For a designer who creates logos, Illustrator has long been the reference tool. A free, open-source app promising the same interface is therefore worth a closer look. VectorCraft is part of the ArtCraft suite, which I cover in an overview article.

What I observed trying it

  • The same interface. I was able to recreate the workspace I've used for years in Illustrator.
  • The same tools. I find the toolbox tools, with their usual logic.
  • The same windows. Pathfinder, swatches, paragraph, layers: the panels are there, and they work the way I expect.
  • Great fluidity. The app responds without any stutter.
  • No online saving. Files stay on the computer. For me that's rather an advantage, as long as you make your own backups.

What the project says it offers

According to information published about the project, VectorCraft offers the pen tool, direct selection, Boolean operations, snapping, gradient meshes, blends and envelope distortions. It also traces raster images, imports and exports SVG and PDF, and opens PDF-compatible .ai files. These points come from the documentation and the press: I haven't verified all of them myself.

What to check before a client project

  • The project's stage. VectorCraft is announced as “in development”, at version 0.10 according to the site. Expect bugs.
  • Path cleanliness. A logo needs tidy anchor points. Open your export in another application to compare.
  • Exports. Test SVG and PDF, and check that outlines, colours and fonts are preserved. See a logo's file formats (in French) and the signs a logo needs vectorising (in French).
  • File compatibility. A complex file created in Illustrator may not open identically.
  • The project's future. For a working tool, long-term maintenance matters as much as features.

How to try it without risk

  1. Download it only from the official site (getartcraft.com), not from a site that reuses the name.
  2. Work on a copy of your files, never on the original.
  3. Redraw an existing logo and compare the result with the Illustrator version, large and small.
  4. Export to SVG and PDF, then reopen the files elsewhere.
  5. Keep your usual software for client deliverables while the project stabilises.

Frequently asked questions about VectorCraft

Can VectorCraft replace Illustrator for creating a logo?
Not yet without precautions. It reproduces Illustrator's interface and tools, but it is announced as in development. It suits testing or personal projects; for a client, it's better to check the exports and keep your usual software.

Does VectorCraft open Illustrator files?
The project says it can open PDF-compatible .ai files. Complex files may nonetheless not open identically: try it on a copy.

Where do I download VectorCraft?
From the official site, getartcraft.com, or the project's GitHub repository. Avoid sites that reuse the same name without being official.

My take as a designer

What struck me most was the resemblance: finding the same interface and the same windows as in Illustrator without effort, with real fluidity. After years on the same software, not having to relearn your gestures is valuable. And in a period when every subscription counts, a free tool has its place.

I keep it within reach for testing and practice, but not yet for delivering a logo to a client without checking every export.

To sum up

VectorCraft is a free, open-source alternative to Illustrator that reproduces its interface, tools and panels.

Fluid and local, it is still announced as in development.

Test it on a copy, check your SVG and PDF exports, and keep your usual software for client deliverables.