The Best Free Clip Studio Paint AlternativesTop Digital Painting Tools & Image Editors like Clip Studio Paint

The best free alternative to Clip Studio Paint is Krita, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Clip Studio Paint and loads of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to Clip Studio Paint are MediBang Paint, Affinity, Photopea and MyPaint.

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Clip Studio Paint 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 Free, Linux, Android Tablet, Open Source, iPad and Android. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Clip Studio Paint.
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Alternatives list

  1. Krita icon
     1413 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.

    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
     
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    6
    69
    Comments about Krita as an Alternative to Clip Studio Paint
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    6

    a great software for poor artist but very powerfull to drew . i'm like it

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

    I have been using Krita for 4 years and just jumped to Photoshop . The features are very similar to Photoshop so It really made me feel right at home after I jumped from it. Best alternative to Photoshop.

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

    Completely free and very powerful

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    3 of 6 comments
    Clip Studio Paint Icon
    Krita icon
    • Almost everyone thinks Krita is a great Clip Studio Paint alternative.

    • Krita is the most popular Windows, Mac, Linux & Android Tablet alternative to Clip Studio Paint.

    • Krita is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Clip Studio Paint.

    • Krita is Free and Open SourceClip Studio Paint is Paid and Proprietary
    • Krita is Privacy focusedClip Studio Paint is not according to our users
  2. MediBang Paint icon
     117 likes

    MediBang Paint is a lightweight software for illustration and making comic books on Windows and Mac OS.

    75 MediBang Paint alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Steam
     
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    4
    73
    Comments about MediBang Paint as an Alternative to Clip Studio Paint
    Milla Palacio
    Positive
    2

    Not only is it free, they do share a lot of common functionality. Of course, MediBang Paint isn't as feature-rich, but it's still good for anime- and manga-style art.

    SoftOlive
    Positive
    0

    It's an amazing tool for art, just like Clip Studio Paint. VERY good for not just manga, anime, etc art styles, but other art styles.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    4

    It has all the things that I needed that Clip Studio Paint also had! LOVE IT!??

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    3 of 4 comments
    Clip Studio Paint Icon
    MediBang Paint icon
    • Almost everyone thinks MediBang Paint is a great Clip Studio Paint alternative.

    • MediBang Paint is the most popular Android, iPhone & iPad alternative to Clip Studio Paint.

    • MediBang Paint is Freemium and ProprietaryClip Studio Paint is Paid and Proprietary
  3. Affinity icon
     55 likes

    Unified design solution merging advanced photo, vector, and layout tools for seamless workflow, non-destructive editing, RAW support, batch processing, AI enhancements, GPU acceleration, file compatibility, cloud asset integration, and tailored workspace options.

    68 Affinity alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
     
    |
    1
    Comments about Affinity as an Alternative to Clip Studio Paint
    cel
    Negative
    0

    Different intended audience, difference tools pack.

    Clip Studio Paint Icon
    Affinity icon
    • Affinity is Freemium and ProprietaryClip Studio Paint is Paid and Proprietary
  4. Photopea icon
     336 likes

    Browser-based image editing supports PSD, XCF, Sketch formats, advanced layers, vector tools, RAW photo support, and exports in 40+ formats. Fully client-side with AI background removal, content-aware tools, and privacy as files never leave your device.

    112 Photopea alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
     
    • Photopea is the most popular SaaS alternative to Clip Studio Paint.

    • Photopea is Freemium and ProprietaryClip Studio Paint is Paid and Proprietary
  5. MyPaint icon
     387 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.

    127 MyPaint alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com
     
    |
    1
    12
    Comments about MyPaint as an Alternative to Clip Studio Paint
    Guest
    Negative
    -1

    not made for drawing manga

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Clip Studio Paint Icon
    MyPaint icon
    • Most users think MyPaint is a great Clip Studio Paint alternative.

    • MyPaint is Free and Open SourceClip Studio Paint is Paid and Proprietary
  6. OpenToonz icon
     126 likes

    OpenToonz is an animation program that is a free software version of Toonz, the animation software used by Studio Ghibli, amongst others.

    43 OpenToonz alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
    |
    1
    Comments about OpenToonz as an Alternative to Clip Studio Paint
    SoftOlive
    Negative
    0

    Opentoonz is very confusing for use, and primarily focuses on animation rather than art. Clip Studio Paint and Opentoonz is almost completely incomparable to Clip Studio, aside from the fact that they both can make art.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Clip Studio Paint Icon
    OpenToonz icon
    • OpenToonz is Free and Open SourceClip Studio Paint is Paid and Proprietary
    • OpenToonz is Privacy focusedClip Studio Paint is not according to our users
  7. FireAlpaca icon
     89 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

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  8. Storyboarder icon
     41 likes

    Storyboarder makes it easy to visualize a story as fast you can draw stick figures. Quickly draw to test if a story idea works. Create and show animatics to others. Express your story idea without making a movie.

    37 Storyboarder alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  9. Microsoft Paint icon
     179 likes

    Windows-bundled image editor for basic painting and raster editing tasks, supporting bitmap, JPEG, GIF, PNG, and TIFF. Offers layer support, offline access, no registration, and dark mode. Lightweight and ad-free, ensuring minimal resource use.

    124 Microsoft Paint alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
    |
    3
    Comments about Microsoft Paint as an Alternative to Clip Studio Paint
    Guest
    Negative
    5

    Microsoft paint is a very basic tool without much functionality

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    4

    Well, it's like comparing a car and pair of Rollerblade. Both can take you where you want to go, but it will be harder to go too far using the latter. It's unfair to the Clip Studio Paint to even compare it to Microsoft Paint

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

    It's the best for shitposts excluding photoshopped stuff.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Clip Studio Paint Icon
    Microsoft Paint icon
    • This alternative is disputed. Microsoft Paint is a legitimate Clip Studio Paint alternative, but it might have issues that some users think are important.

    • Microsoft Paint is Free and ProprietaryClip Studio Paint is Paid and Proprietary
    • Microsoft Paint is MinimalisticClip Studio Paint is not according to our users
  10. Adobe Fresco icon
     6 likes

    Unlock creativity with a massive brush collection and real-time effects. Blend oils, paint with vibrant watercolors, and enjoy vector and raster brushes on stylus-ready devices. Ideal for artists of all levels.

    20 Adobe Fresco alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once or Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • iPhone
    • iPad
     
  11. KRESKA.art icon
     7 likes

    KRESKA.art is a free online drawing and painting app that lets you create art directly in your web browser. It offers a simple interface, diverse brushes, and unique features like auto-color tracing. You can use it to sketch and paint without any downloads or installations.

    17 KRESKA.art alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Online
     
12 of 63 Clip Studio Paint alternatives