PaintTool SAI review
A focused, one-time-purchase painting tool for Windows manga artists.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
PaintTool SAI is a lightweight digital painting application for Windows PCs, aimed at artists who draw with compatible pen tablets, including manga artists seeking a focused paid tool. Its core workspace supports pressure-sensitive input, anti-aliased drawing, layered artwork, customizable brushes, brush textures, paper textures, swatches, canvas zooming, and file viewing. The result is a concentrated set of painting and line-work features rather than a broad, platform-spanning creative suite.
Pricing is straightforward: PaintTool SAI Ver.1 Software License costs ¥5,500 as a one-time payment. The license provides no limitation during the licensed major version and includes a digital software license certificate. A 31-day full-function trial is available before purchase, giving prospective buyers time to assess the drawing workflow. The plan is a good fit for users who prefer a perpetual license over an ongoing payment, while buyers who need features tied to a newer major version should pay attention to the version scope.
For drawing control, SAI includes stroke stabilization settings, pressure-sensitive pen-tablet input, custom brushes, textures, and high-bit image processing with 64-bit-per-pixel processing and 16-bit ARGB channels. It also uses an SAI file format with data-breakdown detection. SAI Ver.2 is presented as a technical preview, so users wanting a mature, narrowly focused Windows painting application should consider the Ver.1 license, while those requiring broader platform coverage or a different version path should look elsewhere. PaintTool SAI suits artists who value direct painting tools, layers, and brush customization without recurring pricing; it does not suit users who need software beyond Windows.
PaintTool SAI pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Pressure-sensitive input, stabilization, and anti-aliased drawing
- Layers, custom brushes, textures, and swatches support flexible workflows
- One-time ¥5,500 license with a 31-day full-function trial
- Where it doesn't
- Available only for Windows PCs
- The ¥5,500 license has no limitation only within its major version
- SAI Ver.2 is still presented as a technical preview
PaintTool SAI fact sheet, pricing and score →
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