ibisPaint

ibisPaint is a social drawing app for smartphones, tablets, and other devices, with versions for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Its tools include over 47,000 brush types, more than 23,000 color and monochrome materials, and over 80 filters, including background removal and watercolor-style conversion. Manga work can use screen tones, frame division, speech bubbles, and rulers; animation tools include frame copying and onion-skin display for successive frames. Cloud Storage syncs artwork between phones, tablets, and PCs. The free version includes 64MB of cloud storage and advertisements, while Premium Membership includes 20GB and removes ads. AI Disturbance adds noise intended to discourage fine-tuning by image-generating AI, and AI Super-resolution improves small-canvas image quality. Users can post drawing-process videos to ibispaint.com or share them through LINE, X, and Facebook. The free plan is available, and Premium Membership costs $4.49 per month. Listed system requirements include Android 7 or later, iOS/iPadOS 15 or later, macOS 11 Big Sur or newer, and specified Windows 10 and 11 versions.

ibisPaint offers drawing, manga, animation, and sharing tools across mobile and desktop platforms. The free version includes ads and 64MB of cloud storage, while Premium Membership adds 20GB and removes ads.

ibisPaint may suit digital artists using phones, tablets, or computers, including people making manga or frame-based animation. Its sharing and cloud features also suit artists who want to post process videos or sync artwork across devices.

Overview

ibisPaint is a drawing app for people who want to create illustrations, manga, or short animations across mobile devices and computers. Its strongest fit is an artist who values a deep brush and material library, plus tools for sharing work in progress. The trade-off is a free version with ads and limited cloud storage, while some desktop capabilities require separate upgrades.

For more options, see our Digital Painting Software and Graphic Design Software lists.

Key features

Drawing and image tools

The app offers over 47,000 brush types, brush customization, layers, pressure sensitivity, and stroke stabilization. Drawing speeds reach up to 120 fps. That breadth gives artists many ways to shape a workflow without relying on a small fixed brush set, though the raw library size matters most to users who like experimenting with tools.

More than 23,000 color and monochrome materials and over 80 filters add further options. Filters include background removal and watercolor-style conversion. AI Super-resolution is intended to improve small-canvas image quality; AI Disturbance adds noise meant to discourage fine-tuning by image-generating AI. Smart Features use Smart Credits: Premium Credits replenish monthly up to a grant limit, while purchased Paid Credits do not expire.

Manga and animation

Manga tools include 46 screen tones, frame division, speech bubbles, and rulers, making ibisPaint a practical choice for artists who want page-building tools alongside general drawing. Animation supports frame copying and onion skin display, useful for carrying movement across successive frames. These tools make the app broader than a painting-only workspace, but the listed animation features are focused on frame-by-frame creation.

Cloud and sharing

Cloud Storage syncs artwork across smartphones, tablets, and PCs. The free version's 64MB allowance is modest for a growing library; Premium's 20GB is a more workable option for artists moving projects among devices. Drawing process videos can be posted to ibispaint.com or shared through LINE, X, and Facebook, which suits creators who want to show how an image developed.

Pricing

The Free version costs nothing and offers unlimited usage time, 64MB of cloud storage, and advertisements. It is a sensible way to start drawing, but the storage cap and ads are meaningful constraints for regular users.

Premium Membership costs $4.49 a month, billed monthly, or $27.99 a year, billed annually. Both remove advertisements, add Premium features, and provide 20GB of cloud storage; the monthly plan also specifies unlimited original brush pattern imports. The annual plan lowers the effective monthly cost for people committed to using the app, while the monthly option avoids a year-long commitment.

On Windows, Free trial / Demo Mode costs nothing but limits use to one hour per day, 64MB of cloud storage, and five original brush pattern imports. Windows Premium Membership is $4.49 a month or $27.99 a year, with unlimited usage, 20GB of storage, and Premium features. On Mac, Premium Membership costs $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year for unlimited use, 20GB, and Premium features.

Windows and Mac Premium Membership trials last one week for the monthly plan or one month for the yearly plan, and are available only once. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled. Ad Removal Upgrade costs $15.99 a month to remove ads from the free mobile version, but does not include the Premium storage and feature bundle. Pro Upgrade costs $62.99 a month and adds unlimited Windows and Mac usage, CMYK export, and custom keyboard shortcuts. Separate Mac Pro Upgrade and Windows Pro Upgrade cost $62.99, paid once, with unlimited use and Pro features but 64MB cloud storage.

Platforms

ibisPaint runs on Android 7 or later, iOS/iPadOS 15 or later, macOS 11 Big Sur or later, Windows 10 version 2004 or newer, and Windows 11 version 21H2 or newer. The broad device coverage is useful for artists who switch between phone, tablet, and computer, with cloud sync connecting their work.

Who it's for

Choose ibisPaint if you want one app for digital drawing, manga elements, and basic frame-by-frame animation, particularly if you value a large brush library and cross-device syncing. Occasional users can start free; artists who build larger libraries or need an ad-free experience have a clear reason to consider Premium. It is less compelling if desktop-specific Pro features such as CMYK export are central to your work, since those require an additional upgrade.

Pros and cons

• Pro: A substantial brush, material, and filter selection gives artists many starting points for illustration and image treatment.
• Pro: Manga page tools and frame-based animation extend its usefulness beyond static painting.
• Pro: Cloud sync connects smartphones, tablets, and PCs, with Premium raising storage from 64MB to 20GB.
• Con: The free version includes ads and only 64MB of cloud storage, limiting comfort for sustained use across devices.
• Con: Desktop trial mode is capped at one hour daily, and the Pro upgrade is a separate cost for users who need its listed desktop features.

Alternatives

Infinite Painter is an Android and iOS option whose free tier is limited to three layers at device resolution and selected tools; consider it if that lighter mobile scope fits your needs.

Krita is free and open source, with no subscriptions or trials, and runs on Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Pick it if avoiding a subscription model is the priority.

Sketchbook offers a free mobile app with brushes, layers, guides, rulers, and stroke tools, and also runs on desktop platforms; it suits someone seeking that core drawing toolkit.

Drawpile is a free, open-source option with official community servers available at no cost.

MediBang Paint is another freemium drawing app across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android; its 20GB Premium plan is ¥300 a month.

Clip Studio Paint is a paid alternative with a free trial and versions for Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows; its listed PRO plan starts at $0.99 a month.

Concepts is a freemium choice for Windows, iOS, and Android, with a five-layer Basic tier and a Pro subscription at $4.99 a month.

Paintstorm Studio is a paid option with a free trial across iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Verdict

ibisPaint is a strong fit for artists who want a large, flexible drawing toolkit with manga, animation, and cross-device sharing in the same app. Its free tier makes it accessible, but ads and 64MB of storage give regular creators a practical reason to upgrade. Look elsewhere if your main need is a desktop Pro workflow without a separate upgrade.