Have you ever wondered which software would triumph between Adobe Illustrator VS Affinity Designer? We answer that question in this feature!
Most people give their first preference to Adobe products whenever they work on any design project. As we all know, Adobe is one of the creative software companies, and its products are top-notch. In the design industry, Adobe is widely popular, and the Illustrator app makes this possible.
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Also, there are many other apps available for design projects, but they hardly come near the Illustrator app. In this article, we will compare Adobe Illustrator and Affinity Designer and see which app meets the needs of most designers. This comparison will help you decide which application is suitable for your projects.
Both Illustrator and Affinity Designer are the two most popular design software available, and they have many similarities. Also, there are plenty of differences between the two programs, which one needs to know before deciding which software to use.
So, let’s now look at the article talking about Adobe Illustrator VS Affinity Designer.
What Is Adobe Illustrator?
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Adobe Illustrator is the industry-standard vector and graphic design software. It mainly deals with vector-based designs. Developed by the Adobe software company, Adobe Illustrator includes a host of advanced features and tools for easier working with vectors. So, Illustrator is the first app that comes into anyone’s mind for doing anything related to vector graphics.
Every web designer is expected to know how to use Adobe Illustrator because it is an industry-standard app used by professional designers in design agencies, studios, universities, etc. However, its image editing ability is not that good compared to Affinity Designer.
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What Is Affinity Designer?
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Affinity Designer is a vector-based design application and is an alternative to the most popular, vector editing and graphics app Adobe Illustrator. The app includes all tools and features required for vector design, along with image editing abilities. Affinity Designer has Pixel Persona to meet all design requirements.
The combination of vector design tools and photo editing features makes Affinity Designer an excellent design application. This app is developed by Serif Labs. Apart from vector designs, it also supports raster designs allowing users more freedom in their design works. You can use Affinity Designer on Windows, Mac, and iPad.
Adobe Illustrator VS Affinity Designer: User Interface
Adobe Illustrator
As we have mentioned above, Illustrator has plenty of tools for vector design. So, the software looks a bit crowded, and it is not attractive. However, the customization options make the application easier to use.
Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer has a simple and easy-to-understand interface that lets you perform your design tasks effectively. Its user interface is modern and attractive. You will surely feel the difference if you use this software after using Adobe Illustrator or other apps.
Illustrator VS Affinity: Learning Curve
Let’s now see how difficult it is to learn how to use the same features of each software. Technically, both applications are vector-based and include many tools for making vector designs. But Affinity Designer supports raster technology as well and includes image editing features.
It may be a factor for many people to select a particular app. But you should also learn how easy it is to learn and use every application.
Adobe Illustrator
Using Illustrator is easier, and it is more intuitive user-friendly design makes it suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and professionals. Apart from that, it is getting easier day by day. However, it is not very easy to learn compared to Affinity Designer. But, tutorials and videos are available in online resources for learning this app.
Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer has focused lessons for basic and advanced users. It provides all the necessary things for the design process and allows you to learn how to use the tools with ease. You will find it simpler to learn and use Affinity Designer compared to Illustrator.
Adobe Illustrator VS Affinity Designer: Overall Usability
Adobe Illustrator
Both apps are the best in their own way, but there are several things that affect the overall experience of a user. For instance, making designs using Illustrator is smooth and easier because the workspace is excellently designed.
It allows you to select workspaces from different options such as Automation, Painting, Essentials, Layout, and Essential Classic. Also, you can customize and create hotkeys and shortcuts that suit your personal preferences and design needs. It supports zooming up to 900%. The app includes a wide range of vector shapes & effects and allows you to add photoshop brushes.
Affinity Designer
Unlike Illustrator, Affinity Designer has a different workspace, system requirement, and uses the Persona tool for design requirements. This tool has three main categories Designer Persona, Pixel Persona, and Export Persona. Designer Persona deals with vector-based designs, and Pixel Persona deals with raster-based designs.
On the other side, Export Persona is used to export designs in different output types and parameters. The zooming feature of Affinity Designer is outstanding because it supports up to 1,000,000% to provide better accuracy. So, the zooming performance is better than Illustrator. Also, it includes features like PANTONE color swatches and artboards to meet the needs of designers.
Adobe Illustrator VS Affinity Designer Compatibility
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator runs on Windows, Mac, and iPad. The monthly subscription plan for Illustrator and Creative Cloud includes support for all these platforms. Therefore, you can use this app on any device with a single subscription.
Affinity Designer
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Affinity Designer is also available for Windows, Mac, and iPad. But its iPad version has an additional cost of $21.99. Moreover, it works on a wide range of models and needs less RAM. So, people who have a low budget and low-end devices can use this app with no hassle.
Illustrator VS Affinity Designer Features
Both Adobe Illustrator and Affinity Designer have a set of features and tools to provide an excellent design experience to every user. So, let’s now look at the different features of these apps.
