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Design · head to head

Adobe Creative Cloud vs Sketch

Adobe Creative Cloud logo

Adobe Creative Cloud

Design

Creativity for all

From
$20.99/month
Free plan
No
Visit Adobe Creative CloudFull review
Sketch logo

Sketch

Design

The digital design toolkit

From
$12/month
Free plan
No
Visit SketchFull review

The short version

  • Sketch is a vector-based design tool for macOS.
  • Adobe Creative Cloud starts at $20.99/mo, Sketch at $12/mo.
  • Only Adobe Creative Cloud lists premiere Pro; only Sketch lists vector editing.
  • Where Sketch falls short: macOS-only for editing, blocking Windows and Linux users from accessing design features.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe Creative Cloud and Sketch actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Creative Cloud and Sketch differ
AttributeAdobe Creative CloudSketch
Starting price$20.99/month$12/month
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, WebmacOS, Web, iOS
Founded19822010

Identical on both: free tier (No), category (Design).

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Sketch.

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adobe Creative Cloud

  • Photoshop
  • Illustrator
  • InDesign
  • Premiere Pro
  • After Effects
  • Lightroom
  • XD
  • Creative Cloud Libraries

Only in Sketch

  • Vector editing
  • Symbols & components
  • Prototyping
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Developer handoff
  • Plugins ecosystem
  • Cloud sync
  • Version history

Both cover

  • Encryption
  • 2FA

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adobe Creative Cloud

  • Graphic designnot Sketch
  • Photo editingnot Sketch
  • Video productionnot Sketch
  • Web design
  • Digital artnot Sketch

Sketch

  • UI designnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Mobile app designnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Web design
  • Design systemsnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Prototypingnot Adobe Creative Cloud

Both are used for web design, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adobe Creative Cloud

  • The vendor's own Plans and Pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 1 January 2022 listed, in US dollars per month: Photography (20GB) at $9.99, Photography (1TB) at $19.99, Creative Cloud All Apps at $52.99, Acrobat Pro at $14.99, and single apps such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, and InDesign each at $20.99, all with a 30 day free trial and a separate Adobe Stock add-on

Sketch

  • macOS-only for editing, blocking Windows and Linux users from accessing design features
  • Real-time collaboration feels less seamless than Figma with occasional sync delays
  • Limited built-in image editing capabilities, requiring external software for bitmap work
  • Subscription required for cloud features and collaboration, losing access if subscription lapses

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Creative Cloud

$20.99/month
  • Photography$20.99/mo
    • Lightroom
    • Lightroom Classic
    • Photoshop
  • Single App$22.99/mo
    • One app of your choice
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Portfolio website
  • All Apps$59.99/mo
    • 20+ Creative Cloud apps
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Portfolio website
  • Teams$89.99/mo
    • Everything in All Apps
    • 1TB cloud storage
    • Advanced admin console

Sketch

$12/month
  • Standard$12/mo
    • Real-time collaboration
    • Unlimited documents
    • Unlimited free viewers
  • Professional$24/mo
    • Everything in Standard
    • Single Sign-On (SSO)
    • Project archiving
  • Enterprise$44/mo
    • Everything in Professional
    • SCIM provisioning
    • BYOK encryption
  • Mac-only License$120 one-off
    • Native Mac app
    • Offline access
    • Local file saving

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe Creative Cloud if

  • You need photoshop.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want illustrator.
Adobe Creative Cloud review

Choose Sketch if

  • You need vector editing.
  • You work on macOS, Web, iOS.
  • You also want symbols & components.
Sketch review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Creative Cloud or Sketch better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Creative Cloud starts at $20.99/month and Sketch at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Creative Cloud or Sketch?
Adobe Creative Cloud starts at $20.99/month and Sketch at $12/month.
Does Adobe Creative Cloud or Sketch run on more platforms?
Adobe Creative Cloud runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web. Sketch runs on macOS, Web, iOS.
What is Adobe Creative Cloud best used for?
Adobe Creative Cloud is most often used for graphic design, photo editing, video production, web design. Of those, graphic design and photo editing are not what Sketch is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Creative Cloud do that Sketch cannot?
Adobe Creative Cloud covers Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro. Sketch covers Vector editing, Symbols & components, Prototyping, Real-time collaboration. Both handle Encryption, 2FA.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Sketch: Is Sketch available for Windows or Linux?

No. Sketch is macOS-only for the design and prototyping features. Web and mobile apps provide viewing and collaboration, but editing requires macOS 14.0 or later.

Source
Sketch: Does Sketch offer a free trial?

Yes. Sketch provides a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. You can also purchase a one-time Mac-only license for $120 per seat instead of subscribing.

Source
Sketch: What collaboration features does Sketch include?

Sketch supports real-time collaboration, unlimited document sharing, unlimited viewers, and version history on all paid subscription plans (Standard $12/month, Professional $24/month, Enterprise $44/month).

Source
Sketch: Can I use Sketch offline?

Yes. The one-time Mac-only license ($120) allows you to use Sketch offline and save files locally, but it excludes cloud collaboration and iOS previewing features.

Source
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