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

Both Sketch and Adobe Illustrator are essential tools for businesses and designers, offering unique features that enhance creativity and productivity. We'll compare Sketch and Adobe Illustrator to determine which one best meets the needs of modern designers and businesses.

A Quick Overview of Sketch and Adobe Illustrator

What is Sketch?

Sketch is a design platform that provides tools for creating, collaborating, prototyping, and handing off designs. It offers a Mac app for designers and a web app for team collaboration, feedback, and developer handoff.

Smart Animate allows users to bring movement to their prototypes. The integration of Mac and web apps offers a seamless experience between design and collaboration, setting Sketch apart from competitors.

What is Adobe Illustrator?

Adobe is a software company known for its creative and multimedia software products. It offers a range of tools under the Adobe Creative Cloud, including Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, and Illustrator.

Adobe Illustrator provides features like the Pen Tool for precise illustrations and the Scale Tool for resizing designs without quality loss. The Generative Shape Fill feature allows users to fill vector outlines with various options, leveraging advanced AI capabilities for enhanced customization.

Features of Sketch and Adobe Illustrator

Similarities

Sketch and Adobe Illustrator share several key features that make them both powerful tools for designers. These similarities ensure that users can achieve high-quality results regardless of which platform they choose.

• Vector Graphics Creation: Both Sketch and Adobe Illustrator excel in creating vector graphics, allowing designs to be scaled without losing quality.
• Precision Tools: Each platform offers precision tools for detailed vector path, shape, and line editing.
• Customizable Artboards: Users can create multiple artboards within a single document, facilitating the management of various design elements and layouts.
• Shared Libraries and Components: Both tools support shared libraries and components, promoting consistency and scalability in design projects.
• Prototyping Capabilities: Sketch and Adobe Illustrator provide prototyping features to transform static designs into interactive experiences.

Differences

Sketch and Adobe Illustrator each offer unique features that cater to different aspects of design. While Sketch focuses on collaboration and prototyping, Adobe Illustrator excels in advanced vector graphic creation.

• Prototyping: Sketch includes intuitive prototyping tools, allowing designers to create interactive experiences directly within the app.
• Generative Shape Fill: Adobe Illustrator offers the Generative Shape Fill feature, enabling users to fill vector outlines with various options, enhancing customization.
• Real-time Collaboration: Sketch supports real-time collaboration, making it easier for teams to work together and provide feedback instantly.
• 3D and Materials Panel: Adobe Illustrator includes a 3D and Materials Panel, allowing designers to add realistic effects and textures to their artwork.
• Plug-ins: Sketch has a robust ecosystem of plug-ins that extend its functionality, while Adobe Illustrator integrates with Adobe Express for quick design edits.

User Interface and Usability

Sketch's user interface is streamlined, focusing on simplicity and ease of navigation. The layout is intuitive, with tools and features easily accessible, making it user-friendly for both beginners and experienced designers. The overall user experience is enhanced by the seamless integration between the Mac and web apps, allowing for efficient collaboration and prototyping.

Adobe Illustrator, on the other hand, offers a more complex interface with a steeper learning curve. While it provides a wide range of advanced tools and features, the interface can be overwhelming for new users. The user experience is robust, catering to professional designers who require precision and extensive customization options.

Sketch has a more user-friendly interface and better overall usability compared to Adobe Illustrator.

Collaboration

Sketch offers robust collaboration features, including real-time collaboration, feedback management, and design system distribution. Users can work offline and sync their work across devices, ensuring accessibility and flexibility. The platform's shared libraries, styles, and components promote consistency and scalability in design projects.

Adobe Illustrator, integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud, supports collaborative workflows through shared libraries and cloud documents. However, the platform lacks specific in-app collaboration tools, relying more on the broader Creative Cloud ecosystem for teamwork. This can make the collaboration process less seamless compared to Sketch.

Overall, Sketch provides a more integrated and user-friendly collaboration experience than Adobe Illustrator.

