Graphite vs Inkscape
Graphite
graphite.art
Inkscape
inkscape.orgSide by side
| Figure | Graphite | Inkscape |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Vector Graphics Software | 8.1 (#18) | 8.6 (#10) |
| Spec score · Graphic Design Software | 7.9 (#93) | 9.0 (#18) |
| Spec score · Design tools | 7.9 (#91) | 8.9 (#24) |
| Desktop app | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Illustration tools | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | The web app is live, and Windows, Mac, and Linux desktop apps are in release-candidate testing. | The project’s installation guide describes stable versions for macOS, Linux, and Windows. |
| Support | The user manual directs users to the Discord user-help channel or the GitHub discussion board for help. | User help is community-provided through project-maintained channels including RocketChat and the Inkscape Forum. |
Plans
In their own words
Graphite
Graphite is a free, open-source vector graphics editor and animation engine available in alpha. Its current emphasis is vector art and graphic design, while raster editing remains a limited, experimental set of tools. Users can switch between layer-based editing and a procedural node graph, where artwork is represented so parameters can be adjusted and workflows reused or shared. The site says artwork can be zoomed and exported at any size, with raster brushes, masks, filters, and effects rendered in full detail. Graphite runs locally on the user’s hardware without a server and is described as a lightweight offline web app; a desktop app is also available. Supported platforms are Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. Scalable raster compositing remains experimental, and real-time collaboration is not available. Graphite describes itself as a community-built free-software project funded by its community. Its manual points users to Discord or GitHub discussions for help, and GitHub also hosts project discussions and source code.