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Software · head to head

Mudbox vs Clip Studio Paint

Mudbox logo

Mudbox

Software

Digital painting and sculpting software

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Clip Studio Paint logo

Clip Studio Paint

Software

Professional illustration and animation software

From
$4.49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Mudbox a Mudbox subscription license may be installed on up to 3 computers (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023); Clip Studio Paint monthly subscription pricing becomes expensive over multiple years compared to one-time licenses
  • They diverge on capability: Mudbox covers Digital sculpting, Clip Studio Paint covers Natural drawing feel.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mudbox and Clip Studio Paint actually diverge.

Attributes where Mudbox and Clip Studio Paint differ
AttributeMudboxClip Studio Paint
Starting price$29/month$4.49/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWindows, MacOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, iOS, Android, iPad
Founded19821991

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Mudbox

  • Digital sculpting
  • Texture painting
  • Retopology
  • PTEX support
  • Layer system
  • Stencils
  • Stamps
  • GPU tessellation

Only in Clip Studio Paint

  • Natural drawing feel
  • Comic/manga tools
  • Animation features
  • 3D reference
  • Vector support
  • Photoshop files
  • 3D models
  • Graphics tablets

Both cover

  • License management
  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Mudbox

  • Character sculptingnot Clip Studio Paint
  • Texture creationnot Clip Studio Paint
  • Asset detailingnot Clip Studio Paint

Clip Studio Paint

  • Manga creationnot Mudbox
  • Comic illustrationnot Mudbox
  • 2D animationnot Mudbox
  • Character designnot Mudbox
  • Digital paintingnot Mudbox

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Mudbox

  • A Mudbox subscription license may be installed on up to 3 computers (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023)
  • Sold as monthly, annual or 3-year subscription terms with no perpetual license option offered on the pricing page (Internet Archive capture, 12 November 2023)

Clip Studio Paint

  • Monthly subscription pricing becomes expensive over multiple years compared to one-time licenses
  • Limited built-in photo manipulation features compared to general-purpose image editors

Pricing, plan by plan

Mudbox

$29/month
  • Mudbox$85/month
    • Full sculpting
    • Texture painting
  • M&E Collection$2390/month
    • Mudbox + Maya + 3ds Max + more

Clip Studio Paint

$4.49/month
  • PRO Perpetual License$54/one-time
    • Full brush engine
    • 3D model integration
    • Basic animation (24 frames)
  • PRO Monthly Subscription$4.49/month
    • All PRO features
    • Desktop and mobile access
    • Continuous updates
  • PRO Annual Subscription$26.99/year
    • All PRO features
    • Desktop and mobile access
    • Continuous updates
  • EX Perpetual License$237/one-time
    • All PRO features
    • Unlimited animation frames
    • Multi-page management

Which should you pick?

Choose Mudbox if

  • You need digital sculpting.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want texture painting.
Mudbox review

Choose Clip Studio Paint if

  • You need natural drawing feel.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, iPad.
  • You also want comic/manga tools.
Clip Studio Paint review

Questions people ask

Is Mudbox or Clip Studio Paint better?
Neither clearly leads. Mudbox starts at $29/month and Clip Studio Paint at $4.49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mudbox or Clip Studio Paint?
Mudbox starts at $29/month and Clip Studio Paint at $4.49/month.
Does Mudbox or Clip Studio Paint run on more platforms?
Mudbox runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. Clip Studio Paint runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, iPad.
What is Mudbox best used for?
Mudbox is most often used for character sculpting, texture creation, asset detailing. Of those, character sculpting and texture creation are not what Clip Studio Paint is typically brought in for.
What can Mudbox do that Clip Studio Paint cannot?
Mudbox covers Digital sculpting, Texture painting, Retopology, PTEX support. Clip Studio Paint covers Natural drawing feel, Comic/manga tools, Animation features, 3D reference. Both handle License management, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clip Studio Paint: What are the differences between Clip Studio Paint PRO and EX?

PRO includes basic animation (24 frame limit) and is best for digital painting. EX includes unlimited animation frames, multi-page management for publishing, LT conversion, and professional animation timelines.

Source
Clip Studio Paint: Can I use Clip Studio Paint on mobile?

Yes. Clip Studio Paint offers monthly and annual plans that cover both desktop and mobile access. Desktop-only perpetual licenses are available but do not include mobile access.

Source
Clip Studio Paint: What payment options does Clip Studio Paint offer?

Clip Studio Paint offers one-time perpetual licenses for desktop ($54 PRO, $237 EX), monthly subscriptions ($4.49 PRO, $9.99 EX), and annual subscriptions ($26.99 PRO, $75.99 EX) that include mobile access.

Source
Clip Studio Paint: Does Clip Studio Paint include 3D model integration?

Yes. Both PRO and EX versions include 3D model integration for digital artists to use as reference or directly in compositions.

Source
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