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Software · head to head

Adobe Illustrator vs Procreate

Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator

Software

Professional vector graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Procreate logo

Procreate

Software

Digital illustration app made for iPad

From
$12.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Procreate iPad-only application with no desktop version for Windows or macOS
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Procreate covers Digital painting.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe Illustrator and Procreate differ
AttributeAdobe IllustratorProcreate
Starting price$22.99/month$12.99/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosiPad
Founded19822010

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Procreate

  • Digital painting
  • Brush library
  • Layer management
  • Selection tools
  • Time-lapse recording
  • Apple Pencil
  • iPad Pro
  • Cloud services

What people use each for

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

Adobe Illustrator

  • Logo designnot Procreate
  • Vector illustrationnot Procreate
  • Icon designnot Procreate
  • Print designnot Procreate

Procreate

  • Digital illustrationnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Concept artnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Character designnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Educational artnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Hobby drawingnot 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

Procreate

  • iPad-only application with no desktop version for Windows or macOS
  • Requires Apple hardware investment (iPad and Apple Pencil)
  • Cannot export to cloud storage natively, limiting cross-device workflows
  • High upfront cost when accounting for required iPad hardware

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

Procreate

$12.99/one-time
  • Procreate$12.99/one-time
    • 200+ brushes
    • Unlimited layers
    • Advanced blending modes
  • Procreate Pocket$5.99/one-time
    • iPhone version
    • Touch-optimized interface
  • Procreate Dreams$19.99/one-time
    • Animation tool
    • Frame-by-frame animation

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 Procreate if

  • You need digital painting.
  • You work on iPad.
  • You also want brush library.
Procreate review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Illustrator or Procreate better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and Procreate at $12.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Illustrator or Procreate?
Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and Procreate at $12.99/one-time.
Does Adobe Illustrator or Procreate run on more platforms?
Adobe Illustrator runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. Procreate runs on iPad.
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 Procreate is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Illustrator do that Procreate cannot?
Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Shape tools, Typography. Procreate covers Digital painting, Brush library, Layer management, Selection tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Procreate: Does Procreate work on desktop or only iPad?

Procreate is iPad-only. There is no desktop version for Windows or macOS, requiring users to purchase iPad hardware and Apple Pencil for use.

Source
Procreate: What companion apps are available for Procreate?

Procreate Pocket is an iPhone version at $5.99, and Procreate Dreams is an animation tool at $19.99, both one-time purchases.

Source
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