Illustrator AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Image Editors

The best Image Editor alternative to Adobe Illustrator is Inkscape, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Adobe Illustrator and many of them are Image Editors so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Image Editor alternatives to Adobe Illustrator are Affinity Designer, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, Affinity and Graphite.

filter to find the best alternatives

Adobe Illustrator alternatives are mainly Image Editors, but if you're looking for Vector Graphic Apps or Graphic Design Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source, Mac, Free, Windows + Free, Android, Linux and iPad. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Adobe Illustrator.
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Alternatives list

  1. Inkscape icon

    Inkscape

     2292 likes
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    Unlike Illustrator, Inkscape is completely free and open source, and it uses Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) as its native format. This lightweight app is usually recommended if you don't have a powerful computer, as it also has many of the useful features from illustrator, including layers, grouping objects, drawing, shape, calligraphy, pencil tools, path simplification with variable threshold, bitmaps, and boolean operations. Plus, you can open or import a wide range of file formats including SVG, PDF, EPS, CDR, or even AI (Adobe Illustrator).

    122 Inkscape alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    Inkscape screenshot 1
     
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    548
    Comments about Inkscape as an Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
    Comment summary: Adobe Illustrator is praised for its comprehensive features and professional capabilities in vector art but criticized for slowing down with large files. Alternatively, Inkscape is appreciated for being free, open-source, and user-friendly with a robust SVG support. However, it faces criticism for performance issues, especially on macOS, and lacks some advanced features available in Illustrator. Despite its limitations, many consider Inkscape capable and recommend it for SVG-related projects.
    Top Positive Comment
    Paulo Coghi
    13

    It's feature complete, professional and as capable (or even more capable) than Illustrator

    Top Negative Comment
    arlenwh
    0

    Slows Down and lags if the file your working on is too large. So if you go ahead and turn a bitmap image into a vector and that image requires too many paths. The application basically becomes useless. Look else where if you need to turn large bitmap images into vector images.

    Guest
    Negative
    0

    I love how fast it operates and some of the cool color palettes (Munsell) but the functionality made it almost useless. Too many steps to change and quick copy objects. Like changing font or color and weird tool names/keyboard shortcuts.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 38 comments
    Adobe Illustrator Icon
    Inkscape icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Inkscape is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative.

    • Inkscape is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Adobe Illustrator.

    • Inkscape is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Adobe Illustrator.

    • Inkscape is Free and Open SourceAdobe Illustrator is Paid and Proprietary
    • Inkscape is Customizable, Privacy focused and LightweightAdobe Illustrator is not according to our users
  2. Affinity Designer icon

    Affinity Designer

     382 likes
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    Affinity Designer is fairly new when compared to the more popular vector editing apps, however it has gradually grown in popularity and influence, and for very good reasons. Its one time purchase (perpetual license) turns out to be a good argument for those who do not want to to pay a monthly subscription fee like Adobe's. In addition, it's available on iPad with an app that has ALL the features from the desktop version, which makes it probably the most complete vector editing mobile app on the market. It also has some unique features that Illustrator doesn't, like the ability to switch between raster and vector workspaces within the same tool, one million+ percent zoom, and unlimited redo.

    62 Affinity Designer alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • iPad
    Affinity Designer screenshot 1
     
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    29
    343
    Comments about Affinity Designer as an Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
    Comment summary: Affinity Designer is praised for its affordability, one-time purchase model, and comprehensive features that rival Adobe Illustrator. Users highlight its ease of use, high performance, and seamless integration with other Affinity apps. Its auto-export feature, responsive developers, and absence of subscription fees stand out as notable benefits. While it lacks some specific features like Object Blend, many consider it a superior alternative for both casual and professional users.
    Top Positive Comment
    Paul
    5

    Affinity Designer is faster, cheaper and can handle bitmap and vector illustrations. I finally got rid of Adobe.

    Jonathan Jewell
    Positive
    0

    Far and away the best of these tools. The Serif/Affinity product is so underrated with the dominance of Adobe out there. I cannot see why anyone not locked into a service contract or who did not need the wider Adobe product suite functionality would stay with them at the price with alternatives like Affinity out there. And they haven't had a password breach that I know in the past two decades I have been with them as a customer...

    Du
    Positive
    1

    I especially enjoy auto export feature, when changes in artboards are immediately exported to a custom set of formats. Just change the design, and your jpegs, pngs and pdfs of your preferred resolutions are already there, ready to use. A treat for web design, but also very useful for 3d modelling textures and decals.

    Show more comments
    3 of 29 comments
    Adobe Illustrator Icon
    Affinity Designer icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Affinity Designer is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative.

    • Affinity Designer is the most popular iPad alternative to Adobe Illustrator.

    • Affinity Designer is the most popular commercial alternative to Adobe Illustrator.

    • Affinity Designer is Paid and ProprietaryAdobe Illustrator is also Paid and Proprietary
  4. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite icon

    CorelDRAW Graphics Suite

     215 likes
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    It is one of the oldest and most reliable vector tools in the industry, not only offering excellent performance, but also providing an intuitive interface that's ideal for any beginner designers. Different from Illustrator, you can choose to pay a monthly subscription or obtain a license through a one-time purchase (although a bit expensive), which will include other compatible Corel design software such as Photo-Paint (Corel's alternative to Photoshop), as well as a font manager and content organization applications. CorelDRAW lets you edit multi-page documents, non-destructively convert bitmaps to vectors, and create QR codes.

