Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Adobe Animate
Score 8.4 out of 10
N/A
Adobe Animate (or Animate CC) supports but replaces the former Adobe Flash, and allows users to design interactive animations for games, TV shows, and the web. With it, the vendor states users can bring cartoons and banner ads to life, create animated doodles and avatars, and add action to eLearning content and infographics. With Animate, users can publish to multiple platforms in many formats, and reach viewers on any screen.
$20.99
per month
Adobe Illustrator
Score 9.3 out of 10
N/A
Adobe Illustrator CC is a vector-based graphic design software.
$20.99
per month
Blender
Score 9.2 out of 10
N/A
Blender is a free and open source 3D creation suite available in under the GNU General Public License. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, video editing and 2D animation pipeline. Blender Cloud is a related service accessible via subscription, and is a training and content platform providing access to expertise from the Blender Institute for advancing one's use of Blender.
$11.50
per month
Pricing
Adobe AnimateAdobe Illustrator CCBlender
Editions & Modules
Annual Plan, Paid Monthly
$20.99
per month
Monthly Plan
$31.49
per month
Annual Plan, Prepaid
$239.88
per year
Yearly - Billed Monthly
$20.99
per month
Monthly
$31.49
per month
Yearly - Billed Upfront
$239.88
per year
Blender Cloud Membership
$11.50
per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe AnimateAdobe IllustratorBlender
Free Trial
YesNoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe AnimateAdobe Illustrator CCBlender
Considered Multiple Products
Adobe Animate
Chose Adobe Animate
Adobe Illustrator has a lot more drawing capabilities and features than Flash, but for most tasks, I prefer to use Flash.

For cross-platform development, Xamarin offers a true full, native development environment, but Flash is good for prototyping. The big diadvantage here is …
Chose Adobe Animate
Adobe Animate was always the preferred software as the support was much better than the competition. And the ease of rendering was also a deciding factor. Results with character animations are much more crisp with Adobe Animate than in any other 2d based animation software.
Chose Adobe Animate
Adobe Animate is a powerful and versatile animation software that offers a wide range of tools and features. When compared to other animation software, it stacks up well in terms of its capabilities and functionality. Here are a few reasons why one might select Adobe Animate …
Chose Adobe Animate
Adobe Animate works best for advanced animation and cuts and works well with the entire Adobe suite. There is nothing that compares when it comes to working within the same product.
Chose Adobe Animate
We haven't used any other animation software to compare. We only use Adobe Animate because it was included with our software suite. We do sometimes use Canva to create animated collateral and graphics, but they are already designed templates for the most part, so it's not a …
Chose Adobe Animate
Adobe Animate is extremely coordinated across different stages and programs, versus its rivals. Like Adobe Animate, HTML5 incorporates playing highlights for sound inside sites. It additionally has versatile help. In any case, I don't believe it's very there yet and is by all …
Chose Adobe Animate
Unfortunately, it doesn't! While there are some disadvantages to HTML5, it's overall just cleaner. Since it's cleaner, browsers prefer it. And again, Flash animations will no longer be supported in a couple years, so users really don't have a choice but to part ways with the …
Adobe Illustrator
Chose Adobe Illustrator CC
GIMP does not have a lot of reference information, so it takes time to solve problems. Illustrator takes less time because there is a lot of reference information on the Internet and in books. Also, GIMP does not allow batch processing, so the work must be repeated. Illustrator …
Chose Adobe Illustrator CC
Adobe Illustrator CC has so much more options and tools to create the perfect vector graphics when compared to other programs. Illustrator is often the program that I use to create graphics, and then insert those files directly into the other programs listed. The other programs …
Chose Adobe Illustrator CC
Like most people, I came from using Adobe PhotoShop and learned Adobe Illustrator CC later (in my case, in college as a required class for my digital media degree). I didn't realize the power of vector illustration until I took that class, and ever since I've been using Adobe …
Chose Adobe Illustrator CC
Adobe Illustrator CC only has one major competitor in the industry and it is a free software tool. The difference is that Adobe Illustrator provides a wider range of tools and functions. Being able to take Adobe Illustrator objects or designs and move them into Adobe InDesign …
Blender
Chose Blender
As already mention , a Wide range of features and complete set of tools without paying anything .
Suitable with any operating system.
