17 Best Paid & Free Digital Art Software for PC & Mac 2026 | Best Art Tools

ThatPainter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More

The best digital art software depends on what you paint, how much control you need over brushes and layers, and whether you want a subscription, a perpetual license, or a free download. Photoshop remains a strong choice for professional PSD workflows, while Krita, GIMP, Inkscape, and Blender cover serious work without a subscription.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Wacom Intuos Small, Wired Graphic Drawing Tablet with Pen + Software	$39.95	Buy on Amazon
2		UGEE M708 Drawing Tablet, 10x6 inch Large Space for Digital Drawing	$41.95	Buy on Amazon
3		XPPen Deco 01 V3 10x6 Drawing Tablet, 16K Battery-Free Stylus, 8 Keys	$45.00	Buy on Amazon
4		HUION Inspiroy H1060P Graphics Drawing Tablet, 10 x 6.25 in, 12+16 Hot Keys	$43.99	Buy on Amazon
5		HUION Inspiroy H640P 6x4 inch Drawing Tablet 8192 Pen Pressure	$29.99	Buy on Amazon

This list was checked against current product and download information available on August 9, 2026. Platform labels matter: PaintTool SAI is Windows-only, Adobe Fresco is not a macOS desktop app, and Procreate is not included because it is an iPad application rather than PC or Mac software.

Quick comparison: the best digital art programs

1. Adobe Photoshop

Best for: professional illustration, compositing, photo-based art, and studio workflows.

#1 Best Overall

Wacom Intuos Small, Wired Graphic Drawing Tablet with Pen + Software

• Wacom Intuos Small Graphics Drawing Tablet: Enjoy industry leading tablet performance in superior control and precision with Wacom's EMR, battery free technology that feels like pen on paper
• Works With All Software: Wacom Intuos tablet can be used in any software program to explore new facets of digital creativity; draw, paint, edit photos/videos, create designs, and mark up documents
• What the Professionals Use: Wacom's industry leading pen technology and pen to paper feeling makes it the preferred drawing tablet of professional graphic designers
• Software and Training Included: Only Wacom gives you software with every purchase. Register your Intuos tablet and gain access to some of the best creative software and Wacom's online training
• Wacom is the Global Leader in Drawing Tablet and Displays: For over 40 years in pen display and tablet market, you can trust that Wacom to help you bring your vision, ideas and creativity to life

$39.95

Buy on Amazon

Photoshop is still the safest choice when your work must move between illustrators, photographers, designers, and clients using PSD files. Its strengths are not limited to brushes: adjustment layers, masks, selections, smart objects, filters, typography, and compositing tools make it useful for finished artwork as well as painting.

The trade-off is the subscription model. Adobe offers a full-version free trial, but continued desktop use requires a paid plan. Current desktop requirements are also more demanding than many older recommendations suggest. Adobe’s current documentation covers macOS 14, 15.x, and macOS 26, with Apple Silicon and Intel support varying by version, so check the requirements before installing on an older Mac.

Check Photoshop’s current technical requirements.

2. Clip Studio Paint

Best for: manga, comics, clean line art, illustration, and 2D animation.

Clip Studio Paint is built around drawn artwork rather than photo editing. Stabilized pens, vector layers, perspective rulers, speech balloons, panel tools, 3D reference models, asset libraries, and animation timelines make it particularly effective for comic pages and character work. Its brush engine also handles painterly illustration well.

Version 5.0 released on March 11, 2026. The Windows/macOS perpetual licenses are US$63 for PRO and US$277 for EX. Those licenses are not equivalent to the subscription plans: perpetual licenses are limited to Windows and macOS and one device, while subscription plans add iPad, iPhone, Galaxy, Android, and Chromebook support and are the route to those device versions and ongoing feature updates.

Choose PRO for illustration and ordinary comic work. EX is aimed at users who need the more advanced multi-page and animation features.

3. Krita

Best for: serious digital painting, concept art, comics, and 2D animation without paying a subscription.

Krita is the strongest free brush-first alternative in this list. It provides a large brush system, stabilizers, assistant tools, wraparound textures, layer management, animation features, PSD support, and a workspace designed for artists rather than general image retouching.

