Item: Adobe Illustrator CC
Rating: 10
Author: Andrew Davies

Overall Satisfaction with Adobe Illustrator CC

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We're a design agency so we use Adobe Illustrator CC to create all manner of vector artwork. Typically clients hire us to produce logos, illustrations, infographics, and graphics for print products like package designs, T-shirts, brochures, displays, and, annual reports. Depending on the style we also create our explainer video storyboards using Adobe Illustrator CC.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Pen tool drawing
Logo design
Typography manipulation

Cons

creating compound shapes with multiple overlapping objects creates unpredictable results
Can crash often. Especially when it's a new release or upgrade
costly
Training AI on subscribers artwork is bad

Return on Investment

Allows me to offer a wide range of services
Speeds up my design process
Opens up new markets or niches in which I can operate
Concerns me that I can't easily cancel my subscription

Usability

Customizable panels and toolbars mean you can arrange your workspace in a way that suits your use case.

Alternatives Considered

Canva, Inkscape and Affinity Designer

Adobe Illustrator gives you much more control over every aspect of the design process. Canva has several limitations like being unable to customize gradients or creating clipping masks. Inkscape only works in RGB space and has a less intuitive user interface. They benefit from those limitations by being easier to learn for beginners though. But the time it takes to master Adobe Illustrator CC is worth it if you want to do this professionally. Affinity Designer is right now is it's best competitor but now that Illustrator has AI generative tools baked in there's a widening gap as far as fetuare set. I am concerned about Adobe's use of subscriber's work to train said AI tool though.

Key Insights

Do you think Adobe Illustrator CC delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Adobe Illustrator CC's feature set?

Yes

Did Adobe Illustrator CC live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Adobe Illustrator CC go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Adobe Illustrator CC again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Adobe InDesign, Adobe After Effects, Figma, Adobe Premiere Pro, Slack, Apple Keynote, Adobe Audition, Microsoft Powerpoint

Likelihood to Recommend

If you want fine-tuned, delicate control over vector graphics and paths then Adobe Illustrator CC is your best bet. Other software like Affinity Designer and Sketch have limited functionality and probably work better in certain instances, like creating graphics for websites. But Adobe Illustrator is still the best all-around vector manipulation tool available. If you're confident your work won't be stolen to train Adobe's AI then it's the best bet for you.

logo design
print design
wireframing

Innovative Uses

packaging design
ad design
merchandise design

Future Planned Uses

Likelihood to Renew

I have no choice but would love to find an alternative that can do all the things Illustrator does.

Evaluating Adobe Illustrator and Competitors

Products Replaced

Key Differentiators

Ease of Use

Evaluation Lessons Learned

Read the fine print about how my data and artwork is being used.

Adobe Illustrator Implementation

Implementation Rating

Implementation Details / Implementation Partner

Implemented in-house

none

Adobe Illustrator Support

Support Rating

I've never needed to contact Adobe for support. I usually find what I need on online forums.

Adobe Illustrator Customer Support Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
None	None

Using Adobe Illustrator

Usability Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Convenient Feel confident using Familiar	Slow to learn