Getting started with Blender is also easy.
Chose Blender
Ease of use and free, ZBrush has a very steep learning curve and Blender seems to be better at realistic image rendering. Plus free upgrades and amazing support made it a no-brainer. Lots of online tutorials and add-ons Blender comes out on top.

Chose Blender
The biggest advantage of Blender over these alternatives was how easy it was to learn, even for team members with no previous experience in 3D modeling, design, or any artistic field. The fact that it allows you to import or export files in most of the existing 3D model …
Chose Blender
Adobe Animate doesn't do half of the things that Blender can. Blender is an all-around better program in the fact that it can 3D model, sculpt, and animate in real-time. Blender is also completely free and has tons of free resources available to everyone. I highly recommend …
Chose Blender
Blender is just as good as Cinema 4D. One huge advantage Blender has is that its free and you don't have to worry about upgrades or license upgrades when wanting to download or purchase the latest version
Best Alternatives
Adobe AnimateAdobe Illustrator CCBlender
Small Businesses
Autodesk Maya
Autodesk Maya
Score 8.4 out of 10
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
Score 7.1 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 7.6 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects
Score 9.1 out of 10
GIMP
GIMP
Score 8.0 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 7.6 out of 10
Enterprises
Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects
Score 9.1 out of 10
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
Score 7.1 out of 10
Rhino
Rhino
Score 8.4 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Adobe AnimateAdobe Illustrator CCBlender
Likelihood to Recommend
8.0
(28 ratings)
9.4
(108 ratings)
9.8
(25 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.0
(2 ratings)
9.0
(6 ratings)
8.4
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
5.0
(25 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe AnimateAdobe Illustrator CCBlender
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe
Scenarios where Adobe Animate is well suited:2D animation for web, mobile, and video games: Adobe Animate is well suited for creating 2D animations for web, mobile, and video games. With its vector-based drawing tools, bone rigging, and inverse kinematics features, it's easy to create smooth, scalable graphics and realistic movement.Scenarios where Adobe Animate is less appropriate:Complex 3D animation: Adobe Animate is primarily a 2D animation software, and while it does have some basic 3D features, it is not as robust as specialized 3D animation software like Autodesk Maya or Blender.
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Adobe
It is the only tool that I use to create logos. It gives me the flexibility to create sharp text and marks and they can then be resized at will, color changes in a second and perfect way to export. I know that some people use Illustrator for document layout, it is not ideal. While I can easily create documents here, it really is InDesign that is the perfect tool.
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Open Source
Blender is an excellent tool for everything from simple to complex 3D animations, the creation of 3D images, etc. It performs excellently in all of these areas. In the realm of 3D modelling, animation and rendering, there is very little that Blender is not suited for.
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Pros
Adobe
  • The adaptability of what Adobe Animate can do makes it so helpful. You can accomplish something basic like make a ball bob on-screen over certain letters prior to showing your logo, or something more mind-boggling like building up a vivified short to show.
  • Utilizing Adobe Animate recordings on sites is typical, so individuals are accustomed to seeing it and have the essential modules introduced as of now.
  • The records are little, and the pressure is extremely smooth. This aids in the event that you are attempting to send substance to cell phones or essentially keep your site impression little to guarantee quick stacking times.
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Adobe
  • Vector graphics for scaling to large sizes
  • Filling an object with a texture
  • Easily adjusting and expanding an artboard to fit the size of the content (especially for infographics)
  • Compatibility with other Adobe CC programs, but also exporting for PPT graphics
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Open Source
  • Creating complex polygonal geometries is very easy in Blender.
  • Edit Mode and Sculpt Mode helps in creating non uniform surfaces for objects like rocks, surfaces, terrains etc.
  • Blender can use various external plugins to make it work in more smoother way. For example to import any 3d object one can use sketchfab plugin and easily import the free assets from web after logging in.
  • Blender has a better rendering engine known as Cycles, it is far more better than any other stock rendering engine which can generate realistic lightning, shadows and reflections.
  • The animations can easily be generated with blender animation toolbar and also it incorporate any other animations made in any other software.
  • The bone generation and its behavior of animations can be achieved easily in blender.
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Cons
Adobe
  • There are too many updates and they are constantly popping up - especially during the middle of a projects, which causes me to shut down the application and restart the program. Wastes time.