The official download page lists Krita 5.3.2.1 as the current stable release, dated June 1, 2026. Desktop versions are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Android tablets and ChromeOS are supported, but there is no iPad or iPhone version.

Krita is a better starting point than GIMP if your main activity is painting. Its interface can still take time to learn, and its photo-editing and page-layout tools are not its main strengths.

Download Krita 5.3.2.1.

4. Affinity Photo 2

Best for: raster painting, image manipulation, texture creation, and Photoshop-compatible production without a subscription.

Affinity Photo 2 combines painting and photo-editing tools with masks, adjustment layers, filters, selections, and non-destructive workflows. It is a practical choice for artists who paint over photographs, build textures, or need a less expensive alternative to Photoshop’s recurring payments.

Rank #2

UGEE M708 Drawing Tablet, 10x6 inch Large Space for Digital Drawing

• Large Active Drawing Space: UGEE M708 V3 graphic drawing tablet features 10 x 6 inch large active drawing space with papery texture surface, provides enormous and smooth drawing for your digital artwork creation, offers no-lag sketch and painting experience
• 16384 Passive Stylus Technology: A more affordable passive stylus technology offers 16384 levels of pressure sensitivity allows you to draw accurate lines of any weight and opacity according to the pressure you apply to the pen, sharper line with light pressure and thick line with hard pressure for artistry design or unique brush effect for photo retouching
• Compatible with Multiple System and Softwares: Powerful compatibility, tablet for drawing computer, perform well with Windows 11/10/8/7, Mac OS X 10.10 or later, Android 10.0 or later, mac OS 10.12 or later, Chrome OS 88 or later and Linux; Driver program works with creative software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Macromedia Flash, Comic Studio, SAI, Infinite Stratos, 3D MAX, Autodesk MAYA, Pixologic ZBrush and more
• Ergonomically Designed Shortcuts: 8 customizable express keys on the side for short cuts like eraser, zoom in and out, scrolling and undo, provide a lot more for convenience and helps to improve the productivity and efficiency when creating with the drawing tablet
• Easy Connectivity for Beginners: The UGEE M708 V3 offers USB to USB-C connectivity, plus adapters for USB C, ensuring easy connection to various devices and allowing beginner artists to set up quickly and focus on their creativity without compatibility concerns; Whether using a laptop, desktop, chromebook, or tablet, the UGEE M708 V3 provides a seamless experience for those just starting their digital art journey

$41.95

Buy on Amazon

Version 2 uses a one-time-purchase model. Affinity’s Universal Licence bundles Photo, Designer, and Publisher across supported Windows, macOS, and iPadOS versions. Do not confuse free updates within Version 2 with a promise that every future major version will be free.

Photo 2 is primarily raster-based. If you need scalable logos, precise curves, or extensive vector illustration, Affinity Designer 2 is the better companion application.

5. Affinity Designer 2

Best for: vector illustration, logos, lettering, UI graphics, and vector/raster hybrid artwork.

Designer 2 is the Affinity suite’s vector-focused application. It handles Bézier curves, shapes, typography, symbols, artboards, and scalable illustrations, while also offering pixel-oriented tools for adding painted detail. That combination is useful for poster artists, lettering artists, illustrators, and anyone who moves between clean geometry and textured finishing.

It is a separate application from Affinity Photo, although the Universal Licence includes both. The key selling point is the one-time license rather than an Adobe-style subscription. The software is available for Windows, macOS, and iPadOS.

6. GIMP

Best for: free raster editing, photo manipulation, image cleanup, and texture work.

GIMP is a capable open-source image editor for artists who need layers, masks, selections, filters, paths, and customizable tools without paying for a commercial license. It can support digital illustration, but its interface and workflow are more general-purpose than Krita’s.

GIMP 3.0.8 is represented in the current official download archive, with Windows installers dated January 24 to February 7, 2026 and macOS entries dated January 24 to 28. Some official landing-page text still refers to older 3.0.4 information, so use the archive rather than relying on stale version copy.

GIMP runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is a particularly good option for editing scanned paintings, preparing reference images, and creating textures.

