Head to head · 13 mappings
The Craft suite against the subscriptions it replaces
Creative Cloud
Adobe replacements in the suite
| Your job | Open-source app | Currently paid for | Current model | Craft model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vector illustration | VectorCraftv0.13.1 | Adobe Illustrator | Creative Cloud | Free · Apache-2.0 |
| Raster photo editing | PhotoCraftv0.10.0 | Adobe Photoshop | Photography plan | Free · Apache-2.0 |
| RAW develop + catalogue | LightCraftv0.9.1 | Adobe Lightroom Classic | Photography plan | Free · Apache-2.0 |
| Video editing | FilmCraftv0.9.0 | Adobe Premiere Pro | Single-app plan | Free · Apache-2.0 |
| Motion graphics | EffectCraftv0.11.1 | Adobe After Effects | Single-app plan | Free · Apache-2.0 |
| Page layout / publishing | DesignCraftv0.9.0 | Adobe InDesign | Single-app plan | Free · Apache-2.0 |
| PDF reading & editing | PdfCraftv0.9.0 | Adobe Acrobat Pro | Subscription | Free · Apache-2.0 |
| Interface design | FigCraftv0.7.0 | Figma | Per seat / month | Free · self-hostable |
| Audio recording & mixing | SoundCraftv0.8.0 | Pro Tools / Audition | Licence or subscription | Free · Apache-2.0 |
| 2D CAD drafting | CADCraftv0.8.0 | AutoCAD | Annual term | Free · Apache-2.0 |
Microsoft 365
Office replacements in the suite
Nine dimensions
Where the difference is structural
Not a feature checklist — the categories where an open-source, local-first suite and a hosted subscription genuinely diverge.
| Dimension | Craft suite | Adobe | Microsoft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost model | None — free binaries and source | Recurring subscription, per seat or plan | Recurring subscription tied to a tenant |
| Where files live | Your disk; optional self-hosting | Local plus Creative Cloud sync | OneDrive / SharePoint by default |
| Source access | Apache-2.0, auditable, forkable | Closed | Closed |
| Installation | Installer or portable archive per release | Creative Cloud desktop service | Click-to-run + account activation |
| Linux support | Official builds for three architectures | None | None (web versions only) |
| Real-time collaboration | Not a hosted service — file handoff | Libraries, frame.io, cloud docs | Live co-authoring is the core selling point |
| Plugin / extension ecosystem | Young; contribute to the repo instead | Deep, decades of third-party tooling | Add-ins, VBA, Power Platform |
| Automation & AI | Open repos, scriptable builds, interim AI layer upstream | Firefly + Sensei features | Copilot tied to 365 licensing |
| Longevity risk | Fork it if the vendor stops — you hold the source | Feature access ends when payment ends | Same, plus tenant dependency |
Cost shape
What a subscription actually costs you
Pricing below is the incumbents' published list price for a single user at the time of writing and is rounded; annual billing, regional pricing and tax change it. It is an order-of-magnitude figure, not a quote.
| Scenario | Incumbent | Craft suite |
|---|---|---|
| Photographer (edit + RAW catalogue) | Photography plan, every month, forever | PhotoCraft + LightCraft, once |
| Designer (vector + layout) | All-apps Creative Cloud or two single-app plans | VectorCraft + DesignCraft |
| Video + motion | Two single-app plans or all-apps | FilmCraft + EffectCraft |
| Office document work | Microsoft 365 Personal / Family / Business tier | WordCraft + GridCraft + DeckCraft |
| Idle seats in a small team | Billed whether used or not | No seat concept at all |
Switch now
Solo or small-studio work, standard file formats, no dependency on cloud libraries, plugins or live co-editing.
Switch in parallel
Client deliverables with strict format or colour contracts — run the Craft app alongside the incumbent until three real jobs pass.
Do not switch yet
You rely on third-party plug-ins, VBA/Lisp automation, team libraries, or audited prepress/accessibility output.
Per app
Deep comparisons
VectorCraft vs Adobe Illustrator
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
PhotoCraft vs Adobe Photoshop
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
FilmCraft vs Adobe Premiere Pro
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
LightCraft vs Adobe Lightroom
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
PdfCraft vs Adobe Acrobat Pro
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
EffectCraft vs Adobe After Effects
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
DesignCraft vs Adobe InDesign
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
WordCraft vs Microsoft Word
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
GridCraft vs Microsoft Excel
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
DeckCraft vs Microsoft PowerPoint
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
FigCraft vs Figma
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
SoundCraft vs Avid Pro Tools / Adobe Audition
Price: Free, Apache-2.0
CADCraft vs Autodesk AutoCAD
Price: Free, Apache-2.0