Adobe Illustrator vs Krita: Which One Is Better in 2024?

Adobe Illustrator and Krita are essential tools for businesses and designers. We'll compare Adobe Illustrator and Krita to determine which one best meets professional needs. Both offer unique features that can significantly enhance creative workflows and productivity.

A Quick Overview of Adobe Illustrator and Krita

What is Adobe Illustrator?

Adobe is a software company known for its creative and design tools. Adobe Illustrator, part of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, offers applications for graphic design, photography, and video editing.

Adobe Illustrator allows users to create custom logos, icons, and other designs using 3D effects and gradients. Unique features like Generative Shape Fill and Text to Pattern enable quick filling of vector outlines and creation of custom patterns, setting it apart from competitors.

What is Krita?

Krita is a professional, free, and open-source painting program developed by artists. It is a public project licensed under GNU GPL and supported by a global community of volunteers and contributors.

One of Krita's unique features is its extensive variety of brushes, catering to different art styles. Additionally, Krita's open-source nature ensures it remains accessible to everyone without any cost, setting it apart from many other digital painting programs that require paid licenses.

Features of Adobe Illustrator and Krita

Similarities

Adobe Illustrator and Krita, while distinct in their primary focus, share several key features that make them both powerful tools for digital artists. Here are the most important similarities:

• Both offer a variety of brush types and tools for different art styles.
• They support layers and advanced editing capabilities.
• Both have customizable workspaces with toolbars, panels, and menus.
• Each software includes animation tools to bring artwork to life.
• Both provide drawing assistants and stabilizers to enhance precision.

Differences

Adobe Illustrator and Krita cater to different creative needs, with each offering unique features that set them apart. Here are the most significant differences:

• Vector Graphics: Adobe Illustrator excels in creating scalable vector graphics, while Krita focuses on raster-based digital painting.
• Generative Shape Fill: Illustrator offers this feature to quickly fill vector outlines, a capability Krita lacks.
• Text to Pattern: Illustrator allows users to create custom patterns from text, a feature not available in Krita.
• Open-Source: Krita is free and open-source, supported by a global community, unlike the subscription-based Adobe Illustrator.
• Plug-ins: Krita supports various plugins to extend its functionality, whereas Illustrator's plugin ecosystem is more limited.

User Interface and Usability

Adobe Illustrator's user interface is designed to be intuitive, featuring tools like the Pen tool and 3D and Materials panel. The user experience is enhanced by features such as Generative Shape Fill and Text to Pattern, which allow for precision and creativity. Overall, Adobe Illustrator is versatile and powerful, suitable for both beginners and advanced users, with customizable templates and easy-to-use tools.

Krita offers a feature-rich interface with multiple brush types, layers, and animation tools. The user experience is bolstered by extensive resources and a supportive community. Krita's usability is further enhanced by its free and open-source nature, detailed documentation, and regular updates. The active community support makes it easier for users to learn and effectively use the software.

Adobe Illustrator has a more polished user interface and usability compared to Krita.

Collaboration

Adobe Illustrator, part of the Adobe Creative Cloud, offers some collaborative features through its ecosystem. However, the specific tools for collaboration within Illustrator itself are not prominently highlighted. The software does provide solutions for teams and enterprises, suggesting some level of support for collaborative workflows, but detailed features are not explicitly listed.

Krita, on the other hand, emphasizes its supportive community where artists can share artwork and provide feedback. While this fosters a collaborative environment, Krita lacks specific in-app tools designed for direct collaboration. The focus is more on community-driven support rather than integrated collaborative features.

Overall, neither Adobe Illustrator nor Krita stands out as particularly strong in collaboration features.

Adobe Illustrator and Krita Pricing

Adobe Illustrator offers various pricing plans tailored to different user groups. Individuals can subscribe for £21.98 per month, while students and teachers enjoy a discounted rate of £16.24 per month. Businesses can opt for team licenses at £27.99 per month per license. The Creative Cloud All Apps plan starts at £27.98 per month for the first three months, then increases to £56.98 per month.