Sketch and Adobe Illustrator Pricing

Sketch offers a Standard Subscription at $10 per month per Editor when billed yearly, or $12 monthly. A Mac-only License is available for $120 per seat, including one year of updates. Business Subscriptions cost $22 per month per Editor, billed yearly. Sketch provides a 30-day free trial and discounts for nonprofits.

Adobe Illustrator's pricing for individuals is £21.98 per month, with a Creative Cloud All Apps plan starting at £27.98 per month for the first three months, then £56.98. Business plans are £27.99 per license monthly. Students and teachers get significant discounts, and a 7-day free trial is available. Adobe's pricing is generally higher.

Comparing Sketch and Adobe Illustrator to Piktochart

Piktochart transforms complex ideas into captivating visuals that inform and engage your audience. With Piktochart AI, 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 stunning visuals quickly and effortlessly, making it a standout feature for those needing fast, high-quality designs.
• Customizable Text and View Properties: The platform offers extensive customization options for text and view properties, including background color and aspect ratios, ensuring that your videos and visuals are perfectly tailored to your needs.
• Wide Range of Visual and Video Tools: Piktochart provides a comprehensive suite of tools, from infographic and banner makers to video croppers and social media video makers, catering to a variety of design and video editing needs.
• Extensive Template Library: With a vast array of templates for different use cases, Piktochart saves users significant time and effort, allowing them to focus on content creation rather than starting from scratch.
• Support for Multiple Industries: Piktochart is versatile, supporting various industries such as communications, education, finance, healthcare, and marketing, making it a valuable tool for professionals across different fields.

Piktochart's Pricing

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

What Are Others Saying?

Sketch Reviews

Overall, users have given Sketch a rating of 4.5 out of 5. While many appreciate its ease of use and powerful features, frustrations include platform exclusivity and performance issues with larger projects.

• "Sketch is great for simple designs, but it struggles with larger files and lacks some advanced features." - Verified User (Small-Business), 2.5 out of 5
• "The macOS exclusivity is a major drawback, limiting accessibility for many users." - John D., 3 out of 5
• "Collaboration tools are not as effective as other platforms like Figma." - Jane S., 3.5 out of 5

Find more of Sketch reviews on G2!

Adobe Illustrator Reviews

Adobe Illustrator has an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5. Users appreciate its precision and versatility but find the steep learning curve and resource-intensive nature frustrating.

• "The software is powerful but can be overwhelming for beginners and often crashes." - kartikeya p., 3 out of 5
• "Expensive subscription model and some tools are cumbersome to use." - Laura C., 3.5 out of 5
• "High system requirements make it difficult to run on older computers." - Peter V., 3 out of 5

Find more of Adobe Illustrator reviews on G2!

Piktochart Reviews

Our users have given Piktochart an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5. They appreciate its ease of use, extensive template library, and powerful design tools.

• "Easy to create content even if you're not a designer." - Jennifer K.
• "My Go-To for ALL Professional Presentations!" - Jessica D.
• "Piktochart is very easy and simple to use online graphics creation tool." - Andrea V.

Find more of our reviews on G2!

Why choose one over the other?

Why Choose Sketch:

• Consumers who prioritize real-time collaboration and seamless integration between Mac and web apps will find Sketch ideal. It's perfect for UX designers and teams needing intuitive prototyping and shared libraries.

Why Choose Adobe Illustrator:

• Adobe Illustrator is the go-to for professionals requiring advanced vector graphic creation and scalability. Graphic designers and brand designers benefit from its precise tools and extensive customization options.

Why Choose Piktochart:

• Piktochart is perfect for users needing quick, high-quality visuals without advanced design skills. Educators, marketers, and small businesses will appreciate its user-friendly interface and AI-powered design features.

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

While Sketch and Adobe Illustrator are excellent choices for specific design needs, Piktochart stands out for its user-friendly interface and powerful AI-driven features. Whether you're an educator, marketer, or small business owner, Piktochart makes creating stunning visuals effortless. We believe you'll find it to be the perfect tool for transforming complex ideas into captivating visuals.