Illustrator Alternatives for Mac

There are many alternatives to Adobe Illustrator for Mac if you are looking for a replacement. The best Mac alternative 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 available for Mac so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Mac alternatives to Adobe Illustrator are Affinity Designer, Linearity Curve, Figma and CorelDRAW Graphics Suite.

Adobe Illustrator alternatives are mainly Vector Graphic Apps but may also be Digital Painting Tools or Image Editors. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Adobe Illustrator.

Adobe Illustrator alternatives page was last updated

Adobe Illustrator

502

Paid • Proprietary
Vector Graphic App

Mac
Windows
Online
iPad

Design quickly and confidently with Adobe Illustrator software. Sophisticated tools for drawing and typography, along with...

Learn more about Adobe Illustrator

Inkscape
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Vector Graphic App
Image Editor
Digital Painting Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Snapcraft
Flathub
PortableApps.com
137 Inkscape alternatives
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).
- - Inkscape is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Adobe Illustrator.
- - Inkscape is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Adobe Illustrator.
Suggest and vote on features
Inkscape Features
1. Support for LayersInkscape supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
2. Works OfflineInkscape can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
3. Ad-freeInkscape doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
4. Privacy focusedInkscape is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
5. LightweightInkscape consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
6. No registration requiredYou can use most of the features in Inkscape without registration.
7. Dark ModeInkscape supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
8. Drawing Tablet SupportInkscape supports the use of external drawing tablets as input devices.
9. Color PickerInkscape allows you to select and copy a color property from an image, object, or shape.
Vectorize raster images
Support for SVG
Live Path Effects
Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
Customizable
Edit PDF
Export to SVG
Scalable
High-resolution images
Symbols
Comments about Inkscape as a Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
Almost everyone thinks Inkscape is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Paulo Coghi
It's feature complete, professional and as capable (or even more capable) than Illustrator
Top positive comment•
9

Guest
If your end product is svg files, Inkscape is just better, it's built around the SVG standard and supports nearly all of it.
Top positive comment•
8

ShnitzelKiller
Inkscape has very bad performance (especially on mac), due to jank in the rendering code, and being optimized for CPU rather than GPU rendering, probably due to being a very old piece of software. It doesn't seem like this will be fixed anytime soon, based on the discussions taking place which are years old at this point.
Top negative comment•
-2

arlenwh
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.
Negative comment•
0

banlogics
The best software for vector art. A fully featured and professional software.
Positive comment•
3

Show more comments ▾
5 of 34 comments
Affinity Designer
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Vector Graphic App
Image Editor
Graphic Design Tool
Mac
Windows
iPad
50 Affinity Designer alternatives
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.
- - Affinity Designer is the most popular iPad alternative to Adobe Illustrator.
- - Affinity Designer is the most popular commercial alternative to Adobe Illustrator.
Suggest and vote on features
Affinity Designer Features
1. Support for LayersAffinity Designer supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
2. Works OfflineAffinity Designer can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
3. Dark ModeAffinity Designer supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
4. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsAffinity Designer can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
5. WYSIWYG SupportAffinity Designer integrates a WYSIWYG editor to edit the look and content of a document, page, or file.
6. Support for CMYK ModeAffinity Designer allows you to work using the color scheme for printing, combining the primary pigments (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key).
7. Custom BrushesYou can use modified/custom brushes in Affinity Designer.
8. Support for scriptingAffinity Designer supports scripts and macros to automate or customize tasks.
9. Color PickerAffinity Designer allows you to select and copy a color property from an image, object, or shape.
No Subscription
User friendly
Vector strokes
Open PSD files
Snapping
Export to PDF
Pixel Persona
Multi-choice brushes
Ad-free
No registration required
Comments about Affinity Designer as a Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
Almost everyone thinks Affinity Designer is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Paul
Affinity Designer is faster, cheaper and can handle bitmap and vector illustrations. I finally got rid of Adobe.
Top positive comment•
4

Du
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.
Top positive comment•
2

Jonathan Jewell
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...
Positive comment•
0

LeopardBunny
For the one-time price, it's a solid alternative. However, I will admit finding out it didn't have an Object Blend was a bit of a dealbreaker for me personally. Still, the UI is very clean and user-friendly, so if Object Blend isn't important to you, it's definitely worth your time.
Positive comment•
1

Daniel Castelli
Most affordable paid alternative. One of the best in class.
Positive comment•
1

Show more comments ▾
5 of 29 comments
Linearity Curve
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Vector Graphic App
Digital Painting Tool
UI Design Tool
Mac
iPhone
iPad
32 Linearity Curve alternatives
Vectonator is a very complete free vector editing app, known mainly for its iPad apps, focusing on simplicity and ease of use. You can export to JPG, PNG, SVG and PDF. Also, unlike Illustrator, you can render a time-lapse video of your project to share on social media (with some limitations). Cloud syncing allows you to continue work started on iPad and finish it directly on macOS.
- - Linearity Curve is the most popular iPhone alternative to Adobe Illustrator.
Suggest and vote on features
Linearity Curve Features
1. Works OfflineLinearity Curve can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
2. Ad-freeLinearity Curve doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
3. Support for LayersLinearity Curve supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
Vector strokes
Artboards
Vector painting
Real time rendering
Intuitive Interface
Vectorize raster images
UX Design
Auto-trace
Vectorgraphic support
AI-Powered
Opinions about Linearity Curve as a Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
Almost everyone thinks Linearity Curve is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative.
Figma
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Prototyping Tool
UI Design Tool
Wireframing Tool
Mac
Windows
Online
Chrome OS
Software as a Service (SaaS)
70 Figma alternatives
Figma has a bigger focus on UI design, wireframing and collaborative work. Like Sketch, its interface is cleaner and easier to understand than Illustrator. It's can also be used throught web browsers and collabore with more members of your team in real time. It features automatic cloud synchronization so you can use your files on the platform you want, in addition to unique features such as arc tools and vector networks, which allow non-designers to format their templates easily. Animated prototypes are definitely a great advantage to interact with your design before coding.
- - Figma is the most popular Web-based & SaaS alternative to Adobe Illustrator.
Suggest and vote on features
Figma Features
1. Support for LayersFigma supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
2. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
3. Design handoffView and share snippets of generated code and design specs from your design in Figma
4. Auto LayoutFigma supports layouts that dynamically grow and adapt to the size of its contents.
5. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsFigma can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
6. Embedded commentsUsers can leave comments that will appear within Figma
7. Create UI ComponentsFigma allows you to create and define groups of reusable UI elements/materials across your design.
8. Dark ModeFigma supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
9. Transitions EffectsFigma allows you to apply transition effects between two different scenes/pages using pre-loaded or custom animated transitions.
Import from Sketch
Cross-Platform
Brainstorming
Export to SVG
Interactive Prototyping
Shared whiteboard
File Versioning
Color Picker
Live Preview
Smart Animate
Comments about Figma as a Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
Most users think Figma is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative.
RCLeahcar
Figma places a heavier focus on user interface design, while Illustrator is a general vector graphics editor.
Negative comment•
6

