The ultimate graphic design tool
The Adobe name is synonymous with design, whether it’s graphics, photography, or writing. Adobe Illustrator is your one-stop-shop for anything related to graphic design. Logos, fonts—you name it.
Intuitive design software
Whether you’re a professional or complete beginner, Adobe Illustrator has the tools you need to create high-quality artwork. It’s vector-based, which guarantees smooth images no matter how you alter them.
Adobe Illustrator is an all-in-one graphic design program whose biggest selling point is usability. Unlike similar applications such as Adobe’s own Photoshop, Illustrator works with vectors, not raster (pixels). This means all art is free from imperfections when scaled up or down.
The interface is also very user-friendly and can be rearranged and altered to fit your workflow and tool preferences. Plus, since Illustrator is the industry-standard design tool for print and digital, you’ll find a wealth of content available online. Tutorials, brushes, fonts—whatever you need, you’ll find it.
Some of the additional content is part and parcel of Creative Cloud. This is the subscription service linked to all Adobe products, like Indesign and Photoshop. Fees vary, but it’s possible to download a free trial version to get a taste of what Illustrator has to offer.
Although the paid, full version is best for professional designers, beginners and intermediate users can still get a lot out of the free trial. Adobe Illustrator includes design templates, from business cards to posters and everything in between, so you can get to work on a project quickly.
Where can you run this program?
Adobe Illustrator runs on Windows 7 and 10, as well as macOS version 10.13 and up.
Is there a better alternative?
No. There are plenty of good, if not great, alternatives like Inkscape and Affinity, but none can quite compete with Adobe Illustrator for features.
Our take
Beginners may be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options Adobe Illustrator presents. However, it’s the most popular design software for excellent reasons. Highly recommended.
Should you download it?
Yes. The full version Creative Cloud subscription price may put some users off, but the free version is still powerful enough for everyday design work.
