Adobe Illustrator software features sophisticated drawing tools, natural looking brushes, a number of time-saving shortcuts, and integration with Adobe online services. With Adobe Illustrator, you can control brush strokes, do perspective drawing, as well as have access to many gradients, transparency levels, and artboard and drawing enhancements. Adobe Illustrator costs $200 for a system upgrade and $600 for first-time buyers. Illustrator is also available in Adobe's CS5 package with other software for approximately $2,500 as of August 2010.
FreeHand MX can be used for creative design, storyboarding, multipage document production and editing. Designs can be repurposed for print, the Internet or Macromedia Flash. As of August 2010, FreeHand MX cost $400 new or $100 for a software upgrade.
This graphic design software includes vector illustration, page layout, photo editing, tracing, Web graphics and animation. It was designed for both professional and non-professional designers and it offers an intuitive workflow. Corel Draw also includes digital content, file compatibility tools and many graphic design tools. In August 2010, Corel Draw cost $500 for new software and $200 for a software upgrade.
With DrawPlus, designers can create logos and documents for print; graphics and banners for the Internet; paint and sketch with simple tools; and edit photos. You can also transform drawings into animations. DrawPlus cost about $100 in August 2010.