Behance vs DeviantART: A Comprehensive Comparison for Businesses

In the vast digital landscape, platforms like Behance and DeviantART have emerged as significant hubs for creatives to showcase their work. Both platforms offer unique benefits and features, but when it comes to choosing one for your business needs, the decision can be complex. This article provides an in-depth comparison between Behance and DeviantART, dissecting their strengths, weaknesses, and various aspects relevant to businesses and entrepreneurs.

What is Behance and what is DeviantART?

Behance is a platform that allows creative professionals across various industries to showcase and discover creative work. It is a part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud service, providing a platform where artists, designers, and other creatives can share their work and gain exposure. It’s popular with graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, and other creative professionals. Businesses and entrepreneurs can use Behance to find and hire top talent, as well as to showcase their own creative assets and projects.

DeviantART, on the other hand, is an online community featuring artwork, videography, and photography. It was founded in 2000, making it one of the oldest art-sharing platforms available on the web. DeviantART allows artists and creatives to share, discover, and promote their work, as well as to communicate with their peers. Its user base is diverse, ranging from amateur artists just starting out to professional artists and designers. For businesses and entrepreneurs, DeviantART offers opportunities for networking, collaboration, and talent scouting.

Key differences between Behance and DeviantART

1. Target audience: Behance is more targeted towards professional creatives and hiring businesses, while DeviantART’s audience tends to be broader and includes amateur artists and hobbyists.
2. Presentation of work: On Behance, the projects are typically displayed in a more portfolio-style presentation, while DeviantART allows a wider variety of formats, including loose sketches, works in progress, and more.
3. Community interaction: DeviantART has a stronger emphasis on community engagement, with more robust communication tools such as forums and direct messaging, while Behance has a stronger focus on the showcasing of professional work.
4. Integration with creative tools: As part of Adobe’s suite, Behance offers seamless integration with creative tools like Photoshop and Illustrator, which DeviantART does not.
5. Industry recognition: Behance is often viewed as a platform for industry professionals, and the work displayed there often receives more recognition in professional circles. DeviantART, while also recognized, is sometimes seen as more suitable for emerging artists.
6. Membership and pricing: Behance offers free membership but also has a premium feature for added benefits. DeviantART also has free membership but offers a Core Membership with additional features for a fee.

Key similarities between Behance and DeviantART

1. Creative focus: Both Behance and DeviantART are platforms designed to showcase creative work. They serve as online portfolios for artists, designers, and other creative professionals.
2. Discovery and networking: Both platforms allow users to discover new artists and network with other creatives. They both offer options for users to comment on work, follow other users, and be followed in return.
3. Diversity of work: Both Behance and DeviantART support a wide range of creative fields, including graphic design, illustration, photography, and more.
4. Online presence: Both platforms allow creatives to establish an online presence, which can be particularly beneficial for freelancers or those looking to attract commissions or job offers.
5. Community-building: Both Behance and DeviantART encourage the formation of creative communities where users can share ideas, provide feedback, and collaborate on projects.
6. User control: On both platforms, users maintain control over their own work, deciding what they want to upload and how they want to present it.

Pros of Behance over DeviantART

1. Professional reputation: Behance is often viewed as a more professional platform, making it potentially more appealing to businesses and established creatives.
2. Adobe integration: Behance’s integration with Adobe Creative Cloud makes it easier for users of Adobe’s software to share their work directly to the platform.
3. Job listings: Behance includes a job board where businesses can post job openings, making it a good platform for creative professionals seeking employment opportunities.
4. High-quality presentation: The presentation of work on Behance is generally more formalized and portfolio-like, which may be more appealing to some users and businesses.
5. In-depth analytics: Behance offers detailed analytics about project views, appreciations, and followers, which can be beneficial for users looking to track their performance and reach.
6. Curated galleries: Behance features curated galleries like “Behance Curated Galleries” and “Adobe Portfolio”, which offers additional exposure for selected projects.

Cons of Behance compared to DeviantART

1. Less community engagement: Behance has fewer tools for community engagement than DeviantART, such as forums and messaging, which might make it less appealing to users who value these interactions.
2. Limited artistic freedom: The professional nature of Behance can sometimes limit the kind of content artists feel comfortable posting, as there is a certain expectation for polished, finished work.
3. Fewer amateur artists: Behance’s focus on professional work can mean fewer opportunities to connect with emerging or amateur artists.
4. Paid features: Some features of Behance, like Adobe Portfolio, require a paid Creative Cloud subscription.
5. Less user-friendly interface: Some users may find Behance’s interface less intuitive compared to DeviantART, especially those not already familiar with Adobe’s suite of products.
6. Narrower demographic: Due to its professional nature, Behance may not appeal as much to younger creatives or hobbyists who might prefer DeviantART’s more informal and community-oriented platform.

