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Design · head to head

Adobe Illustrator vs Appsmith

Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator

Design

Professional vector graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Appsmith logo

Appsmith

No-Code

The open-source low-code framework

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Appsmith has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Adobe Illustrator listed on UK G-Cloud as part of Adobe Creative Cloud (which bundles Illustrator) at £58 to £80 per licence per month, via reseller ServiceKey; Appsmith the free cloud tier is capped at 5 users, 5 workspaces and 3 Git repositories
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Appsmith covers Drag-and-drop builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe Illustrator and Appsmith actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Illustrator and Appsmith differ
AttributeAdobe IllustratorAppsmith
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosWeb, Self-hosted
CategoryDesignNo-Code
Founded19822019

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Illustrator

  • Vector drawing
  • Bezier tools
  • Shape tools
  • Typography
  • Gradients & effects
  • Symbols & instances
  • Artboards
  • 3D capabilities

Only in Appsmith

  • Drag-and-drop builder
  • Database integration
  • REST API
  • Workflows
  • Authentication
  • Custom code
  • Git integration
  • 100+ integrations

Both cover

  • GDPR
  • Encryption

What people use each for

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

Adobe Illustrator

  • Logo designnot Appsmith
  • Vector illustrationnot Appsmith
  • Icon designnot Appsmith
  • Print designnot Appsmith

Appsmith

  • Building internal admin panels over existing databases and APIsnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Self-hosting a low-code internal tool platformnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Custom CRUD dashboards for operations teamsnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Versioning applications through Gitnot Adobe Illustrator

Where each one falls short

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

Adobe Illustrator

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud as part of Adobe Creative Cloud (which bundles Illustrator) at £58 to £80 per licence per month, via reseller ServiceKey

Appsmith

  • The free cloud tier is capped at 5 users, 5 workspaces and 3 Git repositories
  • Workflows, custom roles and audit logs all require the Business plan at $15 per user per month
  • SAML and OIDC single sign-on need Enterprise, which starts at $2,500 a month with a 100 user minimum
  • Embedding an app privately is Enterprise only; the lower tiers embed publicly
  • Managed hosting is an Enterprise add-on rather than an included option

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Illustrator

$22.99/month
  • Single App$22.99/month
    • Illustrator desktop app
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Adobe Fonts
  • All Apps$59.99/month
    • All Creative Cloud apps
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Adobe Stock trial

Appsmith

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 5 users on cloud
    • 5 workspaces
    • 3 Git repos
  • Business$15/month per user
    • Up to 99 users
    • Unlimited workspaces and Git repos
    • Workflows and reusable packages
  • Enterprise$2500/month
    • Minimum 100 users
    • Unlimited users above 100
    • SAML/OIDC SSO

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe Illustrator if

  • You need vector drawing.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Ios.
  • You also want bezier tools.
Adobe Illustrator review

Choose Appsmith if

  • You need drag-and-drop builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want database integration.
Appsmith review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Illustrator or Appsmith better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and Appsmith at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Illustrator or Appsmith?
Appsmith has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe Illustrator and Free for Appsmith.
Does Adobe Illustrator or Appsmith run on more platforms?
Adobe Illustrator runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. Appsmith runs on Web, Self-hosted.
Can I use Appsmith for free?
Yes. Appsmith has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month.
What is Adobe Illustrator best used for?
Adobe Illustrator is most often used for logo design, vector illustration, icon design, print design. Of those, logo design and vector illustration are not what Appsmith is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Illustrator do that Appsmith cannot?
Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Shape tools, Typography. Appsmith covers Drag-and-drop builder, Database integration, REST API, Workflows. Both handle GDPR, Encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Appsmith: How much does Appsmith cost?

Appsmith offers a free plan for up to 5 users, a Business plan at $15 per user per month (up to 99 users), and an Enterprise plan starting at $2,500 per month for a minimum of 100 users with unlimited users available at that rate.

Source
Appsmith: Does Appsmith have a free version?

Yes, Appsmith's Free plan provides access for up to 5 users with 5 workspaces, 3 Git repos, and community support at no cost. All plans offer unlimited apps.

Source
Appsmith: What does the Business plan include compared to Free?

The Business plan at $15 per user per month supports up to 99 users, provides unlimited workspaces and Git repos, includes workflows and reusable packages, premium integrations, custom roles, and access controls with email and chat support compared to the Free plan's community support only.

Source
Appsmith: How are Appsmith users counted for billing purposes?

Appsmith counts any user who builds or edits applications as a standard user for billing. Developers and builders are treated the same as other users and all users count toward the per-user billing model without separate developer seat charges.

Source
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