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Adobe Illustrator vs FreshBooks

Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator

Software

Professional vector graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Software

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FreshBooks 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; FreshBooks lite tier limited to 5 clients maximum
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, FreshBooks covers Invoicing.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe Illustrator and FreshBooks differ
AttributeAdobe IllustratorFreshBooks
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosWeb, iOS, Android
Founded19822003

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 FreshBooks

  • Invoicing
  • Expense tracking
  • Time tracking
  • Project management
  • Payments
  • Financial reporting
  • Proposals
  • Mileage tracking

What people use each for

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

Adobe Illustrator

  • Logo designnot FreshBooks
  • Vector illustrationnot FreshBooks
  • Icon designnot FreshBooks
  • Print designnot FreshBooks

FreshBooks

  • Invoicing and payment processingnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Time tracking and expense managementnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Multi-client project accountingnot 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

FreshBooks

  • Lite tier limited to 5 clients maximum
  • E-signatures, proposals, and client retainers unavailable on Lite and Plus tiers
  • Advanced payment processing fee of £20/month on Plus tier (extra cost)
  • Email customization and project profitability tracking restricted to Premium tier and above
  • Offline mode not available; web-based only

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

FreshBooks

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreshBooks 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 FreshBooks if

  • You need invoicing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense tracking.
FreshBooks review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Illustrator or FreshBooks better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and FreshBooks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Illustrator or FreshBooks?
FreshBooks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe Illustrator and Free for FreshBooks.
Does Adobe Illustrator or FreshBooks run on more platforms?
Adobe Illustrator runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. FreshBooks runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use FreshBooks for free?
Yes. FreshBooks 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 FreshBooks is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Illustrator do that FreshBooks cannot?
Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Shape tools, Typography. FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Time tracking, Project management.
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