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Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard vector graphics software known for its powerful tools and capabilities. However, its steep learning curve, high cost, and subscription-only pricing model lead many to seek out alternatives. Fortunately, there are several impressive vector programs available for Mac, many of which come close to matching Illustrator‘s functionality at a lower cost or even for free.
Whether you‘re a professional designer looking to jump ship from Adobe‘s Creative Cloud, a beginner wanting to learn vector illustration without the high cost of entry, or a hobbyist in search of a capable but low-cost tool, these are the best Adobe Illustrator alternatives for Mac in 2025:
Top Paid Adobe Illustrator Alternatives for Mac
1. Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer is the go-to Illustrator alternative for many professional designers and illustrators. Fully optimized for Mac, this powerful vector graphics editor offers near feature parity with Illustrator for a very reasonable one-time price.
Key features include advanced vector tools, raster textures and brushes, artboards, symbols, constraints, text and image handling, and robust exporting options. With a smart, intuitive interface and exceptional performance even when working with complex documents, Affinity Designer is up to almost any graphic design task.
While it has a bit of a learning curve, Affinity Designer is easier to learn and use than Illustrator overall. Downsides include slightly less advanced typography options and no plugin/scripting support. But at $69.99 for a perpetual license, it‘s an unbeatable value.
Best for: Professional designers and illustrators looking for an affordable, fully-featured Illustrator alternative.
2. Sketch
Sketch is a vector graphics editor built specifically for digital product and UI/UX designers. While not a direct replacement for Illustrator, Sketch shines when it comes to web and app design workflows.
Sketch was one of the first design tools to introduce artboards, symbols, and other features now common in many vector programs. It has useful tools for wireframing, prototyping, collaboration, and handoff. Sketch also has an extensive library of plugins to extend its capabilities.
On the downside, Sketch is really optimized for UI/UX work rather than print and other types of design. So it‘s not ideal if you need a general-purpose vector program to replace Illustrator. Sketch costs $99/year for a subscription.
Best for: UI/UX and digital product designers, especially those working solo or on small teams.
3. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
CorelDRAW is a full-featured graphic design program that‘s been around nearly as long as Illustrator. The latest version is a powerful, professional-grade vector illustration and page layout tool.
In terms of vector drawing and editing, CorelDRAW is very comparable to Illustrator. It has a massive toolset, advanced path editing, variable-width strokes, mesh fills, custom guides, and many other precision tools. CorelDRAW also includes raster texture tools, photo editing, font management, and multipage layout features.
One unique CorelDRAW feature is "LiveSketch," which uses AI to optimize and refine hand-drawn strokes made with a graphics tablet. While it takes time to learn and has an outdated UI, CorelDRAW is a solid option for those looking for a full creative suite. A perpetual license costs $549 (upgrades $349) or you can subscribe for $249/year.
Best for: Experienced designers needing a complete, professional-level vector graphics and page layout solution.
4. Vectornator
Vectornator is an up-and-coming vector design program built exclusively for Apple platforms. Available for macOS and iOS, Vectornator packs a lot of power and functionality into a remarkably intuitive and beginner-friendly interface.
Well-designed tools make it easy to create complex vector shapes, logos, and illustrations. Auto Trace converts sketches or images into vector paths. Artboards and grid systems help with layout. Brushes, masking, and image transformation add creative flexibility. And everything can be synced across Mac and iOS devices via iCloud.
While not as robust as Illustrator or Affinity Designer, Vectornator is an impressive program considering it‘s completely free. Occasional crashes and lack of CMYK support are the main drawbacks. But for hobbyists and beginners, Vectornator is an excellent choice.
Best for: Vector illustration beginners, students, and hobbyists wanting an approachable but capable free program.
5. EazyDraw
EazyDraw is a vector drawing and diagramming application designed to be an easy-to-use alternative to Illustrator and CorelDRAW. It doesn‘t have all the same features as those programs but aims to cover the majority of what most users need.
EazyDraw‘s interface is reminiscent of older versions of Illustrator but with some unique customizations to improve usability. It offers a good selection of vector editing tools and path operations, along with libraries of clipart, templates, and symbols.
While it falls short of Illustrator for professional design work, EazyDraw may offer just the right amount of functionality for business graphics, logos, diagrams, and other everyday vector needs. Licenses start at $95.
