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Head-to-head · Graphic Design Software

Adobe Illustrator vs Krita

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 7 checks side by side
Higher score Adobe Illustrator #6 in Graphic Design Software 8.8/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 4 of 7 features Visit site
Krita #8 in Graphic Design Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 7 features Visit 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
Pros
  • 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
  • Raster painting, brush engines, vector layers, and animation tools
  • CMYK, HDR, and other color-management capabilities
  • Free, open-source licensing with commercial use permitted
Cons
  • No free plan
  • Collaboration supports invited editing, not simultaneous real-time editing
  • The individual plan includes 100GB of cloud storage
  • Android support is documented as beta
  • iOS and iPadOS are not supported
  • Collaboration and integrations are not verified
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 →
  1. Adobe IllustratorGraphic Design Software 8.87-day trial
  2. KritaGraphic Design Software 8.6Free plan

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 →

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update