    87 CorelDRAW Graphics Suite alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    CorelDRAW Graphics Suite screenshot 1
     
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    49
    Comments about CorelDRAW Graphics Suite as an Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
    Guest
    Positive
    1

    The first vector illustrator I ever used. Sadly not available on the Mac

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    It's much easier to use and understand. It gives the average user a quicker grasp of editing and creating graphics. It is also less greedy with RAM.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Compatibility with .ai files, is a vector manipulator. Includes a "Hairline" stroke weight, which is very useful for certain applications. One-time license purchase

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Adobe Illustrator Icon
    CorelDRAW Graphics Suite icon

    • Almost everyone thinks CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative.

    • CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is Paid and ProprietaryAdobe Illustrator is also Paid and Proprietary
    • CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is CustomizableAdobe Illustrator is not according to our users
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Xara Photo & Graphic Designer icon
    Xara Photo & Graphic Designer

    Xara Photo & Graphic Designer, formerly Xara Xtreme, is a fast graphics software with versatile illustration tools and advanced photo management. It streamlines creative tasks, allowing users to retouch images, create social ...

    https://www.xara.com
    Learn More
  6. Affinity icon

    Affinity

     48 likes
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    Unified design solution merging advanced photo, vector, and layout tools for seamless workflow, non-destructive editing, RAW support, batch processing, AI enhancements, GPU acceleration, file compatibility, cloud asset integration, and tailored workspace options.

    65 Affinity alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Affinity screenshot 1
     
  7. Graphite icon

    Graphite

     91 likes
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    Graphite is a free, open source vector graphics editor and animation engine, available now in alpha. Get creative with a fully nondestructive editing workflow that combines layer-based compositing with node-based generative design.

    59 Graphite alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    Made using nondestructive boolean operations and procedural polka dot patterns
     
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    1
    Comments about Graphite as an Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
    Guest
    Positive
    1

    Its goal to be all in one tools and the vision is really good. But it's under the development.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Adobe Illustrator Icon
    Graphite icon
    • Graphite is Free and Open SourceAdobe Illustrator is Paid and Proprietary
    • Graphite is Privacy focused and LightweightAdobe Illustrator is not according to our users
  8. Vectr icon

    Vectr

     92 likes
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    Vectr is completely free and browser-based, offering a quick and easy way to get started with vector editing through an intuitive interface. Since it's browser based, each image has a custom URL that you can share with others to be reviewed and collaborate in real time with multiple people. You can export your finished work as an SVG, PNG, or JPEG file. Its features are much more simple than those offered by Illustrator, so it's really not recommended for very complex projects. However, it is an excellent choice if you are a beginner with vector editing software.

    100 Vectr alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Chrome OS
    Vectr screenshot 1
     
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    24
    Comments about Vectr as an Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
    Ibuddy66
    Positive
    0

    Vectr has a great user interface and has lots of tools to fine tune designs. They have plenty of numerical value boxes to get better results with what you want and have an easy to learn interface. I have used it for quite a few projects. Great to make new icons with too! Love it!

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    -4

    Cannot open existing ai- and eps-files. Exporting is very limited.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Adobe Illustrator Icon
    Vectr icon

    • Most users think Vectr is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative.

    • Vectr is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe Illustrator is Paid and Proprietary
  10. LazPaint icon

    LazPaint

     45 likes
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    Raster & vector graphic editor with many tools and filters, written in Lazarus. Portable, 32bit & 64bit versions, ORA format & 16384x16384 image support. In app 3D import & rendering.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Main UI
     
  11. sK1 icon

    sK1

     37 likes
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    sK1 is an open source cross-platform vector graphics editor like CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, or Freehand. The major feature of sK1 is a professional precise printing and prepress ready PDF output.

    32 sK1 alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    sK1 screenshot 1
     
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    9
  12. Xara Designer Pro icon

    Xara Designer Pro

     32 likes
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    Xara Designer Pro offers tools for illustration, photo editing, and desktop publishing, with exceptional vector design capabilities. Suitable for billboards, business cards, and more, it supports diverse file formats, provides abundant templates, and powers web design and prototyping without coding.

    Cost / License

    • Subscription
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Xara Designer Pro screenshot 1
     
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    2
    9
    Comments about Xara Designer Pro as an Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Xara is avey intuïtive and fast drawing application that can do print, websites, animation, DTP, bitmaps and everything you would could ask from a graphic program.

    The possibilities are endless considiering it flawless combines vector editing with bitmaps.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    1

    Extremely fast and better with bitmaps than Illustrator

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Adobe Illustrator Icon
    Xara Designer Pro icon

    • Most users think Xara Designer Pro is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative.

    • Xara Designer Pro is Paid and ProprietaryAdobe Illustrator is also Paid and Proprietary
    • Xara Designer Pro is LightweightAdobe Illustrator is not according to our users
  13. Sumo Paint icon

    Sumo Paint

     74 likes
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    Sumo Paint is a powerful image editor with a long-standing history as a fully capable Photoshop clone in the browser. Being designed for the browser, it's accessible on practically any system and loads much faster than most comparable desktop tools while still providing core...

    107 Sumo Paint alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    Sumo Paint screenshot 1
     
  14. VectorStyler icon

    VectorStyler

     3 likes
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    VectorStyler (for Mac) is an advanced vector graphics and illustration software, with a competitive feature set, and several new features and workflow enhancements. VectorStyler is developed with the goal of providing all the capabilities, designers and illustrators are familiar...

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    VectorStyler screenshot 1
     
  15. Xara Photo & Graphic Designer icon

    Xara Photo & Graphic Designer

     28 likes
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    Xara Photo & Graphic Designer, formerly Xara Xtreme, is a fast graphics software with versatile illustration tools and advanced photo management. It streamlines creative tasks, allowing users to retouch images, create social media posts, and design website graphics in one...

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Xara Photo & Graphic Designer screenshot 1
     
12 of 23 Adobe Illustrator alternatives