Pros of DeviantART over Behance

1. Strong community engagement: DeviantART offers more community features, like forums and direct messaging, encouraging interactions between artists and fans.
2. Broad range of artwork: DeviantART allows for a broader range of work to be posted, from rough sketches to polished pieces, which may encourage more creative expression.
3. Wide audience demographic: DeviantART appeals to a broader demographic, including both professional and amateur artists, as well as hobbyists.
4. Artistic freedom: DeviantART’s less formal environment allows for greater artistic freedom, and artists may feel more comfortable sharing a wider variety of work.
5. User-friendly interface: DeviantART has a more straightforward interface, which can be easier for newcomers to navigate.
6. Premium features without subscription: DeviantART offers several premium features, such as ad-free browsing and advanced statistics, with its Core Membership that does not require any additional subscriptions.

Cons of DeviantART compared to Behance

1. Less professional perception: DeviantART is sometimes viewed as less professional than Behance, which may make it less appealing to businesses seeking established creative professionals.
2. Lack of creative tool integration: Unlike Behance, DeviantART does not offer integration with professional creative tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.
3. Fewer job opportunities: DeviantART does not have a job board feature like Behance, which could limit opportunities for freelancers or creatives seeking employment.
4. Varied quality of work: Due to its broader user base, the quality of work on DeviantART can vary greatly, which might make it harder for businesses to find the high-quality creative work they’re looking for.
5. Less exposure for professional work: DeviantART’s lack of curated galleries may limit exposure for certain works, especially compared to Behance’s curated galleries.
6. Paid membership for added features: While DeviantART offers a free version, many of its advanced features require a Core Membership, which comes with a fee.

Situations when Behance is better than DeviantART

1. Seeking professional employment: Behance includes a job board where businesses post job listings. If you’re a creative professional seeking employment opportunities, Behance may be more advantageous.
2. Targeting professional audience: If your audience primarily consists of other professional creatives, businesses, or industry experts, Behance’s professional atmosphere may better serve your needs.
3. Utilizing Adobe Creative Cloud: If you regularly use Adobe’s software suite for your creative work, Behance’s integration with these tools may offer significant advantages.
4. Presenting a formal portfolio: If you’re looking to present your work in a more formalized, portfolio-like format, Behance might be the better choice.
5. Analytics-driven approach: If you’re interested in detailed analytics about your project views and interactions, Behance offers more in-depth tracking features.
6. Seeking industry recognition: If you’re looking for industry recognition, the curated galleries and professional reputation of Behance may offer more opportunities.

Situations when DeviantART is better than Behance

1. Strong community engagement: If you value community interactions and feedback on your work, DeviantART’s community features like forums and direct messaging may be more appealing.
2. Showcasing a variety of works: If you want to share a wide range of works, from rough sketches to polished pieces, DeviantART’s less formal environment might be a better fit.
3. Reaching a wider demographic: If your target audience includes amateur artists, hobbyists, or a more diverse demographic, DeviantART may be more beneficial.
4. Seeking artistic inspiration: If you’re looking for a broader range of creative inspiration, DeviantART’s wide variety of works and styles could provide more resources.
5. Ease of use: If you prefer a more straightforward interface or if you’re new to online art platforms, DeviantART’s user-friendly design might be more intuitive.
6. Premium features without subscription: If you want access to premium features without needing any additional subscriptions, DeviantART’s Core Membership could be a better fit.

Behance vs DeviantART Summary

Both Behance and DeviantART offer significant opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs looking to connect with creatives, showcase their projects, or explore potential collaborations. Choosing the platform that best suits your needs depends largely on your specific goals, audience, and the kind of work you wish to present or explore. While Behance may be better suited for businesses seeking a professional platform with industry recognition, DeviantART could be the perfect place for those looking to engage with a vibrant, diverse community of artists. By understanding the unique offerings of each platform, you can make an informed choice that best supports your business strategy.

Aspect	Behance	DeviantART
Target Audience	Professional creatives, hiring businesses	Broader audience including amateur artists and hobbyists
Work Presentation	Portfolio-style presentation	Wide variety of formats
Community Interaction	Less emphasis, more focus on showcasing work	Strong emphasis with robust communication tools
Creative Tools Integration	Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud	No direct creative tool integration
Industry Recognition	High recognition in professional circles	More suitable for emerging artists
Membership & Pricing	Free and premium features through Creative Cloud subscription	Free and Core Membership with additional features
Pros	Professional reputation, Adobe integration, job listings, high-quality presentation, in-depth analytics, curated galleries	Strong community engagement, broad range of artwork, wide audience demographic, artistic freedom, user-friendly interface, premium features without subscription
Cons	Less community engagement, limited artistic freedom, fewer amateur artists, paid features, less user-friendly interface, narrower demographic	Less professional perception, lack of creative tool integration, fewer job opportunities, varied quality of work, less exposure for professional work, paid membership for added features
Best Situations	Seeking professional employment, targeting professional audience, utilizing Adobe Creative Cloud, presenting a formal portfolio, analytics-driven approach, seeking industry recognition	Strong community engagement, showcasing a variety of works, reaching a wider demographic, seeking artistic inspiration, ease of use, premium features without subscription