Krita
Krita is a professional free and open source painting program designed for concept artists, illustrators, matte and texture artists, and the VFX industry to create digital art from scratch.
Pixlr
Pixlr is a cloud-based photo editing and design platform providing AI-powered tools for image enhancement, background removal, and graphic creation to help you produce professional visuals directly in your browser.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Krita | Pixlr |
|---|---|---|
| Website | krita.org | pixlr.com |
| Pricing Model | Free | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✓ 7 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✘ No product demo | ✘ No product demo |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2005 | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Deventer, Netherlands | Stockholm, Sweden |
Overview
Krita
Krita is a professional-grade digital painting application that gives you a complete set of tools for illustration, concept art, and texture mapping. Whether you are a professional illustrator or a hobbyist, you can access a highly customizable interface and advanced brush engines without any subscription fees. You can manage complex projects using a non-destructive layer system and a wide variety of masks and blending modes.
The software solves the problem of expensive entry barriers to digital art by providing industry-standard features for free. You can create frame-by-frame animations, touch up photos with advanced filters, and work with CMYK or HDR color spaces. It is ideal for individual creators and small studios looking for a versatile, community-driven alternative to proprietary design suites.
Pixlr
Pixlr is a versatile online photo editor that lets you edit images and create stunning designs right in your web browser. You can choose between different interface levels, such as Pixlr X for quick edits or Pixlr E for advanced design work, ensuring the tool matches your specific skill level and project needs.
You can easily remove backgrounds with one click, generate images using AI, and access a massive library of templates for social media, business cards, and presentations. It solves the problem of needing expensive, heavy desktop software by providing a fast, accessible alternative that works on any device with an internet connection.
Overview
Krita Features
- Brush Engines Customize over nine unique brush engines to mimic real-world media or create entirely new digital textures for your artwork.
- Vector & Text Tools Create complex shapes and typography on dedicated vector layers so you can scale your designs without losing any quality.
- Animation Tools Bring your drawings to life with frame-by-frame raster animation and onion skinning to see previous frames while you work.
- Wrap-around Mode Create seamless textures and patterns instantly by letting your image wrap around the edges of the canvas while you paint.
- Resource Manager Import brush and texture packs from other artists or share your own custom toolsets to expand your creative library.
- Drawing Assistants Use magnetic vanishing points and perspective grids to help you nail difficult technical drawings and architectural layouts every time.
Pixlr Features
- AI Image Generator. Create unique images and artwork from simple text prompts to jumpstart your creative projects instantly.
- One-Click Background Removal. Remove backgrounds from portraits or product photos automatically with a single click for clean, professional cutouts.
- Layer-Based Editing. Organize your designs with multiple layers and masks to create complex visual compositions and non-destructive edits.
- Template Library. Access thousands of pre-made layouts for YouTube thumbnails, Instagram stories, and flyers to save time on design.
- AI Generative Fill. Expand your images or replace specific areas by describing what you want the AI to add or change.
- Batch Processing. Edit hundreds of photos at once by applying the same crops, resizes, or filters to your entire gallery.
Pricing Comparison
Krita Pricing
- Full professional feature set
- No subscription required
- All brush engines included
- Animation tools included
- Commercial use allowed
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Automatic software updates
- Easy installation on Steam/Windows
- Direct support for developers
- Cloud save synchronization
Pixlr Pricing
- Access to Pixlr X and E
- Basic editing tools
- Limited AI credits
- Standard save options
- Supported by ads
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Ad-free experience
- Unlimited saves
- 80 monthly AI credits
- Premium templates
- Mobile app access
Pros & Cons
Krita
Pros
- Completely free with no recurring subscription fees
- Highly customizable interface to suit your workflow
- Excellent brush stabilization for smooth line art
- Supports professional color spaces like CMYK and HDR
Cons
- Performance can lag on very large canvases
- Steep learning curve for the advanced brush engines
- Text tool is less intuitive than competitors
- Occasional stability issues on certain hardware setups
Pixlr
Pros
- No installation required as it runs entirely in your browser
- Intuitive interface is very similar to professional desktop editors
- Affordable premium tiers compared to major industry competitors
- Fast performance even when working with high-resolution images
Cons
- Free version contains frequent and distracting advertisements
- Requires a stable internet connection for all editing tasks
- Limited advanced typography and vector tools for complex branding