Krita, on the other hand, is a free and open-source application, making it accessible to everyone without any subscription fees. Users can support Krita through voluntary donations, either monthly or one-time, to help fund its development and maintenance. Given that Krita is free, it offers a more budget-friendly option compared to Adobe Illustrator's subscription-based model.

Comparing Adobe Illustrator and Krita to Piktochart

Transform complex ideas into captivating visuals that inform and engage your audience. With Piktochart, you can create stunning infographics, reports, and presentations in seconds, perfectly aligned with your brand. No design experience required.

Pros of Piktochart

• AI-Powered Design Generator: Piktochart's AI-powered design generator allows users to create professional visuals quickly and efficiently, saving time and effort.
• Extensive Template Library: With a vast library of templates for various use cases, users can easily create infographics, presentations, and more without starting from scratch.
• Customization Options: Offers extensive customization options for text and view properties, enabling users to tailor their visuals to their specific needs.
• Versatile Toolset: Provides a comprehensive range of visual and video tools, including screen recorders, social media video makers, and video-to-text converters, catering to diverse creative needs.
• Accessibility for Non-Designers: Designed to be user-friendly, Piktochart makes it easy for individuals without formal design training to produce high-quality graphics and videos.

Piktochart's Pricing

• Free: $0 (Free forever)
• Pro:
  • $29 per member/month (billed monthly)
  • $14 per member/month (billed annually, save 52%)
• Business:
  • $49 per member/month (billed monthly)
  • $24 per member/month (billed annually, save 52%)
• Enterprise: Custom Pricing (Contact for details)

What Are Others Saying?

Adobe Illustrator Reviews

Overall, Adobe Illustrator has received mixed reviews, with users appreciating its precision and versatility but finding the steep learning curve and resource intensity frustrating. The software has an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5.

• "The learning curve is too steep for beginners, and it crashes often." - John D., 3.5/5
• "Expensive subscription model and performance issues on older computers." - Sarah K., 3.8/5
• "Complex interface can be overwhelming for new users." - Alex P., 3.9/5

Find more of Adobe Illustrator reviews on G2!

Krita Reviews

Overall, Krita has received mixed reviews, with users appreciating its free and open-source nature but finding issues with saving documents and a lack of community support frustrating. The software has an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5.

• "Likes the brush pencils and strokes, but dislikes issues with saving documents." - Sonal S., 4.0/5
• "Likes the intuitive layout and animation capabilities, but dislikes the small community." - Moiz F., 4.0/5
• "Likes that the program is open-source and free, but dislikes the lack of tutorials and user-friendliness." - Angélica A. A., 4.0/5

Find more of Krita reviews on G2!

Piktochart Reviews

Our users have praised Piktochart for its ease of use and versatility. The overall rating is 4.5 out of 5.

• "Easy to create content even if you're not a designer." - Jessica D.
• "My Go-To for ALL Professional Presentations!" - Jennifer K.
• "Incredibly intuitive design app." - Katie S.

Find more of our reviews on G2!

Why choose one over the other?

Why Choose Adobe Illustrator:

• Consumers who need to create scalable vector graphics with professional-level precision and versatility might prefer Adobe Illustrator. This software is ideal for graphic designers, illustrators, and businesses requiring high-quality, detailed designs.

Why Choose Krita:

• Consumers who are looking for a free, open-source painting program with extensive brush types and animation tools might opt for Krita. This software is perfect for digital artists, animators, and hobbyists who value affordability and community support.

Why Choose Piktochart:

• Consumers who need to create stunning visuals quickly and without design experience might choose Piktochart. This tool is ideal for content creators, businesses, and educators who require user-friendly, customizable templates for infographics, presentations, and videos.

Adobe Illustrator, Krita, or Piktochart: Which is the best platform for you?

Whether you're a professional designer, a digital artist, or someone who needs to create stunning visuals quickly, there's a tool for you. Adobe Illustrator and Krita both offer unique strengths, but at Piktochart, we believe our user-friendly platform and powerful features make it the best choice for creating captivating visuals effortlessly. Give Piktochart a try and see how easy it is to transform your ideas into engaging content.