Design Tools · head to head
PaintTool SAI vs Zeplin
PaintTool SAI
Design Tools
Lightweight digital painting and illustration software for Windows
- From
- 5500/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Zeplin 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.; Zeplin the free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
- They diverge on capability: PaintTool SAI covers Pressure-Sensitive Tablet Support, Zeplin covers Design specs.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which PaintTool SAI and Zeplin actually diverge.
| Attribute | PaintTool SAI | Zeplin |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | 5500/month | Free |
| Pricing model | one-time | subscription |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | windows | Web, Desktop, Mobile |
| Founded | Unknown | 2014 |
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 Zeplin
- Design specs
- Asset export
- Code snippets
- Design tokens
- Comments
- Version control
- Handoff workflow
- Accessibility checks
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
PaintTool SAI
- Digital illustration and manga artnot Zeplin
- Line art and inking with pressure-sensitive pensnot Zeplin
- Lightweight painting on lower-spec computersnot Zeplin
- Character and concept art sketchingnot Zeplin
Zeplin
- Handing off design specs from Figma or Sketch to developersnot PaintTool SAI
- Sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering teamnot PaintTool SAI
- Reviewing and commenting on design versionsnot 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.
Zeplin
- The free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
- Free plan AI reviews are capped at 3 per week
- Role based permissions require the Advanced plan or higher
- Single sign on, multi factor authentication, activity logs and invoiced billing are Enterprise only
- Priority 24 hour support is Enterprise only
- Basic plan caps screens at 1,000 per project and is priced per project rather than per seat
- Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate
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
Zeplin
Free- FreeFree
- 1 project
- 1 workspace
- Basic specs
- Starter$19/month
- Unlimited projects
- Multiple workspaces
- Advanced specs
- Professional$49/month
- Everything in Starter
- Team collaboration
- Admin controls
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 Zeplin if
- You need design specs.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want asset export.
Questions people ask
- Is PaintTool SAI or Zeplin better?
- Neither clearly leads. PaintTool SAI starts at 5500/month and Zeplin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, PaintTool SAI or Zeplin?
- Zeplin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at 5500/month for PaintTool SAI and Free for Zeplin.
- Does PaintTool SAI or Zeplin run on more platforms?
- PaintTool SAI runs on windows. Zeplin runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- Can I use Zeplin for free?
- Yes. Zeplin 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 Zeplin is typically brought in for.
- What can PaintTool SAI do that Zeplin cannot?
- PaintTool SAI covers Pressure-Sensitive Tablet Support, Anti-Aliased Brushes, 16-bit ARGB Color Channels, Lightweight Performance. Zeplin covers Design specs, Asset export, Code snippets, Design tokens.
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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