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Design · head to head

Adobe Illustrator vs Sublime Text

Adobe Illustrator logo

Adobe Illustrator

Design

Professional vector graphics software

From
$22.99/month
Free plan
No
Visit Adobe IllustratorFull review
Sublime Text logo

Sublime Text

Developer Tools

A sophisticated text editor for code, markup and prose

From
$99/license
Free plan
No
Visit Sublime TextFull review

The short version

  • Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/mo, Sublime Text at $99/mo.
  • Only Adobe Illustrator lists vector drawing; only Sublime Text lists lightning fast performance.
  • Where Sublime Text falls short: personal license requires payment after evaluation period.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe Illustrator and Sublime Text actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Illustrator and Sublime Text differ
AttributeAdobe IllustratorSublime Text
Starting price$22.99/month$99/license
Pricing modelSubscriptionOne-time
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOSWindows, macOS, Linux
CategoryDesignDeveloper Tools
Founded19822007

Identical on both: free tier (No).

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 Sublime Text

  • Lightning fast performance
  • Multiple selections
  • Command palette
  • Instant project switch
  • Plugin ecosystem
  • Customizable UI
  • Advanced search and replace
  • Split editing

What people use each for

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

Adobe Illustrator

  • Logo designnot Sublime Text
  • Vector illustrationnot Sublime Text
  • Icon designnot Sublime Text
  • Print designnot Sublime Text

Sublime Text

  • Editing code and text files in a fast native desktop editornot Adobe Illustrator
  • Working across large files and projects with multi cursor editingnot 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

Sublime Text

  • Personal license requires payment after evaluation period
  • Business licenses use annual subscription model requiring renewal
  • After 3 years of updates on personal license, upgrade required for continued updates

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Illustrator

$22.99/month
  • Single App$22.99/mo
    • Illustrator desktop app
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Adobe Fonts
  • All Apps$59.99/mo
    • All Creative Cloud apps
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Adobe Stock trial

Sublime Text

$99/license
  • Personal License$99 one-off
    • One license for all computers and operating systems
    • 3 years of updates
    • Free evaluation available
  • Business License - 1-10 seats$65/yr
    • Per seat annual subscription
    • Volume discount for 11-25 seats at $60
    • Further discount for 26+ seats

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 Sublime Text if

  • You need lightning fast performance.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want multiple selections.
Sublime Text review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Illustrator or Sublime Text better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and Sublime Text at $99/license, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Illustrator or Sublime Text?
Adobe Illustrator starts at $22.99/month and Sublime Text at $99/license.
Does Adobe Illustrator or Sublime Text run on more platforms?
Adobe Illustrator runs on Windows, macOS, iOS. Sublime Text runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
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 Sublime Text is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Illustrator do that Sublime Text cannot?
Adobe Illustrator covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Shape tools, Typography. Sublime Text covers Lightning fast performance, Multiple selections, Command palette, Instant project switch.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Sublime Text: How much does Sublime Text cost?

Sublime Text costs $99 USD as a one-time personal license covering all your computers and operating systems, with 3 years of updates included.

Source
Sublime Text: What are the business license pricing tiers?

Business licenses use annual subscription pricing: $65 per seat per year for 1-10 seats, $60 per seat for 11-25 seats, $55 per seat for 26-50 seats, and $50 per seat for 51+ seats.

Source
Sublime Text: Can I evaluate Sublime Text for free?

Yes, Sublime Text may be downloaded and evaluated for free, though payment is required to continue using it after evaluation.

Source
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