# Adobe Illustrator vs Affinity Designer Comparison
---
## AI Generated Summary
- **G2 reviewers report** that Adobe Illustrator excels in providing a comprehensive design experience, allowing users to create everything from simple graphics to intricate designs. The vector-based workflow is particularly praised for maintaining sharpness across various applications, making it a go-to choice for professionals who require precision.
- **Users say** that Affinity Designer stands out for its clean and responsive interface, which makes it easy to navigate and find necessary tools quickly. This user-friendly design is especially beneficial for those working on logos and social media graphics, as it enhances productivity without a steep learning curve.
- **Reviewers mention** that Adobe Illustrator significantly speeds up the design process, with features that allow for quick recoloring and the addition of textures. This capability is highlighted by users who appreciate the time saved in bringing their ideas to life without extensive hand sketching.
- **According to verified reviews** , Affinity Designer is noted for its efficiency, being faster than Photoshop in certain tasks. Users enjoy the ability to globally change and update colors, which is particularly useful for teams that frequently reskin design systems, making it a handy tool for branding work.
- **G2 reviewers highlight** that while Adobe Illustrator has a higher overall satisfaction score, Affinity Designer is favored for its ease of setup and administration. Users appreciate the straightforward onboarding process, which allows them to start designing with minimal hassle.
- **Users report** that Adobe Illustrator, despite its higher price point, is seen as a high-yield production engine that delivers exceptional output quality for both digital and physical projects. In contrast, Affinity Designer, while more budget-friendly, may not offer the same level of advanced features that seasoned designers often seek.



| | Adobe Illustrator | Affinity Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.6 out of 5 | 4.5 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 6,196 | 453 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (63.7% of reviews) | Small-Business (79.9% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | Starting at $99.99 1 License Per Month | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Adobe Illustrator

Pros:
- Graphic Design (100 reviews)
- Ease of Use (97 reviews)

Cons:
- Difficulty for Beginners (57 reviews)
- Expensive (50 reviews)

### Affinity Designer

Pros:
- Ease of Use (10 reviews)
- Quality (6 reviews)

Cons:
- Tool Limitations (4 reviews)
- Import Issues (3 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Adobe Illustrator | Affinity Designer | 
|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 9.3 (5374 reviews) | 9.0 (363 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 7.9 (5412 reviews) | 8.7 (365 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.7 (1017 reviews) | 9.3 (84 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 8.7 (536 reviews) | 9.2 (43 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.3 (4384 reviews) | 8.7 (287 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.8 (526 reviews) | 9.3 (37 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 8.7 (5266 reviews) | 9.2 (351 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Adobe Illustrator

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: Creative Cloud Pro for teams

Price: Starting at $99.99 1 License Per Month

Description: 20+ apps, including Illustrator, and Firefly creative AI for images, video, and audio, and exclusive business features.

Key Features:
- Create designs, icons, logos, and more with Illustrator
- 20+ photo, graphic design, and video apps
- Unlimited access to standard creative AI image and vector features like Generative Fill in Photoshop

[Browse all 2 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-illustrator/pricing)

#### Free Trial

Yes

### Affinity Designer

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### Graphic Design

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Adobe Illustrator** | N/A | N/A |
| **Affinity Designer** | N/A | N/A |

#### Additional Functionality

| Feature | Adobe Illustrator | Affinity Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Data Visualization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Mobile App** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **AI Copilot** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Commenting/Notes** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Text Editing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Brushes** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Generative AI** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Watermarking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Engagement Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Pattern, Color &amp; Art Storage** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Version Control** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **API** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Third-Party Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Collaboration Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Design Templates** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Search/Filter** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Secure Data Storage** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Workflow Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Storage Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Interactive Content** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Drag &amp; Drop Editor** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Video Editing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Preview Functionality** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Multi-Language** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Image Editing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Import/Export** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Branding** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **CAD Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Library** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Fonts** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **3D Digital Asset Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Design Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Presentation Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Social Media Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Print Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Vector Graphics

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Adobe Illustrator** | 9.7/10 | 6 |
| **Affinity Designer** | N/A | N/A |

#### Additional Functionality

| Feature | Adobe Illustrator | Affinity Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Document Imaging** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Categorization/Grouping** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Animation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **File Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Design Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Document Templates** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Configurable Workflow** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Image Library** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Development** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Dashboard** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Document Storage** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Import/Export** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Application Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Templates** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **For Websites** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Labeling** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Multiple Format Support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **2D Drawing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Synchronous Editing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Project Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Pattern, Color &amp; Art Storage** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Templates** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Collaboration Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Image Editing** | 9.7 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Third-Party Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Preview Functionality** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Tagging** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **WYSIWYG Editor** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Generative AI** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Image Tracing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Rendering** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Sketching and Annotation Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Text Editing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Traceability** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Workflow Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **AI Copilot** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Reporting/Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Drag &amp; Drop** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Library** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **For Vector Illustrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Extraction** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories
**Shared Categories (1):** [Vector Graphics Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/vector-graphics)




---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Adobe Illustrator | Affinity Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 63.7% | 79.9% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 23.5% | 13.2% | 
| **Enterprise** | 12.8% | 6.9% | 

