Top 10 Alternatives to Krita in 2025: A Comprehensive Comparison

As Krita continues to be a go-to for digital painting and illustration, 2025 has brought forth a number of impressive alternatives. Whether you're searching for unique features, different pricing models, or specialized tools, this article explores the top 10 Krita alternatives, comparing them on key data points like pricing, ease of use, and ideal use cases.

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1. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

Description: A free and open-source raster graphics editor, often cited as the top free alternative to Photoshop.
Key Features:
Extensive tools for photo retouching, image composition, and graphic design.
Supports layers, masks, filters, and color correction.
Customizable interface with a wide range of plugins available.
Non-destructive editing in the latest version, GIMP 3.
Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux).
Pricing: Free and open-source.
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars (1,445 reviews)
File Format Support: Supports a wide array of formats, including JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, and PSD. Learn more about GIMP

2. Sketchbook

Description: A digital drawing and painting software designed for artists and designers, focusing on a natural drawing experience.
Key Features:
Intuitive user interface with customizable brushes and precision tools.
Blendable layers for complex artwork.
Supports various devices including desktops, tablets, and mobile.
Ideal for sketching, drawing, and capturing ideas.
Professional-grade perspective tools.
Pricing: Freemium (Free version available, with premium options).
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars (172 reviews)
Ideal For: Artists and designers looking for a blend of free and professional tools. Explore Sketchbook

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3. Adobe Photoshop

Description: Industry-standard software for photo editing, graphic design, and digital painting, known for its advanced features.
Key Features:
Extensive and customizable brush sets for diverse artistic styles.
AI-powered features such as "Neural Filters," automatic subject selection, and content-aware fill, enhancing workflow efficiency.
High-resolution painting support for detailed artwork.
Integration with other Adobe products and cloud syncing across devices.
Tools for painting, drawing, and illustrations.
Pricing: Subscription-based.
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (2,236 reviews on Capterra)
Best for: Professionals who need robust tools and integration with other creative applications. Learn more about Adobe Photoshop

4. Clip Studio Paint

Description: A drawing and painting program popular among manga and anime artists, offering comprehensive tools for illustration and comic creation.
Key Features:
Specialized tools for creating manga and comics, including panel tools and speech bubbles.
Extensive brush options and customization.
3D model integration for posing and drawing.
Animation capabilities, making it useful for creating short animations.
Suitable for amateurs to professionals.
Pricing: One-time purchase or subscription options available.
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (52 reviews)
Ideal For: Manga, anime artists, and illustrators requiring specialized tools. Discover Clip Studio Paint

5. MyPaint

Description: A free and open-source graphics program designed for digital artists, offering a distraction-free painting environment.
Key Features:
Unlimited canvas and a variety of brushes with highly configurable settings.
Graphics tablet support for a more natural drawing experience.
Focuses on ease of use and a clean interface for creating digital art.
Open source and customizable
Ideal for artists who want to get straight into painting without getting bogged down in tools.
Pricing: Free and open-source.
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars (38 reviews)
Best For: Artists who want a free and focused painting experience. Learn more about MyPaint

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6. ArtRage

Description: A digital painting program that emulates traditional art mediums, focusing on a realistic painting experience.
Key Features:
Simulates real-world painting tools and textures, such as oils, watercolors, and pencils.
User-friendly interface designed to mimic a physical art studio.
Ideal for artists looking for a natural painting feel in a digital environment.
Good for creating natural media paintings.
Pricing: Paid software with a one-time purchase option.
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars (72 reviews)
Best for: Traditional artists looking for a seamless transition to digital painting. Discover ArtRage

7. Procreate

Description: A powerful and intuitive digital painting app exclusively for iPad, favored by digital illustrators.
Key Features:
Offers a wide range of brushes and high-resolution canvas.
Designed for touch-based painting and drawing with an intuitive interface.
Suitable for mobile design experience, with export options compatible with Photoshop.
Great for on-the-go drawing and illustration.
Pricing: Paid app with a one-time purchase.
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars (65 reviews)
Best For: iPad users who enjoy digital illustration and painting. Learn more about Procreate

