# Adobe Illustrator vs Clip Studio Paint

Adobe Illustrator and Clip Studio Paint both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 46% of Clip Studio Paint's written reviews are positive against 13% of Adobe Illustrator's. Clip Studio Paint also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Adobe Illustrator's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Adobe Illustrator sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Clip Studio Paint sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.89 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Clip Studio Paint holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 38K and 15K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of Adobe Illustrator's written reviews are positive against 46% of Clip Studio Paint's.

Adobe Illustrator ships an update every 2 months, Clip Studio Paint every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Adobe Illustrator | Clip Studio Paint |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (38K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adobe-illustrator-graphic-art/id1018784575/reviews) | **[4.7 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clip-studio-paint/id1262985592/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **38K** | 15K |
| Positive reviews | 13.3% of reviews | **46.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 856 MB | 583 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Adobe Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/331646274) | [CELSYS,Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/291038364) |

## What reviewers say

### Adobe Illustrator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adobe-illustrator-graphic-art/id1018784575)

Create logos, illustrations, and graphics on your iPad with intuitive Apple Pencil support. Design vector art, manipulate type, and create patterns on the go, even offline. Seamlessly sync your work across devices and other Adobe apps.

**Highlights:** Vector drawing with Apple Pencil, Advanced typography tools, Pattern creation, Image vectorization, Cross-device syncing, Gradient and color tools

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Illustrator on iPad : Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Adobe Design Mobile: Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Illustrator on iPad : Yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| Adobe Design Mobile: Yearly | $149.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and intuitive
- 👍 Great for on-the-go vector work
- 🚀 Seamless sync with desktop Illustrator
- 👍 Useful for quick sketches and illustrations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Missing key desktop features
- 🔍 Buggy layer and selection handling
- 🔍 Limited export options and quality
- 🔍 Unintuitive interface in some areas

**Reported bugs**

- Layers disappearing or not updating properly
- Eraser tool behaving inconsistently
- Pasting content causing unexpected issues
- Frequent crashes when working on complex files

**Requested features**

- Ability to rotate canvas
- More brush and stroke customization options
- Implement Gaussian blur and other effects
- Add support for keyboard shortcuts
- Improve file management and cloud sync


### Clip Studio Paint

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clip-studio-paint/id1262985592)

Create digital art with a vast array of brushes, textures, and colors. This app offers tools for drawing, painting, comic creation, and animation, with features like 3D models for reference and advanced layer options. It provides a free trial and subscription plans for full access.

**Highlights:** Unlimited custom brushes, Realistic color mixing, Artist-made materials, 3D model references, Comic creation tools, Animation features, Advanced layer editing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Monthly | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Single-Device Plan | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Single-Device Plan | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Dual-Device Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| EX Monthly | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Single-Device Plan | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Single-Device Plan | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Dual-Device Plan | $13.49 | per month |
| PRO Annual Single-Device Plan | $28.90 | per year |
| PRO Annual Single-Device Plan | $28.90 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best drawing software for iPad
- 🎨 Powerful features like vector layers
- 💻 Seamless transition from desktop to iPad
- 👍 Great for comics and illustrations
- 🎨 Diverse brushes and materials

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔍 Confusing interface for beginners
- 🔒 Requires internet connection to save
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 💻 Lacks full desktop feature parity

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to save work without subscription
- Laggy performance with large files
- Unreliable auto-save and recovery
- Issues with brush and tool responsiveness

**Requested features**

- One-time purchase option
- Improved file management and cloud integration
- Simplified interface for casual users
- More animation and 3D tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Adobe Illustrator free?

Adobe Illustrator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Clip Studio Paint free?

Clip Studio Paint is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Adobe Illustrator or Clip Studio Paint?

Clip Studio Paint is rated higher. Adobe Illustrator averages 4.5 out of 5 from 38K ratings, while Clip Studio Paint averages 4.7 from 15K ratings.

### Do Adobe Illustrator or Clip Studio Paint have ads?

Neither Adobe Illustrator nor Clip Studio Paint shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Adobe Illustrator or Clip Studio Paint?

Adobe Illustrator ships an update every 2 months, and Clip Studio Paint every 3 weeks. Most recently, Adobe Illustrator was updated on November 13, 2026 and Clip Studio Paint on November 12, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*