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator has many tools and features related to vector art. It lets you create high-resolution, resizable, and scalable designs effectively. Illustrator has lots of hand tools for creating vector artwork and shapes.
The Envelope Disport feature of Illustrator is an excellent one because it enables you to wrap an object and match it with the shape of another. During the text transformation, this feature comes in handy.
Although it doesn’t support raster technology, it has an image trace feature to allow you to work with raster images. This feature converts raster images to vectors when you import them into Illustrator. It also lets you change the perspective of shapes, text objects, complex shapes, custom drawings, paths, brush strokes, etc.
Adobe Illustrator includes tools to create graphs and pie charts. You just need to enter the numbers, and this feature will create an editable graph or chart. It also has the ability to convert 2D vector objects to 3D objects. This eliminates the need for drawing to create a 3D vector object.
The typography options of Illustrator are broad and let you add text and customize. There are plenty of templates available within the software that you can use in your designs. Also, it supports the use of multiple pages and artboards.
Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer has many adjustment features that allow you to edit your designs and preview them before finalizing them. The ability to combine raster images with vector designs is an interesting feature of Affinity Designer. This feature is not available in Adobe Illustrator. Also, you can switch between different Persona categories depending on your needs.
It has the Designer Persona tool to let you work with pixel-based images, which is not possible in Illustrator. Affinity Designer allows you to make AI files that retain up to 8000 changes from the saved history to undo the mistakes. It also includes history snapshots. You can create multiple artboard export files for a single project in Affinity Designer.
Affinity Designer has many options for applying grids. You can create all types of grids in this app. The built-in isometric tool lets you change objects to suit the grid lines. This feature is not available in Illustrator.
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However, there are no mesh tools, blend tools, or knife tools. Also, this app doesn’t have too many effects and filters.
Adobe Illustrator VS Affinity Designer Pricing
Now we will compare the pricing of both apps and see which app costs how much. The cost per month for an app will help you make the right decision if you are in a dilemma about whether to use Affinity Designer or Illustrator.
Adobe Illustrator Pricing
The cost for Adobe Illustrator is $20.99 per month. This purchase includes both desktop and iPad versions and 100GB of cloud storage. It also has a 7-day trial period to let you check the app before purchasing.
You can also get Illustrator with the Creative Cloud package, which will cost you $54.99 per month. This includes 100GB of cloud storage and access to all creative cloud apps.
Affinity Designer Pricing
Affinity Designer is more affordable than Adobe Illustrator because it has a one-time cost of $54.99. Also, you can try it for free before purchasing it. This one-time cost includes software updates for the near future. But for upgrading to the next version, you may be charged an additional fee.
Who Should Use Adobe Illustrator?
People who want to build a career in the creative industry and graphic design or have in-depth knowledge of vector graphics should consider using Adobe Illustrator. Since it is an industry-standard application, it is necessary to learn for every professional graphic designer.
If you design logos for different brands, you can use Adobe Illustrator. This app has a lot of tools for creating complicated illustrations, changing the perspective of objects, wrapping objects, etc. All these features are helpful for designing logos, but they are not available in Affinity Designer.
Illustrator is also an excellent option for print designs such as business cards, brochures, posters, flyers, stationery, etc. This app will let you create outstanding designs by providing the necessary tools and features. You can use Adobe Illustrator if you want to work with a standard application that has everything for vector graphics.
Who Should Use Affinity Designer?
If you need an application to work with both vector and raster-based projects, you can use Affinity Designer. It will help you perform both activities at an affordable cost. This app is the perfect option for casual users and hobbyists. By paying a one-time cost, you can use it unlimited times. Unless you need to work with professional projects, you may not need Illustrator.
Digital marketers, bloggers, YouTubers, web designers, and video editors can use Affinity Designer for their design projects. Freehand artists who draw by hand will find Affinity Designer an excellent web design option. Also, game asset designers and image editors can consider using Affinity Designer for their work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Affinity Designer match Adobe Illustrator in quality?
Affinity Designer is a remarkable, cost-effective replacement for Adobe Illustrator in terms of both function and aesthetics. It is sufficiently easy for beginners to use as a learning tool but strong enough for independent graphic designers on a budget.
Is learning Illustrator challenging?
Anyone unfamiliar with graphic design tools may find Adobe Illustrator difficult to learn. The program is packed with capabilities that can be challenging to comprehend at first and has a non-traditional user interface.
What can be produced using Adobe Illustrator?
Vector graphics for designing intricate illustrations for any medium as well as logos, icons, and drawings.
Adobe Illustrator VS Affinity Designer Summary
Now it is your turn to decide which application you are going to use. You should choose an application depending on your needs, profession, and budget. Although Adobe Illustrator has everything for vector graphics, this application may not be the best for you.
You can go with Adobe Illustrator if you want to learn industry-standard skills and build a career in the graphic design field. But if you need an app for image editing and vector design work at a good budget, you can go with Affinity Designer.
