Inkscape vs Adobe Illustrator

Canva

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

Adobe Photoshop

CorelDRAW

Affinity Designer

Adobe InDesign

Compare Inkscape and Adobe Illustrator based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

CoreIDRAW is a graphic design software which enables users to create professional designs with vector illustration, layout, photo editing, typography, template tools, and more. CoreIDRAW allows users to create, access and store artwork, web graphics and prints in the cloud, via the web app.

Adobe InDesign is a layout design and desktop publishing software designed to help businesses and creative individuals create graphic designs with typography from various foundries and imagery from Adobe Stock. The platform lets teams create and publish digital magazines, books, eBooks, interactive PDFs, posters, and more.

Affinity Designer is a graphic design software, which helps creative professionals manage documents, create vector designs with gradients, blend modes, adjustments and effects, edit images, build artboards, and more using various built-in tools.

Inkscape is an open sourced business graphic software. This Linux, Windows & OSX vector graphics editor (SVG format) features transparency, gradients, node editing, pattern fills, PNG export, and more.

2D Drawing

CAD Tools

Data Import/Export

Design Management

Design Templates

For Vector Illustrations

Image Editing

Rendering

Text Editing

Inkscape

Linux

Windows

Engineer

This software has the great advantage to be completely free and having the capacity to integrate other free and powerful APIs.

Archictet

Inkscape surprised me positively for the number of features and more, for being free and for having open source. Creating knots, curves and modifying the lines is super easy and simple to use.

Software Developer

This software is so powerful, it's like a nuclear missile. I love what you can draw with it - literally anything.

Office Administrator

My experience with this software has been great. For what I need it for weekly it's perfect.

Systems Engineer

Inkscape does not require the purchasing of a license, making it perfect for small businesses. It is easy to work and working with it is just like working with the best software your money can buy.

Educator

The software is a free open source and just outstanding. Any kind of drawing needs can be fulfilled and there is an awesome online community to help you.

Design Enginer

This program is fully featured and provides all of the tremendous capabilities of a professional graphics development tool, but it's free and open source -- which is amazing.

I can import a photo or a bunch of photos into Inkscape and make a collage or a compilation - and then just crop it all to the right fit. Have designed some of our best family photos like this.

Realtor

Overall I really love Inkscape and I made a killer logo with ease on it. Would recommend to anyone on a budget.

Driver

But I also use it because it's really fun to use. It has an almost meditative aspect and is very intuitive to use.

Social Media Specialist

It's hard for me to find something to dislike about Inkscape. I'd only say that it could use some tweaks in the interface itself, especially in the dark theme.

Director

From there, you have the ability to smooth out better than the original import and create new shapes, colours and angles very quickly.

Undergraduate

No option to see colors are print or screen-friendly. Inkscape lags behind premium vector graphic options.

Admin Assistant

One thing I did dislike about Inkscape was that it took a bit to learn how to use it. There was a larger learning curve than other similar products.

Large Format and Apparel Printer

The other biggest issue I have with Inkscape is its inability to process spot colors which are essential in printing white ink on darker media.

Web Designer/Developer

Inkscape is free-to-use and has a large online community, so it's easy to find help and support.

researcher

The way Inkscape handles docker panels is somewhat confusing. Dockers are sidebar panels that display information about layers and objects in the drawing.

Software developer

Poor UI integration with different systems settings, on linux, Inkscape doesn't respect screen scalling.

Inkscape screenshot: Graphic Software

Freelancers

Large Enterprises

Mid Size Business

Non Profit

Small Business

Adobe Photoshop is an image editing and graphic designing software that helps businesses streamline photo editing and compositing processes and create digital paintings and animations. The artificial-intelligence (AI)-enabled platform lets designers invite external stakeholders to edit documents and share projects via live streaming functionality.

GIMP is an open-source image manipulation software that enables businesses, graphic designers, scientists, illustrators, and photographers to edit and retouch images, design icons, create free-hand artworks, and convert files into various formats.

Graphic design and video editing tool for creating and publishing marketing material, presentations, social media content, and a range of printed products, using a drag-and-drop editor and a library of customizable templates.

Adobe Illustrator CC is a industry-standard software in vector drawing tools and applications for digital graphics in print, web, apps, and video animations

Activity Tracking

Application Management

Collaboration Tools

Content Library

Content Management

Document Imaging

Drag & Drop

Fashion Illustrations

File Management

Image Library

Preview Functionality

Project Management

Search/Filter

Synchronous Editing

Third-Party Integrations

Website Publishing Options

Adobe Illustrator

Android

Web-based

iPad

iPhone

Self Employed Rancer

The thing I like the most is the ease of use of software and the amount of awesome features that is included with the software.

Marketing Specialist

The pros of this product is that it is extremely great for creating projects, especially when using a MAC. I highly recommend Apple products as it works best for designing.

Media and Communication Director

You are able to make beautiful and stunning illustrations for your social media posts or any posters. You can edit any symbol, picture etc with it.

Owner

There is endless posibilities of creative creating of scaleable vector graphics. Perfect for logos and helps me save money by using it to collaborating with graphic teams.

Director of Marketing

Many designers work with Adobe products and there is a reason, they are responsive and great at what they do. Illustrator will allow your designer to create amazing designs that can scale so easily.

Tech Support

Everything about it worked like a charm. The entire Adobe package is great and is constantly being updated.

Proprietor

I  Love the art i have made an enjoy every second of illustrating with this software and the ease of moving to other products in the adobe suite to perform other graphic functions.

Freelance Graphic Designer

What I like most about Illustrator are the capabilities and advanced tools that are integrated with technology to achieve unique and creative techniques.

Graphic Designer

The bummer about Adobe is that you can no longer purchase the software as a one-off. Now it’s a subscription that you have to pay monthly or yearly and the fees are quite hefty.

L&D Manager

From logos to infographics, Ai has been the best tool for the job. I create assets for my websites that I manage and can export my design projects in the best formats for the job.

Marketing and Design Directot

Illustrator helps me mainly to create logos and graphics for my work. I love the way the software works in general, interface is great and easy to use in my opinion.

Creative Director

A.I. is popular with the artist and graphic design community, so we are pleased that its functions are user-friendly, which allows us to distribute content after modifications if they are necessary.

Design & Brand Manager

Great ease of use once you are familiar with the program. Works well and integrates with the full Creative Suite.

HR specialist

I think most of the frustration comes with user error and not doing enough research on the current subject.

Photographer

Over it really is a great program with a lot to offer, the cost isn’t too high and getting the creative suits will save you more in the end hopping from one adobe program to the next.

Editor in Chief

On rare occasions, the app will stall or close down altogether. This could be a flaw with either the application itself or the system I'm using it on.

Email Marketing Specialist 

The support is very bad for Adobe. I suggest not updating your app until a few weeks after the update comes out unless it stops working.

Fullstack Developer

There is a great community around this software which is actually the main point to focus when you are looking for a new tool.

Adobe Illustrator screenshot: With Illustrator CC, the touch type tool allows users to take individual letters and transform them, as well as change the text itself

Adobe Illustrator screenshot: Illustrator CC users have the possibility to free transform elements in a more intuitive way

Adobe Illustrator screenshot: Use images in brushes (pattern brush tool) and choose the way the image runs around corners with Illustrator CC

Adobe Illustrator screenshot: The export CSS feature in Illustrator CC allows users to copy elements from the illustrator document and transfer them into CSS directly

Adobe Illustrator screenshot: Search fonts quicker with Illustrator CC's font search window that enables the choice between searching entire font names or first words only

Adobe Illustrator screenshot: Import multiple images and place them on the page with the integrated place gun tool that allows users to drag and place images exactly where they want them with Illustrator CC

Inkscape vs Adobe Illustrator Comparison (2026)

Inkscape

Adobe Illustrator

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives