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Adobe Illustrator Logo

Adobe Illustrator

4.8
(8.2K)

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Industry-standard vector graphics editor

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(60)

Adobe Illustrator Features

Features Summary

Functionality

4.7

/5

8.2K

Total features

22

4 categories

Adobe Illustrator features

Activity Tracking
Application Management
CAD Tools
Collaboration Tools
Content Library
Content Management
Data Import/Export
Design Management

Common features of Web Design software

Animation
Automatic Backup
CMS Integration
Code Editing
Content Import/Export
Content Library
Content Management
Custom Domains

Price starts from

31.49

Per month

Flat Rate

Pricing options
Free plan
Subscription
Free trial

Screenshots

Contenders comparison

Functionality

4.7

/5

8.2K

Price starts from

31.49

Per month

learn more

Total Features

22

Unique features

  • For Vector Illustrations

  • Project Management

  • Document Imaging

  • Synchronous Editing

Functionality

4.4

/5

2.9K

Price starts from

5

/user

Per month

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Total Features

64

Features in Common

7

Unique features

  • Process Change Tracking

  • Graphical Workflow Editor

  • Inventory Control

  • Real Time Data

Functionality

4.1

/5

1.7K

Price starts from

9

Per month

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Total Features

52

Features in Common

10

Unique features

  • Text Editing

  • Order Management

  • Reporting & Statistics

  • WYSIWYG Editor

Common Adobe Illustrator comparisons

Reviewers who mentioned features said:

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Rob H.

Computer Software, self-employed

Used weekly for 2+ years

Review source

Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend8/10

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A powerful suite for Web Designers

Reviewed 2 years ago

After growing up with GIMP as my original mainstay when learning web design, I had the chance to use Illustrator at an internship around a decade ago. From there forwards, it's been my go to for designing SVG logo/image sets purely through the ease to export the SVGs for cross platform/device use.

Pros

As a full stack web developer, the tools that illustrator offer for creating Scalable Vector Graphics is unparalleled. With the importance of creating media that 'travels' well between both mobile and desktop environments, you'll be hard pressed to an offering that fits all circumstances with the ease that Illustrator offers. The joy of exporting your SVGs so simply to fit wherever you need them has been honed (or perhaps even owned) by years of Adobe's feature rich development and progressive enhancement. From Macromedia Shockwave with Flash forwarding to HTML 5 adoption, Adobe Illustrator has been at the forefront of web media design.

Cons

As with any design tool, there's always a learning curve. Though, that be said, with the sheer amount of online tutorials and videos, its truly quite hard to find fault with Adobe Illustrator... Once you've got the basics, the sky truly is the limit.... From moving from GIMP (a great free choice), to Illustrator, I'd definitely recommend the jump across the the Adobe camp.

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Maria G.

Internet, 201-500 employees

Used daily for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend4/10

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Such a powerful tool - but sometimes it's difficult to keep up with it.

Reviewed 4 years ago
Pros

So, I've been an AI user for now almost 10 years. I've used it at it's worst, at it's best and at it's "ok" moments. It's powerful and the type of work that you can create is really just limitless. There has been a significant effort in onboarding users whenever it gets a design overhaul or new features are added. I've found that a lot of these updates do tend to boost my ability to perform or create work at a faster speed, and same goes when making edits. I'm a heavy pathfinder user and the ability to just tweak my workplace to my needs, adding different windows and condensing them into one section has been a huge time saver. So in terms of granting you the ability to really modify the space to your liking, it's great.

Cons

I think one of the aspects about illustrator that has over time made it a more difficult tool to rely on has been the constant updates. Yes, those updates are sometimes great and very much needed, but there is no onboarding and the existing tour points hold so much information, it's hard to keep up with it. I think generally speaking, I want to also be able to use the same shortcuts I have been using over time with the software, so when certain aspects of it change - sometimes it does affect my ability to perform at the same speed. I think more efforts need to be done to really create a focused on boarding for users when you introduce new features.

LS
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Lance S.

Graphic Design, 1-10 employees

Used daily for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend8/10

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Industry-standard Vectoring Software

Reviewed 2 years ago

For the experienced user, Adobe Illustrator is a seamless experience. Almost everything that you need is readily available. The community a quite large and the online resources are endless. There are other alternatives such as CorelDraw and Inkscape, but the workflow UI resources and support you get with Illustrator just makes is not worth to consider other apps.

