# Clip Studio Paint vs Sketch Pro

The clearest difference is ads: Clip Studio Paint at none against Sketch Pro's shown. Sketch Pro's advantage is review sentiment (81% vs 46%) and device support (4 vs 1). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Clip Studio Paint sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.89 per month and Sketch Pro sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Clip Studio Paint against 4.7 for Sketch Pro. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 11K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of Clip Studio Paint's written reviews are positive against 81% of Sketch Pro's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Clip Studio Paint | Sketch Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clip-studio-paint/id1262985592/reviews) | [4.7 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sketch-pro-draw-and-create-art/id1663200797/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 11K |
| Positive reviews | 45.7% of reviews | **80.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 583 MB | 350 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CELSYS,Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/291038364) | [4Axis Technologies Pte Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1413114553) |

## What reviewers say

### Clip Studio Paint

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clip-studio-paint/id1262985592)

Create digital art with a vast array of brushes, textures, and colors. This app offers tools for drawing, painting, comic creation, and animation, with features like 3D models for reference and advanced layer options. It provides a free trial and subscription plans for full access.

**Highlights:** Unlimited custom brushes, Realistic color mixing, Artist-made materials, 3D model references, Comic creation tools, Animation features, Advanced layer editing

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Monthly | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Single-Device Plan | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Single-Device Plan | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Dual-Device Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| EX Monthly | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Single-Device Plan | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Single-Device Plan | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Dual-Device Plan | $13.49 | per month |
| PRO Annual | $28.90 | per year |
| PRO Annual Single-Device Plan | $28.90 | per year |
| PRO Annual Single-Device Plan | $28.90 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best drawing software for iPad
- 🎨 Powerful features like vector layers
- 💻 Seamless transition from desktop to iPad
- 👍 Great for comics and illustrations
- 🎨 Diverse brushes and materials

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔍 Confusing interface for beginners
- 🔒 Requires internet connection to save
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 💻 Lacks full desktop feature parity

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to save work without subscription
- Laggy performance with large files
- Unreliable auto-save and recovery
- Issues with brush and tool responsiveness

**Requested features**

- One-time purchase option
- Improved file management and cloud integration
- Simplified interface for casual users
- More animation and 3D tools


### Sketch Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sketch-pro-draw-and-create-art/id1663200797)

This professional art app offers advanced AI tools for digital painting, illustration, and animation. Create stunning artwork with custom brushes, text-to-image generation, and intelligent editing features. It's designed to streamline your creative workflow on iPads and iPhones.

**Highlights:** Customizable brushes, Text to Image AI, Sketch to Image AI, Magic Edit AI, Auto-Coloring AI, Animation Assist, Advanced Layer System

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SketchPro Premium Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| SketchPro Premium Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| SketchPro Monthly Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| SketchPro Premium Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| SketchPro Premium Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| SketchPro Yearly Premium | $9.99 | per year |
| SketchPro Premium | $14.99 | per year |
| SketchPro Yearly Premium | $14.99 | per year |
| SketchPro Yearly Premium | $14.99 | per year |
| SketchPro Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| SketchPro Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| SketchPro Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| SketchPro Premium Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| 100 Tokens | $3.99 | one-time |
| 200 Tokens | $4.99 | one-time |
| 500 Tokens | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful drawing tools
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🎨 Extensive brush and material options
- 💡 Customizable brushes
- 🎨 Versatile for various art styles

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
- 🔒 Concerns about subscription model and lifetime access
- 🔍 Difficulty finding and adjusting certain features
- 🔍 Steep learning curve for some advanced tools
- 💰 Subscription fees for full functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Drawings randomly deleted or lost
- Inability to load or access previous artwork
- Crashes when trying to import photos

**Requested features**

- Add liquify tool
- Improve layer management and manipulation
- Provide more default brushes
- Implement undo/redo functionality
- Add shape tools for perfect geometric shapes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Clip Studio Paint free?

Clip Studio Paint is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Sketch Pro free?

Sketch Pro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Clip Studio Paint or Sketch Pro?

Clip Studio Paint and Sketch Pro are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 14K and 11K ratings respectively.

### Do Clip Studio Paint or Sketch Pro have ads?

Sketch Pro shows ads; Clip Studio Paint does not.

### Which is updated more often, Clip Studio Paint or Sketch Pro?

Clip Studio Paint ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sketch Pro every 3 weeks. Most recently, Clip Studio Paint was updated on September 25, 2026 and Sketch Pro on September 25, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*