# 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 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 Amanda W Owner, ArtistArts and Crafts, Self-employedUsed the software for: Less than 6 months. “I like that it can handle large dimensions without crashing.“ April 13, 2026 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 MR Maria R. Maestro Design Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Producto amigable y sencillo" March 8, 2023 5.0 Es un producto que resulta sencillo de utilizar, amigable, muy interesante por su material para descargar para manga y dibujo digital además de la cantidad de pinceles que ofrece. Pros Me encanta lo amigable e intuitivo que es el producto de ClipStudio Paint para poder trabajar con imagenes digitales en dibujo y para el pintado así como las diferentes texturas que se pueden utilizar al momento de pintar. Cons Que hay poco tiempo para uso gratuito y podrian haber muchas más herramientas de inicio para los usuarios nuevos. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Porque siento el ClipStudio Paint más sencillo de utilizar y más intuitivo. 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 SI Silvia I. freelancer Arts and Crafts Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Una vera scoperta" December 7, 2022 4.0 Pros Mi è piaciuto moltissimo il fatto che l'interfaccia sia più semplice di alcuni software; sicuramente bisogna avere un minimo di esperienza, ma chi già usa programmi del genere non avrà nessun problema! Cons Come già detto precedentemente, non mi piace granché la poca personalizzazione e formattazione che posso dare ai testi; infatti penso utilizzerò un software secondario per quello. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer diseño Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "mi experiencia usando Clip Studio . " July 6, 2023 5.0 me ha gustado mucho tiene herramientas muy funcionales para la creacion de comic o ilustraciones tipo vectorial, es muy agradable hacer ilustraciones y animaciones . Pros me gusta las herramientas que tiene para realizar el entintado de las ilustraciones y la facilidad que tiene para poner efectos de comic . Cons la cruva de aprender el porgrama es mediana si la persona apenas comienza le costara un poco de trabajo. 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 Alexa H. School proyect Higher Education Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Best inversion " February 7, 2023 5.0 Pros Is prety easy to use, and have a lot of materials and tutorials to go with Cons I thing sometimes the searsh bar can be a little slow Review Source Kevin O. Owner/Artist Apparel & Fashion Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "A Graphic Designer's Save" July 22, 2021 5.0 I have only been using it a few months now but the more I use it the more I want to. It has actually opened up an entre new world of art and design for me and I love it! I am so familiar with these types of programs and that makes it really easy! Pros It started out as free and ten only cost $49. for the full program. I got it for my Galaxy tab S7 to have a better art program for designing and uploading fr my print-on-demand business and wasn't sure I could do that with a tablet and without my art programs but it is better than the program on my desktop in a lot of ways and I was able and am able t work more efficiently, anywhere on earth. Cons It too a bit to get used to such a size, working on a tablet, but other than that it is phenomenal and I have no complaints. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer UX Designer Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Clip Studio Paint for Webtoons and Illustration" April 8, 2023 5.0 Clip Studio overall has been great for illustrations, whether it is for hobbies or professional use. Pros Clip Studio has a community asset page where other users can upload their brushes, textures, 3D models and etc, for others to use. Cons The program itself can become pricey depending on where users decide to use the program e.g. on tablets you pay for a monthly subscription whereas PC/Mac programs you only need to pay for it once. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer ESL Teacher E-Learning Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "A Well Thought Out Graphics Software With Useful Features" December 16, 2022 5.0 Pros I've used the product for months now, and I'm very impressed with what it has to offer. The tools are quite powerful for creating professional-quality graphics, and the layout of the tools is well thought out. I also love the "model posing" feature as it gives me a good idea of how my characters should pose for a specific scene before the sketching even begins. Highly recommended! Cons There are a lot of tools available in Clip Studio Paint, so a person can feel a bit lost at first. But once you get familiar with the software it became much easier to use. Review Source SF Stevie F. Owner Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great Graphic Design alternative to Procreate " May 6, 2021 5.0 I love using this program to design graphic for my small business. Pros This software is a great alternative to Procreate, it does have a large learning curve but once you set it up the way you like it has such a nice flow to it Cons It was pricey and it did take a lot to learn the software but other than that I don’t have any complaints. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Creative manager Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Make the same Cartoons you see on TV!!!" November 10, 2020 4.0 I use it for sketches coloring and even logos. its a great tool to trace your existing paper drawings also. Pros I always wondered how they made some of my favorites shows. With CS Paint you can make any sort of animation you want with optimal customization and quality. You will find yourself spending hours creating custom brushes and sketching scenes. If you want to draw real life animations then Clip studio is you go to program Cons There is a pretty stiff learning curve with this one. and it doesn't have some of the bells and whistles of other more popular software. Overall these aspects don't take away from the overall usability of the software. Review Source MS Madeby S. Designer Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Clip Studio Paint review from illustrator" October 13, 2023 5.0 Pros I really appreciate the possibilities of textures and materials. Cons The organization of timeline in animating mode is a little confusing. Review Source PN Paulo N. Responsável Melhoria Contínua Industrial Automation Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Programa de Desenho, Ilustração e Animação " October 16, 2023 5.0 Pros Excelente software para criação de ilustrações, animações, desenhos digitais e histórias aos quadradinhos. Possui ótimas ferramentas para criar letras aos quadradinhos. Mais completo que outros da mesma área. Recomendado para artistas e ilustradores profissionais. Cons Não é muito intuitivo e requer alguma aprendizagem inicial, mas com a prática é possível lá chegar. 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 JL Joelle L. Senior Cutout Animator Animation Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A Solid Program, Especially if you do a lot of Inking/ Work on Comics." November 27, 2023 4.0 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 Similar Products Featured ## Related categories [Vector Graphics](https://www.capterra.com/vector-graphics-software/)