--- title: PaintTool SAI Reviews meta_title: 'PaintTool SAI Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta_description: Filter 61 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how PaintTool SAI works for a business like yours. aggregate_rating: rating_value: 4.3 review_count: 61 scale: '5' date_modified: '2026-08-04' parent_category: name: Graphic Design url: https://www.g2.com/categories/graphic-design --- # PaintTool SAI Reviews **Vendor:** Systemax **Category:** [Drawing Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/drawing) **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 61 ## About PaintTool SAI PaintTool SAI is a high-quality, lightweight digital painting software designed to provide a seamless and enjoyable experience for artists. Developed by SYSTEMAX, it offers full digitizer support with pressure sensitivity, enabling precise and natural brush strokes. The software's simple yet powerful user interface ensures ease of use, making it accessible to both beginners and professionals. Its efficient performance allows it to run smoothly even on less powerful computers, making digital art creation accessible to a wide range of users. Key Features and Functionality: - Digitizer Support with Pressure Sensitivity: Provides full support for drawing tablets, allowing for natural and responsive brush strokes. - Anti-Aliased Drawings: Delivers smooth and clean lines, enhancing the quality of digital artwork. - 16-bit ARGB Channels: Ensures highly accurate color composition for detailed and vibrant images. - User-Friendly Interface: Offers a straightforward and intuitive layout, facilitating a quick learning curve. - Intel MMX Technology Support: Optimizes performance for efficient rendering and processing. - Data Protection Function: Includes features to prevent data loss due to unexpected software termination. Primary Value and User Solutions: PaintTool SAI addresses the need for a reliable and efficient digital painting tool that balances functionality with simplicity. Its lightweight design ensures smooth operation without taxing system resources, making it ideal for users with older or less powerful hardware. The software's emphasis on essential painting tools, combined with its responsive brush engine and pressure sensitivity, provides artists with a natural drawing experience. By focusing on core features without unnecessary complexity, PaintTool SAI enables users to create high-quality digital art efficiently and comfortably. ## PaintTool SAI Reviews ### 1. Very nice drawing program **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Kristin M. | Freelance Video Editor, Broadcast Media, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 19, 2016 **What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?** I like how versatile the tools are, there are many options and the ability to create your own brushes is great. The painting capabilities are also my favorite of any of the programs I've used before. Makes great line art and the brush is very responsive and doesn't lag. **What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?** Could use some more filter options, generally have to switch over to photoshop after a painting is finished to add the filters. Needs better CMYK capabilities. **Recommendations to others considering PaintTool SAI:** I recommend SAI to any of my other artist friends looking for a program that doesn't use much of your computer's resources and doesn't lag. **What problems is PaintTool SAI solving and how is that benefiting you?** I just use this program for small personal artwork, only occasionally for commissioned work however it has cut down on time because there's less lag than other programs, and the quality of my work has definitely improved since switching to it since it has a lot more versatility. ### 2. PaintTool SAI makes life simple **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Retail | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 21, 2016 **What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?** I love the Brush Stabliziler, it makes drawing really easy even with a less than great tablet. SAI also makes vectors easy with a quick tool to change the line widths. The color mixing is simple and lovely. **What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?** I wish there were better text settings, it's pretty limited. I also wish that there was a tool for makin shapes quickly and that brushes could be larger sizes than the current maximum. **Recommendations to others considering PaintTool SAI:** It's a good cheap program that will get things done. You might have to be creative with some workarounds for missing features, but for the most part it's a great product. **What problems is PaintTool SAI solving and how is that benefiting you?** It doesn't require too much of my computer, so I don't have to worry about over heating or crashing. It's quick and easy to create something to send to clients. ### 3. Using SAI makes it easier to draw **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Computer Software | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 20, 2016 **What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?** In SAI it's user friendly to draw as in a pice of paper, or even beyond it. it's anti-shake function makes your lines looks nature and less bad feelings using Tablet. And my favorite part is you could spin the canva while using it like a real paper. It's necessary especially for hand-paint artist because most of illustrators have a best angle to draw a smooth line. **What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?** Dislike part is not important compete with the advantages, such as not easy to get some effect down like in Photoshop, Another dislaike part is you can't make a big illustration with SAI（up to A3）, and unlike PS, it's not easy collaborating with may other softwares. But all of those are fine if you think SAI as a pure drawing software, it's really good enough to handle this. **Recommendations to others considering PaintTool SAI:** If you are finding a software that is tiny, easy to draw like a paper, do use PaintTool SAI！ And it's a **What problems is PaintTool SAI solving and how is that benefiting you?** I‘m drawing with SAI in business illustrations. It's fast and easy to draw like in a paper. With SAI I could done illustration works faster than PS. ### 4. Paint tool sai a great tool for work **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Animation | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 24, 2016 **What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?** Its really easy to use and also generate a great flow and draw feeling when your using it. **What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?** maybe the UI could be more cute, but this is like a really personal opinion. **Recommendations to others considering PaintTool SAI:** try to make a better looking UI **What problems is PaintTool SAI solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use it for all kind of illustration gigs, comics, character design, background design, etc. it is great ### 5. PaintTool SAI experience **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Gabriela C. | Diseñadora Gráfica, E-Learning, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 27, 2016 **What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?** Easy layout to follow, wide variety of customizable brushes, light program that won't take much space or memory to function properly. What I love most about Paint Tool SAI is the pen pressure, unlike Photoshop, Sai uses the complete range of pen pressure from the tablet and offers an adjustable stabilizer tool which allows to create smoother lines. **What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?** It lacks text and vector tools, max limit size for canvas, won't allow to work on CMYK and won't have a version for IOS. **What problems is PaintTool SAI solving and how is that benefiting you?** I currently make illustrations for my job and freelance works, SAI allows me to work faster in my sketches and final product, and I can take it with me to any available computer. ### 6. PaintTool SAI of recommendation **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Printing | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 22, 2016 **What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?** 1. The installation is simple 2. Easy to use 3. Easy to operate 4. The color is really natural 5. Get started immediately 6. Installation capacity is small 7.Open software quickly without having to wait for a long time. 8. It is convenient to remove installation 9.PaintTool SAI's watercolor tool is really awesome **What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?** 1. MAC users can't use it. ( I need to find other PC computer to use it. ) 2. hope can expand the range of picture's dpi. 3. The picture is too big to open it. 4. When the computer memory is full and the PaintTool SAI is very easy to crashed. **Recommendations to others considering PaintTool SAI:** PaintTool SAI is very easy to use, and beginners can get started right away. I highly recommend this software as the auxiliary tool of my work. I enjoy using it so much. Whether it is painting masters, graphic designers or artists that all like to use this software. PaintTool SAI rendering of color is very natural and beautiful, the watercolor tool neither rigid nor contrived. Thus, this is the most my favorite standpoint. **What problems is PaintTool SAI solving and how is that benefiting you?** Use of PaintTool SAI can solve some colors problems that photoshop can't do. PaintTool SAI has very natural color and it makes the picture very gorgeous. The reasons are following why I enjoy using PaintTool SAI so much. ### 7. Great program for beginners **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Marketing and Advertising | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 21, 2016 **What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?** What I love best about this program is that it's very straight forward and easy to use. If you are looking for a simple program that also has great brushes for a comic book style this is the program to use. **What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?** The simplicity of the program as I mentioned is a positive but in ways can be a negative. At times I wanted to do more than what the program offered but wasn't able to. There are some other programs out there that have the same feel as PaintTool Sai but offer more such as comic book templates, larger variety of brushes and more editing capabilities. **Recommendations to others considering PaintTool SAI:** If you need a program that is straight forward and easy to use I highly recommend this product. If you are a beginner or intermediate this program will work great for you. **What problems is PaintTool SAI solving and how is that benefiting you?** None at the moment. ### 8. Excellent **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Diego S. | Ayudantía, Media Production, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 26, 2016 **What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?** The sensibility that you could give to the pincel and the liberty in dragging the canvas **What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?** Everything is great, I really like this program. **What problems is PaintTool SAI solving and how is that benefiting you?** It really helps me to start and complete the sketches of my drawings, letting me work faster. ### 9. Excellent experience **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Computer Games | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 18, 2016 **What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?** The simplicity of the layout, the good quality of the tools that can be achieved through manual setups. **What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?** All around vectors and the CMYK export. **Recommendations to others considering PaintTool SAI:** If you look for something simple but with great potential to make your works look professional and artistic at the same time, this is the software I would recommend. **What problems is PaintTool SAI solving and how is that benefiting you?** Character design, I can work really fast on SAI. ### 10. Intuitive Software best pair with Wacom Products **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Design | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 21, 2016 **What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?** intuitive stroke and smooth drawing ( sketch and coloring ) **What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?** Poor layer management, layer group, and wand. **Recommendations to others considering PaintTool SAI:** Just try it, then you will need SAI for Digital Painting. **What problems is PaintTool SAI solving and how is that benefiting you?** I can create a smooth sketch and develop a Game Art in SAI. Mostly for sketch and concept design, until Final render in Photoshop. ### 11. Great software for line illustrations. **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Human Resources | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 19, 2016 **What do you like best about PaintTool SAI?** I like the feel of lines it creates, they match very well with the strokes I do in my tablet. **What do you dislike about PaintTool SAI?** The very little amount of options sor the layers palette. Though, I get the simplicity is part od the charm of the software, but some more options would be nice. The lack of a ruler type of tool, or shapes tool could be useful in some degree. **What problems is PaintTool SAI solving and how is that benefiting you?** Illustration for editorial purposes. ## PaintTool SAI Discussions - [Hello. I would like to know if there is any tool for highlights? Any brush you recommend?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/hola-quisiera-saber-si-hay-alguna-herramienta-de-brillos-algun-pincel-que-me-recomienden) - 1 comment, 1 upvote - [View PaintTool SAI pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/painttool-sai/reviews?page=2§ion=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-08-05+02%3A37%3A35+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=975ac54a-cb0c-42a4-ba07-4b437fad4cac&secure%5Btoken%5D=548dcc7e3706ad1b91be904fa46d4bfb5b26391fee1a77f8594d29ba0a914763&format=llm_user) ## Top PaintTool SAI Alternatives - [Sketchbook](https://www.g2.com/products/sketchbook/reviews) - 4.4/5.0 (173 reviews) - [ArtRage](https://www.g2.com/products/artrage/reviews) - 4.4/5.0 (73 reviews) - [Procreate](https://www.g2.com/products/procreate/reviews) - 4.9/5.0 (70 reviews)