Check the GIMP 3.0 download archive.

7. Inkscape

Best for: vector art, SVG files, logos, diagrams, typography, and crisp illustrations.

Inkscape is the free vector option. Unlike a raster painting program, it stores artwork as paths and shapes that can be enlarged without becoming pixelated. It is well suited to flat illustration, icon design, lettering, diagrams, stickers, and cut-file or SVG workflows.

Inkscape 1.4.4 was released on May 6, 2026 for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The release fixed crashes, including startup failures, and added Windows-on-ARM installation files. Older articles that identify 1.4.1 or 1.4.2 as the latest stable version are out of date.

Inkscape is not a replacement for a natural-media painting application. Use it when clean scalable geometry matters more than textured brushwork.

Rank #3

Sale

XPPen Deco 01 V3 10x6 Drawing Tablet, 16K Battery-Free Stylus, 8 Keys

• Word-first 16K Pressure Levels: The upgraded stylus features 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity and supports up to 60 degrees of tilt, delivering smoother lines and shading for a natural drawing experience. With no battery or charging needed, it operates like a real pen, making it easy for beginners to create effortlessly. This functionality helps novice artists develop their skills and explore their creativity without the intimidation of complex tools
• Designed for Beginners: This drawing pad desinged with 8 customizable shortcuts for both right and left-hand users, express keys create a highly ergonomic and convenient work platform
• Perfectly Adapted for Android: The XPPen Deco 01 V3 art tablet supports connections with Android devices running version 10.0 and above. It is recommended to download the XPPen Tools Android application, which adapts to your smartphone's screen aspect ratio, ensuring accurate mapping. It also supports mapping on Android screens with different aspect ratios in portrait mode
• Large Drawing Space, Bigger Bold Inspiration: This expansive drawing pad has10 x 6.25-inch helps you break through the limit between shortcut keys and drawing area
• Easy Connectivity for Beginners: The Deco 01 V3 offers USB-C to USB-C connectivity, plus adapters for USB C. This ensures easy connection to various devices, allowing beginner artists to set up quickly and focus on their creativity without compatibility concerns. Whether using a laptop, tablet, or desktop, the Deco 01 V3 provides a seamless experience, making it an ideal choice for those just starting their digital art journey

$45.00

Buy on Amazon

8. Blender

Best for: 3D modeling, sculpting, rendering, animation, and 2D drawings made with Grease Pencil.

Blender is much more than a 3D modeling program. Artists use it to build reference scenes, sculpt characters, render concept images, paint textures, and create 2D animation with Grease Pencil. A camera and lighting setup can also make it useful for repeatable illustration backgrounds and perspective-heavy work.

Blender 4.5 LTS is the current active long-term-support branch. Official downloads distinguish Windows x64, Windows ARM, macOS Intel, and macOS Apple Silicon builds. The minimum requirements include 64-bit Windows 8.1 and macOS 11.2, but a modern GPU and substantially newer computer are more realistic for complex scenes.

Blender has the steepest learning curve on this list. It is worth learning when 3D reference, lighting, perspective, or animation is part of your process—not simply because it is free.

9. Adobe Fresco

Best for: touch and stylus painting, sketching, live watercolor, live oil brushes, and simple animation.

Fresco focuses on a natural drawing experience. Its live brushes are designed to spread and blend in ways that resemble watercolor and oil, while vector brushes remain useful for clean marks. It is convenient for artists who work on a pen display or Windows touchscreen and want a simpler painting interface than Photoshop.

Fresco is free and supports iPadOS, iOS, and Windows. It is not a macOS desktop application, so it should not be presented as a Mac alternative to Photoshop or Krita. Adobe’s product positioning also emphasizes touch and stylus devices.

10. Sketchbook Pro

Best for: quick sketches, storyboards, visual notes, and beginner-friendly illustration.

Sketchbook Pro keeps the drawing surface uncluttered and responsive. It is a good fit for roughs, thumbnails, storyboards, and everyday sketching when you do not need the extensive production tools found in Photoshop or Clip Studio Paint.

Desktop versions are available for Windows and macOS through the Microsoft Store and Mac App Store as perpetual purchases. Sketchbook also offers subscription licensing directly. According to its licensing documentation, the perpetual store versions and the direct subscription version provide the same Sketchbook Pro features; the difference is primarily how the license is obtained and maintained.

11. MediBang Paint

Best for: manga, webcomics, lightweight illustration, and collaborative comic projects.

MediBang Paint includes comic-oriented tools such as panels, screen tones, fonts, and cloud-based project features. It is less intimidating than a large professional suite and runs on Windows 10 or later and macOS 11 or later, in addition to iPad, iPhone, and Android versions.

The desktop application is free, but the service is not entirely unrestricted. Cloud features require an account and internet connection. Free accounts have limits including up to 3 GB of cloud storage and restricted team or version-management access; Premium adds cloud, material, and service features. The free version displays a startup advertisement, while the Steam edition removes those pop-ups.

Rank #4

Sale

HUION Inspiroy H1060P Graphics Drawing Tablet, 10 x 6.25 in, 12+16 Hot Keys

• Working Area Configuration - HUION art tablet equips with a 10 x 6.25 inches working area, providing the user with the most comfortable size to work; the 10mm slim structure and minimalist design of appearance make the drawing tablet more attractive.
• Tilt Function Battery-free Stylus: This computer graphics tablet come with a battery-free stylus PW100, no need to charge, allowing for constant uninterrupted drawing. ±60° tilt support enables imitation of lines input with diverse drawing gestures, with accuracy ensured.
• Press Keys:12 programmable press keys plus 16 programmable soft keys, you can set shortcut keys on drawing tablet's driver based on your preferences, such as erase, zoom in/out, scroll up and down, and so on.
• Compatibility: HUION graphics tablet supports Windows 7 or later/ macOS 10.12 or later/ Android 6.0 or later/ Linux (Ubuntu). A USB adapter is required to connect to a Mac computer. H1060P supports various mainstream design and drawing software, including PS, SAI, AI, CDR, etc. (Please note: The H1060P is compatible with Ubuntu, but it requires the use of the Xorg display server. Wayland is not supported.)
• NOTE: You can easily connect your phone to the art tablet via the OTG connector; while iPhone and iPad are NOT at the moment. The cursor will not show up in the SAMSUNG Galaxy S series at present. If you are not sure whether the product is compatible with your Phone or any help, please contact us.

$43.99

Buy on Amazon

12. ArtRage Vitae

Best for: artists who want convincing oil, watercolor, palette-knife, and paint-tube behavior.

ArtRage Vitae is designed around the physical feel of traditional media. You can load paint onto a canvas, mix colors, use a palette knife, squeeze paint from a tube, and work with watercolor-like washes. It is more focused than Photoshop and less production-oriented than Clip Studio Paint, but that narrow focus is exactly what makes it appealing for traditional painters moving to a screen.

The current desktop product is ArtRage Vitae rather than a separate current “ArtRage 7” edition. It costs US$80 as a one-time store purchase and runs on Windows and macOS. Licensing is handled through the Microsoft Store or Apple App Store; Vitae does not use a serial number or registration key.

13. Rebelle 8

Best for: natural-media painting, especially watercolor, oils, acrylics, and wet-media effects.

Rebelle 8 is another specialist choice for painters who care about the behavior of liquid and layered media. Its appeal comes from simulation: paint can flow, spread, mix, and interact with the canvas in ways that feel closer to physical materials than ordinary opacity brushes.

It is paid perpetual software for Windows and macOS, with Apple Silicon support and current builds listed by the developer. The documentation records fixes for freezing or crashes caused by rapid Magic Wand use, as well as consistent iterative-save naming between macOS and Windows.

Choose Rebelle over a general editor when watercolor or wet paint is the central requirement, not an occasional brush effect.

14. FireAlpaca

Best for: lightweight illustration, manga, sketching, and basic animation on modest hardware.

FireAlpaca is fast to install and easier to approach than large production suites. It provides layers, stabilizers, comic tools, brushes, and basic animation features without the overhead of a heavyweight application.

