Adobe Illustrator vs Inkscape
Adobe Illustrator scores 7.7 to Inkscape's 6.7 among the vector editors we rate, and is the better pick for 2 of the 4 kinds of buyer below.
Adobe Illustrator wins, 7.7 to 6.7
Illustrator is a subscription only, $22.99 a month with no licence to keep and no free plan beyond a 7-day trial. Inkscape is free, open source software with no company behind it and no price. Illustrator generates vector artwork from a text prompt and works with spot colour for print; Inkscape does neither, and its CMYK support is limited since it works internally in RGB. Both open Illustrator's own .ai and .eps files and support union, subtract and intersect operations on shapes.
Pick Adobe Illustrator if you need AI generation, spot colour or full CMYK support.
Pick Inkscape if you want free open source software with no subscription.
Best for
Who each one suits, decided on the criteria that matter to that buyer and the checked facts where the two differ.
- Generates artwork from a prompt: Adobe Illustrator yes, Inkscape no
- Spot colour for print: Adobe Illustrator yes, Inkscape no
- AI image editing: Adobe Illustrator yes, Inkscape no
- Comments and approval: Adobe Illustrator yes, Inkscape no
- Apps it connects to: 5 integrations against 0 integrations
- Where it runs: 4 platforms against 2 platforms
- Free plan: Inkscape yes, Adobe Illustrator no
- Cheapest paid plan, monthly: $0 against $22.99
- Source published under an open licence: Inkscape yes, Adobe Illustrator no
- But Adobe Illustrator leads on ways to reach support: 3 support channels against 2 support channels
How they score
Both are scored the same way, against the other vector editors we rate, from facts on each vendor's own pages. They split the criteria 2 each.
Where they differ
Every point where the two vendors' published facts disagree, with a link to where each fact was read. "Not published" means the vendor does not say either way.
Published by only one of them
Where they match (5)
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Adobe Illustrator
Inkscape
Pros and cons
From each tool's full review, written from the same checked facts.
Adobe Illustrator
- Its AI tools turn a sketch or written prompt into editable vector artwork, rather than a flat image.
- The Pathfinder panel handles boolean path operations, combining or dividing overlapping shapes into one.
- It opens and saves native .ai files as well as .eps and .pdf, and exports to a wide range of formats including svg, png and webp.
- Adobe does not train Firefly on Creative Cloud subscribers' personal content.
- There is no free plan, only a 7-day free trial.
- Illustrator is sold only as a subscription, with no perpetual licence or one-time purchase option.
- Its generative tools make vector artwork only; it does not generate raster images from a prompt.
Inkscape
- It is free and open-source under the GNU General Public License, with no paid tier at all.
- A dedicated boolean operations module handles combining, subtracting and intersecting overlapping paths.
- Its Pencil and Eraser tools support pressure-sensitive tablet input for variable-width strokes.
- It is extensible through a documented Python extension API, with third-party and custom extensions installable.
- It does not save files out to native Adobe Illustrator .ai format.
- It does not support Pantone colour libraries; it offers CIELAB, Adobe Color Book and Adobe Swatch Exchange palettes instead.
Adobe Illustrator vs Inkscape: common questions
Which is better, Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape?
Adobe Illustrator scores 7.7 and Inkscape 6.7 out of 10 among the vector editors we rate. Adobe Illustrator is ahead on what it adds beyond the basics and workflow and output. Inkscape is ahead on pricing and privacy and trust.
Is Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape cheaper?
Adobe Illustrator's cheapest paid plan is $22.99/mo (billed annually) and Inkscape's is Free. Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
Do Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape have a free plan?
Inkscape does and Adobe Illustrator does not.
What can Adobe Illustrator do that Inkscape cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: generates artwork from a prompt, spot colour for print, aI image editing and comments and approval.
What can Inkscape do that Adobe Illustrator cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: free plan and source published under an open licence.
