Design software: Adobe Illustrator 2025 vs. Affinity Designer 2
Quick Verdict
Both Adobe Illustrator 2025 and Affinity Designer 2 are powerful vector graphics editors, each with its strengths. Illustrator excels in 3D design and ecosystem integration but comes with a subscription cost. Affinity Designer 2 offers a one-time purchase, a user-friendly interface, and impressive performance, making it a compelling alternative, especially for users prioritizing 2D design and cost-effectiveness.
- Adobe Illustrator 2025 offers advanced vector editing with a subscription-based model and strong integration with the Adobe ecosystem, while Affinity Designer 2 provides a one-time purchase option with robust features and cross-platform compatibility.
- Illustrator emphasizes 3D design capabilities and plugin support, whereas Affinity Designer 2 focuses on providing a snappy 2D design experience with a customizable UI and impressive zoom capabilities.
- Both applications support a wide range of file formats and offer sophisticated typography and color management features.
Key features – Side-by-Side
| Attribute | Adobe Illustrator 2025 | Affinity Designer 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Adobe Illustrator 2025 | Affinity Designer 2 |
| Description | Offers advanced vector editing tools, a configurable workspace, and supports various file formats. Includes advanced typography controls, a color management system, and integrates with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps. Provides GPU optimization for performance and supports plugins. Compatible with macOS, Windows, and iPad. Offers 3D design capabilities. | A professional-grade vector graphics editor that is a strong competitor to Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw. It provides powerful vector and raster image-editing capabilities. It is well-suited for creating concept art, logos, UI designs, and print materials. It has tools for drawing and editing curves and shapes. It has a customizable UI. It supports various Adobe formats and offers sophisticated typography options. It uses color profiles to ensure that colors look the same on each device. It can be used with Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher. It is licensed for Mac, Windows, and iPad. It is primarily a 2D design software but can be used to create 3D illustrations using various techniques and effects. |
| Pricing | Subscription Model | One-time purchase |
| File Format Support (Import) | .AI, .SVG, .PDF, .EPS, .PSD, .JPEG, .PNG, .DWG, .DXF | PSD, AI, JPG, PNG, PDF, SVG, TIFF, EXR, DWG, DXF |
| File Format Support (Export) | Not available | JPEG, PNG, PDF, PSD, TIFF, EXR, TGA, SVG, EPS |
| Typography | Advanced typography controls with OpenType features and variable fonts | Sophisticated typography options, including artistic text and text frames with full control over character and paragraph styles, and allows you to flow text along any drawn path. |
| Color Management | Color management system for color accuracy | Uses color profiles to ensure that colors look the same on each device. Allows you to choose global default color profiles and assign a color profile when creating a document. The app performs document-to-screen color profile conversion. |
| Integration | Integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps | Can be used with Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher. Files can be opened in other Affinity apps. |
| Performance | GPU optimization for performance. Performance may vary based on operating system and hardware configuration. | Generally snappy performance. Runs smoothly, even when handling complex projects. Improved performance with the latest updates. Mind-boggling 1,000,000% zoom capability that works smoothly and quickly. Optimized for the latest Mac hardware and operating systems, including M1 chips and macOS Monterey. |
| 3D Capabilities | Offers 3D design capabilities | Primarily a 2D design software but can be used to create 3D illustrations using various techniques and effects. |
| Plugin Support | Support for a wide range of plugins | Information regarding plugins and extensions was not found in the search results. |
| User Interface | Intuitive user interface for beginners and experienced designers | Redeveloped user interface with new tool and button icons. Revamped Layers panel. Customizable UI. Clean and snappy interface. |
| Cross-Platform Compatibility | macOS, Windows, iPad | Mac, Windows, iPad |
| Learning Resources | Extensive support and tutorials for new users | A quickstart guide is available for those new to Affinity Designer, featuring an overview of the app, its user interface, and key features. Video tutorials, demos, and behind-the-scenes creative sessions are available on the Affinity Designer YouTube channel. Online help resources provide an in-depth explanation of every feature and tool. |
Overall Comparison
Adobe Illustrator 2025: Subscription pricing, Affinity Designer 2: One-time purchase, Affinity Designer 2: 1,000,000% zoom capability
Pros and Cons
Adobe Illustrator 2025
Pros:
- Advanced vector editing tools
- Configurable workspace with layer-based editing
- Compatibility with .AI, .SVG, .PDF, .EPS, .PSD, .JPEG, .PNG, .DWG, and .DXF file formats
- Advanced typography controls with OpenType features and variable fonts
- Color management system for color accuracy
- Integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps
- GPU optimization for performance
- Support for a wide range of plugins
- Cross-platform compatibility (macOS, Windows, iPad)
- 3D design capabilities
Cons:
- Subscription pricing with potential hidden costs
- Limitations when working with complex 3D models
- Performance may vary based on operating system and hardware configuration
Affinity Designer 2
Pros:
- Professional-grade vector graphics editing capabilities.
- Strong competitor to Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw.
- Powerful vector and raster image-editing capabilities.
- Well-suited for creating concept art, logos, UI designs, and print materials.
- Tools for drawing and editing curves and shapes.
- Redeveloped user interface with new tool and button icons.
- Revamped Layers panel.
- Customizable UI.
- Supports various Adobe formats, including PSD and AI.
- Can open JPG, PNG, PDF, SVG, TIFF, and EXR files.
- Can export to JPEG, PNG, PDF, PSD, TIFF, EXR, TGA, SVG, and EPS.
- Imports DWG and DXF files.
- Sophisticated typography options.
- Artistic text and text frames with full control over character and paragraph styles.
- Ability to flow text along any drawn path.
- Uses color profiles to ensure that colors look the same on each device.
- Can import PDF and Adobe PSD files.
- Can be used with Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher.
- Files can be opened in other Affinity apps.
- Generally snappy performance.
- Runs smoothly, even when handling complex projects.
- Improved performance with the latest updates.
- Mind-boggling 1,000,000% zoom capability that works smoothly and quickly.
- Available for a one-time purchase.
- Free upgrades are available until the next version number.
- Licensed for Mac, Windows, and iPad.
- Responsiveness on both the iPad and desktop with a stylus makes painting and sketching a delight.
- Accessible to beginners.
- Clean and snappy interface.
- Optimized for the latest Mac hardware and operating systems, including M1 chips and macOS Monterey.
Cons:
- Primarily a 2D design software.
- Information regarding plugins and extensions was not found in the search results.
User Experiences and Feedback
Adobe Illustrator 2025
What Users Love
- Intuitive user interface for beginners and experienced designers
- Efficient handling of large and complex vector files
- High-quality pen and brush tools for detailed illustrations
- Robust typography controls
- Effective color management system
- Seamless integration with other design and productivity tools
- Extensive support and tutorials for new users
Common Complaints
- No major complaints reported.
Value Perception
- Competitive subscription pricing relative to the features offered
Affinity Designer 2
What Users Love
- Professional-level capabilities, yet is accessible to beginners.
- The interface is clean and snappy.
- Runs smoothly, even when handling complex projects.
- The responsiveness of Affinity Designer 2 on both the iPad and desktop with a stylus makes painting and sketching a delight.
- Offers sophisticated typography.
Common Complaints
- Strictly a 2D design/illustration software.
Value Perception
- No value feedback reported.