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Design · head to head

Corel Painter vs Xara Designer Pro+

Corel Painter logo

Corel Painter

Design

Digital painting software that emulates natural media brushes and textures

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xara Designer Pro+ logo

Xara Designer Pro+

Design

Desktop publishing, web design, photo editing and graphic design in one workspace

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Corel Painter sold as a one-time perpetual license per major version, requiring paid upgrades for new releases unlike subscription competitors.; Xara Designer Pro+ compatible with Windows only; the product page states no Mac version

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Corel Painter and Xara Designer Pro+ actually diverge.

Attributes where Corel Painter and Xara Designer Pro+ differ
AttributeCorel PainterXara Designer Pro+
Platformswindows, macWeb

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (one-time), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).

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 Corel Painter

  • Natural-Media Brush Engine
  • Custom Brush Creation
  • Canvas Textures
  • Photo Painting Tools
  • Layer Support

Only in Xara Designer Pro+

Nothing recorded that Corel Painter does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Corel Painter

  • Digital painting that mimics traditional medianot Xara Designer Pro+
  • Concept art and illustrationnot Xara Designer Pro+
  • Converting photographs into painted artworknot Xara Designer Pro+
  • Custom brush development for artistsnot Xara Designer Pro+

Xara Designer Pro+

  • Desktop publishing and professional layout workflowsnot Corel Painter
  • Web design and e-commerce site creation without codenot Corel Painter
  • Photo editing and image retouching for visual projectsnot Corel Painter
  • Graphic design and illustration in single workspacenot Corel Painter
  • Multi-discipline creative work with unlimited flexibilitynot Corel Painter

Where each one falls short

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

Corel Painter

  • Sold as a one-time perpetual license per major version, requiring paid upgrades for new releases unlike subscription competitors.
  • Interface and brush engine have a steeper learning curve than more streamlined tools like Procreate.
  • No official mobile or tablet-native version, limiting use to desktop Windows and Mac.
  • Performance can lag with very large, texture-heavy brushes compared to lighter tools.

Xara Designer Pro+

  • Compatible with Windows only; the product page states no Mac version

Pricing, plan by plan

Corel Painter

On request
  • Full License$undefined/mo
    • Perpetual license for current major version
    • Desktop app for Windows and Mac
  • Upgrade$undefined/mo
    • Discounted upgrade pricing for existing Painter owners

Xara Designer Pro+

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Xara Designer Pro+ review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Corel Painter if

  • You need natural-media brush engine.
  • You work on windows, mac.
  • You also want custom brush creation.
Corel Painter review

Choose Xara Designer Pro+ if

Nothing in the data separates Xara Designer Pro+ from Corel Painter on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Xara Designer Pro+ review

Questions people ask

Is Corel Painter or Xara Designer Pro+ better?
Neither clearly leads. Corel Painter starts at On request and Xara Designer Pro+ at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Corel Painter or Xara Designer Pro+?
Corel Painter starts at On request and Xara Designer Pro+ at On request.
Does Corel Painter or Xara Designer Pro+ run on more platforms?
Corel Painter runs on windows, mac. Xara Designer Pro+ runs on Web.
What is Corel Painter best used for?
Corel Painter is most often used for digital painting that mimics traditional media, concept art and illustration, converting photographs into painted artwork, custom brush development for artists. Of those, digital painting that mimics traditional media and concept art and illustration are not what Xara Designer Pro+ is typically brought in for.
What can Corel Painter do that Xara Designer Pro+ cannot?
Corel Painter covers Natural-Media Brush Engine, Custom Brush Creation, Canvas Textures, Photo Painting Tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Xara Designer Pro+: Does Xara Designer Pro offer a free trial?

Yes, Xara Designer Pro offers a free trial download, allowing users to test the software before purchasing.

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