Clip Studio Paint
by CELSYS
Clip Studio Paint is a subscription illustration, comic and animation app for iPad, with desktop and Android versions.
- Price
- Subscription: PRO from $4.89/month, EX from $9.69/month
- Runs on
- iPadOS, macOS, Windows, Android, ChromeOS
- Rating
- ★ 4.7 on the App Store (14K ratings)
Photoshop
by Adobe
Photoshop on iPad and iPhone is Adobe's mobile image editor, free to download with premium tools and generative AI by subscription.
- Price
- Free; premium from $7.99/month
- Runs on
- iPadOS, iOS
- Rating
- ★ 4.5 on the App Store (94K ratings)
Feature comparison
| Feature | Clip Studio Paint |
Photoshop |
|---|---|---|
| Price and platforms | ||
| Price | Subscription: PRO from $4.89/month, EX from $9.69/month | Free; premium from $7.99/month |
| Free version | 30-day free trial; saving and exporting need a plan | Yes, core editing tools |
| Subscription | Required to save and export | Required for premium tools and PSD export |
| Ad-free | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| No account needed | Clip Studio account needed to buy a plan | Not advertised |
| iPad | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | Separate app, Clip Studio Paint for iPhone | Yes, same app |
| Mac | Yes, desktop version | Desktop Photoshop, separate plan |
| Android and Chromebook | Yes | Separate Android app, in beta |
| Brushes | ||
| Built-in brushes | Built-in set plus thousands of community brushes | Painting and retouching brushes |
| Brush customization | Brush shape, texture, paper quality and more | Basic brush settings |
| Brush import | Clip Studio Assets community brushes | Not advertised |
| Apple Pencil | Supported | Supported |
| Comics and manga | ||
| Comic panel layouts | Panel frames; multi-page projects with EX | Not advertised |
| Screentones | Yes | Not advertised |
| Text and lettering | Text and speech balloons | Text and fonts |
| Layers and editing | ||
| Layer limit | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Blend modes | Yes | Advanced blend modes (premium) |
| Masks | Masks and clipping across multiple layers | Layer masks |
| Adjustments and filters | Non-destructive color adjustment layers, gradient maps, filters | Adjustment layers and targeted adjustments |
| Selection tools | Lasso, magnetic lasso and more | Tap Select, Object Select, Magic Wand |
| Liquify and distortion | Liquify, mesh transform, puppet warp | Not advertised |
| Clone tool | Not advertised | Spot Healing and Remove Tool |
| Drawing aids | ||
| Symmetry | Symmetry ruler | Not advertised |
| Perspective guides | Perspective rulers and 3D shapes | Not advertised |
| Shape correction | Figure tools and rulers | Not advertised |
| Gradients | Gradient tool and gradient maps | Not advertised |
| Paintable materials | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Seamless patterns | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Extras | ||
| Animation | Frame-by-frame; unlimited frames with EX | Not advertised |
| 3D painting | 3D figures for reference, not painting | Not advertised |
| Timelapse | Yes | Not advertised |
| Live collaboration | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Generative AI | None advertised | Yes: Generative Fill, Generate Image, AI Assistant (credits) |
| Files | ||
| Photoshop PSD | Import and export | Native PSD (premium export) |
| Export formats | PSD, PNG, JPEG, TIFF and more | PSD, TIFF, JPG, PNG |
| CMYK and print | CMYK export for print | Not advertised |
| App Store | ||
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 (14K ratings) | 4.5 / 5 (94K ratings) |
| Last updated | September 8, 2026 | August 25, 2026 |
| Languages | 10 | 19 |
Price
Both are free to download, but they charge for different things.
Clip Studio Paint on iPad is a subscription. There is a 30-day free trial, after which you need a plan to save and export: PRO starts at $4.89 a month and EX, which adds multi-page comics and unlimited animation frames, at $9.69 a month on the US App Store. Plans are priced by how many devices you use.
Photoshop on iPad and iPhone is free to download with core editing tools. Premium tools such as the Remove Tool, Content Aware Fill, advanced blend modes and PSD export need a subscription, starting at $7.99 a month for Photoshop Mobile & Web on the US App Store.
Platforms
Both run on iPad, iPhone, Mac, Windows and Android. Only Clip Studio Paint runs on Chromebook.
