Professional photo editing, page layout, graphic design and illustration – available for Mac, Windows and iPad, subscription free. Own Affinity Designer for just $ on Windows or Mac or $ on iPad — subscription free. Buy now. Own the most powerful design software today.
 
 

Adobe illustrator vs affinity designer 2018 free download.Affinity Designer vs. Adobe Illustrator: can Designer replace Illustrator?

Since its introduction nearly 30 years ago, the creative software giant has expanded and become an indispensable asset in the design industry. With more than 20 desktop and mobile apps accessible via the Creative Cloud , Adobe dominates the digital graphic creation market seemingly unrivaled. The most recent challenger? Affinity Designer launched in late and promises to give Adobe a run for its subscription fees.

But does it deliver? Now the company is taking on the graphics software market for Mac. Does Affinity Designer offer enough features to sway long-time Adobe users? Or is it better suited for beginners? For new designers and old pros, Affinity Designer offers a modern, intuitive user interface that allows users to transition almost seamlessly between it and Illustrator.

Budding designers will find all the necessary tools clearly organized and accessible and the default toolbars and keyboard shortcuts will feel familiar to Adobe users. The learning curve is more like a gentle slope for designers experienced in Illustrator or Photoshop. Affinity Designer comes with all the standard pen and shape tools to complete complex vector and pixel-based artwork. With the persona toolbar—which divides vector, pixel and export tools into three separate sets—users can switch between tool sets without interruption to workflow.

For designers who work in Photoshop and Illustrator simultaneously, using Affinity Designer may be a time saver.

Experienced vector artists and infographic designers will find a noticeable lack of the more advanced tools found in Illustrator CC. For example, the current release of Affinity Designer does not include a perspective grid or column graph tool. Whether sharing working files with a team or updating templates created on another platform, compatibility is an issue that very few graphics programs have addressed in the past.

Saving back to AI, however, is not possible. Because Adobe offers a broader range of features and settings, some of these may not be preserved when importing into Affinity Designer.

For example, pattern overlays and other effects or filters can get dropped from imported PSD files and imported AI files may not preserve grouped objects. Affinity Designer comes up short against Adobe Illustrator in workspace options. Illustrator CC offers multiple Workspaces pre-set for different types of design jobs—web design, automation and pre-press proofing to name a few—and the ability to create a custom Workspace.

While the program is equipped with a broad range of effects, and supports an expanded selection of vector shapes and the ability to load Photoshop brushes. These improvements are indications that the developers at Serif understand the needs of professional designers and are working to meet those needs. The Windows beta version is now available for download, but there is no information about Affinity companion apps for mobile devices.

Adobe CC is available for Mac and Windows and the Adobe mobile apps let users create and preserve editable artwork in the Creative Cloud for use across platforms. In terms of function and style, Affinity Designer is an impressive, low-budget alternative to Adobe Illustrator. Full-service designers who need to create multi-page documents will still need to rely on InDesign—or the old Quark Xpress, as Serif has not yet released a comparable alternative.

For comprehensive features, tools and shortcuts, Adobe CC has Affinity beat. However, if Serif keeps the pace, we may soon see the Affinity suite become a major competitor in the graphic software market. About the author: Katharine M. Our newsletter is for everyone who loves design! Let us know if you’re a freelance designer or not so we can share the most relevant content for you.

By completing this form, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Designers, check out these contests so you can start building your career. Get a design. Want to kick start your graphic design career? Learn how freelancing on 99designs can help you find more work. Learn more. You’re in! You proved us right again. Our newsletter is only for the coolest kids. Get ready for amazing stuff in your inbox. Looks like something went wrong.

I’m a freelance designer Our newsletter is for everyone who loves design! Sign me up! Join the community. Current design contests Designers, check out these contests so you can start building your career.

Designers, see opportunities. Pin It. Need a design? See all. The Creative Edge. Design services.

Adobe illustrator vs affinity designer 2018 free download.Affinity Designer vs Illustrator

 
Or log in with:. You can also ensure that illushrator tools you use most are readily available. Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. But not by far, and less experienced users may not notice the difference.