many advanced tools like Adobe Illustrator, the graphics package of this alternative still includes a generous amount of features.

What Xara Photo & Graphic Design is best known for are its graphics and background editing. If you need to produce business cards, posters, flyers, or any other options for commercial use, you will love this program.

10. Graphic

Pricing: $29.99 for Mac OS ($8.99 for iPad)

Pros: A cool feature of Graphic is its ability to detect brush strokes' width whenever you are using an Apple pencil.

The program is very easy to use, and it offers the ability to import or export Photoshop PSD, SVG, and PDF documents.

Cons: Some of its essential tools are not easily accessed via the toolbar, so you will have to look for these hidden features.

The program also lacks some advanced features and does not offer regular updates. A big issue can be the fact that it only imports the first page of a PDF, so you will have to find a workaround to import all the pages.

If you've worked with Adobe Illustrator before, you might know that SVG files need to be converted to EPS files before you import them.

With Graphic, you will not have to worry about this as it offers the option to import and export external applications easily, without requiring file changes.

Unlike Adobe Illustrator, Graphic is only compatible with Apple. You can access this vector-drawing and illustration application on Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

Graphic also offers pre-made templates that you can choose from and allows you to store all your documents and files very easily.

11. Vecteezy

Pricing:

Free. Vecteezy Pro can be bought for $14/month.

Platforms:

In-browser /online

Pros:

Access to thousands of free images and templates.
Easily licensed resources for users.
An online community of creators to interact with.

Cons:

Lacks professional tools.
The free version contains lots of ads.
The free version requires credit to Vecteezy.
It doesn't deal well with layers.

Vecteezy is an image-sharing platform that works as a resource for artists and designers. With thousands of free photos available, designers and illustrators should find anything they need - from images to templates.

Alongside the design benefits Vecteezy provides, one of the greatest strengths comes from its community.

Vecteezy has set up a community of designers and illustrators who all use the software. This way, you can talk about your designs and see what everyone else is working on.

Vecteezy might not contain the familiar design tools, but it does provide a wealth of resources, whether image or video, all requiring no licensing. Your imagination can run wild when using Vecteezy.

Adobe Illustrator and Vecteezy are probably the most significant differing software programs on this list. Due to this, there are several points of comparison. To use Vecteezy, you don't need any prior knowledge of editing.

It's easy to use and navigate, unlike Adobe Illustrator, which can be challenging to understand at first. However, this is due to the wealth of tools available to the Adobe Illustrator user - something Vecteezy cannot compete with.

Layering can be difficult in Vecteezy, something Adobe Illustrator is praised for. However, as a cheap and easily accessible program, Vecteezy works well for those not looking for anything serious or difficult.

12. Boxy-SVG

Pricing:

$9.99/year

Platforms:

Web, Mac OS, Linux.

Pros:

Intuitive user interface.
Customizable keyboard shortcuts.
Tutorials available on the website to understand the software.

Cons:

It has to be installed to be used offline.
The standard version doesn't allow SVG files to be exported into PDFs.

Boxy-SVG is a paid illustration and design program that focuses on being user-friendly. It comes with an intuitive and minimalistic interface that clears junk out of the user's way, allowing them to focus solely on the design aspect.

Primarily, all work is done on the 'canvas,' with a single-width toolbar at the side. With customizable keyboard shortcuts, edits can be made swiftly. There is a wealth of tutorial videos explaining how the software can be used for those just taking up Boxy-SVG.

Due to this, Boxy-SVG is incredibly user-friendly and a right choice for beginners. However, due to their lack of advanced tools, it may not be the first choice for a well-trained designer.

The tools Boxy-SVG lacks that Adobe Illustrator provides are 2D drawing, animation, and image tracing. As these are often fundamental for designers, Boxy-SVG might be suited mostly to non-designers.

On top of this, Boxy-SVG's limited capability for exporting files as PDFs might deter people from choosing this software as an alternative for Adobe Illustrator.

Which One Should You Choose? 🧐

The real question is: Which one would best fit your lifestyle?

Are you working on your own or in teams?

If the latter, then you will be better off picking the alternative that is perfect for collaboration and allows you and your team to work on shared projects simultaneously.

The next thing you should ask yourself is whether you want to work with a challenging, more complicated program that offers many features and tools or go with an easy-to-use program even though it may not provide many advanced features.

Your level of design and illustrating skills is also crucial.

If you are a beginner, your best pick would be CorelDRAW, Sketch, Vectr, Inkscape, Gravit Designer, or Graphic.

These are the ones designed for beginners and have an easy learning curve or have a pretty intuitive interface.

If you are an experienced designer and need to use advanced tools, your best pick would be Vectornator, Affinity Desinger, Xara Photo & Graphic Design, or Figma.

These are the Adobe Illustrator alternatives that offer you all the tools to bring your creativity to life.

Even if none of these alternatives is the right one for you and you will still choose

Adobe Illustrator, it is always helpful to know there are other options out there (some offered even for free), which you can use as well.

This article was written by Juxhina Malaj. Juxhina is a published writer, book editor, and digital marketer who has traveled to over 20 countries and lived in 5 of them. She is currently finishing her Master's degree in Communication Science at the University of Vienna. When not engaged in research, she likes to oil paint, read, and drink green tea. Rumor says she swears by Google Calendar and Google Docs.