Adobe Illustrator is the industry-leading vector design software. It's powerful, precise, and available for both Windows and macOS. But the problem is: not everyone wants or needs the full Creative Cloud subscription, which is expensive.

So many people have turned to looking for alternatives to Adobe Illustrator. Today, there are many websites or software similar to Adobe Illustrator, some of which can be run directly in your browser. Next, let's learn more about illustrator online alternatives.

A direct comparison of vector graphics software

Here’s a quick comparison of the top tools for easy reference:

Best Illustrator Online Alternatives for Different Users

Here are a few great tools that I've personally used and tested, each with a different focus and suitable for different users and scenarios.

1. Figma: The King of Team Collaboration and UI/UX Design Figma

While Figma is known for interface and user experience design, at its core it is an extremely powerful vector editor and my preferred Adobe Illustrator online alternative for my daily work.

Advantages:

Real-time collaboration: Figma's key advantage, supporting multiple people to edit files at the same time, viewing member cursors and operations, and real-time communication thru comments;
Component and style system: Icons, buttons, and other elements can be set as "master components," and all of their instances will be automatically updated as the master component is modified, efficiently maintaining the design consistency of large projects;
Auto Layout: Element groups (such as button lists) can automatically adjust spacing and size according to the content. The layout intelligently responds when items are added or text is changed, adapting to scenarios with frequent modifications.
Prototyping: After the design is completed, you can directly create a clickable prototype to simulate the real application process without switching to other tools.

Best used for:

• UI/UX design for websites and applications
• Team projects, design system construction
• Icon design, flowcharts and wireframes
• Any design project that requires frequent demonstrations and feedback

💰Pricing model: Free to start, and the free version is already quite feature-rich for individuals and small teams. The Pro version is priced per editor.

2. Vectr: Best for beginners and quick tasks

If you're new to vector design or just need to make a quick, simple edit, Vectr is a perfect, no-fuss illustrator online alternative.

Advantages:

Minimal learning curve, you can understand how it works in minutes and start drawing basic shapes and paths.
Live URL sharing allows you to view your designs directly in the browser and provide feedback. This simplifies the review process for clients or colleagues.
In addition to the online version, there is also a desktop client (Windows and Mac), and your work can be synchronized across all platforms.

Best used for:

• Getting Started with Vector Design
• Quickly create simple charts, diagrams, or social media images
• Simple projects that need to be shared and get feedback quickly

💰Pricing model: Completely free. No hidden fees, no premium plans.

3. Canva: Quick & Easy Design Platform

Canva is not a traditional professional vector editor (e.g., you cannot freely edit anchor points and paths), but it is undoubtedly the most practical and efficient website similar to Adobe Illustrator for the vast majority of non-design professionals (in terms of achieving the ultimate output goal).

Key advantages:

Massive template design: Canva has millions of professional design templates, covering almost all scenarios such as social media, presentations, posters, resumes, etc. You don't need to start from scratch.
Huge library of assets: Built-in access to millions of photos, illustrations, icons, fonts, and video clips. Most are free to use.
Drag-and-drop operation: True WYSIWYG. You only need to drag the elements to the canvas and adjust the text to complete the design. Almost no learning is required.
Brand Kit: Paid users can save their brand fonts, colors, and logos to ensure all designs are on-brand.

Best used for:

• Social media images, posters, fliers
• Presentations, infographics
• Simple logo and business card design (using provided elements)
• Any task that requires high-quality visual content to be produced quickly

💰Pricing model: The free version is already very powerful. Canva Pro offers more premium stock and features, such as background removal and animation.

4. Gravit Designer: The full-featured professional

This is perhaps the closest you'll get to the desktop Illustrator experience in a vector editor online alternative. It was originally called Gravit Designer, before being acquired by Corel and integrated as Corel Vector, but its online version remains powerful and independent.

Advantages:

It's extremely comprehensive, with most of the tools you're familiar with from Illustrator.
It provides online, desktop (Mac, Windows, Linux) and browser extension versions with exactly the same functions. Your projects are synced via the cloud, so you can continue working on them from any device.
Suitable for multi-page documents and multi-screen size design.

Best used for:

• Vector illustrations that require high precision and complex functions
• Icon design, brand identity design
• Print material design (CMYK supported)
• Users seeking a near-complete AI replacement

💰Pricing model: A powerful free version is available; the Pro version unlocks more cloud storage and advanced features.

5. Inkscape: A Gem of the Open Source Community

Inkscape is a flagship of the open source software world. It's a desktop application, but its power and free price tag mean it must be mentioned in any discussion of Illustrator alternatives.

Advantages:

Completely free and open source, no need to worry about licenses and subscription fees.
Inkscape is deeply focused on the SVG format, and provides very fine tools such as "node editing" and "bitmap tracing".
Flexible path manipulation is essential for creating complex shapes.

