Softwr

Software · head to head

Krea vs PaintTool SAI

K

Krea

Software

Generate, enhance, and edit images, videos, or 3D meshes with AI

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PaintTool SAI logo

PaintTool SAI

Software

Lightweight digital painting and illustration software for Windows

From
5500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Krea usage is metered in compute units that vary by operation; the free tier grants only 100 units per day, and the $9 per month Basic tier steps up to 5,000 units, as of August 2026.; PaintTool SAI windows-only software with no native Mac or Linux version.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Krea and PaintTool SAI actually diverge.

Attributes where Krea and PaintTool SAI differ
AttributeKreaPaintTool SAI
Starting priceOn request5500/month
Pricing modelusage-basedone-time
PlatformsWebwindows

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 Krea

Nothing recorded that PaintTool SAI does not also cover.

Only in PaintTool SAI

  • Pressure-Sensitive Tablet Support
  • Anti-Aliased Brushes
  • 16-bit ARGB Color Channels
  • Lightweight Performance
  • Crash Data Protection

What people use each for

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

Krea

No use cases recorded yet. See the Krea review.

PaintTool SAI

  • Digital illustration and manga artnot Krea
  • Line art and inking with pressure-sensitive pensnot Krea
  • Lightweight painting on lower-spec computersnot Krea
  • Character and concept art sketchingnot Krea

Where each one falls short

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

Krea

  • Usage is metered in compute units that vary by operation; the free tier grants only 100 units per day, and the $9 per month Basic tier steps up to 5,000 units, as of August 2026.

PaintTool SAI

  • Windows-only software with no native Mac or Linux version.
  • Only supports 32-bit operation, lacking modern 64-bit performance benefits.
  • Lacks the advanced brush engine customization and layer effects found in tools like Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint.
  • No cloud sync or mobile app, unlike many modern illustration tools.

Pricing, plan by plan

Krea

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Krea review.

PaintTool SAI

5500/month
  • Standard License$5500/month
    • Perpetual license
    • All 1.x.x minor updates
    • Free upgrade path to version 2

Which should you pick?

Choose Krea if

Nothing in the data separates Krea from PaintTool SAI on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Krea review

Choose PaintTool SAI if

  • You need pressure-sensitive tablet support.
  • You work on windows.
  • You also want anti-aliased brushes.
PaintTool SAI review

Questions people ask

Is Krea or PaintTool SAI better?
Neither clearly leads. Krea starts at On request and PaintTool SAI at 5500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Krea or PaintTool SAI?
Krea starts at On request and PaintTool SAI at 5500/month.
Does Krea or PaintTool SAI run on more platforms?
Krea runs on Web. PaintTool SAI runs on windows.
What can Krea do that PaintTool SAI cannot?
PaintTool SAI covers Pressure-Sensitive Tablet Support, Anti-Aliased Brushes, 16-bit ARGB Color Channels, Lightweight Performance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PaintTool SAI: Is there a free trial for PaintTool SAI?

Yes, PaintTool SAI offers a 31-day free trial with full functionality before requiring purchase of a license.

Source
PaintTool SAI: What does the license cover?

The one-time 5,500 JPY purchase provides a perpetual license covering all minor updates within version 1.x.x; a major version 2 upgrade is offered for free.

Source
PaintTool SAI: What operating systems are supported?

PaintTool SAI runs on Windows XP through Windows 11, but only in 32-bit mode, requiring at least a 450MHz Pentium processor and 256MB of RAM.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Krea

More on PaintTool SAI

Keep looking

Other head to heads