10 Free Illustrator Alternative Options for Experts and Beginners

When it comes to designing vector graphics, Adobe Illustrator is the gold standard. This is a fact that’s widely accepted by artists and designers the world over. But despite its amazing features, many still look for alternatives. Why? Adobe Illustrator is expensive. Luckily, there are plenty of free graphic design software that work as well but won’t cost you a thing. Here are 10 Illustrator alternatives that you can use for free.

How Illustrations Have Become a Powerful Tool for Business

The current marketplace has become so visually driven that illustrations now hold a powerful place in managing a business. Beyond its decorative purpose, custom illustrations have now become strategic tools to communicate and brand. Many companies of today use it to simplify complex ideas, evoke emotions, and create memorable brand experiences.

Furthermore, illustrations greatly help in differentiation, allowing users to stand out from the noisy marketplace of today. They help brands connect with their audiences, enhance user experience, and boost engagement on all platforms. Working with a reliable custom illustration service can be an excellent way to humanize your brand, guide your users through your digital interface, and make your content more appealing and digestible.

1. Inkscape

Professional graphic designers and illustrators agree that Inkscape is the best free Illustrator alternative. It offers a wide selection of illustration, sketching, and editing tools that allow you to create complex artworks and designs. Best of all, as its motto tells us, Draw Freely, Inkscape is absolutely free to use.

Aside from the basic drawing and shape tools, Inkscape also has special spiral tools, advanced object manipulation options, a multitude of filters, clone arrangements, templates, and pattern creations, among many others. While it is geared towards those mainly using the SVG file format, it lets you import and export files in other formats such as PDF, EPS, AI, and EPS.

Pros

• Comes with an extensive drawing toolkit
• Constant improvement, thanks to its active community forums and fanbase
• Has a wide array of plugins and tutorials available

Cons

• Performance can be slow when working on complex projects

2. BoxySVG

A browser-based vector design software, BoxySVG operates as a Google Chrome extension. This means that you’ll work on your browser and store your designs on the web. It has a good selection of the most basic tools such as pen, text, Bézier curves, stroke and fills, transforms, paths, and many more. What makes BoxySVG a favorite among designers and artists is its user-friendly interface. This means that it has less advanced tools and a low learning curve, making it more suitable for beginners.

That being said, you can still use BoxySVG and still come up with professional-looking designs. It gives you the option for integration with Google Fonts and access to its Open Clip Art Library. If you’re a newbie illustrator or you don’t require high volumes of designs, this is the free Illustrator alternative for you.

Pros

• Convenient browser extension format
• Simple user interface design
• Easy navigation via keyboard shortcuts

Cons

• Some features are only available on paid plans

3. Apache OpenOffice Draw

At first glance, you’d think that Apache OpenOffice Draw is outdated. It is rich in features more commonly found in paid illustration software, such as Bézier curves, 3D functions, layer management, and a whole lot more. It comes with a reference book called the Draw Guide to help you learn the many functions and features of this free graphic design software.

A feature worth noting is it allows you to draw into multiple pages, which is ideal for long vector graphics presentations. Apache OpenOffice can be downloaded on various devices and platforms, including Windows, MAC, and Linux. 

Pros

• Has 3D design capabilities
• Comes with a good level of compatibility with Microsoft Office file formats
• An excellent alternative to Microsoft Publisher

Cons

• Lacks some key functionalities of paid software

4. Pixlr

An alternative to Illustrator that can also edit images, create animations, and other designs, Pixlr is free to use. It is primarily an online software, meaning you’ll be working from your browser, so no installation is needed. It promises functionality and ease of use to help you with basic portrait editing and enhancements, illustrations, and graphic design. It’s like having a custom illustration service right at your fingertips.

Pixlr has evolved into a unified suite, including Pixlr X for quick edits and Pixlr E for more advanced design work. It features AI-powered tools like generative fill, background removal, image expansion, and even text-to-image generation. These additions enhance its functionality while keeping it accessible to beginners and budget-conscious users. While Pixlr won’t be able to replace Photoshop or Illustrator, it is still a solid choice.

Pros

• Has a customizable user interface
• Has advanced editing and drawing tools
• Portable, can be used on mobile devices

Cons

• You have to pay if you want to remove ads

5. Skencil

An interactive vector drawing application, Skencil is an excellent free alternative to Illustrator. It allows you quick and easy ways to produce engaging visuals such as illustrations, diagrams, banners, logos, and many other design assets. What makes this software unique is its feature implemented in the language Python. This means Skencil is powerful, user-friendly, and extensible, a favorite among many graphic design services and providers.

