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Krita vs Linearity Curve

Krita logo

Krita

Software

Free and open-source digital painting software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Linearity Curve logo

Linearity Curve

Software

Professional vector design for Mac and iPad

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Krita not portable across Windows/macOS/Linux with consistent performance; Linearity Curve limited to Apple ecosystem (Mac, iPad, iPhone) with no Windows or Linux support
  • They diverge on capability: Krita covers Digital painting, Linearity Curve covers Vector editing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Krita and Linearity Curve actually diverge.

Attributes where Krita and Linearity Curve differ
AttributeKritaLinearity Curve
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxMac, Ios
Founded19992017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), 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 Krita

  • Digital painting
  • Brush engines
  • Layer management
  • Animation
  • Vector tools
  • OpenEXR
  • PSD files
  • Graphics tablets

Only in Linearity Curve

  • Vector editing
  • Auto Trace
  • Typography tools
  • Pen tool
  • iCloud sync
  • Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Sketch
  • Figma

What people use each for

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

Krita

  • Digital paintingnot Linearity Curve
  • Concept artnot Linearity Curve
  • Character designnot Linearity Curve
  • 2D animationnot Linearity Curve
  • Texture paintingnot Linearity Curve

Linearity Curve

  • Vector illustrationnot Krita
  • Logo designnot Krita
  • UI designnot Krita
  • Print designnot Krita

Where each one falls short

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

Krita

  • Not portable across Windows/macOS/Linux with consistent performance
  • Performance limits on large projects with many layers compared to professional software
  • Requires system administrator privileges for installation on managed systems
  • Limited professional support compared to commercial alternatives

Linearity Curve

  • Limited to Apple ecosystem (Mac, iPad, iPhone) with no Windows or Linux support
  • Requires annual or monthly subscription for commercial use, unlike competitors offering lifetime purchase options
  • Free plan is severely limited to only 3 Curve files and 5GB storage

Pricing, plan by plan

Krita

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Krita review.

Linearity Curve

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 50 lifetime credits
    • 3 Curve files
    • 5GB storage
  • Pro$11.99/month
    • 250 monthly credits
    • Unlimited files
    • 100GB storage
  • Business$65/month
    • 500 monthly credits
    • 500GB storage
    • Brand management

Which should you pick?

Choose Krita if

  • You need digital painting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want brush engines.
Krita review

Choose Linearity Curve if

  • You need vector editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac, Ios.
  • You also want auto trace.
Linearity Curve review

Questions people ask

Is Krita or Linearity Curve better?
Neither clearly leads. Krita starts at Free and Linearity Curve at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Krita or Linearity Curve?
Krita starts at Free and Linearity Curve at Free.
Does Krita or Linearity Curve run on more platforms?
Krita runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Linearity Curve runs on Mac, Ios.
Can I use Krita for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Krita best used for?
Krita is most often used for digital painting, concept art, character design, 2d animation. Of those, digital painting and concept art are not what Linearity Curve is typically brought in for.
What can Krita do that Linearity Curve cannot?
Krita covers Digital painting, Brush engines, Layer management, Animation. Linearity Curve covers Vector editing, Auto Trace, Typography tools, Pen tool.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Krita: Is Krita free and open source?

Yes, Krita is completely free and open source software developed by the KDE community. It is distributed under the LGPL license with no licensing fees.

Source
Linearity Curve: Does Linearity Curve have a free plan?

Yes, Linearity offers a free Starter plan with 50 lifetime credits, 1 basic brand kit, and 5GB cloud storage. No credit card is required to access the free tier.

Source
Krita: What platforms does Krita support?

Krita is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can be downloaded from krita.org or installed via package managers on Linux distributions.

Source
Linearity Curve: Can I use Linearity Curve on multiple devices?

Yes, Linearity Curve is available on Mac, iPad, and iPhone, with real-time collaboration allowing teams to see changes instantly across devices.

Source
Krita: What animation capabilities does Krita have?

Krita supports frame-by-frame animation with onion skin view, timeline management, and export to video formats for creating animated sequences.

Source
Linearity Curve: What file formats can I export from Linearity Curve?

Linearity Curve supports exporting to industry-standard formats including .ai, SVG, PDF, PNG, JPG, and TIFF, making it compatible with other design tools.

Source
Linearity Curve: Does Linearity Curve have AI-powered vectorization?

Yes, Linearity Curve includes an Auto Trace feature with three modes (Sketch, Photography, Illustration) that uses AI to instantly vectorize images into editable paths. It also includes AI-powered background removal.

Source
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