Compared · checked 2026-10-24
The best free vector graphics editors
For logos, icons and illustrations you need a vector editor, and three good ones are free with no subscription: our browser app in Illustrator style, a mature desktop app and a new open source editor.
We make Vector Editor, one of the tools on this page. Every fact about the other tools comes from their own pages, linked under each one, as they read on 2026-10-24. Prices and features change: check each site before you choose.
How we compared them
- Free with no subscription or trial
- Illustrator-style tools: pen, shapes, boolean operations, layers, text
- Files in and out: SVG, PDF, PNG and .ai
- Where it runs and how mature it is
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Runs where | Account needed | Opens .ai | PDF export | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vector Editor ours | Free | Browser; offline .html | No | No | Yes | Live |
| Inkscape | Free, open source (GPL) | Desktop: Linux, macOS, Windows | No | Yes, with some limits | Yes | Stable (1.4.4) |
| Graphite | Free, open source (MIT or Apache 2.0) | Browser; desktop apps in release candidate | Not stated | No (planned) | No (planned) | Alpha |
| Feature | Vector Editor ours | Inkscape | Graphite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pen (Bézier) tool | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Boolean (pathfinder) operations | Yes | Yes | Partly |
| Layers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Text | Yes | Yes | Partly |
| Gradients | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Open and save SVG | Yes | Yes | Partly |
| PNG export | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PDF export | Yes | Yes | No |
| Open .ai | No | Yes | No |
| Export .ai | Yes | No | No |
| Runs in a browser | Yes | No | Yes |
| Desktop app | Works in the browser | Yes | Partly |
| No account needed | Yes | Yes | Not stated |
| Collaboration | No | No | No |
| AI assistant that uses the app | Local model or your own key | Not stated | Not stated |
| Open source | Yes | Yes | Yes |
1. Vector Editor (ours)
Best for: Logos and icons in the browser, with Illustrator-style tools and nothing to install.
Good
- Pen, shapes, type and layers with familiar shortcuts
- Real pathfinder booleans
- Exports SVG, PNG at 1×, 2× or 4×, JPG, PDF with vector paths, and a PDF-compatible .ai
- Works on your device and offline; open source (MIT)
- Installs on phone, tablet and desktop from the browser
- An AI button that can do the work in the app for you, with a model on your device, Ollama or LM Studio on your computer, or your own key for Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and others
Not so good
- Cannot open .ai or PDF files
- SVG import ignores clip paths and skips linked images
- No collaboration or cloud sync
- Fewer tools than Inkscape
2. Inkscape
Best for: Serious illustration work on the desktop, with the most complete free toolset and broad file support.
Good
- Mature free and open source vector editor with SVG as its native format
- Opens AI and PDF files; exports PDF, PNG, EPS and more
- Boolean operations on paths and nested layers
- Builds for Linux, macOS and Windows, including ARM64
Not so good
- A desktop install, not a web page
- No longer exports .ai files
- PDF import approximates gradient meshes and drops transparency modes
Inkscape website · Sources: Inkscape home, Inkscape features, Inkscape 1.4.4 downloads, Inkscape for Illustrator users (wiki), Installing Inkscape (wiki), Inkscape manual: gradients, Inkscape: user accounts, Inkscape: Inkboard
3. Graphite
Best for: Trying a new open source editor with node-based procedural design in the browser.
Good
- Forever free and open source
- Node-based procedural layers alongside vector editing
- Runs locally in the browser with no server
- Exports images at any size
Not so good
- In alpha: more robust booleans, broader SVG support and PDF export are still planned
- No .ai or PDF import yet; collaboration is planned
- Raster editing is limited and experimental
Graphite website · Sources: Graphite home, Graphite features and roadmap, Graphite licence, Graphite: features and limitations
Which one to choose
Vector Editor is our pick for logos and icons: Illustrator-style pen, shape and type tools with real pathfinder booleans, SVG, PDF and a PDF-compatible .ai out, no account, and it installs from the browser and works offline.
Choose Inkscape if you need the most complete free toolset or have to open .ai and PDF files, and are happy to install a desktop program. Choose Graphite if you want to try node-based procedural design; it is fully open source but still in alpha.
Questions
What is the best free alternative to Illustrator?
Vector Editor, if you want Illustrator-style tools and shortcuts in the browser with no account; it can also be installed from the browser. Inkscape, if you need the most features or to open .ai files and are happy to install a desktop program.
Can a free editor open .ai files?
Inkscape opens AI files (version 9 and later). Vector Editor and Graphite cannot open them, though Vector Editor can export a PDF-compatible .ai.
Which free vector editor runs in a browser?
Vector Editor and Graphite. Inkscape is a desktop program for Linux, macOS and Windows.
Are they really free?
Yes. All three are free with no subscription, and all three are open source.
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