# Clip Studio Paint Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra

> With the help of Capterra, learn about Clip Studio Paint Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Vector Graphics products and more.

Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/210117/Clip-Studio-Paint

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# 

 Clip Studio Paint Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons

Last updated on March 13, 2026

Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team.

[Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews)

Clip Studio Paint

## What is Clip Studio Paint?

Clip Studio Paint is a digital art software application for Windows, macOS, iPad, iPhone, Galaxy, Android, and Chromebook devices that provides powerful drawing tools for illustrators, comic artists, animators, and concept artists. The software features customizable brushes, vector layers, comic creation tools, animation features, and integrations with drawing tablets for creating digital art, comics, manga, and animations.

## What is Clip Studio Paint used for?

[Vector Graphics](https://www.capterra.com/vector-graphics-software/)

Overall rating

Based on 67 user reviews

Reviews sentiment

Positive

94%

Neutral

4%

Negative

1%

Starting price

$49.99

Flat Rate, One Time

Free trial  
available

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## Compare with a popular alternative

Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status.

### Clip Studio Paint

4.7 (67)

VS.

[### Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

[4.8 (8,641)](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/reviews/)

Starting Price

$49.99

Flat Rate, One Time

Starting Price

$22.99

Flat Rate, Per Month

Free Trial

Free Version

Pricing Options

Free Trial

Free Version

Ease Of Use

4.1 (67)

Ease Of Use

4.0 (8,563)

Value For Money

4.6 (57)

Value For Money

4.3 (6,703)

Customer Service

4.4 (44)

Customer Service

4.3 (5,783)

## Clip Studio Paint alternatives

[CorelDRAW](https://www.capterra.com/p/124823/CorelDRAW/)

[4.5 (1,520)](https://www.capterra.com/p/124823/CorelDRAW/reviews/)

Starting price

$19.95

Per User, Per Month

[Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/124823/CorelDRAW/)

[Inkscape](https://www.capterra.com/p/178240/Inkscape/)

[4.4 (513)](https://www.capterra.com/p/178240/Inkscape/reviews/)

Starting price

Contact vendor for pricing

[Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/178240/Inkscape/)

[Affinity Designer](https://www.capterra.com/p/110533/WebPlus-X4/)

[4.7 (454)](https://www.capterra.com/p/110533/WebPlus-X4/reviews/)

Starting price

$4999.00

Per User, Per Month

[Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/110533/WebPlus-X4/)

[Krita](https://www.capterra.com/p/209859/Krita/)

[4.4 (81)](https://www.capterra.com/p/209859/Krita/reviews/)

Starting price

Contact vendor for pricing

[Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/209859/Krita/)

[View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/210117/Clip-Studio-Paint/alternatives/)

## Features

Features with the highest number of reviews are displayed first. Those that have no reviews appear next, sorted alphabetically.

2D Drawing

4.8 (34)

76.47% of 34 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important

Drawing and modeling designs within 2D flat dimensions

Data Import/Export

4.6 (27)

77.78% of 27 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important

Import and export data to and from software applications

Text Editing

4.3 (26)

65.38% of 26 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important

Edit text as needed

Image Editing

4.4 (24)

50.00% of 24 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important

Edit, touch up, and convert images for publishing

Drag & Drop

4.3 (21)

57.14% of 21 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important

Assemble applications and processes by dragging over and arranging pre-built components

Customizable Templates

4.8 (20)

60.00% of 20 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important

Pre-designed layouts that can be customized to match preferences and requirements

Clip Studio Paint 12 features

Drawing and modeling designs within 2D flat dimensions

Ability to insert animations/transitions

Pre-designed layouts that can be customized to match preferences and requirements

Import and export data to and from software applications

Collaborate on creating a product by sharing and adjusting designs through a shared portal

Assemble applications and processes by dragging over and arranging pre-built components

Edit, touch up, and convert images for publishing

Preview materials before finalizing projects

Sample files or documents that could be customized as needed or used as is

Edit text as needed

Create, design and manage workflows for repetitive tasks

What You See Is What You Get is a no-code tool that allows users to create and edit content using a visual interface

Features

4.7 (67)

