Sketch Vs Illustrator: Which Do You Need?
Adobe Illustrator vs Sketch: which should you use?
For many years, Adobe has been the leader in creative software for all types of graphic and digital design. Ever since 1988, Illustrator has dominated with its vector-creating features, and now it’s apart of the much larger Adobe Creative Cloud Suite.
Until recently, these programs were used universally by professional design departments. Now there are new programs, such as Sketch.
Sketch vs Illustrator
In 2006, Sketch launched its own graphic design program and has established itself in digital design ever since. In fact, some even believe that it is better than Photoshop and Illustrator. But is that really true?
For certain applications, Illustrator still reigns supreme, but Sketch has many of the same tools and is cheaper than Adobe’s much larger price tag.
What is Sketch?
Sketch is a digital design tool that uses vector-based editing software to create beautiful designs for UIs, mobile layouts, web, and icons.
If you have been using Photoshop or Illustrator for this kind of work, you should know that Sketch is capable of replacing both applications. However, the big downfall is that it’s only available to those designers who work on Mac systems. It won’t work natively with Windows.
One thing to think about before getting into the details is how Sketch and Illustrator work.
While they are both vector graphic software applications, Sketch is faster for digital designers who want to create wireframes with intuitive user experiences. In that way, creating a UX mockup in Sketch is much faster, but, it can also be done in Illustrator.
Since both applications use vectors instead of pixels, you don’t use either program the same way as something like Photoshop or GIMP. These programs are designed to create precise layouts that have high resolution.
Sketch Pros and Cons
Here are some of the pros and cons of using Sketch for design.
Pros of Sketch
- Sketch is better if you own a Mac and want to create digital layouts
- Best for UI design
- Best for mobile designs
- Creates and duplicates vectors rather quickly, perfect for icon design
Cons of Sketch
- Only works for Mac computers
- No photo-editing features
- No integration with other Adobe programs
Should You Use Sketch Or Illustrator?
Are you wondering when Illustrator is better than Sketch?
Illustrator is still the go-to platform for creating high resolution vectors and native designs. In addition, Illustrator is better for the advanced designer who has to work with other programs like InDesign and Photoshop as part of their daily routine.
Take a look at these Sketch courses & tutorials for more info:
Sketch Vs Illustrator
Sketch is mainly a program for creating UIs if you have a Mac. If you want to minimize repetitive design tasks, such as building icons or banner ads in bulk, then Sketch has some significant advantages.
However, it probably wouldn’t be the best application if you are simply wanting a vector creation tool for t-shirt designs, logos, and other complex vectors. While you can use it for these applications, there are still more tools available in Illustrator.
![]() | Adobe Illustrator |
| View Latest Price |
![]() | Adobe Photoshop |
| View Latest Price |
![]() | Adobe Creative Cloud |
| View Latest Price |
Other posts in this series:
(Please note: This post contains affiliate links. Read our full disclosure policy here.)