Clip Studio Paint vs ibisPaint X
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Clip Studio Paint is the better app overall, scoring 8.3 to 7.9. Clip Studio Paint wins on 4 of the 5 scores, ibisPaint X on 1.
Comic, manga and webtoon artists who want pro tools on iPad and desktop
Students and hobby artists who want a capable free app on an iPad or phone
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Clip Studio Paint | ibisPaint X |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Design & Creativity | Design & Creativity |
| Category rank | #9 of 10 | #10 of 10 |
| Developer | CELSYS | ibis inc. |
| Pricing | Subscription | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | No | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Clip Studio Paint better than ibisPaint X?
Clip Studio Paint is the better app overall, scoring 8.3 to 7.9. Clip Studio Paint wins on 4 of the 5 scores, ibisPaint X on 1.
Which is cheaper, Clip Studio Paint or ibisPaint X?
Clip Studio Paint: 30-day free trial on iPad, then plans from $4.89 a month; one-time buy on Windows and Mac. ibisPaint X: Free with ads; ad removal is $15.99 once, or Premium is $4.49 a month. On value for money, ibisPaint X scores higher.
Do Clip Studio Paint and ibisPaint X work on the same devices?
Yes, both run on iPhone & iPad, Android, Mac, Windows.
Which is more private, Clip Studio Paint or ibisPaint X?
Clip Studio Paint scores higher on privacy (7.2/10). App Store label: identifiers may be used to track you across other companies' apps; identifiers, usage and diagnostics are collected but not linked to you. Google Play lists no data shared with third parties.
Strengths and weaknesses
Clip Studio Paint
- Complete comic toolkit, from storyboard to print
- Posable 3D models help with anatomy and perspective
- Same app on iPad, iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac
- Saving and exporting on iPad need a paid plan
- Busy, desktop-style interface takes time to learn
- Multi-page comics and long animations need pricier EX
Clip Studio Paint is built for comics and manga, and it shows. Panel frames, speech balloons, effect lines and screentones sit next to frame-by-frame animation and posable 3D models you can draw over. Version 5 added Smart Shape for clean lines, and the same tools run on iPad, iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac. The catch on iPad: after the free trial you need a plan just to save or export, and the interface feels like desktop software.
Full Clip Studio Paint review
ibisPaint X
- Generous free version with a huge brush library
- Animation, vector and comic tools in one app
- Runs on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows and Mac
- Ads in the free version unless you pay
- Privacy label lists data used to track you
- Free vector tool use is capped at an hour a day
ibisPaint X shows how deep a free drawing app can go. You get a huge brush library, layers with blend modes, vector and text tools, screentones, rulers, frame-by-frame animation and time-lapse recording, and it runs on phones as well as iPad. The catch is the business model: ads in the free version, Premium for the best filters and unlimited vector use, and a privacy label that lists data used to track you.
Full ibisPaint X review