Pros

Compatibility is the keyword here. Most (if not all) decent design agencies, boutiques, in-house teams, press/printers and even freelancers use Adobe Creative Cloud. If your team is doing serious design work, you'll never go wrong purchasing Adobe Illustrator (along with the rest of the suite). And now that it is available on a SaaS or subscription-based model, Adobe ensures that you get the most recent updated version of the software as long as you/your team is under one of their plans. This is actually a great thing when you consider that everybody else using the software are also using the same version that you have.

Cons

The subscription-based model is not for everyone. Some companies would prefer to have perpetual license for software purchases. This is os it always have been with the Adobe Creative Suite until CS6. When they moved from perpetual licenses to 'Cloud-based' subscription model a lot of the smaller agencies, boutiques and freelancers suddenly found it hard to have access to legitimate Adobe Creative software such as the Illustrator. A lot of users think that the burden of paying $20+ (single app) to $50+ (for the whole suite) per month is a little bit too expensive.

MD
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Margaret D.

Construction, 11-50 employees

Used daily for 2+ years

Review source

Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend9/10

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Illustrator, will illustrate your point

Reviewed 2 years ago

I really like illustrator because it allows me so much flexibility in saving my files with many well known and used formats industry wide. I like their templates for digital media. Over all I really like their product. Although I feel it is a bit on the pricey side I think there is still value for my money.

Pros

I like that whatever is in my imagination can be transferred to the format I require. Among other tasks I am the Brand Administrator for our company. I have to make sure that wherever we market our brand looks great. Our brand shows up in many places and on many platforms digital and paper. Illustrator makes is possible to integrate anywhere I need to be.

Cons

Every time there is a new release of software there are some major changes in where things are. Where my regularly used tools are often change or seem to disappear. They have started video tutorials to help me catch up but it seems I am constantly having to re learn techniques I already learned once.

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Jeffrey B.

Retail, self-employed

Used daily for 2+ years

Review source

Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend9/10

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Illustrator - the standard for graphic design

Reviewed 2 years ago

Overall my experience has been great. I definitely recommend AI if you are serious about design. It can handle any area of design and is a workhorse of a program - it is very flexible. But with great flexibility, comes great complexity. So, therefore, even though I have a pretty good understanding of how to use Illustrator, there's still more for me to learn after many years. Not to mention they always add new features. And I still have to take some time to creatively express exactly what I envision. For this reason, I also use Affinity Designer on my Mac, alongside illustrator. The reason is, Affinity Designer is much more simple and certain tasks are quicker with Affinity. However, anytime I need to do more complex stuff, such

Pros

The nice thing about Adobe Illustrator is you can do anything you want, as far as manipulating graphics and creating any digital artwork or illustration imaginable. It's so versatile in what you can do, that it also can seem very complex to the novice. But if you stick with it and use it consistently or take some tutorials, once you learn the ins and outs of Adobe Illustrator, you begin to realize...

Cons

The biggest con I can think of is the learning curve. When first starting to use Adobe Illustrator is it can seem very complex. So when you're new, is a pretty big learning curve. With that said, I still am learning after 5+ years. For this reason, I recommend taking some tutorials or classes to understand what illustrator is capable of and for learning what every tool does. Taking tutorials also...

JG
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John G.

Information Technology and Services, 1-10 employees

Used monthly for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support

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A great product that has not adapted to the times.

Reviewed 2 years ago

For decades, Adobe Illustrator served me well. In the beginning, it was the best. But Corel Draw eventually eclipsed it in features and ease-of-use. But as the standard that I had learned to use well and had grown with, I still gravitated to AI, for most projects. But two things happened almost simultaneously that moved me away from AI. First, Adobe went exclusively to a subscription model, meaning...

Pros

Adobe Illustrator was the standard for years, before there was competition in this market. Then, even after Corel Draw came along, which was a better (5-star) product, Adobe managed to remain the standard, by continuing to be at least a very good product (4-star). It seems that being the standard means you don't have to be the best, but you must be very good and Illustrator was just that - very good.

Cons

Several features in Adobe Illustrator were poorly implemented. Though there were more than a few such issues, one that comes to mind is the ease of placing an image within another object, when using Corel Draw, as compared to the convoluted steps to do the same thing in AI. But Adobe Illustrator lost me as a user, when Adobe went to a subscription base. It's not an issue of money. I have been willing...

