Use Illustrator for logos, icons and illustrations that need to scale to any size without blurring, because it works with vector shapes made of points, lines and curves. Use Photoshop for photos and pixel-based images, such as retouching, compositing and social graphics built on photography. Adobe's own Illustrator FAQ draws exactly this line. If you're a business owner who mostly edits photos, Photoshop is the one; if you're creating a brand mark, start in Illustrator.
It's an easy trap: design a logo in Photoshop, then find it looks fuzzy blown up on a banner. I read Adobe's Illustrator and Photoshop product pages and the Creative Cloud plans page to explain the difference clearly.
Illustrator and Photoshop compared
| Adobe Illustrator | Adobe Photoshop | |
|---|---|---|
| Image type | Vector: points, lines and curves | Raster: pixel-based images |
| Best suited to | Logos, icons, illustrations, print at any size | Photos, retouching, compositing |
| Devices | Desktop and iPad | Desktop, web and mobile |
| AI features | Monthly generative credits in its plan | Generative Fill, Expand and Remove |
| Single-app plan extras | Adobe Express Premium, 100GB storage | Adobe Express Premium, 100GB storage |
| In the Photography plan | No | Yes, alongside Lightroom |
| Free option | Free trial | Free trial |
Adobe's own answer to vector or pixels
Adobe answers this question on its Illustrator page. It says Illustrator is best for graphics that can be infinitely scaled up or down without blurring or losing sharpness, because they're made of points, lines and curves rather than pixels, so you can use them small or extra large, on screen or in print. Photoshop, it says, is ideal for working with photos and creating or editing pixel-based, or raster, graphics.
There's a buying detail here too. Adobe's Photography plan bundles Photoshop with Lightroom and 1TB of storage, but it doesn't include Illustrator. So if you need both apps, you're looking at two single-app plans or Creative Cloud Pro, which includes 20+ apps for photo, design and video, unlimited access to standard AI image and vector features such as Text to Image and Generative Fill, and Adobe Express Premium. For a business that designs its own brand assets and edits its own photos, that bundle is worth comparing before you commit to two separate subscriptions.
What Illustrator does well
Adobe describes Illustrator as the industry-leading graphic design tool for creating anything from logos and icons to graphics and illustrations with professional-level precision. The single-app plan includes Adobe Express Premium, 100GB of cloud storage and monthly generative credits, and Illustrator on the iPad is included in your subscription, which Adobe says suits people who love to draw with an Apple Pencil.
For quick vector graphics generated from a prompt, see our guide to AI SVG generators.
What Photoshop does well
Photoshop's product page focuses on image editing with creative control. Recent additions include new adjustment layers for Clarity and Dehaze and for Grain, the latest Generative Fill, Expand and Remove models for cleaner, higher-resolution results, and upscaling through Topaz Labs. The single-app plan gives you Photoshop on desktop, web and mobile, plus Adobe Express Premium.
If you'd rather not use Adobe, our CorelDRAW free trial guide explains how the trial works and which products it covers.
Match the app to the job
- Designing a logo or brand icon: Illustrator, so it stays sharp at every size.
- Retouching product photos or headshots: Photoshop.
- Making social posts from photos: Photoshop, or Adobe Express for quick templates.
- Creating print artwork such as signs or packaging: Illustrator's vectors scale cleanly.
- Editing photos on your phone or in a browser: Photoshop runs on web and mobile.
If Photoshop's AI tools are what tempt you, my walkthrough on how to use Photoshop Generative Fill shows them in action, and these graphic design terms explained help when you brief a designer.
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My advice on Illustrator or Photoshop
If you're a business owner who edits photos for your website and social media, start with Photoshop; it runs on desktop, web and mobile and its AI tools save hours. If you're creating a logo or any artwork that has to look sharp on a business card and a billboard, use Illustrator, or hire a designer who does. And if you need both regularly, compare Creative Cloud Pro with two single-app plans before you subscribe.
Do you make design tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Should I make a logo in Illustrator or Photoshop?
Illustrator. Adobe says Illustrator's vector graphics can be scaled up or down without blurring, which suits logos used at many sizes.
Is Photoshop vector or raster?
Adobe describes Photoshop as ideal for photos and pixel-based, or raster, graphics. Illustrator is its vector tool.
Does the Adobe Photography plan include Illustrator?
No. Adobe's plans page says the Photography plan includes Photoshop, Lightroom, Lightroom Classic and 1TB of storage.
Can I use Illustrator on an iPad?
Yes. Adobe says Illustrator on the iPad is included in an Illustrator or Creative Cloud Pro subscription.
Is there a free trial for Illustrator and Photoshop?
Yes. Adobe offers free trials of both apps on their product pages.
