Every illustrator wants to use the best possible application for their niche. Whether you are an illustrator, animator, or graphic designer, you need to be able to work to your full capacity using an application that will accommodate that. The best options on the market currently are Clip Studio Paint and Procreate
Clip Studio Paint is primarily an animation and comic book design application developed by Celsys with amazing vector graphics and a specialized UI. Procreate is an application developed by Savage Interactive for illustration with a variety of brushes and features to choose from.
Both applications have very similar capabilities with their own specialties. They are both known for being amazing at anything an illustrator or artist could ever need. Deciphering which one is better is sometimes difficult.
Keep reading to find out more about the differences between these two applications, as well as which one might be better for you.
Key Takeaways
- If you don’t use Apple products, Clip Studio Paint is the best option by default.
- Procreate is the cheaper option.
- The final decision comes down to if you want to do animation and illustrations or standard drawing and sketching.
Clip Studio Paint vs Procreate Comparison Table
| Clip Studio Paint | Procreate | |
| Price | Clip Studio Paint has three tiers. The first is a one-time purchase of $49.99 for Clip Studio Paint PRO. The next tier is a one-time purchase of $219.00 for Clip Studio Paint EX. The last tier is the Clip Studio Paint Annual Plan which starts at $24.99 per year. | Procreate has a one-time purchase with a cost of only $9.99. |
| Company | Clip Studio Paint is owned by a Japanese graphics software company, Celsys. | Procreate is owned by Australian company, Savage Interactive. |
| Main Uses | Clip Studio Paint is primarily used for comic creation but is also useful for illustration and 2D animations. | Procreate is used for painting, sketching, and illustration. |
| Experience Level | Beginner to Advanced | Beginner to Advanced |
| Best For | Made for people interested in animation or illustrators specializing in line work. | Best for artists looking for a good app on a budget who are interested in graphic design or illustration, drawing, and sketching. |
| System Requirements | Clip Studio Paint is available on Windows 10 or Windows 11. MacOS users must have version 12 or newer. iPhones and iPads of iOS16 or newer can run it. Androids of Android 11 or later can also run it. | Procreate is only available for Apple products. It is available for iPads with iPadOS 15.4.1 or newer. iPhones can run Procreate Pocket as well. |
| Key Features | Downloadable apps for Apple and Microsoft devices, works entirely in the cloud, highly customizable | Available only on Apple products, only local storage, simple interface |
| Platforms | Clip Studio Paint is available for download as an app on Windows, MacOS, iPad, iPhone, Android, and Chromebook. | Procreate is available as an app on iPads or iPhones. |
| Acceptable Import File Types | CLIP STUDIO FORMAT, BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, Adobe Photoshop Document, and Adobe Big Document format | .procreate, PSD, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, GIF, PDF, MP4, HEVC, OBJ, and USDZ |
Clip Studio Paint
Clip Studio Paint is an app for artists and animators, both beginner and advanced. It has a complex UI that can be navigated by any level of artist.
It offers an immense amount of features, including 3D animation, vector graphics, and AI assistance. However, these features come at a high cost, and they can be overwhelming until you get used to them.
Clip Studio Paint Key Features
- Desktop app for Windows and MacOS products, mobile app for Android and Apple
- Data Import/Export
- Cloud storage
- Workflow management
- Vector layers
- 3D animation
- Community-created assets available
Clip Studio Paint Uses
Clip Studio Paint is a tool for artists. It is designed for a variety of art, including illustration, painting, drawing, sketching, and animation. Its primary use is for comics, general illustration, and 2D animation.
Check out this list of the Top Drawing Programs for Mac.
It has an immense amount of features that allow for full customization of the interface as well as for the art itself. The flexibility of this UI allows beginners to navigate the application with ease and find what they need. More advanced artists can tap into the complex tools and features to add more to their art.