Best for: Business users and non-designers needing a lower-cost, easy-to-learn vector program for basic graphics.
Top Free Adobe Illustrator Alternatives for Mac
6. Inkscape
Inkscape is a popular free and open source vector graphics editor. It runs on Mac as well as Windows and Linux and offers a surprising amount of functionality for a free program.
Inkscape has a comprehensive set of vector editing tools, including advanced path operations, node editing, text on a path, and SVG support. It can be extended with plugins and has robust documentation and tutorials available.
The main downsides of Inkscape are its cluttered interface and lack of good print/PDF export options. Performance can also be sluggish at times. But for a free, community-supported vector editor, Inkscape is quite capable.
Best for: Anyone needing a free, full-featured vector editor and willing to spend some time learning it.
7. Gravit Designer
Gravit Designer is a sleek, modern vector editor that runs online in a web browser or as a desktop app. The online version is free to use, while the Pro version adds offline access, advanced export options, and unlimited cloud storage for $49/year.
Gravit was designed to be very user friendly while still offering a robust toolset. It has an uncluttered UI with thoughtfully designed vector editing, path, and text tools. Everything is synced automatically to the cloud. One nice touch is the inclusion of CMYK and spot color support, even in the free version.
Being a newer program, Gravit lacks some advanced features and can be buggy at times. But it‘s one of the more polished and intuitive free vector editors available.
Best for: Beginners looking for a modern, web-based vector editor with strong core features and an easy-to-learn interface.
8. Vectr
Vectr is another free, web-based vector graphics editor that can also be installed as a desktop app. It has an intentionally simple, streamlined interface that makes jumping into vector design easy for beginners.
While it doesn‘t match the power of Illustrator, Vectr‘s tools cover the basics well, with support for complex paths, text editing, multiple pages, and simple layering. Everything is auto-synced to the cloud. Vectr also has built-in collaboration features for easy sharing and feedback.
Downsides include lack of advanced tools and features, occasional bugs and performance issues, and limited export options. But for simple vector graphics and casual users, Vectr gets the job done.
Best for: Beginners wanting a very simple, web-based vector editor for basic graphics. Collaboration features are a nice bonus.
9. Boxy SVG
Boxy SVG is an open source vector graphics editor for Mac and other platforms built around SVG editing and animating. It‘s a unique option best suited for web graphics or simple illustrations.
Boxy SVG aims to provide a simple but capable set of vector drawing and editing tools with good SVG compatibility. You can create complex shapes, paths, and text and optimize the code for web use. Boxy also supports basic SVG animations.
However, Boxy SVG lacks many features and tools you‘d expect from a general-purpose vector program. The interface can feel clunky and takes some getting used to. And while the core tools work decently, the program overall feels a bit unpolished. Still, as a free, SVG-focused Mac editor, it‘s a viable option.
Best for: Web designers and developers needing a free tool for creating and editing SVG graphics and animations.
Other Adobe Illustrator Alternatives to Consider
There are a few other alternatives that, while not direct replacements for Illustrator, are worth mentioning for certain use cases:
Canva: This hugely popular online design platform includes basic vector editing tools that work for simple graphics. While nowhere near as advanced as Illustrator, Canva is very easy to use and offers a huge library of templates, stock imagery, and design assets.
Figma: Mainly focused on UI/UX design, Figma has robust vector editing tools that can be used for illustration work. Teams may already be using Figma for web/app design, making it a convenient option.
SVG-Edit: This simple, web-based editor is limited to working with basic SVG shapes and text. But it‘s free, open source, and can be useful for quick SVG tweaks and edits.
Conclusion
For professional illustrators and designers, Affinity Designer is the clear front runner thanks to its solid feature set and affordable price. Sketch is ideal for UI/UX designers, while CorelDRAW offers a complete graphic design suite.
Hobby users and beginners are well served by the free Vectornator, which offers an impressive amount of functionality in a user-friendly package. Inkscape is a powerful free option with a steeper learning curve, while web-based Gravit Designer and Vectr provide easy, free options for basic vector needs.
Ultimately, the best Adobe Illustrator alternative depends on your specific needs, budget, and experience level. Those unsure where to start should take advantage of free options or free trials of paid programs to test drive different interfaces and toolsets. Chances are, one of these capable vector programs will end up being the ideal Illustrator alternative for you.