Inkscape 1.3 VS Affinity Designer 2.1 - 2023 Comparison

Which vector editing software is right for you? In this 12 points comparison, I do a brief review of Inkscape vs. Affinity Designer Both of these programs are great for making vector art, but each one has its own strengths and weaknesses.

#affinitydesigner #inkscape #vectorgraphics

[ComradeHaz]

I use both, they make up for each others shortcomings, and I can copy and paste between the two. I donate to inkscape to support.

[geoffphil]

Inkscape is my favourite piece of software. Brilliant, packed with features. I even use it instead of Word because it is so powerful.

[ernestomartinez]

Thanks for the video. I've been using Inkscape for about a years now. I'm suffering serious crashes lately, and I'm looking for alternatives.

[martinh]

My major beef with Affinity Designer is that it isn't even feature complete with the much older Serif DrawPlus X8. That had auto trace, a blend tool, vector patterns, stencils and a load of other cool features *still* missing from AD 8 years later.

[UliTroyo]

Great video! I've been finding using this version of Affinity Designer on iPad has been buggy with the Apple Pencil, so I actually switched to Vectornator. I still use Designer on desktop, although I'm now curious about Inkscape's auto trace.

[Mithferion]

From someone who loves both applications, for me, personally:

1. Pixel Persona: I use it rarely, but when I do it I don't use the Vector Persona, it's convenient that it's there but I could use another program if it weren't there

2. Autotrace: I've used it like 10 times in my life. Not really something I miss

3. Shape Builder Tool. Both have some nice additions to the one seen in Illustrator, but Inkscape leaves a lot of Nodes in the end result. Hope they improve itThe one in Designer has some little glitches here and there but works mostly well

4. Price. For sure, Inkscape brings a lot of value to people that can't afford buying Software. It's great that it's there, specially it it helps them personally with their finances

5. Patterns. I nly designe some patterns in my life, so no need for it

6. CMYK. Hope it gets added to Inkscape, it will provide more value for those thay may use to earn money

7. User Interface. I modify the default UI for both of them. So I guess that says that I'm not entirely happy with the Development Teams decisions but well... I only hope that they Add the Icon option that Adope Products have for their Panels. That's handy

8. Linux. I love it

9. Tutorials. Love the people that teaches for free

10. iPad. I don't own nor plan to own one. I don't see myself using one for design work

11. Distribute. I mssed the Panel at first when using Affinity Designer, but the "on canvas alignment" that both of them have made me forget about that

12. Family. Yes, a suite of applications is also handy if you do work of that kind (DTP, Raster and Vector editing)

I hope the best for both.

What I'd like to see:

For Inkscape:

- Better performance
- Tabbed Documents
- A better Bucket Tool
- Knife Tool
- Eraser Tool

For Designer:

- Something like the Freeform Gradients
- The Icon thing for Panels
- Eraser Tool

P. S.: Loved the Family joke, hahaha

[orphydiancg]

Can you do a comparison between the Align and distribute functions only between these two and possibly get Illustrator in the mix too!

[hipflipped]

Inkscape 1.3 has full page features now (Multiple linked pages / margins / bleeds / can be exported to PDF/etc.)

[LVEVR]

Really liking the 1.3 updates in Inkscape, but getting pretty frequent crashes so far. Hopefully that'll get worked out soon.

[johnllegar]

I like both Programs. I hope Affinity make more functions. Inkscape have amazing functions.

[healthfitness]

I love inkscape ... path effect is awesome it's a powerful software

[mikoajneronowicz]

Cool comparison! I liked everything except the part about it being hard for you to imagine that a graphic designer can use Linux as his sytem. I for 2 years only used Linux as a professional graphic designer. Admittedly mostly Blender for 3d graphics and animation, but I also did projects in Inkscape and Scribus.

[sidathramesh]

Does Inkscape 1.3 support CMYK colour space?

[wilfthebison]

I hope Affinity can keep making progress, they still have some catching up to do.

[csmemarketing]

Great video. As for people using Linux for Graphic design as non-existent, I would disagree. It may depend on your experience, but if you're a very experienced Graphic designer, who wants to leave the Adobe Ecosystem, and have less worries about your computer slowing down or getting viruses, then Linux is the way to go, for all design tasks.

When I first came to linux full-time in 2009, we still didn't have good Video editors or VFX software yet, except for Blender.
Now, we can replace the Entire Adobe creative Suite with Open Source software alone. Plus your computer runs so much faster with the same hardware than on Windows, and Mac.

It's because Linux isn't as mainstream, but things are changing as Valve and their SteamDeck has brought significant attention to Linux, just as System76 with PopOS, which I now use.

I use Inkscape for my own agency work, and Adobe Illustrator for my day-job work. Inkscape is just as good, and in some ways better than Illustrator. I would love to try Affinity, but I just despise using Windows for work. Only love it for gaming.

But hey, I would recommend people switch from Adobe to Affinity if you're in the print Industry and absolutely need CMYK.
I'm in the print Industry and Linux is just fine for anything I need to produce physically.

[philou]

Why designer vs inkscape? I bought designer along with inkscape. The duo costs €70, which you pay once, compared with Illustrator at €24/month. Do you know what I think? Well, using two programs covers all the possibilities of Illustrator, all for much less. That's the only thing you need to remember, and what's more, printing professionals are increasingly demanding PDFs, so the ai format is nearing the end of its useful life.

[InteractiveDNA]

Affinity Designer is not one time pay, you must pay for future upgrades.

[Ziplock]

Inkscape's UI is still awful. It's like a 1990's app. That includes 1.3.