Adobe Illustrator vs GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

Canva

Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe Photoshop

CorelDRAW

Affinity Designer

Pixlr

Compare Adobe Illustrator and GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) 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.

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.

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.

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

CAD Tools

Collaboration Tools

Content Library

Content Management

Data Import/Export

Design Management

Design Templates

Document Imaging

Drag & Drop

Fashion Illustrations

File Management

For Vector Illustrations

Image Editing

Image Library

Preview Functionality

Project Management

Search/Filter

Synchronous Editing

Third-Party Integrations

Website Publishing Options

Adobe Illustrator

Android

Web-based

Windows

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

Adobe Illustrator screenshot: Illustrator CC's live corners tool lets users intuitively shape corners with on-art controls or specific values

Freelancers

Large Enterprises

Mid Size Business

Non Profit

Public Administrations

Small Business

Adobe Creative Cloud is a graphic design and video editing suite that enables businesses to publish print layouts, edit images, manage PDF documents, and collaborate with team members using various mobile and desktop applications.

Pixlr is a free online photo editor that offers web, iOS and Android app editions. The platform includes a variety of stock photos and templates, and is applied for editing images to be used in poster designs, cards, and other graphic design projects.

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.

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.

Pattern, Color & Art Storage

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

Linux

I was pleasantly surprised by GIMP. It's a powerful tool with a lot of advanced features, and I love that it's free.

Sales

I love the variety of features it offers. It allows you to create your ideas with ease and have them look clean and professional.

Editorial Cartoonist

As I've gotten to know it, I have come to appreciate it. It's a great program and a great price.

IT Systems Supervisor

I love that it is free and easy to use. I have used this for various projects over the years to make fun and wacky images that I have shared for various uses.

You can have it 100% for free. It's the best solution in linux environments, and it can help with most of the basic photo editing stuff.

Owner/Creator

Amazing is the level of detail that can be done to images as well as the (#3) High Resolution of the image to be saved, or exported to a different format.

étudiant

The program is starting to get old, and we can see it. Just by starting it, it lags behind, but it could be worse.

Author

I'm really happy that GIMP exists because it pretty much gives you the opportunity of creating beautiful images without having to buy expensive software.

Marketing Manager

The fact that GIMP is very powerful while also being free helps look beyond any cons the software might have. It's a great way to minimize cost and still have the ability to do what you want to do.

ServiceDesk Jr

I'm not an advanced user of this application, but I've seen that GIMP is a great free option compared to paid software, it has a great learning community.

Independent Beauty Consultant

My only frustration with GIMP is that it can be confusing to use at times.

Blogger

There are a lot of tools that seem difficult to master. The side panels are way too confusing and difficult to navigate.

What I don't like is the lack of integration with other programs on the market, which can delay the workflow during the day.

Web developer

The internal window handling is not very clear for me, I have to activate the single window mode because otherwise the usability is very poor. The problem is this option is not enabled by default.

Attorney

In terms of features, there are probably too many for my needs. I will never use them all, and I sometimes get lost poking around.

Developer

A powerful tool for image editing with a large only community, which proves useful when you need to search.

I've tried GIMP on different projects and I believe it can be a solid free alternative to other Graphics software.

Real Estate Agent

GIMP is easy to use and integrate into your business as an alternative to Photoshop for certain media projects.

Adobe Illustrator vs GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) Comparison (2026)

Adobe Illustrator

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives