Softwr

Design · head to head

Adobe Illustrator vs Procreate Dreams

Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator

Design

Professional vector graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Procreate Dreams logo

Procreate Dreams

Design

Edit. Animate. Create.

From
$12.99/once
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 Dreams requires iPadOS 16.3 and is exclusive to iPad; track capacity varies by device, with the base iPad (A16) limited to 1 track at up to 4K
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe Illustrator and Procreate Dreams differ
AttributeAdobe IllustratorProcreate Dreams
Starting price$22.99/month$12.99/once
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosWeb
Founded1982Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).

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 Dreams

Nothing recorded that Adobe Illustrator does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Adobe Illustrator

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

Procreate Dreams

  • Animation software for iPad usersnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Alternative to subscription-based animation toolsnot 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 Dreams

  • Requires iPadOS 16.3 and is exclusive to iPad; track capacity varies by device, with the base iPad (A16) limited to 1 track at up to 4K
  • 8K video support is not yet available and is listed as coming in a future release

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 Dreams

$12.99/once
  • Procreate Dreams$12.99/once
    • No subscriptions
    • Pay once, create forever

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 Dreams if

Nothing in the data separates Procreate Dreams from Adobe Illustrator on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Procreate Dreams review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Procreate Dreams: How much does Procreate Dreams cost?

Procreate Dreams costs $12.99 USD as a one-time purchase through the Apple App Store. Regional pricing may vary by location.

Source
Procreate Dreams: Is there a subscription fee after purchasing Procreate Dreams?

No. The purchase is permanent with no recurring fees or subscriptions. You pay once and retain the app forever.

Source
Procreate Dreams: What payment methods does Procreate Dreams accept?

Payment is processed through the Apple App Store, which accepts the payment methods configured on your Apple account.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Adobe Illustrator

More on Procreate Dreams

Keep looking

Other head to heads