Sketch 3 vs Adobe Illustrator
The last few years have seen a couple of graphic and web design competitors spring up as they look to go toe-to-toe with perhaps the biggest name in the design industry, Adobe. At the forefront of this campaign is Sketch, which has been endorsed by top design professionals at the some of the biggest companies in the world such as Facebook, Google, Dropbox, PayPal and the list keeps going on and on.
Even though, one can make the argument why one is better than the other and vice versa, it is always worth looking at the advantages and disadvantages each posses. Let’s say you are not a fan of the subscription model offered by Adobe, then it only makes sense for you to consider Sketch as your primary option as you will only be dishing out a one-time fee (just like I did). As someone who has made use of both applications, I will point out some of the pros and cons to help you select the best choice.
Adobe Illustrator Advantages
- File Formats: Adobe Illustrator supports a whopping 30 file formats (see here) which is more than double that of Sketch.
- Operating Systems: Illustrator runs on both Windows and MAC. This is a plus, considering the fact that not every designer owns a MAC.
- Ecosystem: The Adobe Creative Suite consists of a couple of other applications such as Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, etc. This basically means that one can switch projects between applications to perform different actions. Adobe Illustrator also works well with Adobe Flash After Effects and Premier, making it usable for film production and motion graphics
Adobe Illustrator Disadvantages
- Subscription Model: Adobe’s subscription model is such a huge turn off (at least for me) and not every designer is too happy about that. If you are looking to save money and not have to pay monthly fees along with your electricity, internet and water bill, then Adobe Illustrator is definitely not for you.
- Ease of Use: Even though Adobe Illustrator is fairly easy to use, it’s no news that some actions are more complex to perform compared to Sketch.
Sketch Advantages
- Versatility: In this area, Sketch really shines. There are just too many features included in Sketch that make you workflow simple and quick.
- Plugins: The ability of being able to make use of plugins makes life easier for you, as a designer. Using plugins helps alleviate the stress of having to perform certain actions repeatedly (one of my favorite has to be Craft by InVision) and so much more.
- Exporting Files: Normally, exporting files in Adobe Illustrator and Sketch is easy, but what about exporting multiple file types at once? Sketch gives you the possibility of exporting different file types with just one click. Exporting different file types simultaneously takes away the hassle of having to export one file type one after the other and saves you time.
- Learning Curve: Depending on how you view Sketch, the question will be, how quickly were you able to grasp it? In my humble opinion, it was easier and quicker for me to understand Sketch, compared to Adobe Illustrator. This could also be attributed to the fact that I was coming off Adobe Illustrator.
Sketch Disadvantages
- Operating Systems: Unfortunately, this is a huge let down for anyone who has seen Sketch on a MAC and would love to have it on a Windows PC. At least for now Sketch is only for MAC owners.
- File Formats: Importing files of various formats are limited, at least for now. Until then Adobe Illustrator gets the nod.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, both application serve the purpose. It all comes down to which works better for you and which you can afford. If you are designer that’s new to any of these applications, I will heavily advice you to go for Sketch. Mainly due to it’s versatility, simplicity and most especially, the fact that you only have to pay a one-time fee. However, if you do not own a MAC, it’s advisable to stick to Adobe Illustrator.
Some may make the argument that Sketch is more difficult to learn due to it’s lack of materials but this wasn’t the case for me. If you are new to Sketch and don’t know where to start, I would suggest watching a couple of tutorials on youtube from Sketch Together’s Sketch 3 Crash Course.
Which of these application would you go for and why?
Let me know :)
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