Clip Studio Paint Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Many advanced features allow for a lot of drawing flexibility. | A large amount of options can be overwhelming at first including the interface, keybinding, and setup. |
| Advanced vector toolkit and 3D animation capabilities. | No audio support for the software. |
| AI technology that helps color and draw for you. | Fonts and text options are lacking. |
| Animation capabilities that are ahead of the curve. | The prices can be intense, especially when comparing Pro versus Ex versions. |
Popular Companies That Use Clip Studio Paint
Many companies, big and small, use Clip Studio Paint as their standard app. A few of the larger companies include:
- IBM
- Shutterstock
- Wacom
- Remote
- University of California, Irvine
- NYU Game Center
- Savannah College Of Art & Design
- Walt Disney Imagineering
Procreate
Procreate is an illustration application available on Apple products such as the iPhone and iPad with the Apple Pencil. It has many features for any artist, including various brushes, different layering options, and editing techniques.
However, it is only available for Apple users, and organization can be difficult because of the lack of access to cloud storage.
Check out this article where I compare Adobe Fresco and Procreate.
Procreate Key Features
- Available on only Apple products
- In-app storage, no cloud access
- Content library and management
- CAD tools
- Image and text editing
- Design templates
Procreate Uses
Procreate is a digital illustration app with a great many uses on Apple devices. It comes with a variety of high-quality brushes and features.
If you can’t find one that suits you, the option to import from other places is also an option, as well as making your own. Many community-made tutorials allow this app to be accessible to anyone.
Layering is easy to use and allows users to keep their work organized. In-app storage allows for easy access any time you use the application on your device. The UI is easy to learn and very intuitive for beginners and more advanced artists alike.
Check out this list of the Top Procreate Courses.
Procreate Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| One-time purchase and at a cheap price | Only available on iPhone or iPad with an Apple Pencil |
| The interface is simple to understand and very user-friendly. | Organization of files is difficult and there is limited cloud storage. |
| A lot of features to choose from | Customer service is lacking. |
Popular Companies That Use Procreate
Many individual artists use this application to create art and designs for bigger companies such as:
- Stranger Things
- Star Wars
- Eden Project
- The New Yorker
- Marvel Comics
- DC Comics
- Disney Animation
- Pixar
- Blade Runner 2049
Clip Studio Paint vs Procreate: Which Is Better?
Both Clip Studio Paint and Procreate are industry standards for applications for artists of every kind.
They both have great illustration features with various brushes and tools at your fingertips. Picking the best one for you can be difficult, depending on your preference.
Clip Studio Paint was originally made to make comics and animations. It has a lot of vector graphics options to assist with these, and it is ahead of the curve with its animation features.
It is also great for any other type of art, including drawing, sketching, and painting. However, the price and the learning curve can throw many people away from this application.
Procreate was designed for illustration. It has many brush options and can import or create your own. The UI is simple to interact with while offering many features. However, it is only available for Apple Products and doesn’t have as many features as Clip Studio Paint.
If you are looking for a more in-depth application focused on animation and comic art, Clip Studio Paint is the way to go. If you are looking for a more budget-friendly option and have access to Apple products, Procreate may be better for you.
What is the difference between Clip Studio Paint Pro and Clip Studio Paint EX?
Clip Studio Paint Pro is the first tier of the application and is best for single-page comics and more basic illustrations as it has limited features.
Clip Studio Paint EX is the top tier of Clip Studio Paint. It allows full access to all of the features in the app, including extra features for creating more complex products.
Is Procreate Worth it For Non-Artists?
Yes, for non-artists, Procreate is a great option. It is easy to navigate, and the price is extremely cheap. If you want to try digital art or want to play around with a drawing app, Procreate is a good place to start.
Are There Apps Similar to Procreate and Clip Studio Paint That Are Free?
There are a few options for illustration apps that are free to use or have free versions. These options include Krita and Adobe Fresco. Both applications are really good with many features, especially when considering the price.
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