Clip Studio Paint is for comic book artists, animators, and sketch artists. It has a lot of drawing tools, speech balloons, 3D effects, and perspective rulers.
It also includes a library of downloadable brushes to draw stylish patterns and shapes. However, all this comes at a price.
The prices are based on what you select. It has Clip Studio Paint Pro vs. EX versions, and the guide discusses the differences.
The main difference
One of the important differences is the frame size. Clip Studio Paint PRO allows 24-frame animations, whereas the EX version has a higher limit.
Other options only in EX include collaboration, multi-page editing, converting pictures into diagrams, and more exporting options.
The official guide touches on the main differences, but if you want a detailed overview, keep reading.
Animation frames
Clip Studio Paint PRO supports only 24 frames per animation. You can create an animation clip with a maximum of 24 drawings.
As the length of the clip increases, the number of frames per second will decrease. It results in slow animation. For example, a 3-second video clip will have only eight frames per second.
Clip Studio Paint EX supports an unlimited number of frames per animation.
Increasing the number of frames per second allows us to create longer video clips.
Multiple pages
EX enables you to create multiple drawing pages in a single file. This feature is helpful for graphic novel and comic book artists. It lets them rearrange and organize comic pages to create a storyline.
Also read: Clip Studio Paint vs. Photoshop
View and edit 3D materials from numerous perspectives
EX offers a multiple-angle view of 3D objects. You can view a 3D object from the top, front, right, and perspective view angles.
When you switch the position of an image from any view angle, the 3D model on the canvas also changes.
Editing script lines in bulk
Clip Studio Paint EX has a story editor feature that allows you to insert a multiple-line script within the story. You can also create water balloons around scripts.
You may also search, rearrange, and replace scripts later if necessary. In contrast, this feature is unavailable in the PRO version.
Convert models into line diagrams
This is the most advanced feature of Clip Studio Paint EX. It converts images and 3D models into customizable line diagrams.
Drawing the same object multiple times is time-consuming. But with this option, you can convert 2D and 3D objects into lines and screen tones.
You can then customize them using different pens and brush tools. The above video shows this in action.
Give images an illustrated look
Clip Studio Paint EX makes your images seem more like illustrations. It can be done by giving backgrounds more detail using filters.
You can also take 3D objects and photos and turn them into separate line and tone layers.
Before you go: Krita vs. Clip Studio Paint
Splitting frames
In the Clip Studio Paint EX version, you can split frames into parts using built-in templates. These divide the frames into different smart layouts.
You can also split the frame and save it as a template. PRO supports the manual division of frames into sections.
Collaboration
Clip Studio Paint EX also offers collaboration, which is great for people in teams. It lets us work on the same file simultaneously as long as they work on different pages.
The editing history is stored as multiple versions of the document. You can create your team and invite users via email or the link.
The official tutorial can help you get the most out of this option.
Review work before publishing
The EX version lets you review the final project in 3D before publishing.
Clip Studio Paint PRO vs. EX: Embed viewer
Another great thing Clip Studio Paint EX has is that we can share projects with others in an embedded viewer.
It can be done by uploading the project to Clip Studio Share. Additionally, we can set the view layout to book or scroll format.
Exporting options
Clip Studio Paint PRO supports exporting single-page files in BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, Targa, PSB, PSD, GIF, and MP4 formats.
On the other hand, Clip Studio Paint EX allows you to export multi-page files in PDF, Kindle, and EPUB formats.
The cost of using both
Both versions on Windows and macOS can still be purchased with a one-time fee. The PRO version costs $50, and the EX version costs $219.
Subscriptions
If you don’t want to pay upfront or want future updates, you can subscribe to the plans.
The PRO version of Clip Studio Paint costs $4.49 per month or $24.99 per year. The EX version costs $8.99 per month or $71.99 per year for a Windows, macOS, iPad, iPhone, or Android license.
You can subscribe to two devices and use both for your projects at a reduced price. The details of monthly and yearly prices for both are listed below:
Clip Studio Paint PRO
| Platforms | Monthly cost | Yearly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Single device | $4.49 | $24.99 |
| Two devices | $7.49 | $43.99 |
| Four devices | $8.99 | $53.99 |
| One smartphone device | $0.99 | $6.49 |
Clip Studio Paint EX
| Platforms | Monthly cost | Yearly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Single device | $8.99 | $71.99 |
| Two devices | $12.49 | $99.99 |
| Four devices | $14.99 | $117.99 |
| One smartphone device | $2.49 | $16.49 |
Video explanation
The video by Brian Shearer explains some of the differences. This may help if you are still confused.
Conclusion
Both have many differences, so this Clip Studio Paint PRO vs. EX was essential. Clip Studio Paint PRO is enough if you only need to make one-page drawings and short animations like gifs.
However, you need Clip Studio Paint EX to make longer animations and comics or if you work in teams.
Madhsudhan Khemchandani has a bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering (Honours). He has been writing articles on apps and software for over five years. He has also made over 200 videos on his YouTube channel. Read more about him on the about page.