Clip Studio Paint 4.0 Review: Is It Worth Buying? (Honest Thoughts from a Pro)

If you're a digital artist searching for art software, you've likely heard of Clip Studio Paint!

This March, Clip Studio Paint is launching its highly anticipated 4.0 version, but the big question remains: Is it worth buying or upgrading?

As a professional artist with years of experience using Clip Studio Paint for my own artwork, I'm here to provide an honest, in-depth review of Clip Studio Paint including the newest version 4.0.

If you're wondering whether this software deserves a spot in your creative toolkit, this blog will help you make an informed decision.

So, let’s dive in!

Key Takeaways: Is Clip Studio Paint 4.0 Version Worth It?

• Is CSP 4.0 Worth It?: CSP 4.0 is perfect for creating anime-style illustrations, manga, and animations with powerful tools for both beginners and professionals. The new features improve workflow, making it worth adding to your creative toolbox.
• PRO vs. EX: PRO is ideal for illustrators, while EX is best for comics, webtoons, and animation. Choose based on your specific needs!
• Upgrade or Skip?: CSP 4.0 adds advanced tools like puppet warp and dynamic shadows which are game changers for me! If your current version works fine, upgrading is great for enhancing your creative workflow but isn't essential. You can use third-party apps for missing features.

However, I find having these tools built into the drawing software much more comfortable. I'd recommend upgrading if you want to use these new tools to boost your workflow.

You can stay with your current version if you don't need these additional features.

Is Clip Studio Paint Right for You?

Clip Studio Paint is drawing software perfect for creating anime and manga art, whether you're just starting out or you're a professional artist.

It comes with powerful tools, many brush options, and helpful tutorials. While it might seem challenging at first, watching a few YouTube videos will help you get started quickly!

Who should use Clip Studio Paint?

• Beginners: If you're new to digital art, Clip Studio Paint is easy to use and affordable. The Asset Store has plenty of brushes, textures, and materials to help improve your artwork!

• Professional Artists: You'll love the advanced tools like 3D models for references. The vector layers make creating line art easier, and the Fill tool helps you add base colors quickly.

Below is the artwork I created using Clip Studio Paint. I'm working as a professional freelance illustrator and this tool have helped me create tons of artwork for my client effectively.

• Comic and Manga Artists: The software has special tools just for making comics and manga. Features like the Perspective Ruler and 3D model conversion make it easier to create detailed scenes.

• Animators: While I don't animate myself, Clip Studio Paint has animation tools similar to specialized animation software.

In short, Clip Studio Paint is an all-in-one solution for artists. You can use it for illustration, comic creation, manga drawing, and even animation projects.

PRO Or EX: Which One to Choose?

Clip Studio Paint comes in two versions: CSP EX and PRO.

• Clip Studio Paint EX includes multi-page illustration and animation tools. It is most effective for creating comics, manga, and webtoons.
• Clip Studio Paint PRO offers fewer features than Clip Studio Paint EX. However, it is less expensive and adequate for any illustration work!
• My advice is to go with EX if you want to do comics or animation, and PRO if you just want to draw illustrations.

For more information about the differences between these two versions, I've got you covered here.

Clip Studio Paint 4.0 New Features & Highlights

Clip Studio Paint launches a new version every year, packed with updated features that help streamline your artistic workflow.

Here are the cool new features I love in the newest version 4.0!

Puppet Warp

This function allows you to pin and transform your artwork like a puppet, making it easier to change character poses.

The puppet warp tool is a powerful feature that helps you adjust different parts of your character – even the hair!

One great thing about this tool is that you can work with several layers at the same time.

While you can't use it with vector layers, this tool is much better than the regular transform tool. It lets you change your character's pose without creating unwanted gaps or spaces in your artwork.

Improved Filter Function

Now, you can preview and compare multiple filters while color correcting and refining your work!

Additionally, version 4.0 introduces new effects that can extract line art from images! You can now transform any photograph into line art with this tool.

This significantly reduces the time needed to create backgrounds for your artwork and manga.

Improved 3D Model to Line Art Conversion

If you love extracting line art from 3D models, you'll appreciate this new feature!

You can now save your frequently used settings as presets. When extracting line art from a 3D model on a vector layer, you can also select brush shapes for your lines.

With just one click, you can create sketchy lines like this for your artwork backgrounds using 3D models!

Paint on 3D Models and 3D Objects

In version 4.0, you can paint directly on 3D objects and add guide lines or patterns to create references for different angles and poses.

This is especially beneficial when you want to inspect your character's anatomy from various angles!

You can draw anatomical lines directly on the 3D model, as shown in the image below, and adjust the camera angle to use as a reference.

