Softwr

Design Tools · head to head

Adobe Illustrator vs Basecamp

Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator

Design Tools

Professional vector graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Basecamp logo

Basecamp

All industries

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Basecamp 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; Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Basecamp covers Message boards.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe Illustrator and Basecamp differ
AttributeAdobe IllustratorBasecamp
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosWeb
CategoryDesign ToolsAll industries
Founded19822004

Identical on both: 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 Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Adobe Illustrator

  • Logo designnot Basecamp
  • Vector illustrationnot Basecamp
  • Icon designnot Basecamp
  • Print designnot Basecamp

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot Adobe Illustrator
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Adobe Illustrator
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot 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

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

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

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

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 Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.
Basecamp review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Illustrator or Basecamp better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and Basecamp at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Illustrator or Basecamp?
Basecamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe Illustrator and Free for Basecamp.
Does Adobe Illustrator or Basecamp run on more platforms?
Adobe Illustrator runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. Basecamp runs on Web.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Yes. Basecamp 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 Basecamp is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Illustrator do that Basecamp cannot?
Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Shape tools, Typography. Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Both handle SOC2, GDPR.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Adobe Illustrator

More on Basecamp

Keep looking

Other head to heads