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Brian S.

Military, 1,001-5,000 employees

Used weekly for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend6/10

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Great once you get over the learning curve

Reviewed 4 years ago

I have used Illustrator for over a decade, and it is the best vector graphic software on the market, and the industry standard. While it has a steep learning curve, with its litany of features and capabilities, Adobe and third party sites provide a lot of resources for just-in-time training and tutorials for most features. While it may be cost prohibitive if you are not using it for business purposes, I wouldn't say the application is overpriced because of its capability, quality, and industry-standard reputation that has been built over the years.

Pros

I use illustrator for my job on a regular basis, and it is unmatched in terms of its capability for creating and editing vector graphics. There are so many features and capabilities within the software, I doubt that I have even scratched the surface of Illustrator's capability. What I really love about Illustrator is how versatile your graphics can be if you create everything in an organized manner....

Cons

Illustrator has a steep learning curve that might not make it the best resource for casual users. While Adobe provides a lot of learning resources through their site, other third party sites provide a lot of training, and Youtube always has videos that can just-in-time train you on about anything, there's always more features and capabilities to discover within the application. My first experience...

AR
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Verified reviewer

Information Technology and Services, 10,001+ employees

Used daily for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend8/10

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Best of its kind

Reviewed 9 months ago

Illustrator has been nothing but amazing whenever I have used it. Though it does slow down my system a lot since I have lower specs, it does the job just fine. High price can be accounted for by the unlimited creative scope Illustrator provides, which the alternatives are yet to touch.

Pros

Illustrator is simple a magical software. Rich in features and functionalities, it provides infinite opportunities for designers to create any sort of design. The interface is intuitive, the toolset is impressive, and the number of tutorials you can refer to whenever you are stuck with your design makes it a top-choice for every designer. I have used it for vector designing and web design. I find it much easier to create webpage designs on Illustrator than other software because of the limitless customization options it proivides. Also, the choices for format conversion, and the unlimited library of free resources including icons, templates and other ai files that can be downloaded in a jiffy and added to your project, makes it very simple to create a design on the go.

Cons

The learning curve is steep. As a self-taught designer who was only familiar with Photoshop, learning Illustrator was a pain because both of them are nothing alike. Of course, the tutorials help, but one cannot hope to create a design simply based on tutorials because all the tools and functionalities take a bit of time to get used to. Pricing would be another concern, especially for freelancers and part-time designers, since many of us don't want the whole Creative Suite and are just looking for a software to whip up a quick design, which many other alternatives provide for free.

NJ
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Niraj J.

Used weekly for 2+ years

Review source

Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend10/10

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Adobe Illustrator is hands down the best illustration software that is available in the market.

Reviewed 5 years ago

This software gave me the opportunity to express my imagination into the form of artwork. The best thing was that it didn't take much time to get a hold of this beautiful yet very complex software. The fact that there is not a single better alternative to Adobe Illustrator says everything about the work they have put in to create it. I was able to learn this software very quickly and got good in few weeks. I earn living with the use of this tool. I'm glad that I came across this software.

Pros

Amazing interface. They crafted it so perfectly that no other competitor can match it. Easy to learn. What is the best thing about any software? It should be easy to learn for a complete new person. Adobe Illustrator nails it. A person with artistic skills will learn this software in no time. Quick support. Are you stuck at any step or you have a bug that is stopping your project? Just...

Cons

Hight system resources. So, it's very safe to assume that you're going to need a good computer to properly use Adobe Illustrator. It's a very advanced software with countless features that will use up your system resources. Can't handle digital images very well. As the purpose of Adobe Illustrator is to create vector art, it's not coded very well to be compatible with digital images that contains pixels. Pixels cannot be converted into vector so don't confuse photo editing softwares with illustrations softwares. Very complex interface from other Adobe products. Since it's a very powerful software, Adobe couldn't compromise on the complexion of its user interface. Artist will have to get used to the interface before starting to work on complex projects.

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Rob H.

Design, self-employed

Used daily for 2+ years

Review source

Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend10/10

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Illustrator's power is unmatched.

Reviewed a year ago

Overall Illustrator has been a critical part of my business. Without it there are many tasks that I would not be able to accomplish. Most larger agencies use it and share files in Illustrator's format so it's critical that I can open and work in those files without having to ask them to convert them and risk losing subtle design elements or flexibility.

