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Design · head to head

Adobe Illustrator vs Depot

Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator

Design

Professional vector graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Free plan
No
Visit Adobe IllustratorFull review
Depot logo

Depot

Developer Tools

Cloud-based builds and CI runs 55x faster with less cost

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit DepotFull review

The short version

  • Depot is a cloud-based CI/CD platform.
  • Depot has a free plan, then $20/mo; Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/mo.
  • Only Adobe Illustrator lists vector drawing; only Depot lists Depot CI.
  • Where Depot falls short: developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe Illustrator and Depot differ
AttributeAdobe IllustratorDepot
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOSWeb, GitHub, API
CategoryDesignDeveloper Tools
Founded19822022

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Depot.

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 Depot

  • Depot CI
  • Container builds
  • GitHub Actions runners
  • Distributed caching
  • Build API
  • Depot Registry
  • Cross-platform builds
  • SSH debugging

What people use each for

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

Adobe Illustrator

  • Logo designnot Depot
  • Vector illustrationnot Depot
  • Icon designnot Depot
  • Print designnot Depot

Depot

  • Accelerating Docker builds for container-based developmentnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster infrastructurenot Adobe Illustrator
  • Distributing cache across Monorepo buildsnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Debugging failed CI builds interactively with SSHnot 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

Depot

  • Developer plan minute limits may be insufficient for active development
  • Startup plan at $200/mo is expensive for smaller teams
  • Business plan requires custom pricing consultation
  • macOS M2 runners not available on Developer plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Illustrator

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

Depot

Free
  • Developer$20/mo
    • 1 user
    • 500 Docker build minutes per month
    • 2,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • Startup$200/mo
    • Unlimited users
    • 5,000 Docker build minutes per month
    • 20,000 Depot CI minutes per month
  • BusinessOn request
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited users
    • Custom monthly compute

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 Depot if

  • You need depot ci.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, GitHub, API.
  • You also want container builds.
Depot review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Illustrator or Depot better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and Depot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Illustrator or Depot?
Depot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe Illustrator and Free for Depot.
Does Adobe Illustrator or Depot run on more platforms?
Adobe Illustrator runs on Windows, macOS, iOS. Depot runs on Web, GitHub, API.
Can I use Depot for free?
Yes. Depot 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 Depot is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Illustrator do that Depot cannot?
Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Shape tools, Typography. Depot covers Depot CI, Container builds, GitHub Actions runners, Distributed caching.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Depot: How much faster are Depot runners compared to GitHub Actions?

Depot runners offer 30% faster CPUs and 10x faster networking than standard GitHub-hosted runners, enabling builds to complete significantly faster.

Source
Depot: What is included in the Developer plan?

Developer plan ($20/month) includes 500 Docker build minutes, 2,000 Depot CI minutes, 2,000 GitHub Actions minutes, 25 GB storage, unlimited concurrency, and community support.

Source
Depot: Can I use Depot with my own AWS account?

Yes, Depot Managed allows deployment within customer AWS accounts. This is available to interested customers; contact sales for details.

Source
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