Vectornator Review PROS & CONS (2023) – A Free Online Graphic Design Tool For All Your Illustrative Needs

Not long ago, there was a niche group of designers who – actually – understood how to use Adobe software. This marks Adobe’s decades-long reign in the graphic design industry from a graphic design perspective.

However, Adobe’s control over the industry is slowly falling as new software companies, and shifts in vector-based graphic design tools become increasingly advanced and modernized.

Many vector-based and pixel-based design companies have already proven themselves to be serious competitors. In particular, Vectornator, a newer vector-based design tool, infiltrated Apple designer and illustrator users.

The developers created a modern, sleek graphic software with over five million downloads from iOS users. Interestingly, it’s a free application, yet it’s received exceptional user reviews. Now, that’s rare, and in this Vectornator review, we will find out why.

 

Vectornator Review

Vectornator is a multi-platform iOS graphic design software for digital illustrators to create detailed vector graphics.

The program offers a sleek, intuitive, Apple-like user interface (UI) that is easy to use. In addition, the readily available features and tools make it an unbeatable vector design software for beginners and professional designers.

 

 

While the software is powerful, it is instantly unmatched compared to other graphic design software because it’s free. So, rather than paying a one-time hefty monthly or yearly price, designers can jump right into creating responsive logos, posters, web designs, and illustrations.

If you’re unsure what vectors are, they are math-based digital lines, curves, shapes, and points used by illustrators and designers.

Vectors create intuitive images that don’t lose quality when resized. Most designers and illustrators have knowledge or work with vectors, so it’s essential they choose the superior software for their needs.

 

Vectornator Key Features

The creators made Vectornator for Apple. This is apparent from the program’s appearance, iPad workflow features, MacBook keyboard shortcuts, iCloud storage, and fast rendering speed.

 

 

While the program provides a seamless workflow and distinct creations on the iPad, it is equally powerful on the Mac. The creators made the application Vectornator Pro for Macs because of the program’s popularity as an app. Don’t let the name fool you; however, the pro version is also free.

Let’s see why Vectornator should be every graphic designer’s tool of choice to create beautiful illustrations.

 

Collaboration Features

Instantly save and sync creations on iCloud, providing a seamless workflow for graphic designers to jump from one device to another.

 

Pen Tool

The pen is an essential tool in graphic design software for illustrators to have complete control over their lines. As the classic path creator tool to create lines and curves, it can choose the node type, close paths, and finish paths.

In addition, the tool’s pen gesture feature allows iPad or iPhone users to create lines and curves with their fingers without changing from straight to curve every step.

 

Pencil Tool

The pencil tool allows artists to create hand or cursor-drawn lines, curves, and shapes. The pencil can follow your pen or mouse movements precisely. After drawing the path, the program automatically creates anchor points for adjusting the line and style options to change the smoothness.

 

Brush Tool

The brush tool is a recently added excellent feature by the Vectornator creators. Users can create brushes, edit brush strokes, and adjust pressure sensitivity with the brush tool. In addition, any path made can change to any tool. For example, you can change a brush path to a pen or pencil line.

 

Node Tool

The node tool allows designers to control every point in their illustration. With the node tool, users can edit one or more nodes at a time to adjust, delete, and join specific paths.

 

Drag-and-drop Images

Designers can quickly import photos from their devices into Vectornator. In addition, illustrators using an iPad can change their view into a split view to see Vectornator and another application simultaneously.

 

Auto Trace Sketch Mode

The drag-and-drop images tool leads us to one of the program’s advanced features – auto trace sketch mode. This tool lets designers turn photos, artwork, and black and white sketches into vector drawings.

The ability to trace over sketches is an excellent tool for artists who want to create beautiful illustrations digitally and prefer the traditional medium of a pencil to paper.

 

Isometric Grid

Isometric grids allow illustrators to create accurate 3D perspective designs with the help of guidelines. This feature enhances the illustrator’s experience and ability to develop isometric vector art.

This feature is currently only available on the iPad.

 

Built-in Templates

Vectornator has ready-to-use templates for designers needing the proper dimensions to create responsive graphics on social media websites and print design.

The software’s social media templates allow graphic designers to create perfectly sized illustrations for websites like LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Discord, Pinterest, and Snapchat.

There are also options to use templates for wine bottle labels, posters, and standard printer paper size.

 

How Does Vectornator Work?

Vectornator is a powerful graphic design application, made more potent with AI technology and funded by investors with the core purpose of creating a modern design software that surpasses the decades-old industry leaders.

The first step is downloading Vectornator from the Apple app store on your portable device or desktop computer. The first page is the home screen. The home screen appearance is almost identical on both devices, with dark and light mode options.

Think of this initial screen operating like your control center to open an existing project, import a document into a new project, start a new, blank project, use one of the program’s many templates, and organize your documents.

 

Easy-to-use User Interface

When working on a project, users have various bars near the screen’s borders to create and design with the program’s numerous features from Vectornator’s intuitive interface.

On the iPad, there are three toolbars: widget bar, vector tools, and the inspector. The widget tab allows creators to change documents settings, export, zoom, undo and redo moves, and close the project.

The action bar is an expandable and collapsible bar that appears when selecting an object on the screen. The toolbar consists of icons that represent a wide range of vector tools.

Finally, the inspector holds all the other options for designers to adjust their vector graphics, manage layers, create masks, adjust node type, etc.

On the Mac, there are four toolbars: customizable bar, the inspector, main bar, and library popover. The main differences between the two interfaces are the positioning of the toolbars and the quick actions bar, which is only available on the iOS version.

 

Shortcuts & Gestures

For designers using an Apple pencil, Vectornator has customizable gestures for improved workflow efficiency. For example, if you’re using the pencil and just used the brush tool, you can double-tap the screen to change back to the last tool.

Since Apple allows its users to connect a keyboard to their device, both versions have keyboard shortcuts for workflow efficiency like quick navigation and one-key tool change.

 

Versatile Project Export & Import

Vectornator made its import and export options for continuity. Every illustrator has a personal preference for their specific graphic design software to complete particular tasks, and Vectornator respects that.

The program offers various file choices to export your project and import an existing project. This allows designers to export their projects into another software easily. Or import a project from another software into Vectornator.

 

 

In addition, with the program’s abundant file import options, designers can import raster images that they want to transform into a vector image. This feature is optimal for print, typography, logos, and web design.

 

Accurate Color Profiles

The program works to ensure accurate colors for your illustrations through final product appearance, RGB or CMYK. This is a tremendous advantage for print designers who want their illustrations to appear as intended.

 

 

Unsplash

Not too long ago, the software added Unsplash, a pre-existing database filled with millions of images from photographers. This allows users to integrate Unsplash photos without having to leave Vectornator instantly.

 

 

Figma Import For Collaboration

Figma is a UX design tool for graphic design teams to collaborate in real-time worldwide. UX designers can export Figma files and seamlessly import them into the software.

 

Vectornator Pros & Cons

Vectornator is an advanced and intuitive graphic design software focused on tools that work to meet designers and illustrators of all digital arts, vector creation, compatibility, and convenience needs for designers and illustrators. But it isn’t without some cons.

PROS

• It is completely free
• 80K free icon resources
• AR preview
• Auto trace feature
• Available for download in 14 different languages
• Beginner-friendly
• Boolean and grouping options
• Built-in isometric grid
• CMYK preview
• Cross-device Apple compatibility
• Integrates with other apps
• Gradients
• Layer isolation and one layer export
• Outline mode
• Over 17 tools are available
• Over 40 keyboard shortcuts
• PDF editing
• Pen gestures and shortcuts
• Precise vector editing
• Real-time rendering 2.4 times faster than Adobe apps on iOS products
• Supports third-party stylus
• Time-lapse recording
• Unlimited artboards
• Vast import and export file options

CONS

• Learning curve if familiar with other illustrator software made by Adobe or for Microsoft products
• No animation features
• Lack of description for each tool
• Works only on Apple products

 

Vectornator Review Conclusion

The fact that, somehow, Vectornator is still free to download is in and of itself mind-blowing. However, it’s important to remember that not every designer is the same, so not everyone prefers the same software.

The learning curve of switching to Vectornator is a breeze once you become familiar with an iOS vector design software. The great thing is that using Vectornator doesn’t mean you have to abandon your other graphic design application.

Since there are many options to export and import different files, designers and illustrators can seamlessly jump from program to program.

Without a doubt, Vectornator is a current competitor and rising leader in the graphic design industry. It will be great to see how the developers add more advanced features, tools, and power to the software in the coming years.

For example, Vectornator will be more accessible for companies and teams to create together when working on a graphic design project.

With their forum and online community, you can easily learn more about what Vectornator’s users recommend to the developers to see what additions the software might add.

The performance, powerful features, and cost are three reasons we say, hurry and download Vectornator before it’s no longer free!

 

Vectornator Comparison With Other Tools

Compared to Adobe Illustrator, the grandfather of digital design software, Vectornator has a more robust design software for iOS users. However, Adobe has years on Vectornator’s existence, which came out in 2017. Adobe has an entire ecosystem of products with advanced features and continuity from its Creative Cloud.

But Vectornator is free, while Adobe’s monthly or yearly subscription can be expensive. We can also compare the program to Affinity Designer, which is undoubtedly cheaper than Adobe’s programs since it only requires a one-time purchase.

Vectornator likely is one of Affinity Designer’s new competitors.

Affinity, one of the first vector-based tools available for Apple users, is a high-performing, vector and raster capable graphic design application. Graphic designers and illustrators rave over Affinity, so how does Vectornator compare?

Vectornator is better for beginners wanting to explore graphic design tools. Additionally, for people looking for software that supports third-party pencils, Wacom tablets, Figma import options, and faster real-time rendering, then Vectornator might be the better option.

Lastly, we can look at the other top-performing iOS graphic design software, Procreate. It isn’t easy to compare the two. Vectornator is a vector-based tool, while Procreate is a pixel-based tool.

Although other vector-based tool applications have many years on Vectornator, the software is continually improving and adding new features based on the ideas and feedback of their users.

As alternative options to Vectormator, PicMonkey, VistaCreate, Canva and RelayThat are good choices. If you would rather use professional graphic service then check Kimp review and Penji review.

 

 

AUTHOR BIO: Darya Jandossova Troncoso is a photographer, artist, and writer working on her first novel and managing a digital marketing blog – MarketSplash. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, creating art, and learning everything there is to know about digital marketing.