Its main features include drawing primitives (rectangles, ellipses), Bézier curves, images, and texts in bitmap and EPS formats, including PPM, PNG, JPG, TIFF, etc. Skencil also offers special effects, object manipulation, and supports an unlimited undo history.

Pros

• 2D drawing capabilities
• Comes with an extensive plugin library
• Has unique data linking features

Cons

• It is only available for MAC users

6. Lunacy

A vector graphic software for UI/UX and web design, Lunacy is another free Illustrator alternative. It operates on MAC, Linus, and Windows and can be used online or offline. It has similar features as Skencil, earning it the moniker Skencil for Windows. 

Lunacy has a wide array of pre-made assets such as icons, templates, images, and vector illustrations. It allows you to draw, sketch, take photos and even create complex typographies. Thanks to its cloud-sharing function, it is compatible with Skencil, allowing for quick and easy team collaboration. Indeed, it is an excellent custom illustration service alternative

Pros

• Real-time collaboration capabilities
• Has a library of royalty-free stock photos, AI-generated faces, and music
• Has an active community of users

Cons

• Some performance and crashing issues when working on large files

7. Figma

Runs entirely on your web browser, Figma is an Illustrator-style design software that you can use for free. What makes it stand out is its ability to let you do collaborative work (more specifically, Google Docs) in real-time. This design platform offers specific features, much like what Skencil has to offer. Thus, it is a great design tool for many graphic design services.

Figma is a powerful design application to help you create graphic designs, illustrations, animated prototypes, and many others. Having been conceived on the web, it is the best free Illustrator alternative for teams that need a design platform to collaborate on.

Pros

• Integrates with Google Fonts
• Cloud-based software, automatically stores your work 
• Has a powerful, intuitive, and easy to use interface

Cons

• Requires a decent graphics card to run problem-free

8. SketchBook

With its focus on drawing, sketching, illustrating, and painting, you could say that SketchBook is the closest you’ll get to Illustrator. It comes with various brushes, pens, blending modes, inks, and customizable brushes. It has a guide tool to help you with correct proportions, perspectives, fills, or gradients.

Its intuitive user interface has that minimal yet beautiful look that inspires creativity. It has a low learning curve that can be used by non-designers, but has a wealth of advanced features that professional artists and designers can appreciate.

Pros

• Has a wide range of advanced tools with the ability to create your own
• Comes with new features such as Symmetry and Perspective
• Has a flipbook animation feature

Cons

• Lacks a few basic features, such asan undo button and a save color palette

9. Inker

A professional vector graphics editor, Inker is another Illustrator alternative that you can get for free. It holds a wide range of impressive features for drawing and illustrating. With this free software, you can create logos, fonts, comics, paintings, and many more. Its features include tools to craft precision shapes, smooth lines, layer arrangements, color management, and many others.

Inker has one of the lowest learning curves that you can launch the app and use it right away. You can export your completed files into an EPS or SVG format or import them to another graphics editor to convert them to the file type of your choice.

Pros

• Operates on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, and ChromeOS
• Offers great tutorials on its Help section
• Advanced illustrating and drawing tools

Cons

• Not recommended for those who require a diverse file range

10. Linearity

Considered by many as one of the top free vector design tools, Linearity—formerly known as Vectornator—is celebrated as “the design tool of the future.” It is a powerful design platform created by artists to help fellow artists. They aim to empower artists by incorporating tools that best unleash their creativity without breaking the bank.

With simplicity and usability in mind, Linearity features a sleek, modern interface optimized for Apple devices. This Illustrator alternative offers powerful tools for crafting UI designs, logos, banners, social media graphics, and more. With AI-powered enhancements, seamless cross-device syncing, and support for industry-standard formats, it’s a go-to solution for designers seeking flexibility, precision, and creative freedom.

Pros

• Comes with a quick access menu that includes emojis
• Compatible with Adobe Creative Cloud and Illustrator
• Supports a multitude of file import and export options

Cons

• Some features are locked behind a paywall

How Penji Can Help You with Your Illustrator Concerns

As you can see from this list of free Illustrator alternatives, finding one that will suit your business is still an overwhelming and complicated task. There are some that require your utmost attention due to the high learning curve. And there are those that you need to pay for to get the best features.

Conclusion

Instead of searching high and low for the best Illustrator alternative, why not work with Penji? We are an unlimited graphic design service that gives you as many designs as possible at a fixed, monthly rate. While it’s not free, for a minimal price, all you’ll have to do is write a design brief and let our Illustrator experts do the rest.

Watch our demo video here or request your first design by clicking on this link.