Design Tools · head to head
PaintTool SAI vs ProtoPie
PaintTool SAI
Design Tools
Lightweight digital painting and illustration software for Windows
- From
- 5500/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only ProtoPie 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.; ProtoPie the free plan allows 2 prototypes, 8 scenes per prototype and 50MB of cloud storage
- They diverge on capability: PaintTool SAI covers Pressure-Sensitive Tablet Support, ProtoPie covers Interactive prototyping.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which PaintTool SAI and ProtoPie actually diverge.
| Attribute | PaintTool SAI | ProtoPie |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | 5500/month | Free |
| Pricing model | one-time | subscription |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | windows | Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | Unknown | 2013 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design Tools).
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 ProtoPie
- Interactive prototyping
- Data binding
- Advanced interactions
- Animation
- Collaboration
- Cloud sharing
- Device testing
- Code export
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
PaintTool SAI
- Digital illustration and manga artnot ProtoPie
- Line art and inking with pressure-sensitive pensnot ProtoPie
- Lightweight painting on lower-spec computersnot ProtoPie
- Character and concept art sketchingnot ProtoPie
ProtoPie
- Building high fidelity interactive prototypes without codenot PaintTool SAI
- Prototyping multi device and hardware interactionsnot PaintTool SAI
- Sharing prototypes with stakeholders for testingnot 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.
ProtoPie
- The free plan allows 2 prototypes, 8 scenes per prototype and 50MB of cloud storage
- Free prototypes carry a watermark and shareable links require the Basic plan
- Saving prototypes locally requires the Pro plan
- Team libraries and handoff recordings require the Pro plan
- Basic caps storage at 500MB and prototypes at 20
- Single sign on, private servers, custom fonts and custom hardware integrations are Enterprise only
- Enterprise requires a minimum of 3 seats and is priced by quote
- Connect Core is a paid add on at $20 per user per month
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
ProtoPie
Free- FreeFree
- Limited prototypes
- Cloud storage
- Basic sharing
- Professional$25/month
- Unlimited prototypes
- Advanced interactions
- Collaboration
- Enterprise$75/month
- Everything in Professional
- Team features
- Advanced security
Which should you pick?
Choose PaintTool SAI if
- You need pressure-sensitive tablet support.
- You work on windows.
- You also want anti-aliased brushes.
Choose ProtoPie if
- You need interactive prototyping.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want data binding.
Questions people ask
- Is PaintTool SAI or ProtoPie better?
- Neither clearly leads. PaintTool SAI starts at 5500/month and ProtoPie at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, PaintTool SAI or ProtoPie?
- ProtoPie has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at 5500/month for PaintTool SAI and Free for ProtoPie.
- Does PaintTool SAI or ProtoPie run on more platforms?
- PaintTool SAI runs on windows. ProtoPie runs on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use ProtoPie for free?
- Yes. ProtoPie 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 ProtoPie is typically brought in for.
- What can PaintTool SAI do that ProtoPie cannot?
- PaintTool SAI covers Pressure-Sensitive Tablet Support, Anti-Aliased Brushes, 16-bit ARGB Color Channels, Lightweight Performance. ProtoPie covers Interactive prototyping, Data binding, Advanced interactions, Animation.
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.
SourcePaintTool 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.
SourcePaintTool 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.
SourceRelated pages
More on PaintTool SAI
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