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Software · head to head

PaintTool SAI vs Gravit Designer

PaintTool SAI logo

PaintTool SAI

Software

Lightweight digital painting and illustration software for Windows

From
5500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gravit Designer logo

Gravit Designer

Software

Free vector graphics editor in the cloud

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Gravit Designer has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: PaintTool SAI windows-only software with no native Mac or Linux version.; Gravit Designer the Gravit Designer brand and domain designer.io were retired and now redirect live to CorelDRAW, confirming the standalone product no longer exists under its own name
  • They diverge on capability: PaintTool SAI covers Pressure-Sensitive Tablet Support, Gravit Designer covers Vector drawing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PaintTool SAI and Gravit Designer actually diverge.

Attributes where PaintTool SAI and Gravit Designer differ
AttributePaintTool SAIGravit Designer
Starting price5500/monthFree
Pricing modelone-timefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformswindowsWindows, Macos, Linux, Web
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: 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 PaintTool SAI

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

Only in Gravit Designer

  • Vector drawing
  • Bezier tools
  • Shape tools
  • Typography
  • Gradient tools
  • Symbols
  • Layers
  • Cloud storage

What people use each for

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

PaintTool SAI

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

Gravit Designer

  • Logo designnot PaintTool SAI
  • Vector illustrationnot PaintTool SAI
  • Icon designnot PaintTool SAI
  • Web graphicsnot PaintTool SAI

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Gravit Designer

  • The Gravit Designer brand and domain designer.io were retired and now redirect live to CorelDRAW, confirming the standalone product no longer exists under its own name

Pricing, plan by plan

PaintTool SAI

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

Gravit Designer

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Cloud storage
    • All design tools
    • SVG support

Which should you pick?

Choose PaintTool SAI if

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

Choose Gravit Designer if

  • You need vector drawing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Web.
  • You also want bezier tools.
Gravit Designer review

Questions people ask

Is PaintTool SAI or Gravit Designer better?
Neither clearly leads. PaintTool SAI starts at 5500/month and Gravit Designer at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PaintTool SAI or Gravit Designer?
Gravit Designer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at 5500/month for PaintTool SAI and Free for Gravit Designer.
Does PaintTool SAI or Gravit Designer run on more platforms?
PaintTool SAI runs on windows. Gravit Designer runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Web.
Can I use Gravit Designer for free?
Yes. Gravit Designer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PaintTool SAI starts at 5500/month.
What is PaintTool SAI best used for?
PaintTool SAI is most often used for digital illustration and manga art, line art and inking with pressure-sensitive pens, lightweight painting on lower-spec computers, character and concept art sketching. Of those, digital illustration and manga art and line art and inking with pressure-sensitive pens are not what Gravit Designer is typically brought in for.
What can PaintTool SAI do that Gravit Designer cannot?
PaintTool SAI covers Pressure-Sensitive Tablet Support, Anti-Aliased Brushes, 16-bit ARGB Color Channels, Lightweight Performance. Gravit Designer covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Shape tools, Typography.

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
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