Clip Studio Paint icon
Clip Studio Paint icon

Clip Studio Paint

 124 likes

Professional software for comic and manga creation, optimized with panel layouts, perspective rulers, sketching, inking, toning, vector support, and 3D model import, suitable for artists seeking advanced drawing and coloring tools.

Customizable workspace

License model

Country of Origin

  • JP flagJapan

Platforms

  • Mac
  • Windows
  • Android
  • iPhone
  • Chrome OS
  • Android Tablet
  • iPad
  • Samsung Galaxy Store
3.8 / 5 Avg rating (16)
124likes
17comments

Features

Suggest and vote on features

Properties

  1.  Optimal performance
  2.  Customizable
  3.  Lightweight

Features

  1.  Support for Layers
  2.  Texture for brushes
  3.  Pressure Sensitivity
  4.  Open PSD files
  5.  Tablet support
  6.  Smooth lines
  7.  Keyframe Animation
  8.  Drawing Tablet Support
  9.  Cloud Sync
  10.  Custom Brushes
  11.  Built-in 3D model viewer
  12.  Natural media painting
  13.  Vector strokes
  14.  Add-ons
  15.  Vectorgraphic support
  16.  Track everything
  17.  Texture painting
  18.  User story mapping

 Tags

  • Comic
  • illustration
  • manga-creation

Clip Studio Paint News & Activities

Highlights All activities

Recent News

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Recent activities

  • robogena liked Clip Studio Paint
    about 1 hour ago
  • crse updated Clip Studio Paint
    about 2 months ago
  • nttldnknwn replied to a comment / review on Clip Studio Paint
    2 months ago
  • crse replied to a comment / review on Clip Studio Paint
    2 months ago
  • nttldnknwn reviewed Clip Studio Paint  
    2 months ago

    I have experience using this software for about 2-3 years.

    Overall, my impressions are mixed.

    • Performance-wise, Clip Studio Paint is faster than Photoshop, but slower than Krita.
    • The software itself, its interface, and settings seem quite user-friendly, similar to Photoshop, and better than Krita's.
    • The brush engine felt better than Photoshop's, but worse than Krita's Pixel Engine. Generally, the feel when applying lines and strokes seems less natural – less like traditional media – than...
  • crse updated Clip Studio Paint
    2 months ago
  • nttldnknwn updated Clip Studio Paint
    2 months ago
  • Moonger liked Clip Studio Paint
    3 months ago
  • App icon
    POX added Clip Studio Paint as alternative to Canvas Max
    3 months ago
  • Fla updated Clip Studio Paint
    3 months ago
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Comments and Reviews

   
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Comment summary: Clip Studio Paint is praised for its powerful brush engine, clean interface, and advanced features for illustration and animation. Users highlight its high-quality asset store and compatibility with various creative works. However, criticisms include its restrictive licensing scheme and transition to a subscription model, which some users find unfavorable. Despite minor issues like LCD screen synchronization, Clip Studio Paint remains a strong contender for artists seeking versatile software.
Top Positive Comment
Wynter Smith
Dec 16, 2021
1

Clip Studio Paint has been the best software for doing illustrations and comic production that I've been able to find. I've used Photoshop, Illustrator, Affinity Photo, FireAlpaca, Krita and Procreate, and they've all had a bunch of problems that made it very frustrating to use them. Clip Studio isn't perfect, but I don't find myself fighting with the software constantly. It's very powerful, and the dedicated comic tools and the 3D model integration are VERY useful. The fact that they offer perpetual licenses alongside subscriptions is a major bonus for people like me who prefer to own software and pay again only when we need an upgrade.

Top Negative Comment
Taurolyon
Aug 25, 2022
2

Clip Studio is an amazing software. However, they chose to take it from one-time purchase to a subscription basis. I hate it when software studios do this. I'd rather pay for a new version every couple years and enjoy continued, uninterrupted use. I would then buy a new version when I WANT to.

Rather, the company FORCES you to pay for software that I might not entirely need or want; but if I don't, I can't use it.

Seriously, ClipStudio - don't force your customers around. No one likes bullies.

nttldnknwn
Apr 19, 2025
0

I have experience using this software for about 2-3 years.

Overall, my impressions are mixed.

  • Performance-wise, Clip Studio Paint is faster than Photoshop, but slower than Krita.
  • The software itself, its interface, and settings seem quite user-friendly, similar to Photoshop, and better than Krita's.
  • The brush engine felt better than Photoshop's, but worse than Krita's Pixel Engine. Generally, the feel when applying lines and strokes seems less natural – less like traditional media – than in Krita. But again, the brush customization process itself is easier and more comfortable due to a better interface design compared to Krita.
  • Photo manipulation capabilities – various filters and such are present, but they are very basic; Photoshop and Krita handle these better and offer more options. However, the basic functionality is there, and considering Clip Studio Paint is software for digital drawing and painting, not image editing, it seems perfectly adequate.
  • One thing I didn't like is that Clip Studio Paint comes with a lot of pre-installed content by default that is completely unnecessary for drawing and painting. You have to manually "declutter" the software to get rid of it all.
  • Over 2-3 years of almost daily use, I didn't encounter any bugs, but I haven't run into them in Photoshop either, whereas I did find a couple in Krita.
  • Contacting the developers for feature requests is very inconveniently set up, and you really don't get the feeling that user suggestions are taken into account by the developers.
  • Clip Studio Paint features realistic color mixing (Mixbox). I don't know if Photoshop has it now, but it seems Krita still doesn't.
  • Clip Studio Paint, like Photoshop, lacks native Linux support. Krita has it.
  • One of the most critical drawbacks of Clip Studio Paint is its development direction. The software is increasingly incorporating unnecessary 3D functionality that artists don't need, which is largely inferior in absolutely every aspect even to Blender's capabilities, should anyone actually need it. And instead of adding features truly necessary for 2D artists, the software gets stuffed more and more with 3D functionality.
  • The latest Clip Studio Paint updates can't even be called proper updates – nothing significant or genuinely good is being added, yet the developers market them as full updates and demand separate payment for them.

