Linearity

What Is Linearity?

The story of Linearity begins in 2017 with a simple question: why does professional vector design software cost hundreds of euros per year? A team in Berlin set out to build Vectornator, a free, fully-featured vector graphic editor for iPad and Mac. The bet was that a beautifully designed, Apple-native tool could attract a massive user base without charging for core functionality — and then monetize through premium features and team tools.

That bet paid off. Vectornator grew to millions of users, won Apple Design Awards attention, and became one of the most-downloaded design apps on the App Store. But the team's ambitions grew beyond static vector graphics. In 2023, the company rebranded to Linearity and launched a second product: Linearity Move, an animation tool that lets designers turn their Curve designs into motion graphics without learning After Effects or switching platforms.

Today, Linearity operates as a two-product platform. Linearity Curve is the vector design tool — think Adobe Illustrator, but free, modern, and built specifically for Apple hardware. Linearity Move takes those vector designs and adds keyframe animation, transitions, and timeline-based motion. Together, they create a design-to-animation pipeline that is unique in the market: no other tool lets you go from vector illustration to animated asset in a single integrated workflow.

The company remains headquartered in Berlin, processing data in the EU, and offering its core design tool at no cost. For European marketing teams and designers looking for an alternative to the Adobe subscription treadmill, Linearity represents something genuinely different: professional-grade design tools from an EU company, available for free.

Key Features

Linearity Curve (Vector Design)

Curve is a professional vector editor with the tools designers expect: pen tool with bezier curves, shape builder, Boolean operations, node editing, layers, masks, and blending modes. Typography support includes font management and text styling. The interface is clean and modern, optimized for Apple Silicon with Metal GPU acceleration that makes even complex documents feel responsive.

What sets Curve apart from other free vector tools is the depth of its feature set. This is not a simplified "Canva for vectors" — it is a genuine Illustrator-class editor with gradient meshes, advanced path operations, and precise control over every anchor point. The difference is that all of this is available at zero cost on the free plan.

Auto Trace (AI-Powered)

Linearity's Auto Trace feature uses AI to convert raster images — photos, sketches, scanned drawings — into editable vector paths. Upload a photograph of a logo, a hand-drawn illustration, or a product photo, and Auto Trace generates clean, editable vector shapes. The results are remarkably accurate for most use cases and save hours compared to manual tracing.

Linearity Move (Animation)

Move is where Linearity's vision comes together. Designers create their assets in Curve, then open them in Move to add animation. The timeline-based editor supports keyframe animation, easing curves, transitions between scenes, and export to GIF, MP4, and Lottie formats. For marketing teams producing social media content, animated ads, or motion graphics for websites, Move eliminates the need to learn After Effects or hire a separate motion designer.

The Curve-to-Move pipeline is seamless: layers, groups, and paths from Curve appear in Move exactly as designed, ready for animation. This integration is Linearity's primary competitive advantage and the feature that most clearly differentiates it from both Illustrator (no animation) and After Effects (no integrated vector editor).

Iconator (AI Icon Generation)

Iconator uses AI to generate custom icons from text prompts in a consistent visual style. Describe the icon you need — "shopping cart with gift ribbon" or "cloud with security shield" — and Linearity generates vector icons that match your brief. For marketing teams producing dozens of icons for websites, apps, or presentations, this feature accelerates production significantly.

Apple Ecosystem Optimization

Linearity is built Apple-native from the ground up. On iPad, Apple Pencil pressure sensitivity enables natural drawing and sketching. On Mac, Apple Silicon optimization delivers performance that outpaces Illustrator on equivalent hardware. iCloud sync keeps files accessible across devices. This Apple-first approach delivers a level of polish and responsiveness that cross-platform tools rarely achieve.

Pricing

Linearity's pricing model is refreshingly simple. The free plan includes the complete Linearity Curve vector editor with all design tools, export formats, and Auto Trace. There are no watermarks, no feature restrictions, and no time limits. This makes Curve one of the most generous free design tools available.

The Pro plan at approximately EUR 7.99 per month adds Linearity Move (animation), the full template library, brand asset management, and priority support. Annual billing reduces the effective monthly cost. For teams, the Org plan offers team management, shared brand libraries, admin controls, and custom onboarding at custom pricing.

Compared to Adobe Illustrator (approximately EUR 24 per month) plus After Effects (another EUR 24 per month), Linearity's Pro plan covering both vector design and animation at under EUR 8 per month represents extraordinary value. Even the free tier — which includes a full professional vector editor — competes directly with tools costing EUR 20+ per month.

EU Compliance & Data Privacy

Linearity is a German company (Linearity GmbH, Berlin) operating under EU jurisdiction and German data protection law. Data is processed within EU infrastructure, and the company follows GDPR requirements for user data handling.

The platform does not employ advertising trackers or sell user data. Cloud-stored files are processed within EU infrastructure. For design teams working with brand assets, client materials, or pre-release creative work, the EU data residency provides assurance that sensitive files remain under European data protection frameworks.

As a design tool rather than a data-heavy SaaS platform, Linearity's privacy footprint is naturally lighter than CRM or analytics tools. The key assurance is that your design files and account data stay within the EU.

Who It's Best For

Marketing teams and brand designers who need to produce both static and animated assets regularly. The Curve-to-Move pipeline eliminates tool-switching and reduces production time.

Apple-centric creative professionals looking for a free or affordable alternative to Adobe Illustrator with superior iPad and Apple Pencil support.

Budget-conscious designers and students who need professional vector design capabilities without subscription costs. The free Curve plan is genuinely capable.

European organizations wanting a design tool from an EU company with EU data processing, avoiding the US data transfer concerns of Adobe Creative Cloud.

The Verdict

Linearity has made the rare journey from a free niche tool to a professional design platform without losing what made it special. The free vector editor remains one of the most capable available, and the addition of Move creates a design-to-animation workflow that no competitor matches at this price point. The Apple ecosystem focus is both its greatest strength and its primary limitation — if your team works on Windows, look elsewhere. But for Apple-native creative teams seeking a European alternative to Adobe's subscription model, Linearity delivers professional tools at a price that is hard to argue with.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Linearity Curve really free?

Yes. Linearity Curve (the vector design tool) is free with full functionality including pen tool, shape builder, Auto Trace, and export to all formats. The Pro plan adds Linearity Move (animation), expanded templates, and brand management features.

Does Linearity work on Windows or Android?

Linearity is primarily built for Apple platforms (Mac, iPad, iPhone). A web version exists but has limited functionality compared to the native apps. There is currently no native Windows or Android application.

How does Linearity compare to Adobe Illustrator?

Linearity Curve offers comparable core vector editing tools with a more modern, intuitive interface and a free tier. Illustrator has deeper professional features, broader plugin ecosystem, and cross-platform support. Linearity's key advantages are its free pricing, animation integration (Move), and Apple-native performance.

Can I import files from other design tools?

Yes. Linearity supports import from Adobe Illustrator (.ai), Sketch (.sketch), Figma, SVG, PDF, and common image formats. This makes it easy to transition from other design tools without losing existing work.

Is Linearity GDPR compliant?

Yes. Linearity is a German company (Linearity GmbH, Berlin) with data processed in the EU. They follow GDPR requirements and do not use advertising trackers. Files stored in the cloud are processed within EU infrastructure.