Dynamic Cast Shadow of 3D Models onto Other 3D Objects

This one is a real game-changer for me! You can use 3D model combinations to create scenes and accurately check where shadows would fall.

I'm thrilled that CSP developed this new function since you can use it as a reference to study and paint cast shadows in any light direction!

Import Motions and Facial Expressions to 3D Models

The Best Option to Buy Clip Studio Paint for New Users

Since there's a lot of confusion about buying and upgrading Clip Studio Paint, I'll guide you through the purchasing options based on your situation.

As a new user, I'll walk you through the two buying options in simple terms so you can choose the right one for your budget and needs.

Please refer to the buyer's guide below for more clarity.

Option #1: Use CSP Only On One PC (Windows/MacOS)

For new users on PC, Clip Studio Paint offers two payment options depending on whether you want access to future features:

• Annual or Monthly Subscription Plan: This is the most cost-effective option for new users. Choose monthly if you only need the software occasionally (you can cancel when not using it). Choose annual if you plan to use it regularly throughout the year.
• Perpetual License: Best for long-term users (more than 2-3 years). While this option doesn't include updates to newer versions, the current software is already powerful enough for creating great art.

Option #2: Use CSP On an iPad, Android Tablet, or Smartphone—and Across Multiple Devices

For using CSP on smartphone, tablet, multiple devices, or more than one PC, you'll need either a monthly or annual subscription plan.

You can choose from monthly or annually subscription based on how often you'll use the software, as we discussed earlier.

As a subscriber, you'll also receive monthly bonuses from the Asset Store, which includes high-quality official assets for your projects!

The Best Option to Upgrade if You Already Own Clip Studio Paint

If you're already on their monthly or annual subscription, there's nothing to do—you'll get all future updates as long as your plan is active!

If you're owning perpetual license of version 1.x of Clip Studio Paint, buying a new license for version 4.0 is definitely worth it.

You'll get all the features from versions 2.x and 3.x in one package, including chromatic aberration, noise effect filters, 3D head models, fish eye perspective ruler, etc. Version 4.0 also adds exciting new features like 3D model cast shadows and puppet warp.

If you decided to upgrade, let's explore the best options available for updating your CSP to the latest 4.0 version!

Here's the upgrade guide chart you can use for reference.

Option #1: Update Pass

If you already own a perpetual license of CSP, the most cost effective way to upgrade to the latest version is using the “Update Pass” that will cost you $10.99 per year for PRO and $31.99 per year for EX.

With this annual Update Pass, you'll get the latest version possible of CSP and also get all future updates.

Option #2: One Time Payment

Updating your perpetual license with a one-time payment depends on which version you currently have.

• Ver. 1 license:
  • If you're using CSP PRO Ver. 1.x, I recommend purchasing a new license for Ver. 4.0—it's more cost-effective than the discounted upgrade path.
  • If you own CSP EX Ver. 1.x, you'll need to purchase the discounted upgrades sequentially: from Ver. 1 to 2.0, then 2.0 to 3.0, and finally 3.0 to 4.0.
• Ver. 2.0 license: If you're using Ver. 2.0 whether it's PRO or EX, it's recommend to purchase the discounted upgrades sequentially: from Ver 1.0 to 3.0, then 3.0 to 4.0
• Ver. 3.0 license: If you're using Ver 3.0 whether it's PRO or EX, it's recommend to purchase the discounted upgrade from Ver. 3.0 to 4.0.

Clip Studio Paint Cost to Buying/Upgrading to 4.0 Version in 2025

CSP offers various pricing options based on the version you choose and the number of devices you want to use.

Great news! Perpetual licenses and version upgrades are on sale right now, so it’s the perfect time to grab yours! 🎉

Below is the pricing chart you can reference when buying or upgrading the software.

Conclusion

In wrapping up, Clip Studio Paint 4.0 stands out as a powerful tool for me.

Its new features, like the dynamic cast shadow on 3D objects, Puppet Warp tool, enhanced 3D capabilities, and improved filter functions, offer artists greater flexibility and efficiency.

To be honest, I absolutely love the dynamic cast shadow function! I've always had trouble properly shading cast shadows in various lighting conditions. After trying it to guide my shadow shading, it blew my mind.

What I love about CSP is that it's a drawing software with tools that truly enhance my creative process!

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned professional, Clip Studio Paint provides versatile tools to enhance your art. With various pricing options available, you can choose the plan that best fits your needs.

If you're new to digital art and looking for ultimate drawing software, investing in Clip Studio Paint 4.0 could be a significant step toward refining your creative process and producing high-quality artwork.