### By Industry

#### Adobe Illustrator

- **Graphic Design:** 13.5%
- **Design:** 13.4%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 10.5%
- **Higher Education:** 4.2%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 3.9%
- **Computer Software:** 3.7%
- **Architecture &amp; Planning:** 2.9%
- **Apparel &amp; Fashion:** 2.1%
- **Non-Profit Organization Management:** 2.0%
- **Education Management:** 1.9%
- **Other:** 41.8%

#### Affinity Designer

- **Graphic Design:** 14.9%
- **Design:** 11.6%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 7.4%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 6.0%
- **Computer Software:** 5.3%
- **Publishing:** 3.3%
- **Internet:** 2.8%
- **Entertainment:** 2.8%
- **Mechanical or Industrial Engineering:** 2.8%
- **Architecture &amp; Planning:** 2.3%
- **Other:** 40.7%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Adobe Illustrator

- [Sketch](https://www.g2.com/products/sketch/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1227 reviews)
- [CorelDRAW](https://www.g2.com/products/coreldraw/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (556 reviews)
- [Inkscape](https://www.g2.com/products/inkscape/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (417 reviews)
- [Vector Magic](https://www.g2.com/products/vector-magic/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (95 reviews)
- [Gravit Designer](https://www.g2.com/products/gravit-designer/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (44 reviews)
- [Lunacy](https://www.g2.com/products/lunacy/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (28 reviews)
- [Linearity Curve](https://www.g2.com/products/linearity-curve/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (17 reviews)
- [Snappa](https://www.g2.com/products/snappa/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (40 reviews)
- [DrawPad](https://www.g2.com/products/drawpad/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (33 reviews)
- [Vecteezy Editor](https://www.g2.com/products/vecteezy-editor/reviews) — 3.9/5 stars (34 reviews)

### Alternatives to Affinity Designer

- [Sketch](https://www.g2.com/products/sketch/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1227 reviews)
- [CorelDRAW](https://www.g2.com/products/coreldraw/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (556 reviews)
- [Inkscape](https://www.g2.com/products/inkscape/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (417 reviews)
- [Gravit Designer](https://www.g2.com/products/gravit-designer/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (44 reviews)
- [Linearity Curve](https://www.g2.com/products/linearity-curve/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (17 reviews)
- [Lunacy](https://www.g2.com/products/lunacy/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (28 reviews)
- [Snappa](https://www.g2.com/products/snappa/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (40 reviews)
- [Vector Magic](https://www.g2.com/products/vector-magic/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (95 reviews)
- [Adobe Capture](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-capture/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (182 reviews)
- [Recraft](https://www.g2.com/products/recraft/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (457 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Adobe Illustrator

- Title: [What are the best resources for learning how to use Adobe Illustrator?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-are-the-best-resources-for-learning-how-to-use-adobe-illustrator) — 11 comments, 2 upvotes
  > **Top comment:** "Get them all onto LinkedIn Learning and have them work through Deke McLelland&#39;s Illustrator titles, starting with the Essential Training and working up from..."
- Title: [What is Adobe Illustrator used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-adobe-illustrator-used-for) — 9 comments, 6 upvotes
  > **Top comment:** "Creating Vector designs like posters, logos, reflects, etc."
- Title: [What is the use of Illustrator software?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-the-use-of-illustrator-software) — 9 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Creating illustration artwork, editing existing artwork, converting your drawings to graphics, creating logos and nearly anything you can think of. Best for..."
- Title: [Do illustrators use Photoshop or Illustrator?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/do-illustrators-use-photoshop-or-illustrator) — 7 comments, 9 upvotes
  > **Top comment:** "Do illustrators use Photoshop or Illustrator? Well, they use both! It depends on what they need for their illustrations. Photoshop is great for editing and..."
- Title: [Do you use Adobe Illustrator for web page designs?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/do-you-use-adobe-illustrator-for-web-page-designs) — 7 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "No, as the adobe illustrator is not pixel precise. Photoshop CC is much more precise in terms of pixel perfection. 

But Adobe illustrator does have a good..."

### Affinity Designer

- Title: [Is Affinity designer good for beginners?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/36810-is-affinity-designer-good-for-beginners) — 8 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "yes, perfect!"
- Title: [How can I add text around circle in Affinity Designer?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/34756-how-can-i-add-text-around-circle-in-affinity-designer) — 6 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "Create a circle or draw a curve shape of your liking. Make sure the shape is still selected , then click hold the text tool to display the type of text,..."
- Title: [Is Affinity designer a subscription?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-affinity-designer-a-subscription) — 5 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Nope! Which is why I love it so much!!!"
- Title: [Where can I find a complete tutorial set for beginners?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/51827-where-can-i-find-a-complete-tutorial-set-for-beginners) — 5 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "Here are the places I picked up the tutorials;
The Affinity Designer website  Learn..."
- Title: [What is Affinity Designer used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-affinity-designer-used-for) — 2 comments, 2 upvotes
  > **Top comment:** "Vector and raster graphics editing"

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/adobe-illustrator-vs-affinity-designer)