Clip Studio Paint runs on iPad, with a separate app for iPhone, desktop versions for Mac and Windows, and versions for Android and Chromebook. Buying a plan requires a Clip Studio account.
Photoshop: The same Photoshop app runs on iPad and iPhone. Adobe also has an Android version in beta, and desktop Photoshop for Mac and Windows is sold separately.
Brushes
Clip Studio Paint ships with brushes that mimic real art materials and lets you adjust brush shape, texture and paper quality in detail. Its Clip Studio Assets community offers thousands of artist-made brushes and materials.
Photoshop on mobile is built for photo editing and compositing first. It has brushes for painting and retouching, but its painting tools are far more limited than those in dedicated painting apps.
Comics and manga
Clip Studio Paint is the most complete comic tool here: panel frames, speech balloons, text, effect lines and screentones, with multi-page projects for print, web comics and webtoons in the EX plan.
Photoshop on mobile is built for photo editing and does not advertise comic panel or screentone tools.
Layers and editing
Clip Studio Paint: Layers support masks and clipping across multiple layers, non-destructive color adjustment layers and gradient maps. Liquify, mesh transformation and puppet warp let you fix proportions after you draw, and Color Match pulls colors from a reference image.
Photoshop: Its strength is editing: layers, masks, adjustment layers, Tap Select and Object Select, the Spot Healing Brush, Content Aware Fill and native PSD files that open in desktop Photoshop.
Drawing tools and extras
Clip Studio Paint has posable 3D figures and 3D shapes for reference and perspective, perspective and symmetry rulers, Shading Assist for lighting, and frame-by-frame animation, with unlimited frames in EX.
Photoshop leans on Adobe Firefly for generative tools such as Generative Fill and Generate Image, which use generative credits. It does not advertise painting aids such as symmetry or perspective guides, or animation.
Which should you choose?
Choose Clip Studio Paint if
- You make comics, manga or webtoons and want panels, balloons and screentones
- You want posable 3D figures as a drawing reference
- You want frame-by-frame animation
- You want a huge community library of brushes and materials
Choose Photoshop if
- You mostly edit and composite photos rather than paint
- You need native PSD files that open in desktop Photoshop
- You need precise object selection, healing and retouching
- You want generative AI tools such as Generative Fill
Frequently asked questions
Is Clip Studio Paint better than Photoshop?
Neither is better for everyone. Clip Studio Paint is the better pick if you make comics, manga or webtoons and want panels, balloons and screentones, or you want posable 3D figures as a drawing reference. Photoshop suits you better if you mostly edit and composite photos rather than paint, or you need native PSD files that open in desktop Photoshop.
Is Clip Studio Paint free?
Not fully. Clip Studio Paint has a 30-day free trial on iPad, but saving and exporting need a paid plan afterwards. Plans start at $4.89 a month for PRO and $9.69 a month for EX on the US App Store.
Is Photoshop free?
Partly. Photoshop on iPad and iPhone is free to download with core tools such as layers, selections and adjustments. Premium tools and PSD export need a subscription, from $7.99 a month on the US App Store.
Which works on iPhone, Clip Studio Paint or Photoshop?
Clip Studio Paint has a separate iPhone app, Clip Studio Paint for iPhone. Photoshop runs on iPhone in the same app as on iPad.
Do Clip Studio Paint and Photoshop work on Android?
Clip Studio Paint has an Android version. Photoshop has a separate Android app, currently in beta.
Do Clip Studio Paint or Photoshop use generative AI?
Clip Studio Paint does not advertise any generative AI features. Photoshop includes generative AI: Generative Fill, Generate Image and an AI Assistant, powered by Adobe Firefly and generative credits.
Sources
- Clip Studio Paint on the App Store
- Adobe Photoshop on the App Store
- Photoshop Android beta announcement coverage
Facts checked on October 2, 2026. Prices are from the US App Store, and features from each app's listing and official site. Apps change often, so check the App Store for current prices and features. Clip Studio Paint and Photoshop are trademarks of their respective owners. App icons come from each app's App Store listing and belong to their owners. Paintrix Studio is not affiliated with the makers of Clip Studio Paint and Photoshop.