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Design Tools · head to head

Adobe Illustrator vs Oyster

Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator

Design Tools

Professional vector graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Oyster logo

Oyster

Payroll & Benefits

Hire globally, compliantly

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Oyster 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; Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Oyster covers Global Employment.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe Illustrator and Oyster differ
AttributeAdobe IllustratorOyster
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryDesign ToolsPayroll & Benefits
Founded19822020

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 Oyster

  • Global Employment
  • Payroll
  • Benefits
  • Compliance
  • Contractor Management
  • Time Off
  • Expenses
  • BambooHR

What people use each for

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

Adobe Illustrator

  • Logo designnot Oyster
  • Vector illustrationnot Oyster
  • Icon designnot Oyster
  • Print designnot Oyster

Oyster

  • Hiring employees abroad without setting up a local legal entitynot Adobe Illustrator
  • Onboarding and paying international contractorsnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Getting country specific employment compliance advice for distributed teamsnot 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

Oyster

  • Employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
  • A refundable deposit is required before an EOR engagement starts
  • Contractor management is free for 30 days then $29 per contractor per month
  • HR advisory through People Partner Services is billed at $300 per hour on top of the subscription
  • A currency conversion fee applies when you pay Oyster in a currency other than the contract currency
  • Payments are accepted only by direct debit or wire in USD, EUR, GBP or CAD

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

Oyster

Free
  • Contractor$29/month
    • Contractor Payments
    • Compliant Contracts
    • Invoicing
  • Employee$599/month
    • Global Employment
    • Payroll
    • Benefits

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 Oyster if

  • You need global employment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want payroll.
Oyster review

Questions people ask

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