Pixia
Pixia: A capable free Windows painting tool with layers, pressure support, and PSD compatibility. Ranked #33 of 46 in Digital Painting Software by our editors (6.1/10); pricing: Free plan; best for free Windows painting with PSD compatibility.
At a glance
- Editor score6.1 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forFree Windows painting with PSD compatibility
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Layer supportYes
- Founded1998
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Supports pressure-sensitive tablets and layered artwork
- Opens and saves PSD files
- Offers customizable brushes, masks, filters, and correction tools
Where it doesn't
- Available as a Windows application only
- No AI features
- Focused on a single free plan
Our verdict on Pixia
Pixia is free raster painting software and a graphics editor for digital artwork on Windows. It is aimed at artists who want full-color painting, pressure-sensitive tablet support, layered compositions, customizable brushes, and PSD compatibility without a paid plan. The current English edition is distributed in 32-bit and 64-bit variants, with versions listed for Windows 8 through 11. Its feature set covers both painting and image-editing workflows, including masks, alpha channels, selections, transparency tools, gradients, textures, and Bezier paths.
The strongest part of Pixia is the range of controls available within its free plan. Artists can build layered artwork with layer modes, masks, and alpha channels, then refine images with color and tone correction tools. The brush system is customizable and extendable, while built-in painting, blur, rub, dodge, burn, clone, noise, and stir tools support varied raster workflows. PSD opening and saving also gives Pixia a practical place in workflows that exchange layered files. The published plan structure is straightforward: the Free plan includes full-color painting as a Windows application.
Pixia’s main trade-off is platform coverage. The current downloadable product documentation reviewed here is for Windows, so artists seeking a painting application across other desktop or mobile platforms should choose a different tool. Pixia also has no AI features and is not open source, which may matter to buyers looking for AI-assisted workflows or software they can modify. Pick Pixia if free Windows painting, pressure support, layered artwork, and PSD file handling are the priorities; look elsewhere if cross-platform availability or AI capabilities are essential.
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Pixia fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Brush customization | Yes |
| Layer support | Yes |
| Pressure sensitivity | Yes |
| Supported platforms | Windows |
| Color management | Not verified |
| Stroke stabilization | Not verified |
| Deployment | Desktop |
| Platforms | Windows |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | pixia.jp |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Pixia
- KritaA broad, professional-grade painting toolkit with no paid plan and wide platform coverage.9.4
- Clip Studio PaintA broad digital art workspace spanning illustration, comics, 3D, animation, and cloud tools.9.3
- ProcreateA polished iPad painting workflow with broad creative tools and limited platform coverage.9.1
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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