  • There is no mobile browser or device support. Limits a lot of projects - especially apps.
  • Flash player can require a lot of RAM and battery
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Adobe
  • It's tough to master. If you haven't used Adobe products like Photoshop or Illustrator before, there is a lot to take in.
  • It would be great to have some better options to preview the final product if you're creating a multiple page document.
  • Better integration and pricing points with Adobe Stock for the useful stock images to complete your projects.
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Open Source
  • It's really a hard question, but it could be: a game engine. Older versions used to have it; I would use it to simulate machines game-like.
  • I'm struggling to find another one; maybe the fact that it is so powerful and has so many features that learning it can be daunting; better documentation WITH examples and/or a map of Blender capabilities would help to know where you are in terms of knowledge and the planning the roadmap to where you want to go.
  • Precision modeling. Coming from CAD and using Blender as part of my design workflow, I'd love to be able to model inside Blender as I model with CAD tools. At this moment, it's simply impossible.
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Likelihood to Renew
Adobe
No answers on this topic
Adobe
While Adobe Illustrator CC is one of the only true design software out there, it really stands heads above the other products. It's clean UI and menu structure is easy to navigate.
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Open Source
No answers on this topic
Usability
Adobe
Adobe Animate is difficult to learn because its totally different from the other animation tools but one thing for sure if you want to build a quality on industry standards then Adobe Animate is your knight in shining armour. so using Adobe Animate is easy but you have to spend a lot of time learning it and practicing it. their ui is more like a design software with added keyframes. but if you know your way to work it will be a legend to work with.
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Adobe
There's a bit of a learning curve to this software vs other similar tools that can take some time to learn and get familiar with but the amount of functionality that Adobe Illustrator CC offers is quite large compared to simpler tools.
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Open Source
Because while it's a pretty good piece of software, the default built-in commands, the interface layout, and certain functions aren't as logical in their way of being arranged and executed. This, of course, doesn't diminish its use or effectiveness in your field of work, but it is quite awkward at first. A big advantage is that Blender lets you customize the interface however you want as well as keyboard shortcuts and several general program parameters.
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Support Rating
Adobe
No answers on this topic
Adobe
I normally already know how to do whatever I'm trying out, but the documentation (as well as a simple Google search) makes any question quick to resolve. The Adobe boards themselves are a fantastic resource, especially for resolving questions between new programs and iterative releases.
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Open Source
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Adobe
No answers on this topic
Adobe
It was very easy to purchase and download.
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Open Source
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
Adobe
Adobe Animate was always the preferred software as the support was much better than the competition. And the ease of rendering was also a deciding factor. Results with character animations are much more crisp with Adobe Animate than in any other 2d based animation software.
Read full review
Adobe
I chose Rhinoceros 3D because it is accurate to make drawings in it and it is better to make drawings in Rhinoceros 3D and then put them in Adobe Illustrator. But while printing or scaling it is much easier to put it in Adobe Illustrator. This makes the whole printing aspect of it much easier.
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Open Source
We've only used the consumer (non-pro) version of SketchUp, which we love, but is very limited in features and output capabilities compared to Blender. While Blender's learning curve is MUCH steeper than SketchUp, it feels like truly complete, professional design software.
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Return on Investment
Adobe
  • Negative, anyone who spent time learning the program now feels sad that it's going away.
  • Animation that was done on Flash but can now be made with Toon Boom or even Adobe After Effects.
  • On the plus side, since it's an Adobe product, you can rent it instead of buying the full license. That means potentially people could use it for a little longer without having to shell out as much money.
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Adobe
  • Helps us quickly and easily create and manage numerous logos
  • Cloud libraries allow us to access commonly used colors, fonts, logos and other design elements quickly
  • We are able to provide high-quality, scalable college logos for print and digital which give us a more professional, credible look.
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Open Source
  • As it is a beginner-friendly software with increasing demand in the animation sector again, it positively impacts the business.
  • Except in some specific cases, no one will use Blender on their own at a professional level.
  • When I was a beginner, it took me a lot of time to learn, consequently designing the creation. But if we want to learn to master Blender, we can do it. As long as we have time and a lot of willpower, since, we repeat, it is not a simple program and hides thousands of tools and possibilities.
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ScreenShots