Affinity Designer offers a more intuitive interface compared to Adobe Illustrator, making it easier for beginners to pick up quickly. However, Illustrator has more advanced features, especially for professional-grade vector work. Overall, both are excellent, but Illustrator edges out in terms of functionality.

While Affinity Designer is more affordable and a great choice for hobbyists, Adobe Illustrator maintains a strong influence in the industry due to its expansive toolset. The learning curve for Illustrator is steeper, but the results can be significantly more polished. If you're looking for long-term professional use, Illustrator's value for money shines through.

Affinity Designer has some fantastic features, especially in terms of efficient performance and cost. For casual use and specific tasks like UI/UX design, it may outperform Illustrator due to its streamlined nature. However, Illustrator's robust support and community provide unmatched resources for serious designers.

While Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard and offers comprehensive functionality, Affinity Designer packs a punch with its powerful capabilities at a fraction of the cost. If you're an independent designer or a small studio, Affinity can produce impressive results without the subscription model of Adobe. Yet, when it comes to complex projects, Illustrator is often the safer option.

I found Affinity Designer to be highly user-friendly, which is perfect for new users. In contrast, Adobe Illustrator offers extensive tools that cater to professional demands but can be overwhelming. As a result, for users focused on ease of use versus depth of features, Affinity often comes out ahead.