Krita vs Sketchbook

by Gralio Mar 12, 2025

Krita and Sketchbook are both digital art software catering to different needs. Krita excels in its extensive features and customization options, making it suitable for experienced artists. Sketchbook prioritizes ease of use and intuitive design, making it a good choice for beginners and those seeking a streamlined workflow.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 275 reviews and 60 websites, saving 2 hours, 1 minute of reading.

About

Krita is a free digital illustration and painting application designed for professionals and amateurs. It offers a wide range of features, including brushes, layers, animation tools, and drawing assistants. Krita is an open-source project, meaning it's developed and maintained by a community of artists. This ensures its affordability and allows users to contribute to its development.
Sketchbook by Autodesk is a digital drawing and painting app. It's designed for both casual doodlers and professional artists and illustrators. It stands out with its intuitive interface and professional-grade tools, including perspective guides, customizable brushes, and predictive stroke smoothing. Sketchbook is available on various platforms, making it accessible on your computer, tablet, or phone.

Summary

Main difference
Krita is a free and open-source software with a comprehensive set of features, ideal for artists seeking flexibility and control. Sketchbook offers a more streamlined and user-friendly experience, focusing on ease of use and intuitive design, suitable for both beginners and professionals.

Relative strengths of Krita (compared to Sketchbook)

  • Free and open-source, offering cost-effectiveness and community-driven development.

  • Extensive brush customization and a wider range of advanced features.

  • Stronger community support and active development.

Relative weaknesses of Krita (compared to Sketchbook)

  • Steeper learning curve and a less intuitive interface.

  • Potential performance issues with large files.

  • Occasional bugs and instability due to its open-source nature.

Who should use Krita VS. Sketchbook

Krita is a free and open-source digital painting software perfect for artists of all levels. Users praise its diverse brushes, customization options, and powerful features comparable to paid alternatives. However, some users mention occasional bugs and a steep learning curve. Krita is actively developed and continuously improved by its community.

Sketchbook by Autodesk is a versatile digital drawing and painting app suitable for both casual doodlers and professional artists. Its intuitive interface, combined with professional-grade tools like customizable brushes and predictive stroke smoothing, makes it a popular choice. Users love its ease of use and cross-platform availability, though some have noted the text input can be cumbersome and the fill tool requires multiple attempts for solid shapes.

  • Ideal for businesses of all sizes (1-1000+ employees).

  • Best fit for Media & Entertainment, Software/IT, Marketing & Advertising, and Professional Services.

  • Best for small to medium businesses (1-1000 employees), moderate fit for large enterprises.

  • Suitable for various industries including healthcare, finance, e-commerce, education, and more.

Krita and Sketchbook features

Supported
Partially supported
Not supported
Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need
  • Variety of Brushes
    Supported

    Krita offers a wide variety of highly customizable brushes, including specialized ones for various styles and tasks.

    Supported

    Sketchbook offers a variety of customizable brushes, including specialized ones, for a smooth drawing experience.

  • Responsive Canvas
    Not supported

    Krita does not have a responsive canvas feature that automatically minimizes lag.

    Not supported

    Sketchbook does not have a dedicated responsive canvas feature but offers tools to manage canvas size and performance.

  • Customizable Interface
    Supported

    Krita allows customization of layout, appearance with themes, and workspaces.

    Partially supported

    Sketchbook allows customization of the interface, including tool placement, gestures, and hotkeys, but not themes or dashboards.

  • 2D Sketching
    Not supported

    Krita supports 2D sketching, but not for precise geometry needed in engineering.

    Partially supported

    Sketchbook allows creating 2D sketches, but lacks precision tools for detailed engineering.

  • Pen tools
    Supported

    Krita simulates various pens using its customizable brush engines.

    Supported

    Sketchbook simulates pens with its brush library and stylus support.

  • Pencil tools
    Supported

    Krita supports various pencil tools, including customizable brushes and tilt support.

    Supported

    Sketchbook supports pencil tools that simulate various pencil leads through adjustable brush settings and pressure sensitivity.

