Adobe Illustrator vs Inkscape

by Gralio Mar 10, 2025

Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape are both vector graphics editors, but they cater to different user groups. Illustrator is the industry standard for professional design, offering powerful features and seamless integration with Adobe Creative Cloud. Inkscape is a free, open-source alternative suitable for beginners and budget-conscious users.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 5781 reviews and 60 websites, saving 1 day, 8 hours, 37 minutes of reading.

Adobe Illustrator

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Inkscape

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About

Adobe Illustrator is the industry-standard software for creating vector graphics. It's used by designers to create illustrations, logos, and other artwork for print, web, and video. Unlike raster images, vector graphics can be scaled to any size without losing quality. This makes Illustrator ideal for creating designs that will be used at various sizes, such as logos and illustrations. Illustrator offers a wide range of tools and features, including tools for drawing, typography, and color.

Inkscape is a free design program for creating professional-quality graphics. It offers flexible drawing tools, works with various file types, and boasts a powerful text tool. Inkscape is a popular choice for both individuals and businesses looking for a versatile and accessible design solution.

Summary

Main difference

Adobe Illustrator is a powerful, industry-standard vector graphics editor ideal for professional designers who require advanced features and seamless integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications. Inkscape is a free and open-source vector graphics editor suitable for beginners, hobbyists, or businesses on a budget, offering a good range of features without the cost.

Relative strengths of Adobe Illustrator (compared to Inkscape)

Industry-standard software with wide adoption and extensive community support.
Advanced features for professional design work, including a broader range of tools and effects.
Seamless integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications.

Relative weaknesses of Adobe Illustrator (compared to Inkscape)

High subscription cost can be prohibitive for casual users or small businesses.
Steeper learning curve compared to Inkscape.
Resource-intensive software may require a powerful computer.

Who should use Adobe Illustrator VS. Inkscape

Adobe Illustrator is the industry-standard vector graphics software empowering designers to create scalable artwork for any medium. Loved for its precise tools and seamless integration with Adobe Creative Cloud, some users find the learning curve steep and the cost high.

Inkscape is a free and open-source vector graphics editor praised for its powerful features and SVG format support. Users highlight its versatile drawing tools and cross-platform compatibility. However, some find the initial learning curve steep and performance slow with complex graphics. It's ideal for designers, illustrators, and web designers seeking a cost-effective alternative to paid design software.

Ideal for small businesses, medium businesses, and large enterprises.
Suitable for businesses across various industries, including healthcare, finance, e-commerce, and more.

Best for small to medium-sized businesses (1-1000 employees), also suitable for large enterprises.
Ideal for Education, Software/IT/Telecommunications, and Marketing/Advertising.

Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Artboards

Supported

Illustrator supports artboards for multiple designs or pages within a file.

Supported

Inkscape supports multiple pages using the Multi-Page Tool.
Artistic effects

Supported

Illustrator supports applying artistic filters to stylize designs.

Supported

Inkscape supports artistic effects through Live Path Effects and other styling features.
SVG export

Supported

Illustrator supports exporting artwork to SVG format.

Supported

Inkscape can export artwork to SVG, including optimized and plain SVG formats.
Pen tool

Supported

Illustrator supports the Pen tool for precise curve drawing with anchor points and handles.

Supported

Inkscape offers a Pen tool for drawing precise curves using Bézier curves and adjustable anchor points.
AI import/export

Supported

Illustrator fully supports importing and exporting AI files.

Partially supported

Inkscape is developing AI import capabilities, but export is not supported.
SVG import/export

Supported

Illustrator supports importing and exporting SVG files.

Supported

Inkscape supports importing and exporting SVG files, which is a standard feature.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

-0.76

Strongly negative sentiment

+1

Strongly positive sentiment
Customer Service

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment

No data
Ease of Use

+0.48

Rather positive sentiment

+0.17

Neutral sentiment
Reliability and Performance

+0.08

Neutral sentiment

+0.43

Rather positive sentiment
Ease of Implementation

-0.5

Rather negative sentiment

-0.33

Rather negative sentiment
Scalability

+0.88

Strongly positive sentiment

No data

Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape Pricing

No data

User sentiment

Strongly negative

-0.76

See full Pricing page

No data

User sentiment

Strongly positive

We couldn't find a pricing page for Inkscape.

Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape review insights

5774 reviews analysed from and

Users love

Precise and scalable vector graphics
Versatile tools for drawing, typography, and color
Seamless integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps
Industry-standard software with wide range of features
Customizable workspace and tools

Free and open-source.
Powerful vector editing capabilities.
Supports SVG format.
Cross-platform compatibility.
Large and helpful online community.

