Illustrator AlternativesOnly Open Source apps categorised as Image Editors

The best open source Image Editor alternative to Adobe Illustrator is Inkscape. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Adobe Illustrator and seven of them are open source Image Editors so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source Image Editor alternatives to Adobe Illustrator are Graphite, LazPaint, sK1 and KolourPaint.

filter to find the best alternatives

Adobe Illustrator alternatives are mainly Image Editors, but if you're looking for Vector Graphic Apps or Digital Painting Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source, Android, Linux, Mac, Free, iPad and Online + Free. 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.
More about Adobe Illustrator
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
Adobe Illustrator alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. Inkscape icon

    Inkscape

     2312 likes

    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).

    124 Inkscape alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    Inkscape screenshot 1
     
    |
    38
    Comments about Inkscape as an Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
    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.
    3 of 38 comments
    Inkscape icon
    Inkscape icon
    • 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. Graphite icon

    Graphite

     95 likes

    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.

    60 Graphite alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    Made using nondestructive boolean operations and procedural polka dot patterns
     
    |
    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.
    Graphite 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
  4. LazPaint icon

    LazPaint

     45 likes

    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

    Application types

    Platforms

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

    sK1

     37 likes

    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.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    sK1 screenshot 1
     
  7. DrawBerry icon

    DrawBerry

     6 likes

    All the features of other vector editing applications such as Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape, in a free, easy to use, powerful application.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    DrawBerry screenshot 1
     
  9. Xfig icon

    Xfig

     8 likes

    Xfig is an interactive drawing tool which runs under X Window System Version 11 Release 4 (X11R4) or later, on most UNIX-compatible platforms, and e.g. under Darwin on the MacIntosh and any X server under Microsoft Windows.

    21 Xfig alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Library - importing drawings
     
7 of 7 Adobe Illustrator alternatives