Qualities

  • Value and Pricing Transparency
    No data
    No data
  • Customer Service
    No data
    No data
  • Ease of Use
    No data
    +0.6
    Rather positive sentiment
  • Reliability and Performance
    No data
    No data
  • Ease of Implementation
    No data
    No data
  • Scalability
    No data
    No data
Krita and Sketchbook Pricing
No data

User sentiment

Strongly positive
+1
We couldn't find a pricing page for Krita.
No data

User sentiment

Strongly positive
+1

See full Pricing page

Krita and Sketchbook review insights

270 reviews analysed from and

Users love

  • Free and open-source, making it accessible to everyone
  • Wide variety of brushes and customization options
  • Powerful features comparable to paid software like Photoshop
  • Intuitive interface for drawing and painting
  • Active development with continuous improvements
  • Intuitive and user-friendly interface for sketching.
  • Wide variety of brushes, pencils, and other tools.
  • Professional-grade tools, including perspective guides and customizable brushes.
  • Predictive stroke smoothing for enhanced drawing accuracy.
  • Copic color palettes (in older versions).
  • Multiple layer support for complex drawings.
  • Available on various platforms (desktop, tablet, mobile).
  • Easy import and export options.
  • Time-lapse recording feature.
  • Symmetry tools for creating balanced designs.
  • Rulers and guides for precise drawing.
  • Customizable workspace and toolbars.
  • Pressure sensitivity for realistic drawing experience.
  • Ability to add text and images to drawings.
  • Affordable pricing.
  • Free version offers a good range of features.
  • Easy to switch between tools.
  • Clean and minimalist interface.
  • Good customer support.
  • Helpful online tutorials and resources.
  • Fast and efficient performance.
  • Realistic pencil and brush simulation.
  • Good color mixing and blending options.
  • Convenient for quick sketches and note-taking.
  • Helpful for creating presentations and visualizations.
  • Suitable for both beginners and professionals.
  • Great for concept art and design ideation.
  • Supports various drawing styles and techniques.
  • Easy to use on the go.
  • Good for architectural drawings and fashion design.
  • Helpful for creating digital art and illustrations.
  • Integrates well with drawing tablets and styluses.
  • Enables creativity and artistic expression.
  • Good for editing and enhancing images.
  • Excellent for character design and comic book art.
  • Helps improve drawing skills.
  • Fun and enjoyable to use.

Users dislike

  • Occasional bugs and crashes reported by some users
  • Some find the interface outdated and not visually appealing
  • Limited community support compared to paid alternatives
  • Steep learning curve for beginners due to vast features
  • Performance issues with large files or complex projects
  • Fill tool struggles to fully fill solid shapes, requiring multiple attempts.
  • Text input is cumbersome, with difficulties in formatting paragraphs and maintaining consistent font sizes.
  • Latest version removed the Copic Marker color palette and brush sets.
  • Limited blending features and lack of watercolor effects.
  • No clipping mask layer feature.
  • Limited vector support, hindering scalability and large-scale printing.
  • UI can be confusing and difficult to navigate, especially for beginners.
  • Limited advanced features compared to other software.
  • No layer support in the free version.
  • Performance issues and lag, especially with large files or high-resolution images.
  • Lacks advanced features like rotational symmetry for mandalas or timeline frames for animation.
  • Requires an Autodesk account, even for offline use.
  • No information available for 3D modeling.
  • Mobile app has limited functionality compared to the desktop version.
  • Paid features limit access to some tools and functionalities.
  • Difficult to add external images or integrate with other software.
  • Limited canvas size and customization options in the free version.
  • Lack of tutorials or guidance within the app.
  • Occasional freezing and crashing issues.
  • Automatic drawing tool lacks accuracy.
  • Limited color mixing and blending options for the palettes.
  • Canvas rotation can be slow and cumbersome.
  • Limited file management tools.
  • Limited support for other file format exports.
  • Paid version lacks value for the cost of upgrades or subscription.
  • Some useful features, like perspective grids, are hard to find or understand without tutorials.
  • The free version is not easily accessible in some app stores.
  • Brush settings and canvas manipulation are difficult to customize.
  • Some essential features are locked behind the paid version.
  • Color tool can be unintuitive.
  • Frequent updates can be disruptive to workflow.
  • Text tool features are sometimes limited.
  • Touch input can be overly sensitive causing unintentional zooming or rotation.
  • Zoom function can cause image rotation.
  • Eraser tool is difficult to use.
  • Navigating the tools and features can be confusing.
  • Brushes and tools sometimes have unexpected behavior.
  • Limited options for scaling objects and grids.
  • Some basic tools are missing.
  • The interface is outdated.
  • Difficult to manage layers effectively.
  • Mobile and desktop features are not synced effectively.
  • Not supported on every OS platform.
  • Switching between pens and tools is not seamless.
  • Difficult to use on smaller screens.
  • Some features are hard to find without consulting external resources.
  • Features like blending modes and gradients are limited