Guest
With a focus on UI, it is a much better tool to use for UI design and prototyping
Positive comment•
2
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Vector Graphic App
Digital Painting Tool
Image Editor
Mac
Windows
Online
88 CorelDRAW Graphics Suite alternatives
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.
Suggest and vote on features
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite Features
Customizable
Pixel accuracy
Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
Comments about CorelDRAW Graphics Suite as a Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
Almost everyone thinks CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative.
Guest
Compatibility with .ai files, is a vector manipulator. Includes a "Hairline" stroke weight, which is very useful for certain applications. One-time license purchase
Positive comment•
1

Guest
The first vector illustrator I ever used. Sadly not available on the Mac
Positive comment•
2

Guest
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.
Positive comment•
1
MyPaint
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Digital Painting Tool
Image Editor
Photo Editor
Mac
Windows
Linux
PortableApps.com
127 MyPaint alternatives
The biggest difference with Illustrator is that MyPaint works with bitmaps instead of vector graphics. It's open source software designed mainly to illustrate and draw with a digitizer tablet. It has a simple interface, where almost all the basic drawing functions are assigned to keyboard shortcuts, which improves workflow speed. In addition, you can hide the entire graphical interface and focus all attention on the drawing without being distracted by unnecessary or complex buttons or palettes. It's a good option if you are interested in digital illustration without too many overwhelming features.
Suggest and vote on features
MyPaint Features
1. Support for LayersMyPaint supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
2. Distraction-freeMyPaint has a distraction-free mode for when you need to focus.
3. Drawing Tablet SupportMyPaint supports the use of external drawing tablets as input devices.
4. PortableMyPaint can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
5. Custom BrushesYou can use modified/custom brushes in MyPaint.
6. Ad-freeMyPaint doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
Sketching
Infinite canvas
Fullscreen support
Color blending
Comments about MyPaint as a Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
Some users think MyPaint is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative, some don't.
richcarrera
It works with bitmap, Illustrator with vector graphics. it has more similarities with photoshop than with Illustrator.
Negative comment•
0

Dmitrii Kunicin
the application is suitable for use by children, simple
Positive comment•
0

Guest
Illustrator is a vector graphics tool, MyPaint is a raster graphics tool.
Negative comment•
1
Corel Vector
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Vector Graphic App
Image Editor
UI Design Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Chrome OS
70 Corel Vector alternatives
Excellent alternative to Illustrator since it allows you to edit vector graphics directly from the browser without the need to download any software. It has online storage space similar to Dropbox or OneDrive where you can save your designs as well as upload existing graphics and add them to your current design. In addition to this, Gravit has several free design templates at your disposal, an extensive library of icons (approximately 29,000), more than 1,000 photos, and Google fonts support. You can also collaborate simultaneously on the same file thanks to its teamwork tools. Please note that some features such as the CMYK workspace will require a premium paid account.
Suggest and vote on features
Corel Vector Features
1. PortableCorel Vector can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
2. Ad-freeCorel Vector doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
3. Works OfflineCorel Vector can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
4. Drawing Tablet SupportCorel Vector supports the use of external drawing tablets as input devices.
5. LightweightCorel Vector consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
6. Dark ModeCorel Vector supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
7. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
8. Support for LayersCorel Vector supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
9. Color PickerCorel Vector allows you to select and copy a color property from an image, object, or shape.
Website wireframing
Built-in Color picker
Browser-based
Persistent Linux
Web fonts
Vectorize raster images
Global palette
Embedded tutorials
Master Design
Asset Pipeline
Comments about Corel Vector as a Alternative to Adobe Illustrator
Almost everyone thinks Corel Vector is a great Adobe Illustrator alternative.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Guest
It is a simple yet powerful vector editing program suitable for vector artists, web designers, publishers, logo designers, etc. It also features non-destructing boolean operations (better pathfinder), showcase mode, multiple strokes and fills, global palettes, and more, surprisingly without any clutter.
Top positive comment•
3

Guest
It's free, and also easy to use. Some advanced features are lacking, but the dev team is constantly adding new ones.
Top positive comment•
3

arlenwh
Even though it's no longer free. It does everything Adobe Illustrator does. Also it's completely web based. So you can run it on any operating system especially Linux which almost no vector design application supports.
Positive comment•
0

Guest
this is wonnderful webside
Positive comment•
0

Guest
Good components, easy and free.
Positive comment•
-1

Show more comments ▾
5 of 10 comments