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# Krita vs PaintTool SAI Comparison - What are their main differences?

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KritaPaintTool SAI[+ Add Product](#)

Pricing

**Krita**
No pricing available

**PaintTool SAI**
No pricing available

**Pricing Insights**
from reviews

Time to Implement

**Krita**
Not enough reviews yet

**PaintTool SAI**
Not enough reviews yet

Return on Investment

**Krita**
Not enough reviews yet

**PaintTool SAI**
Not enough reviews yet

Perceived Cost

**Krita**
$$$$$

**PaintTool SAI**
$$$$$

Average Discount

**Krita**
Not enough reviews yet

**PaintTool SAI**
Not enough reviews yet

**Pros & Cons**
from reviews

**Krita**
Not enough data

**PaintTool SAI**
Not enough data

**Ratings**
from reviews

Meets Requirements

**Krita**

8.8

8.863

**PaintTool SAI**

7.9

7.961

Ease of Use

**Krita**

7.9

7.963

**PaintTool SAI**

9.4

9.461

Ease of Setup

**Krita**
Not enough data

**PaintTool SAI**
Not enough data

Ease of Admin

**Krita**
Not enough data

**PaintTool SAI**
Not enough data

Quality of Support

**Krita**

7.7

7.752

**PaintTool SAI**

6.8

6.843

Has the product been a good partner in doing business?

**Krita**
Not enough data

**PaintTool SAI**
Not enough data

Product Direction (% positive)

**Krita**

9.4

9.463

**PaintTool SAI**

7.1

7.161

**Features**
ratings from reviews

User Insights

**Reviewers' Company Size**

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
79.4%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
9.5%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
11.1%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
79.4%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
9.5%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
11.1%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
80.3%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
9.8%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
9.8%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
80.3%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
9.8%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
9.8%

**Reviewers' Industry**

[![Krita](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_aa18721ff09aefa8a9cfe05310cc916f/krita.png "Krita")](https://www.g2.com/products/krita/reviews)
Krita

Graphic Design
19.0%

Design
15.9%

Internet
11.1%

Arts and Crafts
9.5%

Computer Networking
4.8%

Other
39.7%

[![PaintTool SAI](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_49268547e147e8c0ac0a7a66eee0fb5a/painttool-sai.png "PaintTool SAI")](https://www.g2.com/products/painttool-sai/reviews)
PaintTool SAI

Design
19.7%

Graphic Design
11.5%

Animation
9.8%

Arts and Crafts
8.2%

Fine Art
4.9%

Other
45.9%

FAQs

## Krita vs PaintTool SAI FAQs

Generated using AI

Last updated: August 14, 2026

### What is the difference between Krita vs PaintTool SAI?

Krita stands out for its higher reviewer satisfaction in support and meets requirements, while PaintTool SAI is rated higher for ease of use.

| | [Krita](https://www.g2.com/products/krita/reviews) | [PaintTool SAI](https://www.g2.com/products/painttool-sai/reviews) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| G2 Rating (reviews) | 4.4/5 (65 reviews) | 4.3/5 (61 reviews) |
| Largest Segment | Small-Business | Small-Business |
| Ease of Setup score | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Quality of Support score | 7.8 | 6.8 |
| Top Reviewer-Cited Strength | Professional drawing and painting tools available for free | Lightweight, smooth performance, and natural brush feel |

### How do the pricing models of Krita and PaintTool SAI compare?

Krita is considered the stronger value by reviewers, with higher satisfaction on price and cost-related dimensions.

- **Krita:** Reviewers consistently highlight Krita's free and open-source model as a major advantage, noting that it eliminates the need for expensive design software and provides professional tools at no cost.
- **PaintTool SAI:** Reviewers appreciate PaintTool SAI's affordability compared to Photoshop, but some mention the price as a drawback relative to its feature set, especially when compared to free alternatives like Krita.
- **Switching reasons:** In recent reviews, several users mention switching to Krita specifically to avoid high software costs and subscription fees.

### What are the best alternatives to Krita and PaintTool SAI?

The best alternatives to Krita and PaintTool SAI are Sketchbook, GIMP, and ArtRage.

| Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Krita](https://www.g2.com/products/krita/reviews) | 4.4/5 (65 reviews) | Small-Business | Free and open-source | Professional drawing and painting tools available for free |
| [PaintTool SAI](https://www.g2.com/products/painttool-sai/reviews) | 4.3/5 (61 reviews) | Small-Business | Affordable compared to Photoshop | Lightweight, smooth performance, and natural brush feel |
| [Sketchbook](https://www.g2.com/products/sketchbook/reviews) | 4.4/5 (177 reviews) | Small-Business | — | Intuitive interface and versatile drawing tools |
| [GIMP](https://www.g2.com/products/gimp/reviews) | 4.3/5 (1485 reviews) | Small-Business | — | Extensive editing capabilities and open-source flexibility |
| [ArtRage](https://www.g2.com/products/artrage/reviews) | 4.4/5 (73 reviews) | Small-Business | — | Realistic painting experience and natural media simulation |

### Which Drawing features should I prioritize when comparing Krita and PaintTool SAI?

Buyers should prioritize brush engine quality, ease of use, support and documentation, performance on large files, and platform compatibility when comparing Krita and PaintTool SAI.

