iDraw 2.5

Is this app a genuine alternative to Illustrator?

With vector-drawing apps it’s easy to focus on how they’re not like Illustrator and miss out on the positives. With a new, simple fullscreen design iDraw 2.5 offers a less-cluttered approach than previous incarnations.

New for this version includes CMYK workflow, pattern fills, blurring effects and clipping paths, which may seem old hat, but helps the program become more than just another Illustrator wannabe.

The real plus point is the compatibility between its desktop and tablet apps. Using Apple’s Handover functionality, iPad designs can be continued on a Mac effortlessly, with native files saved and synced via Dropbox or iCloud Drive (with layer effects and paths).

As a standalone iPad app, iDraw feels the closest to a traditional desktop vector app, unlike say Adobe Draw, and as such it’s much more familiar and intuitive to use, especially because it’s almost identical to the desktop version. Granted, both versions lack some of the finesse features of Adobe’s apps, but when used together they are a genuinely useful alternative.

iPad artwork can be synced via iCloud Drive or Dropbox, or exported as layered PSDs or SVGs.

Familiar vector app features are located in the menu at the top of the screen rather than as part of the tool or a keyboard shortcut.