Softwr

Software · head to head

Adobe Illustrator vs Lighthouse

Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator

Software

Professional vector graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lighthouse logo

Lighthouse

Software

Audit web page performance and quality

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lighthouse 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; Lighthouse described by the vendor as an open-source, automated tool with community contributions welcomed, no commercial edition
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Lighthouse covers Performance scoring.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe Illustrator and Lighthouse differ
AttributeAdobe IllustratorLighthouse
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosChrome, Edge
Founded19821998

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 Lighthouse

  • Performance scoring
  • Accessibility audit
  • SEO check
  • PWA validation
  • Chrome support
  • Edge support

What people use each for

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

Adobe Illustrator

  • Logo designnot Lighthouse
  • Vector illustrationnot Lighthouse
  • Icon designnot Lighthouse
  • Print designnot Lighthouse

Lighthouse

No use cases recorded yet. See the Lighthouse review.

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

Lighthouse

  • Described by the vendor as an open-source, automated tool with community contributions welcomed, no commercial edition

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

Lighthouse

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Performance audit
    • Accessibility check
    • SEO analysis

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 Lighthouse if

  • You need performance scoring.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Edge.
  • You also want accessibility audit.
Lighthouse review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Illustrator or Lighthouse better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and Lighthouse at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Illustrator or Lighthouse?
Lighthouse has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe Illustrator and Free for Lighthouse.
Does Adobe Illustrator or Lighthouse run on more platforms?
Adobe Illustrator runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. Lighthouse runs on Chrome, Edge.
Can I use Lighthouse for free?
Yes. Lighthouse 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 Lighthouse is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Illustrator do that Lighthouse cannot?
Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Shape tools, Typography. Lighthouse covers Performance scoring, Accessibility audit, SEO check, PWA validation.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Adobe Illustrator

More on Lighthouse

Keep looking

Other head to heads