Pros

Illustrator just keeps getting more powerful and more capable. It's so ubiquitous that if you don't use it you'll have a harder time collaborating with agencies across the planet as you produce art. There is practically nothing you can't do with it in terms of creating vector and hand drawn artwork and graphics.

Cons

Some of the interface handles are too small and it's difficult to grab them. I'd like to be able to make them any size I want. I use high resolution monitors and some elements are just tiny, no matter how good your eyes are. Other then that, I can't really find anything to be critical about. As with all software, there are functions that you'd probably implement differently if you were the developer, but it does everything I need and then some.

DP
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David P.

Design, 10,001+ employees

Used daily for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend8/10

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Long-time Adobe User

Reviewed 4 years ago

My overall experience with Adobe Illustrator, and other Adobe products, has generally been good. However, since they moved to a subscription model, I have run into several glitches that required re-authorizing the software on my computer, and in at least once instance I was unable to connect to Adobe's server, couldn't authorize my software, and lost a day of work time when I was on a deadline.

Pros

Having worked in graphic design for 25 years, I have used many iterations of Adobe Illustrator, and currently use Illustrator CC on a daily basis. I also used to teach an Illustrator course at a local community college. What I like most is that the core functions have remained largely the same over time, and the software is mature and stable. It's actually the only program I've ever used for creating vector graphics, so I don't have anything else to compare it to, but I find Illustrator to be intuitive, and the learning curve for competence is average for a design program. I typically use Illustrator for logos and infographics, and it is ideally suited to those tasks.

Cons

My main complaint with Adobe Illustrator is that certain tools which share similar functions across programs in the Adobe line-up - most notably, Photoshop and InDesign - don't operate consistently. For instance, the resize tool in Illustrator works differently than it does in Photoshop, and it works differently in Indesign, compared to the other two. My other main complaint is that Adobe has changed...

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Burhan K.

Information Technology and Services, 1,001-5,000 employees

Used weekly for 2+ years

Review source

Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend10/10

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Best Industry Standard Vector Designing Software, Period

Reviewed 4 years ago

I've been using Adobe Illustrator since I stepped into the software industry—almost 4 years now. The tool has no comparison to other tools currently available in the market. I mostly use Illustrator for designing illustrations, icons for mobile and websites, wireframes for mobiles, and print documents like brochures, business cards, etc. I now use Sketch for designing UI, but it's really hard to design icons there. So I design icons in Illustrator and copy those icons to sketch. This is the best tool and it's an industry standard.

Pros

Work on Windows, Mac, iPad, and even on iPhone with limited features. You can have multiple artboards when designing in Illustrator. A lot of tools to make your workflow easier. For building shapes, it has tools like pen tool, Pathfinder and shape builder. It has a dynamic gradient feature, which means your gradient is not limited to a linear or radial gradient. You can create a gradient with as many...

Cons

The long learning curve, especially when you have no previous design background. So expect to invest at least 6-12 months to fully master it. You have to fully grasp the core concepts of it when playing with paths and shapes. Joining paths perfectly using the grid may take time If you have not much experience with it.

CH
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Cleo H.

Design, 1-10 employees

Used weekly for 2+ years

Review source

Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend10/10

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From Logos to House Plans

Reviewed 2 years ago

I was working at Adobe at the time Illustrator was being created and have used it continuously over the years. I use it to create overlays on maps for zoning projects, I have done detailed plans for a house that I built, I always use it for logos, posters, most projects where I want a lot of flexibility with laying things out.

Pros

The ability to create and control outline shapes. The fact that it has been in existence since the 80s and probably isn't going anywhere makes it worth learning. The things that do change or get added are mostly beneficial and logical additions. Tools like Pathfinder really work well. Masking works well once you get the gist of it. The pen tool is especially great if you know how bezier curves behave. I think they have added a lot of functionality over the years that I'm not even aware of since I never need it to do more.

Cons

There are a few nits and lice that have always bothered me but I honestly can't say that they don't have workarounds that I just haven't learned about. I wish there were a fast way to create an often used color palette. I end up making little squares on the page with the colors I want and using the dropper to grab them. The artboard is a little cumbersome until you get the hang of it. I often need...

UO
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Ullah O.

