PaintTool SAI Alternatives for Linux

PaintTool SAI is not available for Linux but there are plenty of alternatives that runs on Linux with similar functionality. The best Linux alternative is Krita, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to PaintTool SAI and 15 are available for Linux so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Linux alternatives to PaintTool SAI are FireAlpaca, MyPaint, AzPainter and Paintstorm.

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PaintTool SAI alternatives are mainly Digital Painting Tools, but if you're looking for Image Editors or Photo Editors you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Android, Mac, Free, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Windows. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to PaintTool SAI.
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Alternatives list

  1. Krita icon

    Krita

     1412 likes
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    Free, open-source painting software designed by artists for artists. Offers customizable UI, 9 brush engines, color management, tablet support, non-destructive editing, and privacy features. Portable and available on major platforms, supporting seamless texture creation.

    142 Krita alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android Tablet
    • KDE Plasma
    • Epic Games Store
    • PortableApps.com
    • Steam
    • F-Droid
    Main Window
     
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    13
    213
    Comments about Krita as an Alternative to PaintTool SAI
    Comment summary: Krita is often praised as a robust alternative to PaintTool SAI, offering a variety of brushes and options. Many users appreciate its comprehensive capabilities and free cost, although some find it less user-friendly initially. It includes features like animation support and fullscreen usage but runs less efficiently on some computers. While it's advanced, it can be glitchy and lacks some specific tools like a blur tool, making it heavier than PaintTool SAI.
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    6

    Very advanced program that is absolutely free, only downside is that it's not as lightweight as SAI

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    0

    Both Krita's brush system and UI are very different from SAI, notably the color blending system which make it impossible to recreate the watercolor effect in SAI, it is more similar to Autodesk Sketchbook.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    It has many capabilities, and I've seen people's work using this. It's amazing to work in and is good in animation features.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 13 comments
    PaintTool SAI Icon
    Krita icon

    • Most users think Krita is a great PaintTool SAI alternative.

    • Krita is the most popular Windows, Mac, Linux & Android Tablet alternative to PaintTool SAI.

    • Krita is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to PaintTool SAI.

    • Krita is Free and Open SourcePaintTool SAI is Paid and Proprietary
    • Krita is Lightweight and Privacy focusedPaintTool SAI is not according to our users
  2. FireAlpaca icon

    FireAlpaca

     89 likes
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    FireAlpaca is the image editor that can be used readily and easily. We made it possible to provide the completely free download, in order for our products to be experienced by more users from all over the world. It is available for both Mac and Windows users!

    123 FireAlpaca alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    FireAlpaca screenshot 1
     
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    9
    141
    Comments about FireAlpaca as an Alternative to PaintTool SAI
    Comment summary: FireAlpaca is praised for being a free alternative to PaintTool SAI, offering similar features such as pressure-sensitive brushes, layers, and animation modes. Users appreciate its regular updates, ease of use, and cross-platform compatibility for Mac and Windows. Although generally positive, some mention its differences from SAI, such as having unique features like the Alpaca brush.
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    5

    Firealpaca is much easier to use! It's simpler to find your way around and it's completely free for mac and windows! It's also great because it has regular updates so you know it's always gonna get better. You can animate on it and use masks, references and palettes.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Overall very similar brush/color sampling system, especially with color blending.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    FireAlpaca is good. Can be easier to draw with pentablet

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 9 comments
    PaintTool SAI Icon
    FireAlpaca icon

    • Almost everyone thinks FireAlpaca is a great PaintTool SAI alternative.

    • FireAlpaca is Free and ProprietaryPaintTool SAI is Paid and Proprietary
  4. MyPaint icon

    MyPaint

     387 likes
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    MyPaint is a fast, distraction-free, and easy painting tool for digital artists. It supports graphics tablets made by Wacom, and many similar devices.

    126 MyPaint alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com
    MyPaint screenshot 1
     
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    1
    73
    Comments about MyPaint as an Alternative to PaintTool SAI
    Guest
    Negative
    3

    There aren't as many functions as PaintTool SAI

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    PaintTool SAI Icon
    MyPaint icon

    • Most users think MyPaint is a great PaintTool SAI alternative.

    • MyPaint is Free and Open SourcePaintTool SAI is Paid and Proprietary
  5. AzPainter icon

    AzPainter

     22 likes
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    AzPainter is a full color painting program for Linux. It's a lightweight tool with tablet pressure support, and provides basic functions such as selection, layers, filters. you can use it for painting, image editing, or pixel art making.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    AzPainter screenshot 1
     
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    4
    8
    Comments about AzPainter as an Alternative to PaintTool SAI
    ADRIANO DUARTE
    Positive
    2

    Lightweight, very simple and powerful.

    Guest
    Positive
    3

    Smooth brushes, almost like PaintTool SAI. Includes "cell animation". ultra light, loads in 1 or 2 seconds in my computer.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    2

    Has almost funtions as Sai does

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 4 comments
    PaintTool SAI Icon
    AzPainter icon

    • Almost everyone thinks AzPainter is a great PaintTool SAI alternative.

    • AzPainter is Free and Open SourcePaintTool SAI is Paid and Proprietary
    • AzPainter is LightweightPaintTool SAI is not according to our users
  6. Paintstorm icon

    Paintstorm

     22 likes
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    Paintstorm Studio is created for professional digital painting. And a major role in this program play the brushes. We did our best so that you can easily and quickly adjust the brushes suitable for your painting style.

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • iPad
    PC version
     
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    14
  9. Gimp Paint Studio icon

    Gimp Paint Studio

     30 likes
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    GPS (aka Gimp Paint Studio) is a collection of brushes, patterns, color gradients, accompanying tool presets and dynamics. Tool presets are a simply saved tool options, highly useful feature of the GIMP.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • GIMP
    Gimp Paint Studio screenshot 1
     
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    6
  10. Our Paint icon

    Our Paint

     9 likes
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    Our Paint is a featureless but programmable painting program.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • itch.io
    • Android
    Our Paint screenshot 1
     
  11. Npainter icon

    Npainter

     5 likes
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    NPainter is a free fast and simple painting software created from scratch. the most important goal is provide a powerful and lightweight tool for beginner and amateur art artists as well semi-professional artists.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • itch.io
    Npainter screenshot 1
     
  12. Vara icon

    Vara

     1 like
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    Drawing and digital painting application with pressure-sensitive brushes. It belongs to the group of applications like Krita and MyPaint, but with a limited number of features. The main focus is on simplicity.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Vara screenshot 1
     
  13. QAquarelle icon

    QAquarelle

     12 likes
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    Qaquarelle is a very young opensource Qt4-based painting application that is supposed to provide a native way of painting with emulated traditional instruments, including watercolor simulation, full support for tablets and OpenGL-based processing in GPU.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    QAquarelle screenshot 1
     
  14. InfiniPaint icon

    InfiniPaint

     2 likes
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    InfiniPaint is a collaborative, infinite space, infinite zoom, canvas note-taking/drawing app. Unlike many other infinite canvas apps, although there is a specific zoom-in level limit, there is no zoom-out limit (at least up until the point your computer runs out of memory).

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Online
    InfiniPaint screenshot 1
     
12 of 15 PaintTool SAI alternatives