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PaintTool SAI Reviews & Product Details

Pricing

Pricing provided by PaintTool SAI.

Basic

$50.81
Flat Rate With One-Time Purchase

User Insights

Average based on 61 real user reviews.

Perceived Cost

$$$$$

Typical contract price

$0k - $0k

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With One-Time Purchase

PaintTool SAI Reviews FAQs

Generated using AI

Last updated: Nov 04, 2026

What is PaintTool SAI, and what problem is it built to solve?

PaintTool SAI is lightweight, user-friendly digital painting software designed for artists who specialize in anime and manga styles. It focuses on digital illustration, with tools such as layers, painting brushes, and pressure-sensitive digitizer support.

What languages does PaintTool SAI support?

PaintTool SAI supports 2 languages: English and Japanese.

What company sizes and industries is PaintTool SAI the best fit for?

PaintTool SAI is most closely associated with smaller creative businesses and illustration-focused work. The strongest fit appears among these segments:
  • Company size: Small businesses with 50 or fewer employees.
  • Industries: Design and graphic design.
  • Creative fields: Arts and crafts, fine art, and animation.

What customer support options does PaintTool SAI provide, and how do users find the overall support experience?

PaintTool SAI provides help through FAQs and forums, as well as email and help-desk channels. The support experience is mixed: some users find it difficult to get technical assistance or ongoing support.

What features or capabilities could make PaintTool SAI even more useful?

PaintTool SAI could be more useful for complex production work with broader editing and workflow controls. Improvements users would value include:
  • More editing tools, including text, shapes, rulers, and selection or transformation controls.
  • Expanded color and layer options, such as CMYK support, additional blending modes, and more flexible layer management.
  • More brush variety and easier brush customization.
  • Better handling of large canvases and files to reduce memory-related slowdowns or crashes.

PaintTool SAI Reviews (61)

Reviews

PaintTool SAI Reviews (61)

4.3
61 reviews

What do users say?

Generated using AI from real user reviews
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TH
Tofiq H.
Digital Artist
Design
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Simple interface, better than others"
4.5/5
What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?

SAI is an impressive lightweight software compared to other professional tools like Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint. It works smoothly without any lag issues and offers advanced options for each tool. The blend and blur tools are particularly excellent. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?

In version 1, the RAM usage was limited to 8GB, which was sometimes problematic. However, I am now using version 2, and it would be perfect if there was an option for "Timelapse record" like in Clip Studio Paint. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

AM
April M.
Supervisor
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"As powerful as other software with less investment"
5/5
What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?

The various tools available are plentiful and I am able to gradient down to fine details for greater breakthrough of my art to the naked eye. I actually prefer this program over photoshop. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?

There's not really much to dislike. I enjoy using paint tool to work for my clients as well as myself to make all kinds of beautiful things from party invitations to signs around the house, as well as freelance work. I guess I dislike the fact that this tool does not get as much recognition as it should vs. other tools on the market. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Waleed Z.
WZ
Waleed Z.
Video Editor and Graphic Designer
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Paint tool sai review"
4.5/5
What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?

Simple tool for drawing and creating illustrations Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?

Almost unusable without a drawing tablet Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Meijia W.
MW
Meijia W.
3D Art Student
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Originally submitted 10/24/2019
"My favourite painting software!"
5/5
What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?

I like everything about PaintTool SAI. It doesn't use nearly as much GPU as Photoshop does (this means you can see the brushstrokes as soon as you press down your tablet pen, without any delay) and the brushes are just much easier to use than photoshop brushes. To this day I still don't know how to blend colours in Photoshop, but it is so much easier in PaintTool SAI. The user interface is very friendly and supports PSD files as well. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?

The only thing I dislike about PaintTool SAI is that it doesn't have the range of features compared to Photoshop when it comes to Image editing & grading. But it doesn't mean I can't just export it into Photoshop to do it. The other annoying thing is that sometimes the software can't support PSD files and won't let me save my artwork, it seems to be a bug that always catches me off guard and I will have to re-install the app to fix it. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Ian L.
IL
Ian L.
Online Marketing & Communications Associate
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Lightweight compared to other drawing tools"
5/5
What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?

It is lightweight compared to Photoshop and I do personally like the pen brush pressure of Paint Tool SAI compared to PS. The brush pressure is much more natural to me without tinkering with lots of its settings. The simple UI of it will make the work faster, like you can see all the settings you need on the side, and lastly, you can integrate PSD files that you have drawn and edit in Photoshop. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?

It lacks finishing image editing features. The only way for now to edit the artwork for finishing touches is through Photoshop. It's a good way though, but it is super hassle. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Quirky P.
QP
Quirky P.
Student
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"PaintTool SAI - Better for artists than graphic designers"
5/5
What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?

As an artist, I enjoy the ability to create digital illustrations with ease. There are many different brushes and tools that are necessary for those who like to make digital art and digital paintings. It could be used for logo creation and other illustrations for graphic design, but I would suggest using Illustrator instead, since it's more about precision compared to Paint Tool SAI. Paint Tool SAI feels less limited compared to Illustrator, so I like it more. A final bonus for the program is the ability to have custom brushes, and change settings for brushes. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?

I dislike the price, since it's a little expensive, but it's an amazing digital art program for what it is and has so many options. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

loise k.
LK
loise k.
Digital Painter
Chemicals
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"A Review on PaintTool SAI."
5/5
What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?

It's possible to open multiple view ports to the same document. There is also a set of vector drawing tools intended for inking which are used to create amazing designs. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?

Since I started using this software I haven't experienced any problems. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Graphic Design
UG
Verified User in Graphic Design
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Such a great product"
4/5
What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?

Sai is absolutely amazing for digital painting. It is so responsive to the pressure and movement of the pen and it’s great. Once you get the hang of it, it isn’t hard to use at all and you make amazing paintings. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?

What I least like about Paint Tool Sai is its outdated interface. It doesn’t look like Sai has been updated in forever since it’s launch maybe even. The flip side of this is that it is simple and there’s not that much that needs to be learned. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Graphic Design
UG
Verified User in Graphic Design
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Often shutting down randomly"
3.5/5
What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?

Easy to navigate tools and gives you the opportunity to customize them Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?

The interface is bland, its too bright and can be eye straining. If there was a lock or unlock feature for the in app tools to let your workspace float over your desktop that would be neat. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering
UM
Verified User in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Simple, but enough"
3.5/5
What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?

It is a very simple tool available on every Windows computer that can do basic tasks like cropping, combining, re-formatting images Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?

It is not a professional tool for drawing, and the pixel of the lines being drawn is quite big, making it hard to draw curves Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Questions about PaintTool SAI? Ask real users or explore answers from the community

Get practical answers, real workflows, and honest pros and cons from the G2 community or share your insights.

Víctor M.
VM
Víctor Manuel
•
Last activity over 5 years ago

Hello. I would like to know if there is any tool for highlights? Any brush you recommend?

GU
Guest User

What is PaintTool SAI used for?

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Pricing Options

Pricing provided by PaintTool SAI.

Basic

$50.81
Flat Rate With One-Time Purchase
PaintTool SAI Comparisons