Design, 11-50 employees

Used daily for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend8/10

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Adobe illustrator review

Reviewed 2 months ago

My experience with Illustrator has been great! I've been able to create a lot of designs and illustrations for various projects. It's a great tool for vector design work and I'm always learning new techniques. The user interface is quite intuitive and it's easy to pick up. I also like how you can customize the workspace and save various settings to make it easier to work with. Overall, I'm very pleased with my experience with Illustrator and I'm sure I'll keep using it for a long time.

Pros

I liked that this illustrator had a unique style. Their artwork was very creative, and they were able to bring characters and scenes to life with the use of bright colors and interesting textures. They also had a great eye for detail, and I appreciated that they put a lot of effort into each piece.

Cons

I don't particularly like or dislike the Adobe Illustrator tool. It is a powerful vector graphics program that can be used for a variety of tasks, such as logo design, illustration, and web graphics. However, its complexity and learning curve can be difficult for some users, and it can be time-consuming to learn all of the features.

SR
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Sundiep R.

Internet, self-employed

Used daily for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend9/10

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A reliable programme for vector and graphics work

Reviewed 2 months ago

My creativity may now be developed and expressed thanks to Adobe Illustrator. I've created incredible logos and businesses that have become brands, presentations, and vector icons. It is the industry's top vector design. I continue to get greater outcomes every day. When it comes to web design or even branding for t-shirts or print on other products, Ai delivers the greatest tools to produce vectors and illustration designs that give wings to the imagination and fashion come alive. Ai is quite competent. Just wanted to thank the devs. I've only ever encountered the greatest design and editing firm in Adobe.

Pros

The amount of sophistication of Adobe Illustrator's capabilities reflects its long history and longevity. Because Adobe is so widely used, cooperation is simple and results are reliable. Each tool may be modified to suit a particular requirement or preference, and the workspace may also be customized to fit particular design scenarios. I put a lot of importance on typography. There is nothing that can compare to the fine-grained control that Adobe Illustrator offers for typing operations. On this front, Adobe benefits from decades of experience, collaborations, and the close integration between Illustrator and other Creative Cloud products, which also happen to be widely used in the design business.

Cons

The drawback that I can see is that it might be a bit challenging to explore all the wonderful functions that the program offers if I don't have the professional skills to operate it. Therefore, if I don't know how to accomplish that outcome, the work starts to look a bit unprofessional. I also detest it when it crashes when I'm working, which is another problem. A circumstance when I was planning a presentation happened to me. The file won't open after I correctly saved it and tried to access it later. It indicated that my file was corrupt in some way.

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Délcio R.

Graphic Design, 1-10 employees

Used daily for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend10/10

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A professional vector and illustration software.

Reviewed 3 months ago

My overall experience using this software has been the greatest. Day by day I achieve better and better results. Ai brings the best tools to create vectors and illustration designs that gives wings to the imagination and fashion comes alive, when it comes to web design or even branding for t-shirts or print in another objects. Ai is very professional. I just thank to the developers. Adobe products are the best design and editing company I ever met.

Pros

There are so many great features like, an interactive interface, great editing tools, professional ways to shape and color the forms, stunning templates, brushes, easy capacity to import and export files, and much much more. This software is definitely the best. Adobe doesn't joke when it touches to a serious design software. Congratulations!

Cons

The only con i can consider, is that if I don't have the professional knowledge to manage it, it's a little difficult to explore all the great functionalities that the software brings. So, the work gets a little amateur if I don't know how to achieve that result. But beside this, Ai rocks. 5 stars!!!

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Ryan H.

Graphic Design, 11-50 employees

Used daily for 2+ years

Review source

Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend8/10

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Boost Your Skills as a Designer with Adobe Illustrator

Reviewed 2 years ago

Adobe Illustrator is a key element of our whole revenue. It has helped us run our business. We work in the capacity of a professional and high-end design agency and we simply can not function without Adobe Illustrator. And if I'm being honest, our experience with Adobe Illustrator has been remarkable. We love to use it and help many businesses with their design and branding needs.

Pros

I give 8 out of 10 ratings to Adobe Illustrator as my favorite vector-based design program. At Fullstop, we provide professional graphic design services and work on complex illustrations, infographics, flyers, different types of packaging, brochures, and icons. We've been able to do all these things with the help of Adobe Illustrator mostly. It allows to create, draw, and combine different shapes in...

Cons

You need to have some knowledge of the design tools and technique before using Adobe Illustrator. It can be difficult for beginners as there are so many tools. You need to be patient while learning how to use it professionally. You can't work with Illustrator unless you have a big screen. Likewise, it requires a lot of storage space and it is costly too.