FireAlpaca 2.16.0 was listed on June 9, 2026. The current Windows build requires Windows 10 or later, and the macOS build requires macOS 12 or later—requirements that are newer than many older software roundups claim. Windows, macOS, and Linux downloads are available.

The standard version is freeware and displays advertising at startup. FireAlpaca SE is a paid edition that removes the ads and adds content and features.

15. MyPaint

Best for: distraction-free sketching and simple brush-based digital painting.

MyPaint deliberately avoids trying to be Photoshop, a comic-page layout tool, or a photo editor. Its value is a clean painting environment with a configurable brush engine, an effectively open canvas, and minimal distractions. That makes it useful for sketchbooks, loose studies, and artists who want to concentrate on marks rather than menus.

Best Value

Sale

HUION Inspiroy H640P 6x4 inch Drawing Tablet 8192 Pen Pressure

• Customize Your Workflow: The 6 customizable press keys on Huion H640P drawing tablet for pc let you assign your most-used commands—like undo, zoom, brush switch, or save—so you can keep your hands on the tablet and your mind on the art. Whether you're a digital painter switching brushes, or a comic artist zooming in and out, these keys keep your workflow smooth and uninterrupted. Plus, the Huion driver lets you save different shortcut profiles for different apps, so you never have to reconfigure when switching software.
• Professional Pen Performance: Huion H640P drawing pad for computer comes with the battery-free PW100 stylus that's always ready when inspiration strikes. With 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, every light sketch, or bold stroke responds naturally to your hand—just like a real pen. The 5080 LPI resolution and 233 PPS report rate deliver lag-free, precise strokes, so you can draw confidently without second-guessing your cursor. The pen side buttons help you switch between pen and eraser instantly.
• Compact and Portable: Huion H640P computer graphics tablet features a compact, ultra-portable design at just 0.3 inches thin and 0.61 lbs light, so it slides easily into your backpack—perfect for sketching in coffee shops, taking notes in class, or editing on the go between home and studio. The 6x4 inch active area offers enough room for natural pen movements while fitting comfortably on crowded desks, or lecture hall seats.
• Stable Compatibility: Huion H640P graphic drawing tablet works seamlessly with Mac, Windows, Linux PCs, and Android smartphones/tablets (OS version 6.0 or later). Left-handed friendly, and you just need to flip the tablet and adjust the settings in the driver. Please note: H640P does NOT support iPhone/iPad.
• Move Beyond the Mouse: Huion Inspiroy H640P is a pen tablet that replaces your mouse for more natural, precise control. Freehand draw, take notes, or even play OSU—everything you do with a mouse, you can do better with a pen. The precise tip makes it ideal for detailed photo editing, graphic design, or signing PDF. Meanwhile, the ergonomic pen grip helps you avoid the strain that comes from hours of using a mouse.

$29.99

Buy on Amazon

The official site lists MyPaint 2.0.1 downloads for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is free and open source. Pick it for simplicity; pick Krita instead if you need animation, advanced layer workflows, assistants, or a broader production toolset.

16. PaintTool SAI

Best for: responsive line art, cel shading, pressure-sensitive drawing, and manga-style illustration on Windows.

PaintTool SAI has a loyal following because it feels light and responsive, particularly for clean lines and painted cel shading. Its relatively focused toolset can be an advantage when you do not want a large interface slowing down a drawing session.

SAI is Windows-only. It is not a native Mac application and should not be listed as a general PC-and-Mac choice. The official Systemax requirements describe PC/AT hardware, Windows XP through Windows 11, and a 32-bit platform for the documented requirements. The site also warns that SAI Version 1 may malfunction when installed under Program Files on Windows Vista or later because of User Account Control.

For a new Windows installation, confirm which SAI version and compatibility requirements apply before buying or moving an older license.

17. ArcBrush

Best for: node-based image editing and specialist procedural workflows.

ArcBrush is not a conventional brush-first painting program, so it should not be treated as a direct Krita or MyPaint replacement. Its distinction is a node-based image-editing workflow: operations can be connected, rearranged, and reused rather than applied only as a linear sequence of edits.