4.7

Based on 67 reviews

## Pricing

Value for money

4.6 (57)

Free Trial

[View pricing plan details](https://www.capterra.com/p/210117/Clip-Studio-Paint/pricing/)

Clip Studio Paint Pro

$49.99

Flat Rate,One Time

It includes:

-   3d Models and Drawing Figures
-   Clip Studio Ask / Assets / Tips / Share
-   Customizable Pen and Brush Tools
-   For Macos and Windows
-   Free Technical Support
-   Free Web Services & Community
-   More Than 10000 Free Downloadable Brushes and Materials
-   Natural
-   PSD Compatibility
-   RGB and CMYK Compatible
-   Single-Page Illustrations & Comics
-   Up to 24 Frames for Gifs or Short Animations
-   Vector Layers

Clip Studio Paint Ex

$219.00

Flat Rate,One Time

It includes:

-   3d Models and Drawing Figures
-   Clip Studio Ask / Assets / Tips / Share
-   Convert Images and 3d Models Into Lines and Dot Shading
-   Customizable Pen and Brush Tools
-   Export and Print Multi-Page Files
-   For Macos and Windows
-   Free Technical Support
-   Free Web Services & Community
-   More Than 10000 Free Downloadable Brushes and Materials
-   Multi-Page Comics/Manga & Illustrations
-   PSD Compatibility
-   RGB and CMYK Compatible
-   Unlimited Frames for Professional Animation
-   Vector Layers

Value for money

4.6 (57)

4.6

Based on 57 reviews

## Support, customer service and training options

Customer Service

4.4 (44)

Support

-   Email/Help Desk
-   FAQs/Forum
-   Knowledge Base
-   Phone Support
-   24/7 (Live rep)
-   Chat

Training

-   In Person
-   Live Online
-   Webinars
-   Documentation
-   Videos

Deployment

-   Web
-   Android
-   iPhone/iPad

Typical users

-   Freelancers
-   Small businesses
-   Mid size businesses
-   Enterprises

Customer Service

4.4 (44)

4.4

Based on 44 reviews

## User reviews

Overall rating

4.7

Based on 67 reviews

Filter by rating

5(49)

4(14)

3(3)

2(1)

1(0)

Mentioned topic

Sorted by most recent

AU

Anonymous User

YouTuber

Entertainment

### "Near Perfected "

5.0

Overall Rating

5.0

5.0

Ease of Use

4.0

4.0

Features

5.0

5.0

Customer Service

5.0

5.0

Likelihood to Recommend

9/10

March 1, 2026

Possibly the drawing software that is closest to perfect, I have been using it for 2 years now and it's worth every penny, it truly makes my ideas alive

Pros

The convenience and little touches that make the experience polished for artists and animators. Anyone from beginner level to Pros will find drawing and animating with CSP intuitive and satisfying, not to mention the big community library that will cover you for every possible creative idea you can have.

Cons

The lack of some minor but important features compared to other art software, like a seperate H/S/V slider

Switched from

[Krita](https://www.capterra.com/p/209859/Krita/)

I didn't like some things about Krita, mainly being that anything that could be a brush is a brush preset instead of a seperate tool, like liquify

Review source

Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication.

YM

Yogesh M.

Artist

Computer Games

### "Great tool for manga artists"

5.0

Overall Rating

5.0

5.0

Ease of Use

4.0

4.0

Features

5.0

5.0

Customer Service

4.0

4.0

Likelihood to Recommend

9/10

December 23, 2025

Pros

It works on ipad and I can easily between the desktop mode and simple mode, ability to access all the desktop features on ipad has made my manga creation process easier.

Cons

Though it can support large canvas it comes at the cost of overall performance and I've experienced lags often.

Switched from

[Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/)

Clip Studio was had more features for my use case, it's artist friendly and it's much more affordable than photoshop.

Review source

Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication.

BB

Bastien B.

