# Clip Studio Paint Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is Clip Studio Paint the right Vector Graphics solution for you? Explore 68 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/210117/Clip-Studio-Paint/reviews --- Clip Studio Paint 4.7 (68) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/210117/Clip-Studio-Paint/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of Clip Studio Paint Ease of use 4.1 Customer Service 4.4 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews Trap G YouTuberEntertainment, Self-employedUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “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.“ March 1, 2026 PF Percival F OwnerDesign, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “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.“ July 1, 2025 PF Percival F OwnerDesign, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “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.“ July 1, 2025 JK Jenna K BaristaFood & Beverages, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The cons of Clip Studio Paint is entirely based upon their newly formed "subscription" model; you are forced to pay monthly, when it's main selling point was a one time purchase.“ April 21, 2023 PF Percival F OwnerDesign, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Overall, the tool is great and has applications across many hobbies, including animation and comics! “ July 1, 2025 BB Bastien B Game developerComputer Games, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Sometimes it will just decide not to work.“ July 28, 2025 PF Percival F OwnerDesign, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “They offer sales at least 2 times a year, so the price isn't always as steep, which I really appreciate.“ July 1, 2025 JL Joelle L Senior Cutout AnimatorAnimation, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The imported text issue is the main con I have, though it is a situational issue.“ November 27, 2023 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 68 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Aleksandra S. Freelance Graphic Artist Graphic Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Great for small and big projects" February 17, 2021 5.0 Some of the features CSP offers seemed like a marketing catch, but in the end became part of my pipeline. From working exclusively on cartography and digital painting, I have expanded my horizons to dabbling with webtoons and vector illustration, both made extremely easy and user-friendly with this program. Pros Performance of the application is outstanding in comparison to other products of this type; this allowed me to increase the canvas size and open files that would usually slow down the other programs. The asset store is a nice touch, allowing everyone to get additional brushes, patterns, backgrounds and other images for free (or in-program currency), and they're by default allowed for commercial use. That takes a lot of licensing hassle for creators and allows them to focus on their art. Cons Some asset features are very CPU heavy and can lag on older machines. Translations can be a bit of a mouthful at a times. Asset store tends to be very slow when browsing. Lack of custom shapes. Alternatives considered [Affinity Designer](https://www.capterra.com/p/110533/WebPlus-X4/) Reason for choosing Clip Studio Paint Price, non-aggressive advertising, no intrusive third-party DRM, full range of features. Switched from [Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/) In case of Adobe products, the subscription model has became a motivation killer - feeling obliged to work every single day to make the use of money you've paid, ended up stopping the creativity flow and force me to obsess over the worth of my art. With CSP, I have already purchased it, so I can work whenever and however long I feel like. With Paint Tool SAI, the program has felt outdated for a long while, lacking the core features which forced me to use it alongside other programs. CSP has eliminated the need for that. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer YouTuber Entertainment Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Near Perfected " March 1, 2026 5.0 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 VD Void D. Freelance Arist Graphic Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "CSP Review" July 1, 2025 3.0 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 YM Yogesh M. Artist Computer Games Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Great tool for manga artists" December 23, 2025 5.0 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 PF Percival F. Owner Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A Great Tool For Art!" July 1, 2025 4.0 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 VR Verified Reviewer Facilitator Education Management Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "An extremely user friendly premium software." July 13, 2022 5.0 I really enjoy using this software, it has helped me up my game with all my drawings. Being able to add 3D objects into my 2D drawings for reference and the number of brushes provided is an absolute game changer. If Clip Studio Paint could make the setup process a little simpler that would be great. With the powerful text editor that Clip Studio Paint provides, I would definitely recommend this software! Pros I like the bundles of brushes it offers, I am able to really get those fine lines and shading that my creative side is going for. It works out really great for my 2D drawing and with its powerful text editor, I am able to do lettering and fancy graphic design text. The best feature is how I am able to add 3D objects into 2D drawings for reference. Cons The interface is overwhelming at first but you are able to customize it to your liking. When I first started using this type of software, the setup was quite difficult, but once I got all the settings right, then it was a walk in the park. Switched from [Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/) I enjoyed how powerful the text editor on Clip Studio Paint is. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Freelance Illustrator Graphic Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Fantastic Program" June 23, 2022 5.0 The program is very affordable, it runs fast, and it has pretty much all the features I look for in an art program. It has added features that previous programs I worked with didn't have as well. Pros Clip Studio has grown over the years and has become such an amazing program. Templates for printing, for interactive digital storytelling, animation, comic page layouts, 3D assets to help with the layout of an illustration, vector layers and masking, completely customizable brushes and textures. I cannot say enough good about this program. Custom brushes and assets are drag and drop install and the program comes with a search window to find other custom assets that users have uploaded. There's a newer feature that records a time-lapse of what is being drawn. CSP allows the user to export files in a number of different extensions, including PSD. There is a cloud feature, and the ability to also use the program on mobile. (the mobile version, however, is subscription.) Cons One of the biggest weaknesses is the lack of ability to edit text kerning and allow for that text to follow a path, but I'm hoping this will change in future updates, which this program is always receiving. Otherwise, I really don't have much to complain about. Alternatives considered [PaintTool SAI](https://www.capterra.com/p/229456/PaintTool-SAI/) Reason for choosing Clip Studio Paint Paint Tool SAI is a lovely program but updates are/were few and far between and the copy I had been working with just got too outdated to run well and the newer version was not to be completed for several more years. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Clip studio was vastly cheaper, didn't require a monthly subscription for it's desktop version and has most of the tools I need for all my work. It runs faster and smoother as well. Line art looks so much nicer and whereas I as having many issues with pen pressure in Photoshop, Paint Tool didn't have that problem. Review Source Rogelio A. CEO Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Happy accidents everywhere!" September 25, 2021 5.0 I love it. Truly love it. I hope they enable the vector export feature soon. Of course they try to sell you the brushes packs and several other stuff but they are really cheap and good quality and made on collaboration with several artists who use it on their own arts Pros It is really easy to learn how to use it, you can start drawing sketches the minute you start it and you can feel like a real pro if you use the stabilizers. Graphixly (Clip Studio) give enough webinars to teach you how to use it and learn by yourself. It is truly free to let you create whatever you want, the way you want it. If you are a noob like me, you can draw on vectors and correct everything of the drawing you just made without having to re-draw it Clip Studio lets you export on several formats including webtoons Cons You can't draw on exportable vectors as SVG or EPS. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) first: price. second: I felt I had more support here and they didn't fail to deliver. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Freelancer Design Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "The perfect program for artists!" September 12, 2021 5.0 Clip Studio Paint is awesome. I was absolutely enamored with how responsive the program is to my graphics drawing tablet (XP-PEN 13 Pro), and it's perfect. I have been a daily user for a little now, and I am very satisfied with my purchase. Also - I got mine 50% off whenever they were having a sale, so you can't beat that price! Pros Tons of features and a library of assets are available at my disposal, it's awesome! Cons Because of all of the features, it can take a little more time to learn, but it's well worth it! Switched from [Affinity Photo](https://www.capterra.com/p/228748/Affinity-Photo/) Although I use multiple programs, I swapped mainly from Affinity Photo. For what I'm doing (drawing/painting), I feel that Clip Studio Paint is the best option for me. It allows me to easy customize every aspect of creating my art pieces. Review Source BB Bastien B. Game developer Computer Games Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Expensive & performance heavy, when it actually works" July 28, 2025 2.0 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 MG Martina G. Artista freelance Fine Art Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Recensione CSP" January 19, 2023 5.0 Ottimo programma, per me ormai insostituibile. Pros È un programma nato con in mente artisti e illustratori e si vede, è intuitivo e di facile uso, e anche con i soli tool base si può già lavorare senza problemi. Cons Il text tool e i modelli 3D umani possono essere migliorati, ma non è nulla che possa incidere sull'uso complessivo del programma. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Photoshop è costoso e limitato e non pensato per gli artisti. Review Source MP Marko P. Photographer Photography Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "ClipStudioPaint review" September 27, 2024 4.0 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 MH Molly H. dishwasher Food & Beverages Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Clipstudio is a good art program" November 9, 2021 5.0 Clip Studio is great! I'm so glad to have it because it allows me to make my Webcomic and all my other pieces of art with ease. I've never been disappointed in it Pros It's got a ton of features and everything I could ever want or need to make a Webcomic. You can use all kinds of templates and download brushes that allow you to make amazing pieces of art. I recommend it to all my art friends, it's the best. Cons I wish the animating part of it was easier to understand, but I'm also a newbie to animating. Review Source LP Lorenzo P. Disegnatore Animation Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Perfetto e accessibile " January 16, 2024 5.0 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 JK Jenna K. Barista Food & Beverages Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Clip Studio Paint is a Great Beginner's Art Program" April 21, 2023 5.0 Pros Clip Studio Paint is