- **Brush engine quality:** Krita is praised for its customizable and professional brush engine, while PaintTool SAI is noted for its natural brush feel and blending tools.
- **Ease of use:** PaintTool SAI scores 9.4 on Ease of Use, compared to Krita's 8.0.
- **Support and documentation:** Krita receives frequent positive mentions for its documentation and support resources, with a Quality of Support score of 7.8 versus PaintTool SAI's 6.8.
- **Performance on large files:** Krita reviewers mention occasional slowdowns with high-resolution files, while PaintTool SAI is consistently described as lightweight and smooth.
- **Platform compatibility:** Krita is multi-platform (Windows, Linux, Mac), while PaintTool SAI is primarily Windows-focused.

### What are the pros and cons of Krita vs PaintTool SAI?

Krita's headline strength is its free, professional-grade toolset, while PaintTool SAI excels in lightweight performance and ease of use.

- **Krita strengths:** Free and open-source, professional drawing and painting tools, extensive brush customization, multi-platform support, strong documentation, and animation features.
- **Krita trade-offs:** Steeper learning curve, interface can feel overwhelming, occasional performance slowdowns on large files, and some advanced features less refined than paid competitors.
- **PaintTool SAI strengths:** Lightweight and fast, natural brush feel, high Ease of Use (9.4), excellent blending and smoothing tools, and affordable compared to Photoshop.
- **PaintTool SAI trade-offs:** Limited feature set compared to full-scale editors, fewer export and editing options, less robust support and documentation, and primarily Windows-only.

### Is Krita or PaintTool SAI better for small businesses?

Krita is the better fit for small businesses, supported by its strong small-business segment and cost-saving advantages.

- **Krita:** Largest segment is Small-Business; reviewers highlight its zero-cost, professional-grade features, and multi-platform compatibility as key benefits for small teams and budget-conscious organizations.
- **PaintTool SAI:** Largest segment is Small-Business; reviewers appreciate its affordability and ease of use, but note limitations in advanced features and platform support for business needs.

### Which Drawing platform has better integrations?

Reviewers do not favor either Krita or PaintTool SAI for integrations, as neither product has notable integration mentions in recent reviews.

- **Krita:** No reviewer-cited integrations in recent reviews.
- **PaintTool SAI:** No reviewer-cited integrations in recent reviews.

### How do Krita and PaintTool SAI compare on customer support?

Krita outperforms PaintTool SAI on Quality of Support by a full point, 7.8 versus 6.8, a material difference.

- **Krita:** Reviewers frequently praise the documentation, community support, and responsiveness to technical issues, with many citing positive experiences resolving problems.
- **PaintTool SAI:** Reviewers describe support as adequate but less robust, with some noting limited documentation and slower updates.

### Which is easier to implement, Krita or PaintTool SAI?

Krita and PaintTool SAI are rated equally on Ease of Setup, both scoring 7.0, indicating parity in implementation experience.

- **Krita:** Reviewers describe setup as straightforward, with installation and initial configuration generally easy, though some mention a learning curve for mastering features.
- **PaintTool SAI:** Reviewers note simple installation and quick start, with minimal setup required to begin drawing.

Alternatives

**Krita Alternatives**

 ![GIMP](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_c1ef7dba448cecec96775ad06eb16ca8/gimp.png "GIMP")

[
GIMP
](/products/gimp/reviews)

 ![Sketchbook](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_8354ae73b62ce2114bb78a7ebb555294/sketchbook.png "Sketchbook")

[
Sketchbook
](/products/sketchbook/reviews)

 ![Rebelle](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_1d186d7193a0bead38cca5d035fd5586/rebelle.png "Rebelle")

[
Rebelle
](/products/rebelle/reviews)

 ![ArtRage](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_d7ca62a69369addb298d37aade505f02/artrage.png "ArtRage")

[
ArtRage
](/products/artrage/reviews)

**PaintTool SAI Alternatives**

 ![Sketchbook](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_8354ae73b62ce2114bb78a7ebb555294/sketchbook.png "Sketchbook")

[
Sketchbook
](/products/sketchbook/reviews)

 ![Procreate](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_b5ac7d70b92757dc3ce37584d7056f63/procreate.jpeg "Procreate")

[
Procreate
](/products/procreate/reviews)

 ![ArtRage](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_d7ca62a69369addb298d37aade505f02/artrage.png "ArtRage")

[
ArtRage
](/products/artrage/reviews)

 ![Painter](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_184cadd11e3ea6b5f0c94599a6a709dc/painter.jpg "Painter")

[
Painter
](/products/painter/reviews)

## Krita vs PaintTool SAI

- Reviewers felt that Krita meets the needs of their business better than PaintTool SAI.
- When comparing quality of ongoing product support, reviewers felt that Krita is the preferred option.
- For feature updates and roadmaps, our reviewers preferred the direction of Krita over PaintTool SAI.