Game developer

Computer Games

### "Expensive & performance heavy, when it actually works"

2.0

Overall Rating

2.0

2.0

Ease of Use

3.0

3.0

Features

4.0

4.0

Customer Service

3.0

3.0

Likelihood to Recommend

5/10

July 28, 2025

It's ok at what it does, and is a nice alternative to Photoshop, but its flaws may draw you away. Consider giving a chance to Paint Tool SAI 2 instead. It's not too hard to learn, but getting the brush that works just right can be tricky.

Pros

Lots of tools, brushes, and assets, focused on art and productivity, without bloated, useless functionality like Photoshop.

Cons

Heavy interface, pretty bad performance overall, and a license verification system that will prevent you from actually using the software you paid for a quarter of the time. Sometimes it will just decide not to work.

Review source

Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication.

PF

Percival F.

Owner

Design

### "A Great Tool For Art!"

4.0

Overall Rating

4.0

4.0

Ease of Use

3.0

3.0

Features

5.0

5.0

Customer Service

4.0

4.0

Likelihood to Recommend

8/10

July 1, 2025

Overall, the tool is great and has applications across many hobbies, including animation and comics! it is the primary tool I use to do my artwork, and any graphic-leaning tasks; it's Photoshop's competitor for a reason! They offer sales at least 2 times a year, so the price isn't always as steep, which I really appreciate.

Pros

I really love how many tools and options that their suite has, and how much I can customize the layout of the program to suit my ever-changing needs. The option for cloud back-ups offers such a feeling of reassurance, knowing my work will still be there if something happens to my machine or my drives. I also love how community oriented it is, with the ability to buy or even obtain free materials, brushes and more from other creative or generous users.

Cons

I don't enjoy that a lot of the juicy features are stuck behind the more expensive license, and I really dislike the change from perpetual licenses to yearly subscriptions. I also heard about some AI involvement in the newer updates, and I really don;t love that. They should know better

Switched from

[MediBang](https://www.capterra.com/p/234030/MediBang/)

I wanted access to more tools and higher quality materials than MediBang Paint could offer.

Review source

Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication.

VD

Void D.

Freelance Arist

Graphic Design

### "CSP Review"

3.0

Overall Rating

3.0

3.0

Ease of Use

1.0

1.0

Features

5.0

5.0

Customer Service

3.0

3.0

Likelihood to Recommend

2/10

July 1, 2025

My overall experience with CSP I would say is frustrating. I really love the features, but due to how difficult the program is to learn (or even just learning a new tool when you've used the program for years), I rarely recommend it to others.

Pros

CSP has most features that you could want for an art program. It has an abundance of options and capacity to customize your workflow. Additionally, the asset store and the ease of download and implementation of assets is a huge plus

Cons

The UI isn't intuitive, it's extremely difficult to learn how to use the program, and the manual/tutorials that exist are extremely lacking to the point where most users are unaware of how to access basic features such as perfect symmetry.

Switched from

[Procreate](https://www.capterra.com/p/228914/Procreate/)

I really like procreate, but it lacks a lot of features that are helpful for my work. In particular, the layer limit in procreate made my work difficult.

Review source

Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication.

LM

Lex M.

Innovation Specialist

Banking

### "Clip Studio is on it's way to being number 1 "

5.0

Overall Rating

5.0

5.0

Ease of Use

5.0

5.0

Features

5.0

5.0

Customer Service

5.0

5.0

Likelihood to Recommend

10/10

March 25, 2025

I've been using Clip Studio paint for a handful or years now and it's always been easy to use. Especially with the use of the asset shop, it allows for me to gain new tools to elevate my artwork without any hassle of searching for hours online.

Pros

The ease of use and the ever increasing functionality for drawing is incredible! Also the fact that I can use Clip Studio from my Ipad and transfer artwork between my mobile device and laptop really make this a versatile product.

Cons

I do wish it had a perspective line maker similar to Paint tool Sai would make this the definitive art tool.

Switched from

[Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/)

The price of photoshop was too high and Clip Studio had the features I was seeking for a far lower price.

Review source

Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication.

MP

Marko P.

Photographer

Photography

### "ClipStudioPaint review"

4.0

Overall Rating

4.0

4.0

Ease of Use

3.0

3.0

Features

4.0

4.0

Customer Service

4.0

4.0

Likelihood to Recommend

3/10

September 27, 2024

My overall experience with CSP is positive but far from the best.

