What is the main difference between photoshop and illustrator?
Photoshop and Illustrator both are designing software but the main difference between them is the graphic type that the applications create. Using illustrator you will create Vector Graphic while Using Photoshop you can create Raster Graphic.
When you embark on your journey to learn designing then you might struggle in choosing the right software for you. Above, I have told you the main difference between Illustrator and Photoshop but if you want to go deeper then there many other aspects that you need to analyze.
In this article, I have explained a detailed study of Photoshop VS Illustrator.
Photoshop Vs Illustrator: Basic Details
| Photoshop | Illustrator | |
| Developer | Adobe Inc | Adobe Inc |
| Compatible Operating System | Windows 10 version 1809 and later; macOS 10.13 and later; iPad 13.1 and later | Windows 10 and macOS 10.12 Sierra and later, iPad 14.0 or later |
| Release Date | 19 February 1990 | 19 March 1987 |
| Free Trial | 7 Day | 7 Day |
| Price |
|
|
| Download Size | Photoshop CS6
|
Illustrator CS6
|
| System Requirements | Photoshop- See Details On Official Website | Illustrator- See details On Official Website |
Also Read: Best Image Enlarger To Enhance Photo Size Without Losing Quality
Difference Between Photoshop and Illustrator: Use Cases / Situations
To understand the difference between Illustrator and Photoshop you need to understand the best use of both tools for different tasks and situations.
As both tools are capable of making almost every type of design, but using the right tool at the right time will make you a better designer.
When to Use Illustrator?
There are tasks when it will be better to use Illustrator-
- If your design includes, lines, Points, shapes, and curves.
- When you make designs for huge banners or regular business cards.
- If the output will be used as printed media like banners.
- Imagine if your design will need more use of pens, inks, and virtual brushes.
- For typography and illustration.
When to Use Photoshop?
Photoshop is preferred when you make photo-based designs and you need to do detailed photo editing. Some of the use cases are-
- Photo retouching.
- Create amazing photo art.
- Manipulate photo lightning.
- Make collages and image composites.
- For detailed shading and coloring.
- Through edits and detailed texture.
- Web designs.
- Photo Editing.
I think now you know what is the difference between Photoshop and Illustrator. If still you can not decide then read next to make your final call.
Photoshop vs Illustrator: The Battle
Here I have explained a metaphorical battle between these tools, let’s see who wins-
When You Want To Create A Logo:
For example, if you want to create a logo then the winner is Illustrator. Because when you create a logo with Illustrator you can resize it without losing quality.
But if you create a logo with Photoshop and resize it later for some reason it will compromise the quality.
Winner: Illustrator (1 Point for Illustrator)
When You Want To Design A WebPage
If you use Illustrator for designing a WebPage then your work will be a lot faster.
Here the symbol panel will give you the advantage because using this panel you can make a library of icons and form elements that you can manipulate and reuse multiple times.
But when you design a webpage you need to consider consistency and responsiveness. That’s why Photoshop wins here by a slight margin.
Winner: Photoshop (2 Points for Photoshop)
When You Want To Create a Graphical Illustration:
If you want to create clean Graphical illustrations then Illustrator is clearly a better choice than Photoshop.
Winner: Illustrator (2 Points for Illustrator)
Photoshop Vs Illustrator: When you Want To Create Posters:
It depends if you want to focus on images then Photoshop is better and if you want to focus on typography and text then Illustrator is better. So, both of them are nice poster maker apps for PC what matters is your client’s needs or your design’s needs.
Winner: Draw (No points)
When You Want To Create A Photo-Based Design
If you want to create a photo-based design then Photoshop is a better choice than Illustrator. Also, Photoshop is considered one of the best photo editing tools.
Which is Better to design Wireframe and Sketching?
You can make Sketches and Wireframes with any of the tools. But if you use Illustrator then it will be easier and faster to make these designs.
In illustrator, you can reuse, manipulate and resize components more conveniently without losing the quality.
Winner: Illustrator (3 points for Illustrator)
Price: Photoshop Vs Illustrator:
The pricing for Photoshop and Illustrator are the same-
- Monthly: $31.49/mo
- Yearly: $239.88/yr
You can cancel the purchase within 14 days.
Also, both of the tools provide a 7-day free trial
Winner: Draw (No Points)
The Final Winner of The Battle:
The Final Winner of the battle is Illustrator which won the battle by 3-2.
After the result of this battle, you can decide on your favorite tool and know the difference between Photoshop and Illustrator.
Also Read: Top 9 Best Software For Photographers
What is the Difference Between The Features of Photoshop and Illustrator:
The features vary according to the operating systems. So, here I have described the most basic features of these tools
Photoshop:
- Photoshop 3D
- Selection tools
- Smart Objects
- Pen Tools
- Layers
- Retouching Tools
- Slice Tool
- Shapes
- Vector Mask
Illustrator:
- Logo Design
- Infographic design
- Banner design
- Hand and lettering Design
- Typography font design
- Icon design
- Wallpaper maker
- Chart design
This was the complete analysis for Photoshop vs Illustrator. I hope you know the difference between photoshop and Illustrator. Both of these are very useful software for designers. Each tool is superior, it just depends on the situation you use.
FAQs:
Why do people use Illustrator instead of Photoshop?
Answer: People who want to create print graphics and web graphics prefer Illustrator. On the other hand, Photoshop is better for web designing.
Which is better Photoshop or Illustrator?
Answer: It depends on the task. If your task is to make graphical illustrations then Illustrator is better. And if your task is to make a photo-based design then Photoshop is better.
Why is Photoshop so popular?
Answer: Photoshop is popular because of its capabilities. It is capable of graphic design, digital art, web design, and amazing photo editing features.
Should I use Photoshop or Illustrator to make a poster?
Answer: Illustrator will be better to make posters.
What is Illustrator best used for?
Answer: Illustrator is a nice tool to create business cards, note cards, posters, and flyers.
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Priyanka Sharma is a technical content writer at SoftAppWorld. Her keen interest is in testing different kinds of software and writing reviews about them. Her goal is to help people with software reviews and how-to guides. In her free time, she likes to create different kinds of sketches and designs. You can find her on LinkedIn