Top 10 Alternatives to Adobe Illustrator
If you’re seeking a superb photo editing program to replace Illustrator, here are the top 10 Illustrator alternatives I compiled for you.
Adobe is without a doubt the industry standard for graphic design, and Adobe Illustrator is one of the most popular.
It is a commonly used tool from the Adobe Creative Cloud, but it is also quite expensive.
What are the best Illustrator alternatives?
As a designer, however, you’ll still need the best software to build your portfolio and attract clients.
This is why I’ve created this list of the top Illustrator alternatives that are available today for creatives like you.
10 Best Illustrator Alternatives
- Inkscape — Best overall
- Gravit Designer — Best browser-based
- Affinity Designer — Best value
- BoxySVG — Best for SVG
- CorelDRAW — Most famous
- Vecteezy — Most manageable
- Vectr — Best for browser editing
- Vectornator — Best free
- GIMP — Best open-source
- Sketch — Best for UI design
How to choose the best Illustrator alternative?
When choosing the best Illustrator alternative, there are a few things to keep in mind.
I will give you some ideas on how to choose the best alternative for you.
- Editing Tools
- File Support
- File Conversion
- Color Management
- Price and Affordability
- Preference
The first step in choosing the best software is to figure out what you need.
Make a list of qualities and categorize them as things you require and things you desire as alternatives.
Editing Tools
To speed up your productivity, select a set of tools that has everything you’ll need to convey your creative vision in a single application.
File Support
Use software that has a lot of file support so you may use your files in a variety of programs that you use on a daily basis.
File Conversion
Converting low-resolution bitmaps to vector pictures is a common activity for designers, so this is an important function to look for in your design software.
Color Management
Competent color management helps ensure that color is accurately portrayed throughout the rest of the process.
Price
The second important thing that you should take into consideration is the price of the software.
Some of us prefer free software, and some are looking for a cheaper option.
There are several available Illustrator alternatives online, and your budget will dictate which of those is affordable for you.
Just make sure that the editing tool you choose meets your needs and preferences.
Preference
With the features and price given above, it always depends on your own preference and needs.
If you are a beginner, go for a simple and easy-to-learn Illustrator alternative such as Inkscape.
If you are a pro but wanted to try a free app, you can check out Vectornator.
If you have enough budget to avail of CorelDRAW, you can try this impressive app.
It all depends on your work requirement, other tools may not be suitable for you but suitable for others.
Let’s dive into my list of the free and paid top 10 best Illustrator alternatives for creatives.
1. Inkscape
Inkscape is the perfect tool for you if you’re seeking an editing program that can work on even the most basic computers.
Inkscape is the best free overall Illustrator alternative.
It is free of cost and also a good Illustrator alternative for beginner artists.
It’s a wonderful choice for anyone who wants to make digital illustrations and vector graphics for free.
Inkscape has a comprehensive tool kit and excellent format support.
It allows you to create outstanding designs with its pencil, text, and shape tools.
It includes a specific spiral tool, a tool for creating patterns and arrangements of clones.
Check out Inkscape, the best Illustrator alternative for budding creatives.
2. Gravit Designer
Gravit Designer is the best choice if you’re seeking an Illustrator alternative with notable features like SVG editing and cloud connectivity.
Gravit Designer is the best free browser-based Illustrator alternative.
It is compatible with Windows, Mac OS, Chrome OS, and Linux.
This editing tool is also available both online and offline.
Gravit Designer can export and import files in a variety of formats.
It contains many of the same capabilities as Adobe Illustrator.
Users can work on their files from any device as long as they have access to a good internet connection.
Check out Gravit Designer, a free Illustrator alternative for vector designing.
3. Affinity Designer
if you are looking for an editing tool that can switch between vector, export, and pixel modes, Affinity Designer is a perfect choice.
Affinity Designers is the best value Illustrator alternative.
This software is compatible with Windows, iOS, and macOS.
Affinity Designer is compatible with Mac, Windows, and iPad and has been optimized for documents of any complexity.
It has incredible features like pan and zoom at 60 frames per second and real-time blend mode previews.
It is not just feature-rich and powerful, but it is also significantly less expensive than an Illustrator membership.
This software allows creatives to create works in three different personas: Designer Persona, Export Persona, and User Persona.
Check out Affinity Designer, an award-winning Illustrator alternative that is a good option for professional creatives.
4. BoxySVG
If you are looking for a great tool to edit SVG files, BoxySVG editor is the one.
BoxySVG is the best Illustrator alternative for Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) files.
It is a free program that allows you to create scalable vector graphic files.
A paid subscription unlocks a Google Chrome extension that makes the web app work on any device and operating system.
It is less complicated than Illustrator; it is a faster and easier way to create vector graphic files.
You may use Boxy SVG to import and export JPEGs and PNGs in addition to SVG and SVGZ files.
Because of the simplicity of its user interface, it limits the list of options to only the most essential aspects.
Check out Boxy SVG, an excellent Illustrator alternative for beginners having a simple UI.
5. CorelDRAW
CorelDRAW is the perfect tool if you are looking for an all-in-one design editing tool that works on Windows, iOS, Mac, iPad, and mobile devices.
CorelDRAW is the most famous Illustrator alternative.
It is undoubtedly the most well-known Adobe Illustrator rival, having been released over three decades ago.
CorelDRAW is cheaper than Adobe Illustrator, but it is still more expensive compared to other programs on my list.
Both software is jam-packed with features and has ardent supporters.
It’s a cross-platform tool for Windows and macOS that has similar design capabilities as Adobe apps.
But they have entirely different interfaces and approaches.
Check out CorelDRAW, the fastest Illustrator alternative software on the market.
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