# Concepts vs Adobe Illustrator

Concepts and Adobe Illustrator both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 77% of Concepts's written reviews are positive against 13% of Adobe Illustrator's. Concepts also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and chart position (#190 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Concepts sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Adobe Illustrator sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Concepts holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27K and 37K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Concepts's written reviews are positive against 13% of Adobe Illustrator's.

Concepts ships an update fortnightly, Adobe Illustrator every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Concepts | Adobe Illustrator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/concepts/id560586497/reviews)** | [4.5 (37K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/adobe-illustrator-graphic-art/id1018784575/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 27K | **37K** |
| Positive reviews | **77.0% of reviews** | 13.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#190** | — |
| Size | 267 MB | 856 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TopHatch, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/560586500) | [Adobe Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/331646274) |

## What reviewers say

### Concepts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/concepts/id560586497)

**Currently charting:** #190 Top Free · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

This flexible vector-based sketchbook offers an infinite canvas for ideation and design. Easily sketch, take notes, and create detailed designs with editable strokes and powerful tools. Share your work in various formats for seamless collaboration and professional output.

**Highlights:** Infinite canvas, Vector-based sketching, Realistic pens, pencils, and brushes, Editable vector elements, Unlimited layers, Scale and measurement tools, Object libraries

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Everything Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Everything Monthly + Trial | $4.99 | per month |
| Everything Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Everything Yearly + Trial | $29.99 | per year |
| Shape Library | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pen Brush Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Body Forms | $1.99 | one-time |
| Make Your Own Objects | $3.99 | one-time |
| Essentials (iPhone Only) | $4.99 | one-time |
| PDF Essentials | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro Pack  Legacy | $7.99 | one-time |
| 10 Object Packs | $14.99 | one-time |
| Essentials | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Infinite canvas
- 👍 Intuitive and customizable interface
- 🎨 Powerful drawing and sketching tools
- 💡 Versatile for various use cases (architecture, design, note-taking)
- 🔒 Responsive customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Steep learning curve for some users
- 💰 Subscription model can be expensive for casual users
- 🔧 Limited text handling and editing capabilities
- 🔀 Inconsistent behavior of certain tools (e.g., eraser, alignment)

**Reported bugs**

- Memory issues when working with large, complex drawings
- Inconsistent behavior of the eraser tool
- Inaccuracies in the snap-to-grid and measurement tools
- Exporting issues, such as loss of data or poor quality

**Requested features**

- Improved text editing and formatting options
- Better color selection and customization tools
- Collaboration and real-time sharing features
- Seamless integration with other design/productivity apps
- Syncing and backup capabilities across devices


### 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Concepts free?

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

### Is Adobe Illustrator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Concepts or Adobe Illustrator?

Concepts is rated higher. Concepts averages 4.7 out of 5 from 27K ratings, while Adobe Illustrator averages 4.5 from 37K ratings.

### Do Concepts or Adobe Illustrator have ads?

Neither Concepts nor Adobe Illustrator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Concepts or Adobe Illustrator?

Concepts ships an update fortnightly, and Adobe Illustrator every 2 months. Most recently, Concepts was updated on October 16, 2026 and Adobe Illustrator on October 16, 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.*