Sick of overpaying on Adobe? This free program works just as well

January 15, 2023

By Kim Komando

Adobe Illustrator is one of the best photo editing and graphic design programs money can buy. Depending on your plan, you may have to spend $20.99/mo on Illustrator. Luckily, we found the best free alternative to Adobe Illustrator in Inkscape.

You can use Inkscape to edit pictures, convert photos into vector images and even create your own artwork for NFTs. Tap or click here for everything you need to know about NFTs.

It’s an open-source graphics software that comes with a ton of drawing tools. Plus, its interface is even more accessible than Illustrator. Here’s all you need to know about this free program that works like Adobe Illustrator.

Kim’s a big fan of Inkscape

If you’re paying for Adobe Illustrator, you can cancel your subscription. You can get pretty much the same tools for free with Inkscape. Illustrator is the gold standard, but we recommend making the switch if you want more dollars in your pocket.

It’s been around for a long time, so there are tons of YouTube tutorials on how to use it. Here’s a quick one.

You can create logos, infographics, posters and flyers. It’s mainly used by people who want to create artwork, but photographers, marketers and graphic designers will also find it helpful.

If you aren’t focused on illustration and are more into photo editing, you might want to check out GIMP or Pixlr. They’re both great for serious photo editing. Tap or click here for our guide on powerful, free, easy-to-use photo editing software.

When researching the best free alternative to Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape is one of many programs. Here’s a quick comparison of Inkscape vs. Canva, another popular editing program that’s 100% free.

How Inkscape stacks up against other free design programs

Two of the most beloved free graphic design software products are Inkscape and Canva. People are especially fond of Canva because you can use it online. That means you don’t have to download anything onto your computer.

Of course, you can’t use Canva when the internet is down, so Inkscape is better in that regard. Canva has an intuitive design that makes it easy for you to jump in and start designing brochures, flyers, cards and more. Tap or click here for five simple Canva tips and tricks for better designs and graphics.

Just keep in mind that Canva isn’t designed for artists. It’s most useful for graphic designers, although there aren’t any drawing tools or layering features. It also has fewer features than Inkscape, which is much more versatile.

You can even use Inkscape for web design. One Reddit user posted a web design they made with Inkscape. Check it out:

Creating your website from scratch can feel pretty daunting. But we have your back. Tap or click here to create and host a simple website for $20 a year.

Now that you found the best free alternative to Adobe Illustrator, check out these guides

Five ways to create your own professional logo

Creating graphics? Try this free (yes, free!) app from Adobe

5 photo apps that make your pics better without any Photoshop skills