The full 8-bit editor is free for personal and non-commercial use, with no time limit and all nodes included. Windows and macOS downloads are available. The macOS build requires macOS 12 or later and Apple Silicon. It is a worthwhile option for artists who want a free node-based alternative, but traditional painters may find a raster canvas application more immediately useful.

Visit ArcBrush.

How to choose the right art software

1. Start with your medium. For digital paint, begin with Krita, Photoshop, MyPaint, ArtRage Vitae, or Rebelle. For comics, compare Clip Studio Paint, MediBang Paint, and FireAlpaca. For vector work, use Inkscape or Affinity Designer.
2. Check the operating system before comparing features. PaintTool SAI is Windows-only. Fresco supports Windows, iPadOS, and iOS but not macOS desktop. Krita has no iPad version. Clip Studio’s perpetual license is limited to Windows and macOS, while its subscription plans cover additional devices.
3. Decide whether you accept a subscription. Photoshop is subscription-based. Affinity Photo and Designer, ArtRage Vitae, and the perpetual edition of Clip Studio Paint offer one-time purchase routes. Krita, GIMP, Inkscape, Blender, and MyPaint are free and open source.
4. Match the program to your hardware. A simple sketching application such as FireAlpaca or MyPaint will be easier on an older computer than a complex Blender scene or current Photoshop installation. Check current requirements rather than trusting old listicles.
5. Test your actual workflow. Before committing, create one real piece: import a reference, make several layers, test your tablet pressure, export a PNG or PSD, and confirm that the result opens correctly in the software your clients or collaborators use.

What about Procreate?

Procreate is not included in this PC and Mac roundup because it is an iPad application sold through the iPad App Store. It can be an excellent choice for iPad artists, but it is not native Windows or macOS desktop software. Including it in a PC/Mac comparison would make the platform labels misleading.

Current versions to know

FAQ

What is the best free digital art software for PC and Mac?

Krita is the best general free choice for digital painting on Windows and macOS. It has a brush-focused interface, stabilizers, layers, animation tools, and strong support for concept art and comics. GIMP is better if image editing and photo manipulation matter more than painting.

What is the best digital art software for beginners?

Sketchbook Pro is one of the easiest places to start for sketching and illustration. FireAlpaca and MyPaint are also approachable free options. Choose Krita if you want to learn a program that can continue supporting more advanced painting and animation work.

Which art software works on both Windows and Mac?

Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, Krita, Affinity Photo 2, Affinity Designer 2, GIMP, Inkscape, Blender, Sketchbook Pro, MediBang Paint, ArtRage Vitae, Rebelle 8, FireAlpaca, MyPaint, and ArcBrush have Windows and macOS versions. PaintTool SAI is Windows-only, while Adobe Fresco supports Windows but not macOS desktop.

Is paid digital art software better than free software?

Not automatically. Krita can be the better painting tool than a paid general image editor, while Inkscape is highly capable for free vector work. Paid software tends to offer particular advantages such as professional file compatibility, natural-media simulation, specialist comic tools, commercial support, or a more polished production workflow.

The Bottom Line

For most digital painters, start with Krita if you want a free desktop program, Photoshop if PSD compatibility and professional compositing are essential, or Clip Studio Paint if you draw comics and line-based illustration. Choose Affinity Photo 2 or Affinity Designer 2 when avoiding subscriptions matters, and choose ArtRage Vitae or Rebelle 8 when realistic traditional-media behavior is the priority. Before downloading, verify both the platform and the license type—especially for PaintTool SAI, Fresco, and Clip Studio Paint.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Wacom Intuos Small, Wired Graphic Drawing Tablet with Pen + Software

$39.95

Bestseller No. 2

UGEE M708 Drawing Tablet, 10x6 inch Large Space for Digital Drawing

$41.95

SaleBestseller No. 3

XPPen Deco 01 V3 10x6 Drawing Tablet, 16K Battery-Free Stylus, 8 Keys

$45.00

SaleBestseller No. 4

HUION Inspiroy H1060P Graphics Drawing Tablet, 10 x 6.25 in, 12+16 Hot Keys

$43.99

SaleBestseller No. 5

HUION Inspiroy H640P 6x4 inch Drawing Tablet 8192 Pen Pressure

$29.99

ThatPainter Team

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.