extremely easy to use. You have 2 choices- the normal version or the EX. Whilst EX version offers more, purchasing the normal version still gives you enough content to do what you want. Compared to other art programs, it feels more beginner friendly. They also have sales quite frequently, so it is a great art program to try out. Cons The cons of Clip Studio Paint is entirely based upon their newly formed "subscription" model; you are forced to pay monthly, when it's main selling point was a one time purchase. It feels like you get less access to things if you don't pay monthly- which is the unfortunate part. Review Source CO Christopher O. Student Graphic Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Why I enjoy using clipstudio" December 19, 2022 4.0 It has been an amazing experience. Though I only use it for 2D drawing/painting and image editing, it does serve it's purpose Pros One major feature in the software that I love is the screen recording of drawing, painting and design process. All other features are great Cons Basically I don't think I have a problem with the software for now. I am currently satisfied with the features in the software Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Illustrator Graphic Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Clip Studio" December 12, 2020 5.0 I think it is a great application that is specifically geared towards illustrators and comic book creators. Pros The EX version is quite full featured with powerful inking tools. Cool features of the inking tools include multiple types of brushes, adjustable stabilization for smoother strokes, and vector inking. Cons The screen layout can get a bit cluttered, but using a large screen tablet with decent resolution can help mitigate such a situation. There were some issues early on with losing custom settings but that seems to be resolved. Review Source AB Alicia B. Freelance Artist Arts and Crafts Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Clip Studio Paint Review" February 18, 2021 5.0 Pros I have been using CSP for a year or so and I can tell the newest update has really made quite the impact! The aspect that you can import Photoshop brushes has really made a difference. The brush engine takes a little time to learn but it is well worth it and I think the UI is easy to adapt and adjust around to fit anyone's needs. Overall I think its an excellent program and I recommend it to anyone who likes to draw and paint! Cons I guess the only suggestion I would have, would be to include different lighting options for the 3D models. Like have a daylight, evening and night time mode for the models. I think it would make it easier to gather the color values more accurately. Review Source MZ Mario Z. Instructional Designer II Banking Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Yay for One-Time Purchase Model vs Subscriptions!" March 25, 2022 5.0 Pros Clip Studio Paint, which started off as a Manga comic creation software, is a Photoshop killer when it comes to Illustration (not photo manipulation). Their one-time purchase model is the best thing ever. Never paying monthly for Photoshop ever again. Cons The Materials store is massive. With a decent search engine, this makes it a lot easier… However, a lot of assets are in Chinese and do not translate for English speakers. It makes it a little difficult, but I’m ok with it since it was their software first. I can patiently wait. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) CSP’s one-time purchase model, hands down! Review Source LC Lidiane C. Professora Design Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Um excelente software, se não fosse o preço " May 16, 2023 5.0 Um excelente app, recomendaria muito. Só espero que façam algo com o preço para pessoas como eu. Pros A quantidade gigantesca de possibilidades com tantas ferramentas fáceis de se utilizar. Cons O preço alto que é incompatível com minha renda, mesmo valendo a pena Review Source GZ Gal Z. Industrial Designer Design Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Benefits and struggles of Clip Studio Paint" January 16, 2023 4.0 Pros Clip studio Paint allows for "One time purchase" instead of a monthly or annual subscription and has an extensive community store with both official assets (from brushes to 3d models) and user created ones Cons The interface looks a little bit more cluttered than the other softwares used in the industry, specially since you have to open the Clip Studio Paint app and only then you can open the software Review Source Asif Ali K. Director Information Technology Education Management Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Clip Studio Paint" June 15, 2022 5.0 Pros It has a big variety of brushes and has an animation feature. Cons The interface is very big and the keybinds are confusing. Review Source CS Carmelo S. libero professionista Arts and Crafts Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "molto buono, consigliato" December 15, 2022 4.0 Pros comoda l'interfaccia chiara, sopratutto per chi viene da programmi più complessi! ottime anche le opzioni di conversione dei files. Cons non mi piace molto che purtroppo, date le prestazioni del mio dispostivo, a volte crasha il programma senza salvare il lavoro. consiglio di salvare spesso!!!! Review Source LM Lex M. Innovation Specialist Banking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Clip Studio is on it's way to being number 1 " March 25, 2025 5.0 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 VR Verified Reviewer Owner, Artist Arts and Crafts Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Powerful drawing tool with a little learning curve" April 13, 2026 5.0 Pros I love how it integrates with my drawing tablet. It feels just as nice as drawing on paper. I like that it can handle large dimensions without crashing. I also like that the software is a one-time fee as opposed to monthly fee to use on desktop. Cons There is a slight learning curve to learn where things are, and to customize the windows to your preference. But if you're comfortable with other drawing software, it is not too different. I do wish that there is a one-time fee for the iPad apps. Review Source Similar Products Featured