Users dislike

Difficult to learn for new users
Resource intensive, can cause lag and crashes
High subscription cost
Limited raster editing capabilities
Occasional bugs and glitches

Difficult to learn at first.
Can be slow with complex graphics or large files.
Interface can feel outdated or clunky.
Limited CMYK support.
Occasional crashes or freezes.

Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape Ratings

G2

4.6/5

(2484)
Capterra

4.8/5

(2449)
Glassdoor

4.3/5

(10097)

G2

4.4/5

(392)
Capterra

4.4/5

(449)
TrustPilot

3.4/5

(7)

Company health

Employee growth

3% decrease in the last year

No change in the last year

Web traffic

1% increase in the last quarter

No data

Financing

April 1984 - $3M

No data

How do Adobe Illustrator's and Inkscape's SVG import/export features compare for web design?

Both Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape support SVG import and export, making them suitable for web design. However, Illustrator's SVG export options are generally considered more robust and reliable for professional web design workflows, offering better control over optimization and compatibility. While Inkscape provides a solid free and open-source alternative, some users have reported occasional issues with its SVG export, especially with complex files. Therefore, while both can technically handle SVG for web graphics, Illustrator is often preferred for its reliability and advanced features in professional settings.

Which product offers better performance for complex vector graphics, Illustrator or Inkscape?

Illustrator is better for complex vector graphics due to its superior performance and broader range of advanced features. While Inkscape is a capable free alternative, its performance can suffer with complex files, leading to slowdowns and crashes, as noted in user reviews. Illustrator, being a commercial product, has more resources dedicated to optimization and performance, making it more suitable for demanding projects. Additionally, Illustrator's wider adoption in professional settings means more readily available support and resources for complex tasks.

What are the advantages of Adobe Illustrator?

Adobe Illustrator offers superior vector editing capabilities, industry-standard tools, and seamless integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications. While it has a steeper learning curve and higher cost than Inkscape, its advanced features, precise control, and scalability make it the preferred choice for professional design work across various industries. Illustrator's wide adoption also ensures broader compatibility and access to resources.

What are the disadvantages of Adobe Illustrator?

Adobe Illustrator's disadvantages include a steep learning curve for beginners, high system requirements that can lead to performance issues like lag and crashes, a costly subscription model, limited raster editing capabilities compared to dedicated raster editors, and occasional bugs and glitches despite its maturity.

Alternatives to Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape

Google Workspace

Google Workspace is a suite of online productivity and collaboration tools for businesses of all sizes. It includes popular apps like Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet and more. Google Workspace aims to provide a seamless and integrated experience for communication, document creation, file storage, and team collaboration, all accessible from any device with an internet connection. It stands out with its user-friendly interface and strong collaboration features.

Gravit Designer

Gravit Designer is a free graphic design tool that specializes in vector graphics. It allows you to create designs with scalable elements that retain their quality at any size, making it suitable for logos, illustrations, and marketing materials. It offers features like SVG editing, presentation tools, and customizable document sizes.

DrawPad

DrawPad is a free, user-friendly graphic design software for Windows. It offers tools for creating images, sketches, and designs for various purposes like banners, invitations, and diagrams. Features include pencil and brush tools, support for both raster and vector images, layers for non-destructive editing, and effects like bevels and shadows. It supports various image formats including PNG, BMP, JPG, GIF, PDF, and SVG.

Canva

Canva is a user-friendly design platform that makes it easy to create professional-looking visuals. It offers a wide range of templates and design tools, including a library of stock images, videos, and fonts. Canva can be used to create social media graphics, presentations, marketing materials, and more. Its drag-and-drop interface and intuitive features make it suitable for users of all skill levels, even those without prior design experience. Canva's focus on simplicity and ease of use has made it a popular choice for individuals and businesses alike.

CorelDRAW

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is a professional design software offering tools for vector illustration, layout, photo editing, and typography. Used by individual designers and teams globally, CorelDRAW helps users create graphics for various projects. It aims to provide a comprehensive and efficient design solution, enabling users to produce high-quality visual content.

Xodo Sign

Xodo Sign (formerly eversign) is a cloud-based e-signature service designed for individuals, small and medium businesses, and large enterprises. It allows you to securely sign, send, approve, and manage documents online. Xodo Sign prioritizes data security and offers features like document automation, in-person signing, and integrations with popular platforms like Dropbox and Google Workspace. Its goal is to streamline document workflows, cut down on paper, and help you close deals faster.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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