Corel Painter vs Clip Studio Paint: Which One Is Better in 2024?

Corel Painter and Clip Studio Paint are essential tools for businesses and designers, offering powerful features for creating stunning digital art. We'll compare these two to determine the best option for your needs, focusing on brush quality, 3D tools, vector layers, community resources, platform support, and pricing.

A Quick Overview of Corel Painter and Clip Studio Paint

What is Corel Painter?

Corel offers professional graphics software designed to meet the needs of designers working under tight deadlines. Their product range includes tools for vector illustration, layout, photo editing, painting, video editing, and office suite functionalities.

Corel Painter features highly realistic brush strokes and blending capabilities. Its extensive library of brushes mimics traditional painting techniques, setting it apart from competitors by offering a more authentic and versatile digital painting experience.

What is Clip Studio Paint?

Clip Studio Paint is a digital art software developed by Celsys, Inc. The company provides a comprehensive toolset for artists to create illustrations, comics, manga, and animations.

Clip Studio Paint offers high-quality brushes that mimic real art materials and a vast library of free materials and community-made brushes. Its fully customizable 3D tools allow artists to draw over 3D models, adjust face and body proportions, and use a hand scanner for different hand positions, setting it apart from competitors.

Features of Corel Painter and Clip Studio Paint

Similarities

Corel Painter and Clip Studio Paint share several key features that make them both excellent choices for digital artists. Here are the most significant similarities:

• Extensive Brush Libraries: Both software offer a vast array of brushes that mimic traditional art materials, providing a realistic painting experience.
• Customizable Brushes: Users can customize brushes to create unique styles, allowing for a highly personalized artistic process.
• Vector Layers: Both programs support vector layers, enabling scalable and editable line art, which is crucial for detailed illustrations.
• Community and Support: Each platform has a robust community and extensive support options, including tutorials and forums, to help users maximize their software's potential.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Both Corel Painter and Clip Studio Paint are available on multiple operating systems, ensuring flexibility for artists working on different devices.

Differences

When comparing Corel Painter and Clip Studio Paint, it's essential to highlight their unique features. Each software offers distinct advantages that cater to different artistic needs.

• Natural Media Emulation: Corel Painter excels in mimicking traditional art materials like oils and watercolors, providing a more authentic painting experience.
• 3D Drawing Figures: Clip Studio Paint offers customizable 3D models for anatomy reference, a feature not available in Corel Painter.
• Smart Coloring Tools: Clip Studio Paint includes advanced coloring tools like Shading Assist and lock transparency, enhancing efficiency in the coloring process.
• Animation Tools: Clip Studio Paint provides specialized tools for creating animations, such as light tables and onion-skinning, which Corel Painter lacks.
• Plug-ins and Materials: Clip Studio Paint boasts a vast library of downloadable materials and community-made brushes, whereas Corel Painter does not emphasize plug-ins.

User Interface and Usability

Corel Painter's user interface is straightforward but can feel cluttered due to the extensive tool options. The user experience is generally smooth, though the learning curve can be steep for beginners. Usability is enhanced by its realistic brush strokes and blending capabilities, but the interface may overwhelm new users.

Clip Studio Paint offers a more customizable user interface, allowing users to tailor the workspace to their needs. The user experience is intuitive, with features like 3D models and smart coloring tools enhancing usability. However, the software can be complex, requiring time to master its full potential.

Neither company has a clear advantage in user interface and usability.

Collaboration

Corel Painter does not offer specific features for real-time collaboration or multi-user editing. The software focuses on providing a comprehensive set of tools for individual artists, with no emphasis on collaborative functionalities. Users may find it challenging to work together on projects within the platform, as it lacks built-in features to facilitate teamwork.

Clip Studio Paint also does not prominently feature real-time collaboration tools. While it supports resource sharing through platforms like CLIP STUDIO ASSETS and CLIP STUDIO ASK, these are more geared towards individual use rather than collaborative efforts. The software's community support and extensive toolset are beneficial for solo artists but do not enhance collaborative workflows.

Neither company is better for collaboration than the other.

Corel Painter and Clip Studio Paint Pricing

Corel Painter offers a 30-day subscription for $19.99 per month and a 365-day subscription for $139.00 per year, equating to $11.58 per month. The one-time purchase price is $249.00, discounted from $429.00. Upgrade versions are available for $149.00, down from $229.00. Special promotions include significant discounts and free brush packs.

