Clip Studio Paint vs Affinity Designer

Adobe Illustrator

CorelDRAW

Inkscape

Krita

Cinema 4D

Boxy SVG

Compare Clip Studio Paint and Affinity Designer based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

Krita is a vector graphic software that helps businesses manage resources, render animations, create design layers, and edit text on a centralized platform. It allows graphic designers to customize brushes based on multiple specifications, such as shape, color smudge, and particle requirements.

Cinema 4D is a 3D software package developed by Maxon Computer GmbH which is designed to enable beginners and professionals to create 3D textures, computer graphics and animations, at high resolutions. It should simplify graphics workflow.

Boxy SVG is a scalable vector graphics editing software designed to help web designers & developers edit SVG files using various graphical objects. Teams can manipulate patterns, gradients, and paths directly on the canvas, whilst being able to synchronize app preferences between multiple devices.

Clip Studio Paint is a vector graphics software, which helps creative studios and artists draw and paint animations, illustrations, comics, manga, concept artworks, characters, and more using various tools including brushes, vector layers, color palettes, rulers, and 3D figures.

2D Drawing

Animation

Customizable Templates

Data Import/Export

Design Management

Drag & Drop

Image Editing

Preview Functionality

Templates

Text Editing

Workflow Management

WYSIWYG Editor

Clip Studio Paint

Web-based

Windows

iPad

iPhone

Illustrator

I have been able to draw a lot and draw much more quickly thanks to the available assets so my creative workflow has improved greatly with this software.

Freelance artist

On top of the quality of the default brushes and tools in this application, there is also an entire community's worth of assets within the program itself that you can download and use.

Owner

This software is a great alternative to Procreate, it does have a large learning curve but once you set it up the way you like it has such a nice flow to it.

Freelance Artist

Overall I think its an excellent program and I recommend it to anyone who likes to draw and paint.

Freelance Illustrator

I just really hate that Ipad/Android version has no one-time purchase plan just like the PC. Also, when I tried to use it on a tablet, I find it very confusing and way more complex than on a PC.

I've been using it for more than a year now, and every day I discover a new hidden feature that I don't know about earlier. I like how they always develop it and add more amazing features.

dishwasher

It's got a ton of features and everything I could ever want or need to make a Webcomic. You can use all kinds of templates and download brushes that allow you to make amazing pieces of art.

freelancer

This is a paid software but it's definitely worth the money. I've used it to create a few comics and I highly recommend it for other comic creators and digital artists.

The most impressive feature of this is how easy it is to draw.

Illustrator & Graphic Designer

Basically the industry standard illustration software for everyone from amateur to professional. The price is pretty good to begin with, and it is constantly going on sale.

Art Student

The community of Clip Studio Paint is also very creative. Clip Studio Paint has a lot of user created assets posted in their website.

Recently, Clip Studio had an update that distressed many of its users because it stated they would be changing their payment method to a subscription service.

Barista

They also have sales quite frequently, so it is a great art program to try out.

The brushes "feel" natural and drawing is smooth. Changing sizes and shapes are intuitive and line weights react much better from graphic tablets than other software tested.

Otherwise, I really don't have much to complain about.

Teacher: Digital Illustration 

That said, I  need to mention that they DID solve my problem.

Clip Studio Paint screenshot: Clip Paint Studio smart fill tool

Clip Studio Paint screenshot: Clip Paint Studio pencil tool

Clip Studio Paint screenshot: Clip Paint Studio create patterns

Clip Studio Paint screenshot: Clip Paint Studio pen tool

Freelancers

Large Enterprises

Mid Size Business

Small Business

CoreIDRAW is a graphic design software which enables users to create professional designs with vector illustration, layout, photo editing, typography, template tools, and more. CoreIDRAW allows users to create, access and store artwork, web graphics and prints in the cloud, via the web app.

Inkscape is an open sourced business graphic software. This Linux, Windows & OSX vector graphics editor (SVG format) features transparency, gradients, node editing, pattern fills, PNG export, and more.

Adobe Illustrator CC is a industry-standard software in vector drawing tools and applications for digital graphics in print, web, apps, and video animations

Affinity Designer is a graphic design software, which helps creative professionals manage documents, create vector designs with gradients, blend modes, adjustments and effects, edit images, build artboards, and more using various built-in tools.

CAD Tools

Collaboration Tools

Document Storage

For Websites

Image Library

Multiple Format Support

Search/Filter

Affinity Designer

It is an excellent piece of software I recommended to all of my colleagues and they are very happy with it. I can definitely recommend Affinity Designer, you will not regret buying it.

They were not only the best, but the most human and kind. And that is the kind of company I want to give my money to.

Publisher

Wonderful program, easy to use, great in connection with the two other programs from Affinity, superlow price. I'm so happy I discovered these programs from Affinity.

Senior Strategy

Here is a piece of software with great customer support and an amazing community behind it. It is very intuitive and the learning curve is not steep at all.

Content Visualizer

The best thing about Affinity Designer is not that it is feature rich, but that it has all the essential features for designing/illustration.

Artist

Thank you so very much for the excellent software, I'm eager to see what else Affinity has in store for the future.

The layers functionality was confusing. No auto trace which was the huge disappointment for us.

design

Affinity Design is a software that has great usability and is very light for the operating system, so it is better at solving your daily jobs.

President

The software is fully comprehensive of what it can do. Full funtionality and great options.

Founder

Library of plugins, brushes, fonts, gradients... own and third party. Very good community to ask questions and excellent tutorial channel.

Junior Software Engineer 

They attach a great deal of importance to user feedback. And of course, the software's functions are really intuitive and efficient.

Creative Arts Director

A few, very few, features that I would expect in a high-grade design program are missing or difficult to use.

This is a fantastic alternative to Adobe's Illustrator, especially at Affinity's pricepoint.

Graphic Designer

A little confusing initially mostly because transitioning from other software.

Affinity's perpetual licensing is particularly attractive for people coming from Adobe. The software has all of the features you'd want, but is even more intuitive than competing products.

Business Owner/Graphic designer 

Easy to download more brushes, typefaces, and anything else you need. Now integrated with copyright-free photo services like pixabay, pexles, and unsplash.

Its strong point is in printing, because it offers a complete control on color profile and, if you are designing with Pantone print support, the complete ICC and CMYK color management is integrated.

Some features are missing compared to Illustrator, and compatibility with certain files can be tricky.

Clip Studio Paint vs Affinity Designer Comparison (2026)

Clip Studio Paint

Affinity Designer

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives