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Krita vs Three.js

Krita logo

Krita

Design

Free and open-source digital painting software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Three.js logo

Three.js

AR VR

JavaScript 3D library for WebGL and WebXR

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Krita not portable across Windows/macOS/Linux with consistent performance; Three.js forward rendering pipeline only, no deferred rendering support
  • They diverge on capability: Krita covers Digital painting, Three.js covers WebGL rendering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Krita and Three.js actually diverge.

Attributes where Krita and Three.js differ
AttributeKritaThree.js
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
CategoryDesignAR VR
Founded19992010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Three.js

  • WebGL rendering
  • Scene graph
  • Materials system
  • Animation system
  • WebXR
  • Post-processing
  • Physics
  • Loaders

What people use each for

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

Krita

  • Digital paintingnot Three.js
  • Concept artnot Three.js
  • Character designnot Three.js
  • 2D animationnot Three.js
  • Texture paintingnot Three.js

Three.js

  • VR Gamingnot Krita
  • AR Marketingnot Krita
  • Virtual Trainingnot Krita
  • 3D Visualizationnot Krita
  • Immersive Experiencesnot 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

Three.js

  • Forward rendering pipeline only, no deferred rendering support
  • No built-in collision detection or spatial indexing, requiring external physics libraries
  • WebGL dependency means no support for non-WebGL environments

Pricing, plan by plan

Krita

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Krita review.

Three.js

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full library
    • WebXR module
    • Examples

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 Three.js if

  • You need webgl rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want scene graph.
Three.js review

Questions people ask

Is Krita or Three.js better?
Neither clearly leads. Krita starts at Free and Three.js at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Krita or Three.js?
Krita starts at Free and Three.js at Free.
Does Krita or Three.js run on more platforms?
Krita runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Three.js runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android.
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 Three.js is typically brought in for.
What can Krita do that Three.js cannot?
Krita covers Digital painting, Brush engines, Layer management, Animation. Three.js covers WebGL rendering, Scene graph, Materials system, Animation system.

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
Three.js: Is Three.js free to use?

Yes. Three.js is released under the MIT license, an open-source license that permits unlimited commercial and personal use with no licensing fees.

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
Three.js: Does Three.js include physics simulation?

No. Three.js is a rendering library only. Physics, collision detection, and spatial indexing must be implemented with external libraries like Rapier, Ammo, or JoltPhysics.

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
Three.js: Can I use Three.js for offline development?

Yes. Local development requires a local web server for CORS compliance. You can use npm with a build tool like Vite, or run a local Python server for development.

Source
Three.js: Does Three.js support WebXR for VR/AR?

Yes. Three.js documentation includes WebXR APIs for building VR and AR experiences in web browsers.

Source
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