Overall, the software serves its purpose – it's perfectly suitable for digital drawing and painting. But I see absolutely no reason why I should buy it instead of supporting the Krita developers, who, at least, aren't stuffing software for digital drawing and painting with 3D editor features instead of introducing genuinely meaningful and needed updates. And if one wants to support the digital drawing and painting software industry, I think it would be much more sensible to support Rebelle rather than Clip Studio Paint.

It's sad that software with such good potential is heading in such an... utterly unnecessary direction.

cel
Apr 20, 2025

Regarding development direction, CSP is more focused on illustration and comic industry in Asia.

CSP is trying to be one app for all, exactly the same as Krita.

For pre-installed content, that's depends on people needs. Because CSP is Japanese software, it tend to focus on common Japanese illustrator and comic artist workflow. And so far, people are loving it. I've seen Chinese and Korean artist are totally okay with that as well.

3D editor is heavily used among manga and webtoon artist, I've seen people on the industry heavily using them for background asset or heavy referencing. Even Krita dev are considering to add them as well; they closely follow CSP development. (I recommend to check their Krita forum :) )

For feature request, while it's not perfect, I once requested for .WEBP support, and they actually deliver it on the next major version.

Some features that Krita does not have (that I personally use):

  • Flexible multi document layout (already made feature request on Krita forum, it's one of the most voted so far, but hindered by QT Framework.)
  • Comic and webtoon layout, not as advance as CSP.
  • 3D environment (yes, it's actually being used by significant amount of people, usually in comic making, or heavy perspective illustration).
nttldnknwn
Apr 22, 2025

Yes, you are probably right.

My main problem was that I was expecting something from the software that it was not originally created for.

karabut-viktor
Sep 19, 2023
0

Bought "Lifetime" license just month before they switched to subscription model. Feel scummed.

katherineg7210
Jan 12, 2023
0

quick note: It should be noted that Clip Studio can be used for free after the 30 days trial although you are unable to save the image as a file.

My opinion: I've used it for approximately 4 years and I absolutely love it! I've tried photoshop, kirita, medibang, ibispaint, and I think Clip Studio is far superior due to its brush customization, 3D modeller program and online shop - where you get access to free high-quality brushes.

Tip to new artists that haven't used Kirita/Photoshop prior to installing Clip Studio (not related to this review): Please watch YouTube videos about how to use Clip Studio!! They give a wonderful overview of all the features.

Anipe
Apr 22, 2022
0

Its amazing! Really cheap and easy to get due to hardware bundles, lots of features for the average artist and advanced artist even in it's base editor and tons of features for animators in other distributions!

RinRin
Dec 9, 2021
1

I've used Photoshop and Gimp before I used Manga Studio/Clip Studio Paint Pro. ...I find CSPP far superior to them both.

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What is Clip Studio Paint?

Clip Studio Paint, previously Manga Studio or ComicStudio in Japan, is a family of software applications for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows used for the digital creation of comics and manga.

It delivers powerful cutting edge drawing and coloring tools, making it essential for professional comic and manga artists.

Although it has features in common with general-purpose graphics software such as Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint's tool set is focused and optimized for use in creating comics and manga. It has tools for creating panel layouts, perspective rulers, sketching, inking, applying tones and textures, coloring, and creating word balloons and captions. It supports creation of bitmap and vector art, and importing 3D models. It supports input by a mouse or a graphics tablet.

Clip Studio Paint Videos

Official Links

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Clip Studio Paint information

  • Developed by

    JP flagCELSYS
  • Licensing

    Proprietary and Commercial product.
  • Pricing

    One time purchase ranging between $59 and $258, and / or subscription ranging between $1 and $15 per month.
  • Rating

    Average rating of 3.8 (16 ratings)
  • Alternatives

    96 alternatives listed
  • News

    5 news article related to Clip Studio Paint
  • Supported Languages

    • English
    • French
    • German
    • Japanese
    • Korean
    • Spanish
    • Chinese
    • Indonesian
    • Portuguese
    • Thai

AlternativeTo Category

Photos & Graphics

Apple AppStore

  •   Updated Apr 22, 2025
  •   4.29 avg rating
View in AppStore

Our users have written 17 comments and reviews about Clip Studio Paint, and it has gotten 124 likes

Clip Studio Paint was added to AlternativeTo by Wyvrn on Oct 31, 2013 and this page was last updated Apr 27, 2025. Clip Studio Paint is sometimes referred to as Manga Studio, ComicStudio, MSEX, Manga Studio Debut, Manga Studio EX, Clip Studio Paint EX, Clip Studio Paint PRO.