The Best Free Illustrator AlternativesTop Vector Graphic Apps & Digital Painting Tools like Illustrator

The best free alternative to Adobe Illustrator is Inkscape, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Adobe Illustrator and loads of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to Adobe Illustrator are Affinity, Graphite, Figma and MyPaint.

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Adobe Illustrator alternatives are mainly Vector Graphic Apps, but if you're looking for Graphic Design Tools or Image Editors you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source, Mac, Windows, Free, Linux, iPad and Android. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Adobe Illustrator.
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Alternatives
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Alternatives list

  1. Inkscape icon

    Inkscape

     2376 likes

    Unlike Illustrator, Inkscape is completely free and open source, and it uses Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) as its native format. This lightweight app is usually recommended if you don't have a powerful computer, as it also has many of the useful features from illustrator, including layers, grouping objects, drawing, shape, calligraphy, pencil tools, path simplification with variable threshold, bitmaps, and boolean operations. Plus, you can open or import a wide range of file formats including SVG, PDF, EPS, CDR, or even AI (Adobe Illustrator).

    130 Inkscape alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • US flagUnited States
    Inkscape screenshot 1
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  2. Affinity icon

    Affinity

     91 likes

    Unified design solution merging advanced photo, vector, and layout tools for seamless workflow, non-destructive editing, RAW support, batch processing, AI enhancements, GPU acceleration, file compatibility, cloud asset integration, and tailored workspace options.

    97 Affinity alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • AU flagAustralia
    Affinity screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
  4. Graphite icon

    Graphite

     113 likes

    Vector graphics and animation editor featuring free, open source access, nondestructive workflow, node-based generative design, layer compositing, browser use, and upcoming support for photo editing, painting, publishing, VFX, and desktop apps in alpha release.

    56 Graphite alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • US flagUnited States
    Made using nondestructive boolean operations and procedural polka dot patterns
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  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Vecteezy Editor icon
    Vecteezy Editor

    The Vecteezy Editor is a free SVG editor designed to allow anyone to quickly and easily create beautiful graphics directly in the browser. This tool is built into the largest database of free vector graphics on the internet.

    https://www.vecteezy.com
    Learn More
  6. Figma icon

    Figma

     266 likes

    Figma has a bigger focus on UI design, wireframing and collaborative work. Like Sketch, its interface is cleaner and easier to understand than Illustrator. It's can also be used throught web browsers and collabore with more members of your team in real time. It features automatic cloud synchronization so you can use your files on the platform you want, in addition to unique features such as arc tools and vector networks, which allow non-designers to format their templates easily. Animated prototypes are definitely a great advantage to interact with your design before coding.

    135 Figma alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • US flagUnited States
    ,
    Good alternative?
     
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  7. MyPaint icon

    MyPaint

     397 likes

    The biggest difference with Illustrator is that MyPaint works with bitmaps instead of vector graphics. It's open source software designed mainly to illustrate and draw with a digitizer tablet. It has a simple interface, where almost all the basic drawing functions are assigned to keyboard shortcuts, which improves workflow speed. In addition, you can hide the entire graphical interface and focus all attention on the drawing without being distracted by unnecessary or complex buttons or palettes. It's a good option if you are interested in digital illustration without too many overwhelming features.

    137 MyPaint alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com
    • CH flagSwitzerland
    MyPaint screenshot 1
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    6
  9. GodSVG icon

    GodSVG

     40 likes

    Interactive vector editor built with Godot for creating or editing SVG files, featuring UI-based element manipulation, live code updates, direct markup access, no added metadata, minimal abstraction, clean output, and intended use on desktop plus mobile devices.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    GodSVG screenshot 1
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  10. Linearity Curve icon

    Linearity Curve

     355 likes

    Vectonator is a very complete free vector editing app, known mainly for its iPad apps, focusing on simplicity and ease of use. You can export to JPG, PNG, SVG and PDF. Also, unlike Illustrator, you can render a time-lapse video of your project to share on social media (with some limitations). Cloud syncing allows you to continue work started on iPad and finish it directly on macOS.

    40 Linearity Curve alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU
    Linearity Curve screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
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    1
  11. Karbon icon

    Karbon

     58 likes

    Karbon is a vector drawing application with a user interface that is easy to use, highly customizable and extensible. That makes Karbon a great application for users starting to explore the world of vector graphics as well as for artists wanting to create breathtaking vector art.

    45 Karbon alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • KDE Plasma
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU
    Karbon screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
  12. Vectr icon

    Vectr

     93 likes

    Vectr is completely free and browser-based, offering a quick and easy way to get started with vector editing through an intuitive interface. Since it's browser based, each image has a custom URL that you can share with others to be reviewed and collaborate in real time with multiple people. You can export your finished work as an SVG, PNG, or JPEG file. Its features are much more simple than those offered by Illustrator, so it's really not recommended for very complex projects. However, it is an excellent choice if you are a beginner with vector editing software.

    117 Vectr alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • SG flagSingapore
    Vectr screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
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    2
  14. LazPaint icon

    LazPaint

     46 likes

    Raster & vector graphic editor with many tools and filters, written in Lazarus. Portable, 32bit & 64bit versions, ORA format & 16384x16384 image support. In app 3D import & rendering.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU
    Main UI
    Good alternative?
     
  15. Expressive Canvas icon

    Expressive Canvas

     11 likes

    Expressive Canvas makes creating eye-catching vector illustrations, pixel-perfect icons, and other digital assets more straightforward than ever before.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    Expressive Canvas (2023.0.1 BETA)
    Good alternative?
     
12 of 63 Adobe Illustrator alternatives