Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Adobe Illustrator VS FontStruct

Compare Adobe Illustrator VS FontStruct and see what are their differences

Adobe Illustrator logo Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor.

FontStruct logo FontStruct

FontStruct. Build, Share, Download Fonts
  • Adobe Illustrator Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-15
  • FontStruct Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-28

Adobe Illustrator features and specs

  • Vector Graphics
    Illustrator allows for the creation of infinitely scalable graphics without loss of quality, making it ideal for logos, icons, and other detailed illustrations.
  • Precision
    The program offers precision drawing tools, providing exact control over shapes, lines, and text, which is essential for professional work.
  • Integrations
    Seamlessly integrates with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications, enhancing workflow efficiency among platforms like Photoshop, InDesign, and After Effects.
  • Extensive Toolset
    Adobe Illustrator features a vast array of tools and features that cater to various design needs, from simple sketches to complex illustrations.
  • Regular Updates
    Adobe regularly updates Illustrator, introducing new features, improving performance, and enhancing user experience.
  • Industry Standard
    As an industry-standard tool, Adobe Illustrator is widely recognized and used by professionals, making it an essential skill for graphic designers.

Possible disadvantages of Adobe Illustrator

  • Cost
    Adobe Illustrator is subscription-based software, which can become costly over time, especially for hobbyists or small businesses.
  • Complexity
    The software has a steep learning curve with many features and tools that can be overwhelming for beginners.
  • Performance
    Illustrator can be resource-intensive, requiring a powerful computer to run smoothly, which might be a limitation for those with older hardware.
  • Subscription Model
    The subscription-only model can be a disadvantage for users who prefer a one-time purchase rather than ongoing payments.
  • Limited Raster Capabilities
    While excellent for vector graphics, Illustrator's capabilities for raster images are limited compared to software like Adobe Photoshop.
  • User Interface
    New users might find the user interface to be cluttered and less intuitive, which can complicate the initial learning process.

FontStruct features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    FontStruct offers a highly intuitive, browser-based interface that makes creating custom fonts accessible even for beginners.
  • Free to Use
    The platform is completely free, providing a cost-effective way to design and share custom fonts.
  • Community and Sharing
    FontStruct boasts an active community where users can share their creations and find inspiration from others' work.
  • Ease of Export
    Once a font is created, it can be easily exported in TTF (TrueType Font) format for use on various platforms.
  • Pre-made Shapes
    The platform includes a large library of pre-made shapes and components, simplifying the font creation process.

Possible disadvantages of FontStruct

  • Limited Design Tools
    FontStruct is based on a modular, grid-based system, which can limit the complexity and creativity of the fonts you can create.
  • Web-based Performance Limitations
    Because it is a web-based tool, performance may suffer on slower internet connections or less powerful computers.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    Professional typographers may find FontStruct lacking in advanced features found in high-end font design software.
  • Dependency on Browser
    As a web application, users are dependent on their browsers for functionality and may encounter compatibility issues.
  • Lack of Direct Technical Support
    While the community can offer help, official, direct technical support options are minimal compared to paid software.

Analysis of Adobe Illustrator

Overall verdict

  • Adobe Illustrator is generally regarded as one of the best vector graphic design tools available due to its extensive features, reliability, and continuous updates from Adobe. However, it may have a steep learning curve for beginners and is relatively expensive, which might be limiting for those with budget constraints.

Why this product is good

  • Adobe Illustrator is considered a powerful vector graphics editor widely used by professionals for creating logos, icons, drawings, typography, and complex illustrations. It offers a comprehensive set of tools and features, including precision drawing tools, advanced color management options, gradient effects, and support for large canvas sizes. It also integrates seamlessly with other Adobe products, allowing for a smooth workflow for professionals who rely on the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem.

Recommended for

  • Graphic designers focusing on vector illustrations.
  • Professional artists working on branding projects.
  • Designers who require precise and scalable graphics.
  • Users who need seamless integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps.

Adobe Illustrator videos

Adobe Illustrator CC 2019 NEW Features!

More videos:

  • Review - Adobe Illustrator Draw with iPad Pro & Apple Pencil | Adobe Creative Cloud

FontStruct videos

Fontstruct Advanced Tutorial

More videos:

  • Tutorial - FontStruct Intro and Tutorial
  • Review - Intro to Fontstruct

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Adobe Illustrator and FontStruct)
Graphic Design Software
Design Tools
80 80%
20% 20
Image Editing
100 100%
0% 0
Image Marketplace
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Adobe Illustrator and FontStruct

Adobe Illustrator Reviews

  1. peterhorne

    Adobe Illustrator is my go to tool for creating professional vector graphics. The precision and flexibility are unmatched.

