Krita vs Sketchbook
Krita and Sketchbook are both capable digital art applications, but serve different needs. Krita is a free, open-source powerhouse with a vast feature set ideal for detailed illustration and professional work, resembling paid alternatives, but with a steeper learning curve. Sketchbook excels in usability and cross-platform accessibility, offering an intuitive interface perfect for sketching and ideation, though with fewer advanced features compared to Krita.
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
About
Summary
Summary
Relative strengths of Krita (compared to Sketchbook)
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Advanced Feature Set: Krita provides more sophisticated tools typically found in paid software, such as advanced color management (supporting various color spaces like sRGB, Adobe RGB), animation capabilities, and a powerful brush engine with deep customization and stabilizers. Sketchbook, while capable, has a more limited feature set.
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Open-Source and Free: Being completely free and open-source, Krita offers significant value for money, providing professional-level tools without licensing costs, ideal for budget-conscious businesses. Sketchbook has free and paid tiers, limiting access to some features in the free version.
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Non-Destructive Workflow and Specialised Tools: Krita strongly emphasizes non-destructive editing through layers and masks and includes unique tools like wrap-around mode for seamless texture creation, offering more workflow flexibility than Sketchbook's more basic layer system.
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Krita is better for you if you need a free, powerful, and highly customizable tool for complex illustration, painting, texture creation, or even basic animation, and are willing to invest time in learning its extensive features.
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Sketchbook is better for you if you prioritize ease of use, a clean interface, and the ability to quickly sketch ideas across multiple devices (desktop, tablet, mobile) without a steep learning curve.
Relative weaknesses of Krita (compared to Sketchbook)
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Steeper Learning Curve: Krita's extensive features can be overwhelming for beginners compared to Sketchbook's famously intuitive interface, requiring more time to master.
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Interface Complexity: While customizable, Krita's interface is generally considered more complex and potentially less polished than Sketchbook's streamlined, minimalist design.
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Performance Variability: Some Krita users report occasional instability or performance issues, particularly with very large files or on lower-spec hardware, whereas Sketchbook is often perceived as more consistently lightweight, though not immune to lag with complex work.
Who should use Krita VS. Sketchbook
Who should use Krita VS. Sketchbook
Krita is a fantastic free, open-source tool for digital artists, illustrators, and painters. We see it being loved by everyone from beginners to seasoned pros. Based on reviews, users really appreciate the powerful brush engine, layers, and animation tools, often comparing its capabilities favorably to expensive alternatives. It's a great choice if you need professional-grade features without the price tag a great choice if you need professional-grade features without the price tag
Sketchbook is a great pick for anyone needing to draw or paint digitally, from casual artists to pros. We find users really appreciate its easy-to-use interface combined with professional tools like custom brushes and perspective guides. It works smoothly across desktops, tablets, and phones, making it super convenient for creative folks like designers, illustrators, students, and educators who want to bring their ideas to life anywhere
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In our experience, Krita shines for individual artists, freelancers, and smaller studios, though its robust features can scale to larger teams too.
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We find Krita is particularly well-suited for artists and studios working within the Media and Entertainment industry, like illustrators or animators.
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We've seen Sketchbook work exceptionally well for small to medium-sized creative teams, though larger organizations use it effectively too.
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In our experience, Sketchbook isn't tied to one industry; it's versatile for creative tasks across design, education, art, 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
Krita and Sketchbook features
- Variety of BrushesSupported
Krita offers a wide variety of highly customizable brushes, including specialized ones for various styles and tasks.
SupportedSketchbook offers a variety of customizable brushes, including specialized ones, for a smooth drawing experience.
- Customizable InterfaceSupported
Krita allows customization of layout, appearance with themes, and workspaces.
Partially supportedSketchbook allows customization of the interface, including tool placement, gestures, and hotkeys, but not themes or dashboards.
- 2D and 3D CADNot supported
Krita does not support 2D or 3D CAD modeling.
Not supportedSketchbook is for sketching and illustration, not for creating or editing CAD models.
- 2D SketchingNot supported
Krita supports 2D sketching, but not for precise geometry needed in engineering.
Partially supportedSketchbook allows creating 2D sketches, but lacks precision tools for detailed engineering.
- Pen toolsSupported
Krita simulates various pens using its customizable brush engines.
SupportedSketchbook simulates pens with its brush library and stylus support.
- Pencil toolsSupported
Krita supports various pencil tools, including customizable brushes and tilt support.
SupportedSketchbook supports pencil tools that simulate various pencil leads through adjustable brush settings and pressure sensitivity.
Qualities
Qualities
- Ease of UseNo data+0.67Rather positive sentiment
Krita and Sketchbook Pricing
User sentiment
Krita and Sketchbook review insights
270 reviews analysed from and
Krita and Sketchbook review insights
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
Krita and Sketchbook Ratings
G24.4/5(62)
- G24.4/5(172)
Capterra4.6/5(36)
Company health
Company health
Employee growth
Web traffic
Financing
How do Krita's open-source nature and community support compare to Sketchbook's paid model?
Which product offers a more intuitive interface for a beginner learning digital art?
What are the advantages of Krita?
What are the disadvantages of Krita?
Alternatives to Krita and Sketchbook
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.
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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