Krita and Sketchbook Ratings

  • G2
    4.4/5
    (62)
  • TrustPilot
    4.2/5
    (5)
  • G2
    4.4/5
    (172)
  • Capterra
    4.6/5
    (36)
  • Glassdoor
    4.3/5
    (4861)

Company health

Employee growth

No change in the last year
2% increase in the last year

Web traffic

No data
2% decrease in the last quarter

Financing

No data
March 2020 - $0

How does each program's text tool compare for usability?

Krita offers a wide variety of highly customizable brushes and allows for interface customization, potentially offering a powerful text tool for artists wanting extensive control, though user reviews don't specifically address text tool usability. Sketchbook users report the text tool is cumbersome, difficult to format, and inconsistent with font sizing, suggesting lower usability despite its intuitive interface for other drawing features.

Which product offers a better experience for realistic brush simulation?

Krita offers a better experience for realistic brush simulation. While Sketchbook offers customizable brushes and stylus support, Krita provides a wider variety of highly customizable brushes, including specialized ones for various styles and tasks, along with specific mention of its ability to simulate various pens and airbrush tools through its brush engines. Krita's open-source nature and community-driven development also suggest a strong focus on artistic tools and features.

What are the advantages of Krita?

Krita's main advantage is that it is free and open-source, making it accessible to everyone. Users also appreciate its wide variety of brushes and customization options, along with powerful features comparable to paid software. For artists seeking a cost-effective and flexible digital painting solution, Krita offers a robust platform.

What are the disadvantages of Krita?

Krita users have reported occasional bugs and crashes. Some users find the interface outdated and not visually appealing. The vast feature set can create a steep learning curve for beginners, and performance issues can occur with large files or complex projects. Finally, community support, while present, is less extensive than that of paid alternatives.

Alternatives to Krita and Sketchbook

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Clip Studio Paint
Clip Studio Paint is a digital art software for professionals and hobbyists. It offers a complete set of tools for drawing, painting, illustration, comics, and animation. Users praise its realistic drawing experience, vast material library, and efficient workflow features like vector layers and customizable workspaces. Available through various subscription or one-time purchase options for Windows, macOS, iPad, iPhone, Android, and Chromebook.
Read more
Logo of MyPaint
MyPaint
MyPaint is a free, open-source painting program designed for digital artists. It's known for its fast brush engine and realistic painting experience. Its focus is on providing a distraction-free canvas and a wide variety of brushes, making it suitable for artists of all levels. MyPaint prioritizes the creative process over complex features.
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Logo of Painter
Painter
Painter by Alludo (formerly Corel) is a professional digital art software specializing in realistic natural media emulation. It allows artists to mimic the look and feel of traditional painting, drawing, and illustration tools digitally. Painter is known for its wide array of brushes, textures, and paper types, making it a powerful tool for artists seeking a digital equivalent to traditional art creation.
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Adobe Fresco
Adobe Fresco is a digital drawing and painting app designed for touch and stylus devices. It offers a vast collection of raster and vector brushes, including their new "Live Brushes" which offer a very natural drawing experience. While aimed at creative professionals like artists and illustrators, its intuitive design makes it accessible for anyone. Adobe Fresco is available for free with the option of paid subscriptions to unlock more features.
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Canva
Canva is a user-friendly design platform that makes it easy to create professional-looking visuals. It offers a wide range of templates and design tools, including a library of stock images, videos, and fonts. Canva can be used to create social media graphics, presentations, marketing materials, and more. Its drag-and-drop interface and intuitive features make it suitable for users of all skill levels, even those without prior design experience. Canva's focus on simplicity and ease of use has made it a popular choice for individuals and businesses alike.
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AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a design and drafting software to create 2D and 3D models. It offers industry-specific tools for fields like architecture and manufacturing. AutoCAD stands out with its web and mobile apps, enabling work from anywhere. It promises increased productivity through specialized features and a familiar interface.
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Page co-authored by
MK
Michal Kaczor
CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

TT
Tymon Terlikiewicz
CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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