AG
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Adam G.

Computer Software, self-employed

Used daily for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend9/10

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Go to software for illustration, icon design, and vector graphics

Reviewed 2 years ago
Pros

From my experience Illustrators path workflow and functionality is superior to other vector software out there. If I was going to stray from Illustrator as my go to vector software the competition would need to beat Illustrator in that feature space. Illustrator allows you to have advance control and accuracy with paths, grids, guides, snap to guide, etc. Also, exporting quality SVGs is very important and the competition doesn't measure up in that space from what I have seen.

Cons

Some updates on how Illustrator handles smart guides and snap-to-pixel has some flaws. It seamed like I had better accuracy in previous versions of Illustrator. No one likes to have their paths splitting pixels or to have to fix that on a regular basis. Some times I don't have an issues while other times new path shapes start on 0.5 pixels when creating them.

ZM
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Zandrich M.

Marketing and Advertising, 11-50 employees

Used daily for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend8/10

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Adobe Illustrator: A Proven Formula

Reviewed 2 years ago

Illustrator was my first foray into the world of computer-aided design and digital art; my first license was provided as part of my Multimedia Design studies just shy of a decade ago - and I've not once considered looking back. Initially, I found the interface somewhat intimidating - the workspace was dotted with a plethora of icons representing tools I never knew existed - but once I started exploring,...

Pros

Adobe Illustrator is very, very expansive; Adobe managed to marry the tried-and-trusted tools and processes of the more well-known Photoshop, with the logic and functionality of mundane CAD suites - elegantly. Adobe Illustrator has, for that reason, been a mainstay within my design workflow, and beyond, for almost a decade. One of its strongest features (often overlooked), is the ability to utilize...

Cons

Although Adobe Illustrator has come very far since I was first introduced to the CS5 release, it cannot be picked up by someone to be mastered in one work day - this in itself is not a weakness - Adobe Illustrator is, and always has been, software intended to enhance the abilities of someone familiar with computer-aided design suites.

MB
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Matt B.

Religious Institutions, 11-50 employees

Used weekly for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend9/10

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Top of the line for vector graphics

Reviewed 2 years ago

Allows to create print-ready files through Image Trace to vectorize them, the ability to utilize proper files when working with print companies for in-house orders.

Pros

Adobe Illustrator makes vector graphics and designing for scalable/print an ease. Specifically, this product has helped me to take the limited size graphics we have licensed from curriculum use and using the Image Trace feature ensure I am able to resource our areas with the best looking print-ready files that they need. When working with text and logos for our ministry areas and special events, to be able to create where I can scale across multiple print mediums: from large sized banners, to t-shirts to video, allowing to create one file that can export to the correct format is beneficial and ease of use versus creating a mammoth file in a non-vector application.

Cons

Illustrator is so vast in its functionality it took me a bit to get the handle on things - I am grateful for their support articles when there are areas and functions I am still learning. There is a slightly high learning-curve when you want to move beyond the basics.

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Souhil S.

Design, self-employed

Used daily for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend8/10

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The Best Vector Based Design Software

Reviewed 2 years ago

I use Illustrator daily to create cool vector designs because I need the highest resolution to print them on a lot of things and with Illustrator I really get the things done and I'm always happy with the results. I think Adobe Illustrator is the best Vector and Design software in the market right now and after using it for many years I never had any problems and I always get the work done. Adobe is an amazing company, and I'm sure they will keep improving this software and adding some useful tools and features.

Pros

It's very easy to use, and you can create anything from scratch, you need just some designing or drawing knowledge, and you are good to go. It comes with a lot of useful design tools, filters, and effects...etc. I can create anything using Adobe Illustrator and the sky is the limit. I can also, use it to create topography designs for many things (shirts, wall art, business cards, text)...etc. I like...

Cons

I would love to see the crop tool in Illustrator like in Photoshop. They can add some Photoshop tools to Illustrator for example "remove background" tool. But, after all, they are doing a great job and always I get a new version I really feel the change they made to the program.

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Joshua D.

Leisure, Travel & Tourism, 1-10 employees

Used weekly for 2+ years

Review source

Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend8/10

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Excellent Design Software

Reviewed 2 years ago

My overall experience is awesome, because I wil stil use it other than other creative programs. It has a great edge over others because you can create any type of art right from scratch.

