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Design · head to head

Adobe Illustrator vs Recraft

Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator

Design

Professional vector graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Recraft logo

Recraft

Design

AI image and vector generation for design teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Recraft 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; Recraft free plan images are owned by Recraft and made publicly visible; commercial ownership rights only apply while subscribed to a paid plan
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe Illustrator and Recraft differ
AttributeAdobe IllustratorRecraft
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosWeb
Founded1982Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Recraft

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 Recraft
  • Vector illustrationnot Recraft
  • Icon designnot Recraft
  • Print designnot Recraft

Recraft

  • AI-powered image generation and design creationnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Commercial-licensed asset creation for businessesnot 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

Recraft

  • Free plan images are owned by Recraft and made publicly visible; commercial ownership rights only apply while subscribed to a paid plan
  • Subscription credits reset every month and do not carry over, unlike separately purchased top-up credits which never expire
  • Refunds are only considered within 30 days and only if fewer than 30 credits have been used
  • Annual billing is required to get the 20% discount over paying monthly

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

Recraft

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Recraft 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 Recraft if

  • You want to start without paying.
Recraft review

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Recraft: Is Recraft free?

Recraft offers a free plan where images generated are publicly visible in the community gallery and not licensed for commercial use. Paid plans (Basic, Pro, Teams) unlock full ownership and commercial rights but specific prices are not published.

Source
Recraft: How does Recraft's credit system work?

Recraft charges based on monthly credit allocation included with each plan. Additional top-up credits can be purchased separately and never expire, used automatically after monthly credits run out.

Source
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