Clip Studio Paint provides a perpetual license for $54.00 (PRO) and $237.00 (EX). Monthly plans start at $0.99, with the first three months free. A 12-month license costs $26.99 (PRO) and $76.99 (EX). Annual update passes are $10.99 (PRO) and $31.99 (EX). Various discounts and promotions are also available.

Clip Studio Paint offers more flexible and affordable pricing options compared to Corel Painter.

Comparing Corel Painter and Clip Studio Paint to Piktochart

Piktochart transforms complex ideas into captivating visuals that inform and engage your audience. With Piktochart AI, you can create stunning infographics, reports, and presentations in seconds, perfectly aligned with your brand. No design experience required.

Pros of Piktochart

• AI-Powered Design Generator: Create stunning visuals quickly with the help of AI, which automates the design process and saves you valuable time.
• Extensive Template Library: Access a wide variety of customizable templates for infographics, presentations, social media posts, and more, making it easy to produce professional-quality content.
• Versatile Video Tools: Utilize tools like screen recording, video cropping, and video-to-text conversion to create and repurpose video content effortlessly.
• Customizable Visual Tools: From infographic makers to banner and brochure creators, Piktochart offers a comprehensive suite of tools to meet diverse design needs.
• Support for Multiple Sectors: Whether you're in education, marketing, healthcare, or a nonprofit, Piktochart provides tailored solutions and discounted plans to support your specific requirements.

Piktochart's Pricing

• Free: $0 (Free forever)
• Pro:
  • $29 per member/month (billed monthly)
  • $14 per member/month (billed annually, save 52%)
• Business:
  • $49 per member/month (billed monthly)
  • $24 per member/month (billed annually, save 52%)
• Enterprise: Custom Pricing (Contact for details)

What Are Others Saying?

Corel Painter Reviews

Overall, users have given Corel Painter a rating of 4.3 out of 5. While many appreciate its ease of use and intuitive interface, frustrations include its high cost and system instability.

"The software is expensive and crashes often, making it hard to rely on for professional work." - John D., 3/5

"Corel Painter has great features, but the frequent bugs are a dealbreaker." - Sarah K., 2.5/5

"Limited design options and high pricing make it less appealing." - Alex M., 3.5/5

Find more of Corel Painter reviews on G2!

Clip Studio Paint Reviews

Clip Studio Paint has an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5. Users appreciate its features but find the lifetime license misleading and experience lag issues with the new version. Here are some reviews:

"The lifetime license is not actually a lifetime license, and there are lag issues with version 2." - Tofiq H., 3/5

"No SVG export and a dishonest business model regarding the lifetime license." - Rogelio A., 1/5

"Difficult to use due to many features, cluttered screen, small text and menu." - Kevin O., 3/5

Find more of Clip Studio Paint reviews on G2!

Piktochart Reviews

Our users have given Piktochart an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5. They particularly appreciate its ease of use, extensive template library, and the ability to create professional-quality visuals without design experience.

• "Easy to create content even if you're not a designer." - Jessica D.
• "My Go-To for ALL Professional Presentations!" - Jennifer K.
• "Piktochart offers good looking pre-built templates for creating graphics." - MEENAKSHI J.

Find more of our reviews on G2!

Why choose one over the other?

Why Choose Corel Painter:

• Consumers who prioritize a highly realistic painting experience and extensive brush library will find Corel Painter to be the ideal choice. This software is perfect for traditional artists transitioning to digital media and those who appreciate detailed brushwork and blending capabilities.

Why Choose Clip Studio Paint:

• Clip Studio Paint is best suited for artists who need versatile tools for creating comics, manga, and animations. Its advanced 3D models and smart coloring tools make it a favorite among illustrators and animators looking for a comprehensive digital art solution.

Why Choose Piktochart:

• Piktochart is the go-to tool for users who need to create professional-quality visuals quickly and without design experience. Ideal for marketers, educators, and business professionals, Piktochart's AI-powered design generator and extensive template library simplify the visual content creation process.

Corel Painter, Clip Studio Paint, or Piktochart: Which is the best platform for you?

Whether you're a digital artist, illustrator, or business professional, Corel Painter, Clip Studio Paint, and Piktochart each offer unique advantages tailored to your needs. While all three are excellent choices, we believe Piktochart stands out for its ease of use, AI-powered design capabilities, and extensive template library. It's the perfect tool for creating professional-quality visuals effortlessly, making it our top recommendation.