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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Alternatives list

  1. Krita icon

    Krita

     1420 likes

    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.

    144 Krita alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android Tablet
    • KDE Plasma
    • Epic Games Store
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Steam
    • AppImage
    Main Window
     
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    13
    Krita vs PaintTool SAI Comments
    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.
    3 of 13 comments
    • 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

     90 likes

    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
    FireAlpaca vs PaintTool SAI Comments
    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.
    3 of 9 comments
    • FireAlpaca is Free and ProprietaryPaintTool SAI is Paid and Proprietary
  4. MyPaint icon

    MyPaint

     389 likes

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

    129 MyPaint alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com
    MyPaint screenshot 1
     
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    1
    MyPaint vs PaintTool SAI Comments
    Guest
    Negative
    3

    There aren't as many functions as PaintTool SAI

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • MyPaint is Free and Open SourcePaintTool SAI is Paid and Proprietary
    • MyPaint is LightweightPaintTool SAI is not according to our users
  5. AzPainter icon

    AzPainter

     22 likes

    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.

    32 AzPainter alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    AzPainter screenshot 1
     
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    4
    AzPainter vs PaintTool SAI Comments
    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.
    3 of 4 comments
    • 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

    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.

    40 Paintstorm alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • iPad
    PC version
     
  9. Pixelitor icon

    Pixelitor

     27 likes

    Open source image editor with non-destructive editing, 110+ filters, adjustment and text layers, support for smart objects and adjustment layers, cross-platform compatibility, and layer-based editing for flexible image composition.

    113 Pixelitor alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Pixelitor screenshot 1
     
  10. Gimp Paint Studio icon

    Gimp Paint Studio

     30 likes

    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
     
  11. Npainter icon

    Npainter

     5 likes

    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

    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

    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

    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