Reading through the comments on graphics forums (I know, I know: Don’t read the comments!) it’s clear that many designers still aren’t happy with the Adobe subscription model. There has been talk of doing without Adobe products which, to some, seems a daunting task. Well, Corel is hoping to lure away the subscriptionaphobes with their CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite X7. Included are apps for vector-based drawing/page layout, image editing, raster-to-vector tracing, website design, and an online collaboration tool.
At around $500 USD for the entire suite—boxed or downloaded—it certainly is a financially viable alternative to Adobe’s $50/month subscription price tag. Corel also offers a subscription model that costs half of the Adobe package ($25/month) and offers similar access to new features and free upgrades. Adobe’s suite has far more applications included, which makes it a better value for folks who will actually take advantage of all the Adobe suite has to offer. For those who only need the vector, page layout, and image editor, the Corel suite might be the better product.
Making such a radical transition can seem overwhelming, but Corel makes the jump as painless as possible by providing video tips and tutorials and even a way to mimic the look of an Adobe workspace within the suite. Most standard file types are supported, as are Adobe native formats, such as PSD and AI (no mention of INDD). Not having used Corel products in nearly two decades, I’d love to hear if you’ve used them recently and how they compare to the Adobe equivalents. Let me know in the comments!
This article was last modified on August 12, 2014
This article was first published on August 12, 2014
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