Pros

What I like the most about CSP is the open source aspect.

Cons

What I like least about CSP is the difficult interface

Review source

Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication.

AK

Adam K.

Artist

Animation

### "CSP Is A Much Better Choice For Beginners In Digital Art"

4.0

Overall Rating

4.0

4.0

Ease of Use

4.0

4.0

Features

4.0

4.0

Customer Service

3.0

3.0

Likelihood to Recommend

10/10

February 5, 2024

So far so good. I have no issues. I got used to how I work with CSP. since its so good for my artworks, I continued using it.

Pros

You can Open CSP files in Adobe Photoshop and vice versa. So that made me very happy because my Adobe Photoshop kept crashing and Clip Studio paint saved my projects. I highly recommend CSP.

Cons

When I first started, I was a bit lost on how to import new brushes or materials.

Switched from

[Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/)

My Adobe Photoshop kept crashing for some reason compared to CSP. I hated the stress so and switched.

Review source

Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication.

LP

Lorenzo P.

Disegnatore

Animation

### "Perfetto e accessibile "

5.0

Overall Rating

5.0

5.0

Ease of Use

4.0

4.0

Features

5.0

5.0

Customer Service

5.0

5.0

Likelihood to Recommend

10/10

January 16, 2024

Mi trovo benissimo con questo software, lo utilizzo professionalmente insieme ad altri software e continuerò ad utilizzarlo in quanto e’in continuo sviluppo

Pros

Di questo software amo i moltissimi strumenti che l’artista ha a disposizione, i tools, i righelli per prospettive, ma sopratutto la possibilità di cambiare la dimensione del segno quando si vuole, in quanto questa utilita’ e’ molto importante nel campo dell’animazione professionale

Cons

Un vastissimo menu’ che inizialmente può spaventare

Review source

Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication.

JL

Joelle L.

Senior Cutout Animator

Animation

### "A Solid Program, Especially if you do a lot of Inking/ Work on Comics."

4.0

Overall Rating

4.0

4.0

Ease of Use

3.0

3.0

Features

4.0

4.0

Customer Service

0.0

0.0

Likelihood to Recommend

10/10

November 27, 2023

I love it! The main things that have stopped me from picking it up full-time is how different it is to photoshop and how efficient I am in the latter. I've already created a solid pipeline in photoshop, which cannot easily be fully transferred over, and I'm too lazy to start over. But if you're just starting out or happy to experiment, it is an amazing program and much more affordable.

Pros

I love the variety of brushes you can find for use in the program, and felt that needed a shout-out. However, the main reason I use Clip on the regular is to quickly place flat colours under my linework. I use photoshop CS5, which is sorely lacking a good paint bucket feature. Clip, on the other hand, is amazing at quickly filling areas of flat colour, and allows you to place flats on a different layer than the lineart, all while using the linework information. The result is near-seemless, needing very little adjustments, and is much more versatile and less destructive than the Photoshop equivalent.

Cons

The imported text issue is the main con I have, though it is a situational issue. Other than that, you need to take the time to learn how to use the program to get the most out of it. Of course, that can be said about almost any program. It is a little harder to pick up than certain programs.

Review source

Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication.

[View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/210117/Clip-Studio-Paint/reviews/)

Popular comparisons

[Adobe Illustrator vs Clip Studio Paint](https://www.capterra.com/compare/210117-227125/Clip-Studio-Paint-vs-Adobe-Illustrator)[CorelDRAW vs Clip Studio Paint](https://www.capterra.com/compare/124823-210117/CorelDRAW-vs-Clip-Studio-Paint)[Inkscape vs Clip Studio Paint](https://www.capterra.com/compare/178240-210117/Inkscape-vs-Clip-Studio-Paint)

[Affinity Designer vs Clip Studio Paint](https://www.capterra.com/compare/110533-210117/WebPlus-X4-vs-Clip-Studio-Paint)[Krita vs Clip Studio Paint](https://www.capterra.com/compare/209859-210117/Krita-vs-Clip-Studio-Paint) 

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