Softwr

Design · head to head

PaintTool SAI vs Quill

P

PaintTool SAI

Design

Lightweight digital painting and illustration software for Windows

From
5500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Quill logo

Quill

AR VR

VR illustration and animation tool

From
$24.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PaintTool SAI windows-only software with no native Mac or Linux version.; Quill no pricing information published on the main website; users directed to contact for pricing
  • They diverge on capability: PaintTool SAI covers Pressure-Sensitive Tablet Support, Quill covers VR illustration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where PaintTool SAI and Quill differ
AttributePaintTool SAIQuill
Starting price5500/month$24.99/one-time
PlatformswindowsVr, Quest
CategoryDesignAR VR
FoundedUnknown2021

Identical on both: pricing model (one-time), free tier (No), 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 PaintTool SAI

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

Only in Quill

  • VR illustration
  • Animation timeline
  • Layers
  • Brushes
  • FBX export
  • Video export
  • Alembic
  • Vr support

What people use each for

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

PaintTool SAI

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

Quill

  • VR Gamingnot PaintTool SAI
  • AR Marketingnot PaintTool SAI
  • Virtual Trainingnot PaintTool SAI
  • 3D Visualizationnot PaintTool SAI
  • Immersive Experiencesnot 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.

Quill

  • No pricing information published on the main website; users directed to contact for pricing

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

Quill

$24.99/one-time
  • Quill$24.99/one-time
    • VR illustration
    • Animation
    • Export

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 Quill if

  • You need vr illustration.
  • You work on Vr, Quest.
  • You also want animation timeline.
Quill review

Questions people ask

Is PaintTool SAI or Quill better?
Neither clearly leads. PaintTool SAI starts at 5500/month and Quill at $24.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PaintTool SAI or Quill?
PaintTool SAI starts at 5500/month and Quill at $24.99/one-time.
Does PaintTool SAI or Quill run on more platforms?
PaintTool SAI runs on windows. Quill runs on Vr, Quest.
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 Quill is typically brought in for.
What can PaintTool SAI do that Quill cannot?
PaintTool SAI covers Pressure-Sensitive Tablet Support, Anti-Aliased Brushes, 16-bit ARGB Color Channels, Lightweight Performance. Quill covers VR illustration, Animation timeline, Layers, Brushes.

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
Quill: How much does Quill cost?

Quill does not publish pricing information on its website. Interested users are directed to contact the team at [email protected] or visit the Get Quill section to inquire about pricing and licensing options.

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
Quill: Is Quill free to use?

The Quill website does not indicate whether the VR illustration and animation tool is free, paid, or subscription-based. Pricing details require contacting the company directly.

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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