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Adobe Illustrator vs Runway

Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator

Software

Professional vector graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Runway logo

Runway

Software

AI-powered creative tools for video and images

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Runway 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; Runway the free tier is 125 one-time credits rather than a monthly allowance, so it runs out and does not refill
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Runway covers Gen-2 video generation.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adobe Illustrator and Runway differ
AttributeAdobe IllustratorRunway
Starting price$22.99/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosWeb
Founded19822018

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Runway

  • Gen-2 video generation
  • Green screen
  • Inpainting
  • Super resolution
  • Motion tracking
  • Adobe Premiere
  • Final Cut Pro
  • API access

What people use each for

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

Adobe Illustrator

  • Logo designnot Runway
  • Vector illustrationnot Runway
  • Icon designnot Runway
  • Print designnot Runway

Runway

  • Generating video clips from text or image promptsnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Extending or editing existing footage with generative modelsnot Adobe Illustrator
  • Removing objects and backgrounds from videonot Adobe Illustrator
  • Storyboarding and previsualisation for productionnot 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

Runway

  • The free tier is 125 one-time credits rather than a monthly allowance, so it runs out and does not refill
  • Outputs carry a watermark until the Standard plan at $12 a month
  • Everything is metered in credits, and Gen-4.5 video costs 60 credits per 5 seconds, so a Standard plan covers roughly 125 short videos a year
  • Only the Max plan at $76 a month rolls unused credits over, and only for one month
  • The free tier gives a selection of models rather than the full set

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

Runway

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 125 credits
    • Basic tools
    • 720p exports
  • Standard$12/month
    • 625 credits/month
    • Gen-2 access
    • 4K exports
  • Pro$28/month
    • 2250 credits/month
    • All tools
    • Priority processing
  • Unlimited$76/month
    • Unlimited generations
    • Custom models
    • API access

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 Runway if

  • You need gen-2 video generation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want green screen.
Runway review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Illustrator or Runway better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and Runway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Illustrator or Runway?
Runway has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $22.99/month for Adobe Illustrator and Free for Runway.
Does Adobe Illustrator or Runway run on more platforms?
Adobe Illustrator runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. Runway runs on Web.
Can I use Runway for free?
Yes. Runway 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 Runway is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Illustrator do that Runway cannot?
Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Shape tools, Typography. Runway covers Gen-2 video generation, Green screen, Inpainting, Super resolution.
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