Adobe Illustrator CC vs. Inkscape

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Adobe Illustrator
Score 9.0 out of 10
N/A
Adobe Illustrator CC is a vector-based graphic design software.
$20.99
per month
Inkscape
Score 8.8 out of 10
N/A
Inkscape is a free and open source vector drawing app for Windows, MacOS & Linux, available for download free under the GPLv3+ license. The tools aims to support illustrators, designers, web designers or anyone wanting to create vector graphics.N/A
Pricing
Adobe Illustrator CCInkscape
Editions & Modules
Yearly - Billed Monthly
$20.99
per month
Monthly
$31.49
per month
Yearly - Billed Upfront
$239.88
per year
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe IllustratorInkscape
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details——
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe Illustrator CCInkscape
Considered Both Products
Adobe Illustrator
Chose Adobe Illustrator CC
Simply stated, Adobe Illustrator CC just offers more. Not all projects require 'more', but when you need it, it is nice that you don't have to jump programs and start over on a project. Inkscape is simple to use, but so is Canva. Point being, just because a program has a great …
Chose Adobe Illustrator CC
Before using Adobe Illustrator CC, I was using other design tools and struggled with the lack of control over my artwork. Adobe Illustrator CC has given me so much more control over my designs. The interface is beautiful and easy to use; new features like Live Shape and the …
Chose Adobe Illustrator CC
When compared to other vector-based artwork programs, Adobe Illustrator CC is far more robust, feature-rich, and user-friendly. Other programs fail to deliver adequate exports of varied file types. With Adobe Illustrator CC, there are many workflow options, user tools, and …
Inkscape
Chose Inkscape
Adobe Illustrator is also used in our company sometimes however, Inkscape is used most considering the fact that it is completely free while Adobe Illustrator has to be bought through monthly/annual subscriptions that are expensive. For that reason we always opt for Inkscape. …
Chose Inkscape
Inkscape is the standard if you want a free product that can produce high quality vector based graphics, there may be other products that can do it better but they are very very expensive. The experience you will get from expensive commercial products will be better but if you …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Best Alternatives
Adobe Illustrator CCInkscape
Small Businesses
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
Score 9.5 out of 10
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
Score 9.5 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Adobe PhotoShop
Adobe PhotoShop
Score 9.2 out of 10
Adobe PhotoShop
Adobe PhotoShop
Score 9.2 out of 10
Enterprises
Adobe PhotoShop
Adobe PhotoShop
Score 9.2 out of 10
Adobe PhotoShop
Adobe PhotoShop
Score 9.2 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Adobe Illustrator CCInkscape
Likelihood to Recommend
9.1
(103 ratings)
9.9
(3 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.5
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
7.2
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.4
(24 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe Illustrator CCInkscape
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe
Adobe Illustrator is used to help make drawings look good but not make them. It is easy to add color or texture but it is hard to actually make the drawings in it. I would recommend using other software to make the lines for plans and sections and using Adobe Illustrator to make it look good.
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Open Source
I would 100% recommend Inkscape to anyone starting out with graphic design or illustration, as it isn't that difficult to get the hang of on the first day of using it. I am not recommending Inkscape for beginners alone, even experts in the field can use Inkscape professionally as it cuts of the expense of needing to buy a paid graphic design software which provides almost the same features. Inkscape is also great for beginners because it can be treated like a stepping stone to move onto a paid graphic designing software like Adobe Illustrator, so Inkscape can be used to test the waters before making the leap. Inkscape and Illustrator are almost the same so there wont be any difficulty in switching later on.
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Pros
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
  • Creates excellent vector based graphics
  • Quite easy to use
  • Free
  • Open-source
  • Limitless potential with what you can create
  • Available on all major operating systems
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Cons
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
  • startup screen could use close/minimize buttons
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Likelihood to Renew
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
Illustrator has become easier in recent years to use with more intuitive tools and controls for them. Illustration software has improved but Adobe Illustrator has kept up and keeps the edge with its extensive toolset. Newly added collaboration tools with Adobe make it even better and the expectation is that is to continue.
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Open Source
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
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
Alternatives Considered
Adobe
They complement each other, each with its own specific characteristics, but within a marketing sector, an experienced designer knows that the use of these tools in sets makes all the difference. It is possible to combine their uses and create really relevant materials that will bring a great return to the company and in the dissemination of arts with superior quality to the competitors
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Open Source
Adobe Illustrator is also used in our company sometimes however, Inkscape is used most considering the fact that it is completely free while Adobe Illustrator has to be bought through monthly/annual subscriptions that are expensive. For that reason we always opt for Inkscape. Not only is it a free software, but it includes almost all the features and tools that Adobe Illustrator offers, even though there might be some tools missing here and there, for businesses whose main focus isn't graphic design, Inkscape is the way to go. However if Graphic design or illustration is the only or the main factor of your business, I would suggest going for the investment and getting Adobe Illustrator.
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Return on Investment
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
  • It is free, so the return of investment is the cost of a commercial product plus whatever the value or what you create
  • Allows us to create branding SVG graphics without a cost
  • Helps us promote a brand that promotes confidence and quality
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ScreenShots