8. Paint Tool SAI

Description: A lightweight and simple digital painting tool, known for its smooth brush strokes and user-friendly interface.
Key Features:
Simple but effective software for digital painting.
Provides a very smooth drawing experience with minimal lag.
Focuses on essential painting tools, making it easy to learn.
Good for both beginners and advanced users.
Pricing: Paid software with a one-time purchase.
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars (61 reviews)
Best For: Artists who want a lightweight and smooth painting experience. Learn more about Paint Tool SAI

9. Corel Painter

Description: Digital painting software that aims to simulate traditional art materials and techniques, appealing to traditional artists.
Key Features:
Advanced brush customization options and a large brush library.
Realistic simulation of traditional painting materials such as brushes, light, and shadow effects.
High performance with ultra-high resolution capabilities for complex details.
Tools that simulate watercolors and oil painting for a natural media look.
Pricing: Paid software with a one-time purchase option.
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars (58 reviews)
Best For: Artists looking to replicate traditional painting techniques digitally. Discover Corel Painter

10. Affinity Designer

Description: A professional graphic design software that combines vector and raster capabilities, ideal for both illustration and graphic design.
Key Features:
A dual vector and raster design environment.
Suitable for creating logos, illustrations, and web designs.
Offers a one-time purchase, avoiding subscription fees.
Powerful and cost-effective.
Aimed at professional designers.
Pricing: Paid software with a one-time purchase.
Data Points:
Star Rating: 4.6/5 (Maxobiz)
Best For: Designers looking for a powerful alternative to Adobe Illustrator. Learn more about Affinity Designer

This list provides a detailed overview of 10 strong alternatives to Krita, with a variety of options to suit different preferences, needs, and budgets in 2025. Each tool brings unique features and caters to specific aspects of digital art and design.

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FAQ

1. What is the best alternative to Krita for photo retouching and image composition?

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a strong alternative, offering extensive tools for photo retouching, image composition, and graphic design. Learn more about GIMP

2. Which alternative offers a natural drawing experience for artists and designers?

Sketchbook is designed particularly with artists and designers in mind, providing an intuitive interface and customizable brushes. Explore Sketchbook

3. What is the leading industry-standard software for advanced photo editing, graphic design, and digital painting?

Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard, known for its advanced features and AI-powered tools. Discover Adobe Photoshop

4. Which software is most popular among manga and anime artists?

Clip Studio Paint is highly favored among manga and anime artists due to its specialized tools for creating manga and comics. Find out more about Clip Studio Paint

5. What is a great free, open-source alternative that focuses on a distraction-free painting experience?

MyPaint provides a focused painting environment with unlimited canvas and variety of brushes. Check out MyPaint

6. Which alternative simulates real-world painting tools and is ideal for a realistic digital painting experience?

ArtRage emulates traditional art mediums, making it ideal for artists seeking a natural painting feel. Learn more about ArtRage

7. What is the best digital painting app exclusive to iPad users?

Procreate is a powerful and intuitive app for iPad, designed for digital illustrators. Explore Procreate

8. Which lightweight and simple digital painting tool is known for its smooth brush strokes?

Paint Tool SAI offers a very smooth drawing experience and a user-friendly interface. Find out more about Paint Tool SAI

9. What alternative aims to simulate traditional art materials and techniques digitally?

Corel Painter is designed to replicate traditional painting techniques in a digital environment. Discover Corel Painter

10. Which software combines vector and raster capabilities, making it ideal for both illustration and graphic design?

Affinity Designer provides a professional-grade design environment with both vector and raster capabilities. Learn more about Affinity Designer

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.

Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).

She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.

For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

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Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

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Recognition

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