At a glance
| Feature | Rayzia | Adobe Illustrator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free · Pro $8/mo | Paid subscription |
| Runs in the browser | ✓ | ✗ |
| Nothing to install | ✓ | ✗ |
| Works offline | ✓ | ✓ |
| SVG is the native format | ✓ | Import / export |
| Bring your own AI (Claude/GPT) on the canvas | ✓ | ✗ |
| Real-time collaboration | View-only links | ✗ |
| Platforms | Any browser | Windows, macOS |
Where Illustrator is the deeper tool
Illustrator has had a very long time to get good, and it shows. The toolset is mature and broad, and for professional illustration it remains the reference point that other tools get measured against. If your work touches print production, that gap widens. CMYK, colour separations, and the sort of prepress control a commercial printer expects are Illustrator's home ground.
It also sits inside Adobe Creative Cloud. If your day already moves between Photoshop, InDesign, and the rest, Illustrator fits that flow with no friction. That integration is a real advantage, and it is one Rayzia does not try to match.
The trade-offs are the familiar ones. Illustrator is a desktop app you install on Windows or macOS, it is heavy, and it runs on a paid subscription. Its native format is .ai; it reads and writes SVG, but SVG is not where the document lives. Adobe has its own generative AI, though that work is mostly raster and image oriented rather than connecting a model of your choice to produce editable vectors.
Where Rayzia is different
Rayzia runs in the browser, so there is nothing to install and no machine to qualify. It opens on Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, and tablets, works offline, and auto-saves as you go. Under the hood it is GPU-accelerated through Skia and CanvasKit, so it is meant to feel quick rather than like a compromise for being on the web.
The document is SVG. Not exported to SVG, not converted, the file you edit is the file you ship, which keeps things clean if the web is where your artwork ends up. The free plan gives you every tool, the AI features, three cloud files, and SVG and PNG export. Pro is $8 a month and adds unlimited cloud files, 30-day history, watermark-free share links, and PDF export.
The part that has no direct equivalent: connect an AI account you already own, such as Claude or GPT, and it draws, recolours, arranges, and edits on the canvas while you watch. It runs on your own key, so there is nothing extra to pay Rayzia for it, and every change is a single undo away. One honest limit worth stating plainly: Rayzia's sharing is view-only links, not real-time multiplayer editing.
The honest take: which one to pick
Pick Adobe Illustrator if you live in print, need CMYK and colour separations, or already work across Creative Cloud. It is the deeper tool and the safe professional choice, and for that kind of work it earns the subscription. Nothing here is meant to talk you out of it if that is your world.
Pick Rayzia if you want fast, free, browser-based vector and SVG work without a subscription or an install. It suits people whose artwork is headed for the web, who like that the file stays plain SVG, and who want to point their own AI at the canvas and have it draw. It is not trying to replace a print studio. It is trying to make good vector work available in a tab, for nothing, with an AI angle you own.
If you are unsure, the cost of trying Rayzia is a browser tab and a few minutes. Keep Illustrator for the print jobs and the Creative Cloud pipeline, and reach for Rayzia when you want something open and quick and SVG-native.
Rayzia vs Illustrator: common questions
Is Rayzia free?
Yes. Rayzia's free plan includes every tool, the AI features, three cloud files, and SVG and PNG export. A Pro plan at $8 a month adds unlimited cloud files, 30-day history, watermark-free share links, and PDF export.
Do I need to install Rayzia like Illustrator?
No. Rayzia runs entirely in the browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, and tablets, with nothing to install. It works offline and auto-saves. Adobe Illustrator is a desktop application you install on Windows or macOS.
Can Rayzia open and save Illustrator files?
Rayzia works natively in SVG, so the document you edit is already an SVG file. It exports SVG and PNG, with PDF on the Pro plan. Illustrator's native format is .ai, and Illustrator can import and export SVG to move artwork between the two.
Is Rayzia good for print work with CMYK?
For dedicated print production, including CMYK and colour separations, Adobe Illustrator is the stronger and safer choice. Rayzia is focused on browser-based vector and SVG work rather than commercial prepress.
How does Rayzia's AI differ from Adobe's AI?
Rayzia lets you connect an AI account you already own, such as Claude or GPT, which then draws, recolours, arranges, and edits directly on the canvas using your own key, with every change one undo away. Adobe Illustrator has its own generative AI, which is mostly raster and image oriented rather than connecting your chosen model to produce editable vectors.
Does Rayzia support real-time collaboration?
Rayzia offers view-only share links, not real-time multiplayer editing. Others can view what you share through a link, but they cannot edit the document live alongside you.