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Design · head to head

PaintTool SAI vs Recraft

P

PaintTool SAI

Design

Lightweight digital painting and illustration software for Windows

From
5500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Recraft logo

Recraft

Design

AI image and vector generation for design teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Recraft 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.; Recraft free plan images are owned by Recraft and made publicly visible; commercial ownership rights only apply while subscribed to a paid plan
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where PaintTool SAI and Recraft differ
AttributePaintTool SAIRecraft
Starting price5500/monthFree
Pricing modelone-timefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformswindowsWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).

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 Recraft

Nothing recorded that PaintTool SAI does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

PaintTool SAI

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

Recraft

  • AI-powered image generation and design creationnot PaintTool SAI
  • Commercial-licensed asset creation for businessesnot 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.

Recraft

  • Free plan images are owned by Recraft and made publicly visible; commercial ownership rights only apply while subscribed to a paid plan
  • Subscription credits reset every month and do not carry over, unlike separately purchased top-up credits which never expire
  • Refunds are only considered within 30 days and only if fewer than 30 credits have been used
  • Annual billing is required to get the 20% discount over paying monthly

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

Recraft

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Recraft review.

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 Recraft if

  • You want to start without paying.
Recraft review

Questions people ask

Is PaintTool SAI or Recraft better?
Neither clearly leads. PaintTool SAI starts at 5500/month and Recraft at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PaintTool SAI or Recraft?
Recraft has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at 5500/month for PaintTool SAI and Free for Recraft.
Does PaintTool SAI or Recraft run on more platforms?
PaintTool SAI runs on windows. Recraft runs on Web.
Can I use Recraft for free?
Yes. Recraft 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 Recraft is typically brought in for.
What can PaintTool SAI do that Recraft cannot?
PaintTool SAI covers Pressure-Sensitive Tablet Support, Anti-Aliased Brushes, 16-bit ARGB Color Channels, Lightweight Performance.

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
Recraft: Is Recraft free?

Recraft offers a free plan where images generated are publicly visible in the community gallery and not licensed for commercial use. Paid plans (Basic, Pro, Teams) unlock full ownership and commercial rights but specific prices are not published.

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
Recraft: How does Recraft's credit system work?

Recraft charges based on monthly credit allocation included with each plan. Additional top-up credits can be purchased separately and never expire, used automatically after monthly credits run out.

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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