Pros

I like teh fact that as a designer, i can create a multitude of art work with Adobe illustrator, ranging from video games, brand logos and promotional materials. I like it because i can also use it for designs & topography such as business cards, clothing, billboards, artistic & stylistic illustrations. It is integrated with Adobe creative cloud which makes it easier for sharing my art projects and...

Cons

It takes a while to load each time I try to open up the application. It also slows down other programs on my computer becuase its a massive program, especially when I have both Illustrator & Photoshop running at the time. Sometimes the main colour paletes won't show in the upper taskbar which can be a pain when you have to figure out how to get it, especially for newbies. The hotkeys are weird compared...

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Samuel T.

Media Production, self-employed

Used weekly for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend8/10

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Illustrator, a connection to the past. But what does the future hold?

Reviewed 3 years ago

Adobe Illustrator scores above average, much more because of its solid foundation than current features. It is a program that, in a way, has stopped in time. (I still expect compatibility improvements) It is a program that you must have, or at least give it a try. There are many possibilities, if your creativity allows it. If you are a design professional or student, you should give preference to AI.

Pros

Writing about Illustrator is very passionate. One of the most important Pros of the program is its solid foundation, built over decades. Yes! Decades. Therefore, the main resources of the illustration industry are here. Shapes, Fills, lines, vectors, compositions. Ease of basic understanding of features. Learning curve, of the basic resources is fast. Numerous editing possibilities (the limit is your creation) high degree of SVG compatibility. These are, for me, the best reasons to use AI since 2011.

Cons

Against the grain, AI presents a high consumption of computer resources. RAM, VRAM, Processor, these are abundantly consumed by the program. The more you have, the more it will consume. With the exception of the SVG format, any non-native format will have serious compatibility problems, causing constant breaks. The learning curve for advanced items is complex and requires more effort than other programs in the same category. However, in my opinion, the X of the question is: Is Adobe Illustrator the program of the future for vectors? or was he stuck in time and his Status Quo?

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Mark B.

Marketing and Advertising, 1-10 employees

Used daily for 2+ years

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Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend9/10

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Steep steep learning curve, but you've got this

Reviewed 3 years ago

I think the previous two sections give you a good idea about my experience with Illustrator, but I can add that we would be lost without it in our toolbox. Making something that looks great and is able to be reproduced anywhere is crucial for us. Having the level of control you have in Illustrator is really unmatched. Cannot stress enough how important its role is in our agency's day to day work.

Pros

Basically, once you get the hang of Illustrator and its many many features, you can create anything you want. We use it for logos, transit ads, charts, you name it. One of the best newer features is the "Library" panel. This works with most all of Adobe products, and what it does is let you load up your fonts, logos, photos, type, etc. for each client you're working on and it's all right there for...

Cons

If you're on a budget, this is not your friend. The Adobe Creative Cloud does offer a lot, but you pay for all of that, too. I can't say I dislike the learning curve because I've been working with Illustrator for years. That said, if you're new, prepare to have your patience tried and your frustration to rise. That's ok, this gets easier, I promise.

AR
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Verified reviewer

Higher Education, 5,001-10,000 employees

Used other for 2+ years

Review source

Overall Rating
  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Features
  • Customer support
  • Likelihood to recommend9/10

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“An awesome graphic designing software with many tools”

Reviewed 3 years ago

Adobe illustrator is a wonderful software and its features are amazing. I am using this software for my graphic designing work and I use this software for video editing, web designing, making shapes, photo editing, and creating logos for my projects as well as for my university clubs which I have engaged in. It consists of many awesome tools. According to my overall opinion, this graphic designing software helps me a lot and I highly recommended this software for graphic designers.

Pros

Adobe Illustrator software has loads of options for creation and it is boundless. It gives me the output which I dreamed about and it satisfies me all expectations too. Adobe Illustrator consists of many tools such as After Effects, Photoshop, Audition, Illustrator, and Adobe Premiere which give me marvelous functions. These tools can be easily learned if we touch with our basic understandings about...

Cons

This software takes a lot of time when loading on my computer. I think that this software is hard to use by a beginner as it requires good training to use this software. Sometimes it is difficult to find tools on the interface. The hiding if tools over other tools are annoying and it is difficult to find out them and I am confused to open these tools in these times. Immense use of CPU and RAM. Those are the downsides I observed in this software and these issues should be concerned.