Head-to-head · Graphic Design Software
Adobe Illustrator vs Krita
Adobe Illustrator leads on 0 checks, Krita on 1, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreAdobe Illustrator · 8.8/10
- Free planonly Krita
- Free trialonly Adobe Illustrator
- Most featuresKrita · 5 of 7
Adobe Illustrator scores higher on our rubric for graphic design software: 8.8 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #8.
Krita offers free plan; Adobe Illustrator doesn't.
Adobe Illustrator is the better fit for professional vector design and illustration. Krita is the better fit for free digital painting and illustration.
- Adobe Illustrator fits best
Professional vector design and illustration
- Krita fits best
Free digital painting and illustration
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Side by side
| Feature | Adobe Illustrator 8.8/10 Visit ↗ | Krita 8.6/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.8 | 8.6 |
| Ranking | #6 in Graphic Design Software | #8 in Graphic Design Software |
| Best for | Professional vector design and illustration | Free digital painting and illustration |
| Pricing model | Paid | Free |
| Starting price | — | Free plan |
| Free plan | — | ✓ (best) |
| Free trial | 7 days | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Desktop, Mobile | Desktop, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android |
| Support | Community, Docs | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business |
| Features Adobe Illustrator 4/7 · Krita 5/7 | ||
| Template library | ✓ | ✓ |
| Presentation design | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Illustration tools | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brand kit | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Real-time collaboration | — | Not checked yet |
| Desktop app | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile app | ✓ | ✓ |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Adobe Illustrator is vector graphics software for creating logos, icons, illustrations, packaging, typography, and other scalable artwork for print and digital use. It is suited to professional designers, illustrators, brand teams, and… Read the review → |
Krita is a free, open-source digital painting application for illustrators, comic artists, concept artists, animators, and other digital creators. Its core toolkit combines raster painting and brush engines with vector layers, layer and… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Adobe Illustrator — where it wins
- Advanced vector, typography, artboard, effects, and illustration tools
- Generative AI features for shape fills, recoloring, and vector graphics
- Creative Cloud integrations with cloud documents and review workflows
Where it doesn't
- No free plan
- Collaboration supports invited editing, not simultaneous real-time editing
- The individual plan includes 100GB of cloud storage
Krita — where it wins
- Raster painting, brush engines, vector layers, and animation tools
- CMYK, HDR, and other color-management capabilities
- Free, open-source licensing with commercial use permitted
Where it doesn't
- Android support is documented as beta
- iOS and iPadOS are not supported
- Collaboration and integrations are not verified
- Adobe Illustrator8.8/10 · 7-day trial
A deep vector design suite for professional artwork across desktop, iPad, and web.
Visit siteFull verdict → - Krita8.6/10 · Free plan
A capable free choice for digital painting, illustration, animation, and reusable creative workflows.
Visit KritaFull verdict →
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All graphic design software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update