Best used for:

• Professional or amateur designers on a strict zero budget
• Developers or technical designers who need to work with SVG files in depth
• Logo design and technical chart drawing

💰Pricing model: Completely free.

6. Boxy SVG: A Minimalist and Focused SVG Expert

Boxy SVG focuses on SVG editing, with an extremely minimalist interface and lightning-fast operation. It's a great single-purpose vector editor online alternative.

The interface is clean, and it opens and edits files very quickly.
Perfect SVG code interaction.
In addition to the online version, it is also available as a Chrome app and a Mac/Windows desktop app.

Best used for:

• Webpage icon and interface element design
• Projects that need to deal with SVG code directly
• Users who pursue the ultimate simplicity and fast editing

💰Pricing model: The online version has limited functions; the desktop version can be purchased with a one-time payment to obtain full functions.

7. Lunacy: Sketch File Viewer for UI Designers

Lunacy was originally created to open .sketch files natively on Windows, but has since evolved into a fully-fledged illustrator online alternative, with a particular focus on UI design.

Advantages:

No need to convert, directly process Sketch files on Windows.
Built-in AI features such as AI image enlargement, background removal, and text generation.
It provides a large number of icons, pictures and UI kits, which can be used for commercial purposes free of charge.

Best used for:

• UI/UX designers on Windows (who need to collaborate with Mac users using Sketch)
• Designers who need to quickly obtain design resources and use AI-assisted design

💰Pricing model: Core functions are completely free; AI functions are charged on demand.

8. Pixlr: A familiar Photoshop-like Experience

Pixlr is best known for its online photo editor (similar to Photoshop), but its Pixlr Vector module offers a very intuitive Adobe Illustrator online alternative.

Advantages:

Friendly user interface, low learning cost.
A large number of customizable templates, perfect for quickly starting projects.
Easily switch between vector and raster editing.

Best used for:

• Users transitioning from Photoshop
• Need to quickly create social media images, posters, and simple graphics

💰Pricing model: Free version has ads and watermarks; subscription removes limitations and unlocks more resources.

9. Janvas: A Potential Stock for Interactive Vector Animation

Janvas is a relatively niche but unique vector editor online alternative that focuses on creating interactive vector graphics and animations, and can directly output HTML5/CSS3/JS code.

Advantages:

Easily add simple mouse events and animations to vector elements to create interactive graphics on the web.
Export your designs directly as clean code for your web projects.
Powerful gradients and filters.

Best used for:

• Create web banners, interactive infographics
• Developers or designers who want to convert vector designs directly into web code

💰Pricing model: Feature-based free trial; full use requires subscription.

FAQ about the Adobe Illustrator Online Alternative

Q1: With so many choices, how can I choose the one that suits me best? I'm confused.

A: First, you need to clarify your needs, and choose it from:

• The team does UI/UX → directly choose Figma.
• If you are looking for an all-round professional tool that is most similar to AI, choose Corel Vector.
• Zero budget and need powerful features → choose Inkscape for desktop, choose Vectr for simple online editing.
• For web icons and SVG code → Boxy SVG.
• If you are not a designer and want to be fast and save trouble → choose Canva.

Q2: If I'm used to Illustrator, will it be difficult to switch to these online tools? Is the learning cost high?

A: The interface layout and tool logic of Corel Vector and Figma are very similar to Illustrator (such as layers, pen tools, and pathfinders), so you will feel very familiar and the transition will be relatively smooth. Canva or Vectr are simpler and more intuitive, with almost no learning cost, but you may need to change your thinking from "drawing yourself" to "combining and adjusting".

Q3: Do these tools support mobile (iPad/Android) use?

A: Figma and Canva have excellent mobile apps, mainly used for viewing, commenting and simple editing.

Vectr and Boxy SVG may have basic usage experience on the browser of the tablet.

Corel Vector and Lunacy are more focused on the desktop and online, and the mobile support is weak.

Inkscape is strictly desktop software.

If you rely primarily on mobile devices for your creative work, Figma and Canva are currently the best experiences.

Q4: Can I easily hand off files I export from these tools to printers or colleagues who use Illustrator?

A: This is a key part of collaboration. The best common formats are PDF and SVG. Almost all tools support exporting to high-quality PDF. SVG is the universal language of vectors, and it is also very compatible.

While many tools support importing and exporting .ai files, there can be compatibility issues as mentioned earlier. The safest approach is to confirm the best file format (usually PDF) with the other party before the project starts, and conduct a small sample test.

Conclusion

Through the detailed review of this article, we clearly understand the characteristics of Adobe Illustrator online alternatives. From the team collaboration artifact Figma, the full-featured professional choice Corel Vector, to the zero-threshold entry tool Vectr and the content creation accelerator Canva, each vector editor online alternative has its own unique positioning and advantages.

Don't get stuck on a single piece of software, choose the one that best suits your workflow and creative needs.