    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Excellent for scalable vector artwork|A wide range of tools
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Price is too high.

10 Best Photopea Software Alternatives in 2024 (Free & Paid)
When you want to make images, icons, illustrations, or logos, Adobe Illustrator is one of the best Photopea alternatives. It helps artists make designs, work together, and share them in various forms. It includes features like pattern creation, perspective drawing, and the ability to turn sketches into polished designs.
10 Best Adobe Illustrator Alternatives
Adobe is without a doubt the industry standard for graphic design, and Adobe Illustrator is one of the most popular.
6 Best Free Adobe Illustrator Alternatives For Designers
Adobe Illustrator has been the best friend for many graphics designers while creating vector graphics. But as it is an expensive tool, designers usually look for less expensive or free alternatives especially when their needs are simple. Thus, hereby presenting before you the best free Adobe Illustrator alternatives that can prove as brilliant picks especially when you have...
Source: wethegeek.com
The best free Adobe Illustrator vector alternatives in 2022
The best vector editor overall is Adobe Illustrator CC (opens in new tab) If you're a professional designer or illustrator, there's no beating the industry standard vector editing software. Adobe Illustrator is available as a standalone app, or as part of the Creative Cloud suite along with Photoshop, Lightroom and much more. Whether you're creating app icons or billboards,...
10 Best Procreate Alternatives For Windows & Mac [Top Picks]
The best vector and graphic designing software and the best Procreate alternatives for Windows is hands down, Adobe Illustrator. This is the most well known and most used software in the designing arena. It has an impressive collection of colors and gradients along with some designing tools, typographies, and other advanced tools and features up on its sleeves.
Source: fixingport.com

FontStruct Reviews

13 of the Best Font Sites
FontStruct is a little different from other free font websites. It has both free fonts available for download, but it also enables a designer to create their own font if needed. Users can browse their font library for choices but can also use their tool to design a font if needed and tweak the font size as needed.
10+ Best Places to Find Free Fonts
FontStruct is actually a font building tool that allows you to create your own fonts with geometrical shapes. The tool generates TrueType fonts using your designs that can be used with any app and for any kind of work you want.
Source: designshack.net
20 Best Font Websites To Get Free Fonts Online
FontStruct is a free tool for creating fonts. Create your fonts with the FontStructor editor and share them with other users to download. You can also pick from a variety of available fonts, with more being added regularly.
Source: adsterra.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, FontStruct seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 37 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Adobe Illustrator mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Adobe Illustrator yet. Tracking of Adobe Illustrator recommendations started around Mar 2021.

FontStruct mentions (37)

  • A few interesting modern pixel fonts
    A few different resources with various ways to go about it, one of which may be near what you were hoping for: - FontStruct: https://fontstruct.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Fran Sans โ€“ font inspired by San Francisco light rail displays
    Check out https://fontstruct.com/ and https://glyphdrawing.club/ for a few editors that work this way (i made glyphdrawing.club). But please make one for this! - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Help finding a font similar to this from early Pokemon games?
    If you wanted to find pixel fonts, I suggest you going to FontStruct and find one. A lot of people make pixel fonts there and I'm sure you'll eventually find the one that you liked. If you want one quickly, try RomByte, I made that on that FontStruct site, too. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Those of you who have created a writing system for your conlang and also made it for your keyboard so that you can write with it on the computer, can you showcase it? And can you share how you went about creating it on the computer?
    I know about FontStruct (https://fontstruct.com/) and maybe you do too, but personally I don't really like it in the sense that it's not very intuitive and even making curves is pretty complicated. Would you have any sites/software (free if possible) to recommend for creating decent characters? As well as sites/software that can be used to create your own keyboard? Source: about 3 years ago
  • Can I make a TTF-Font without paying money?
    Fontstruct.com - it'll let you make fonts from predetermined shapes and export as a TTF. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Adobe Illustrator and FontStruct, you can also consider the following products

Sketch - Professional digital design for Mac.

FontForge - Free (libre) font editor for Windows, Mac OS X and GNU+Linux

Inkscape - Inkscape is a free, open source professional vector graphics editor for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

BirdFont - Birdfont is a free font editor which lets you create vector graphics and export TTF, OTF, EOT and...

Adobe Photoshop - Adobe Photoshop is a webtop application for editing images and photos online.

FontCreator - This professional font editor allows you to create and edit TrueType and OpenType fonts.