Best Corel Painter Alternatives in 2025
Looking for alternatives to Corel Painter? In this comparison, we take a closer look at Corel Painter alongside similar software solutions including Corel Painter, Krita, Corel Painter Essentials, DrawPad Grafik-Editor, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6, Ulead PhotoImpact, Adobe Photoshop, Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo, Adobe Photoshop CS5, Paint.NET and AVS Photo Editor.
Our detailed comparison table highlights key features, pricing, and performance of these leading solutions, empowering you to make an informed decision. Whether you're seeking robust functionality, user-friendly design, or cost-effective alternatives, explore how Corel Painter, Krita, Corel Painter Essentials, DrawPad Grafik-Editor, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6, Ulead PhotoImpact, Adobe Photoshop, Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo, Adobe Photoshop CS5, Paint.NET and AVS Photo Editor stack up to find the perfect software for your goals.
Pricing and Licensing
 Corel Painter
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Offers a trial version; full version requires purchase. |
 Krita
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Free and open-source, no cost barriers. |
 Corel Painter Essentials
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Provides a free trial; full version is paid. |
 DrawPad Grafik-Editor
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Has both free and paid versions. |
 CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6
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Offers a free trial; requires license purchase. |
 Ulead PhotoImpact
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Lower cost compared to premium software; commercial use license. |
 Adobe Photoshop
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Subscription-based pricing model with a free trial. |
 Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo
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One-time payment ($79.99) perpetual license. |
 Adobe Photoshop CS5
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Requires purchase of a valid license; offers free trial. |
 Paint.NET
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Free to use with optional paid support. |
 AVS Photo Editor
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Offers a 7-day free trial; purchase required after trial. |
Target Users and Skill Level
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Corel Painter
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Aimed at professional and intermediate digital artists seeking natural painting experience. |
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Krita
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Suitable for all users including beginners and professionals; strong community support. |
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Corel Painter Essentials
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Designed for beginners and less experienced artists with some advanced features. |
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DrawPad Grafik-Editor
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Intended for users needing basic to moderate image editing features. |
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CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6
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Targets graphic design professionals and casual users comfortable with a learning curve. |
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Ulead PhotoImpact
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Geared towards beginners and hobbyists interested in photo editing and graphic design. |
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Adobe Photoshop
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Professional photographers, designers, and advanced users; high learning curve. |
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Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo
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All skill levels including beginners; suitable for photo editing and graphic design. |
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Adobe Photoshop CS5
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Advanced users needing powerful image manipulation tools. |
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Paint.NET
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Beginners to intermediate users wanting simple image editing on Windows. |
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AVS Photo Editor
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Beginners requiring easy-to-use photo editing tools with basic functionalities. |
Supported Operating Systems
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Corel Painter
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Windows and Mac systems (64-bit). |
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Krita
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Windows, macOS, Linux. |
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Corel Painter Essentials
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Windows and Mac operating systems. |
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DrawPad Grafik-Editor
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macOS and Windows operating systems. |
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CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6
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Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, XP. |
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Ulead PhotoImpact
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Windows XP and later versions. |
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Adobe Photoshop
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Windows and macOS; also iOS and Android for mobile apps. |
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Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo
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Windows and Mac operating systems. |
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Adobe Photoshop CS5
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Windows and Mac operating systems. |
|
Paint.NET
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Windows 7, 10 based systems only. |
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AVS Photo Editor
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Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 operating systems only. |
Choosing the right software isn’t just about features. Size, license type, user ratings, and popularity also matter.
This quick comparison shows how Corel Painter stacks up against Corel Painter, Krita, Corel Painter Essentials, DrawPad Grafik-Editor, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6, Ulead PhotoImpact, Adobe Photoshop, Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo, Adobe Photoshop CS5, Paint.NET and AVS Photo Editor in these key areas—helping you find the best alternative for your needs.
Size
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Corel Painter
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106.8MB |
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Krita
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126.1MB |
|
Corel Painter Essentials
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1.4MB |
|
DrawPad Grafik-Editor
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6.6MB |
|
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6
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298MB |
|
Ulead PhotoImpact
|
|
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Adobe Photoshop
|
|
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Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo
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2.6MB |
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Adobe Photoshop CS5
|
|
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Paint.NET
|
|
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AVS Photo Editor
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13MB |
License
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Corel Painter
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Commercial |
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Krita
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Shareware |
|
Corel Painter Essentials
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Commercial |
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DrawPad Grafik-Editor
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Shareware |
|
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6
|
Demo |
|
Ulead PhotoImpact
|
Commercial |
|
Adobe Photoshop
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Commercial |
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Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo
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Commercial |
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Adobe Photoshop CS5
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Commercial |
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Paint.NET
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Freeware |
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AVS Photo Editor
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Shareware |