Sketchbook vs MyPaint

Sketchbook8.9Visit MMyPaint8.5Visit

Higher score Sketchbook #4 in Free Drawing Software 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit Sketchbook

vs

M MyPaint #8 in Free Drawing Software 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit MyPaint

• Sketchbook fits best

  Artists who want smooth strokes and flexible guides

• MyPaint fits best

  Open-source painting with expressive brush control

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Side by side

Feature	Sketchbook 8.9/10 Visit ↗	MMyPaint 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.5
Ranking	#4 in Free Drawing Software	#8 in Free Drawing Software
Best for	Artists who want smooth strokes and flexible guides	Open-source painting with expressive brush control
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Linux, macOS, Windows
Features Sketchbook 2/3 · MyPaint 2/3
Layer support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Pen pressure support	✓	✓
Custom brushes	✓	✓
Specs
Platforms	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Drawing modes	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Supported file formats	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Predictive Stroke and Steady Stroke help smooth drawing strokes. Guides, rulers, ellipse tools, French curves and symmetry aid precise work. Layers support blending, grouping and masking across the product.	Customizable brushes include traditional-media presets. Layers, layer groups, and common layer controls support organized work. Tablet pressure mapping and smooth inking support controlled strokes.
Cons	Custom brush creation and advanced color management require the Premium Bundle. Sketchbook Pro is a separate desktop offering from the free mobile app. Flipbook 2D animation is available on desktop, not listed for mobile.	Its focus is raster painting rather than a broad creative suite. The verified feature set offers limited breadth beyond painting tools. No listed integrations connect it to other software.
Our verdict	Sketchbook is a digital drawing, painting and sketching application for artists, illustrators and hobbyists. Its free mobile app includes brushes, layers, guides, rulers and stroke tools, while desktop versions extend the offering to… Read the review →	MyPaint is a free, open-source raster painting application for digital painters and sketch artists who want a focused workspace for making images. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and its local-app approach suits artists who prefer a… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Sketchbook — where it wins

  • Predictive Stroke and Steady Stroke help smooth drawing strokes.
  • Guides, rulers, ellipse tools, French curves and symmetry aid precise work.
  • Layers support blending, grouping and masking across the product.

  Where it doesn't

  • Custom brush creation and advanced color management require the Premium Bundle.
  • Sketchbook Pro is a separate desktop offering from the free mobile app.
  • Flipbook 2D animation is available on desktop, not listed for mobile.

• MyPaint — where it wins

  • Customizable brushes include traditional-media presets.
  • Layers, layer groups, and common layer controls support organized work.
  • Tablet pressure mapping and smooth inking support controlled strokes.

  Where it doesn't

  • Its focus is raster painting rather than a broad creative suite.
  • The verified feature set offers limited breadth beyond painting tools.
  • No listed integrations connect it to other software.

• Sketchbook8.9/10 · Free plan

  A free sketching app with smoothing, guides and layers, plus paid desktop and mobile options.

  Visit SketchbookFull verdict →
• MMyPaint8.5/10 · Free plan

  A focused painting app for artists who want customizable brushes and tablet input.

  Visit MyPaintFull verdict →