PaintTool SAI

Name: PaintTool SAI
Price: 5500 USD

Free trial Windows

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What PaintTool SAI is

PaintTool SAI is paid Windows software for digital art and painting. It supports pressure-sensitive digitizers, customizable brushes, layers, stroke stabilization, and anti-aliased drawing. For image composition, it handles 16-bit ARGB channels and advanced color management. A data-protection function is intended to help avoid abnormal termination, including problems caused by bugs. The listed Ver.1 license costs ¥5,500 a month and includes a digital license certificate plus a 31-day full-function trial. When that trial ends, opening and saving files are disabled. Ver.1 covers minor upgrades within its version series, and the maker says Ver.2 will be a free upgrade. Ver.2 is distributed as a technical preview that may contain serious bugs. Ver.1 requirements list Windows XP through Windows 11 on a 32-bit platform, and high-DPI monitors are not supported.

Who it suits

It suits Windows users creating digital art who want pressure-sensitive drawing, brush customization, layers, and color controls. Users considering Ver.2 should be prepared for a technical preview and keep backups.

What it does well

Pressure-sensitive digitizer support
Custom brushes, layers, and stabilization
16-bit ARGB and advanced color management
31-day full-function trial
Maker says Ver.2 will be free upgrade

What to know first

No free plan
5,500.00 JPY monthly license
Trial disables file opening and saving
Ver.1 lacks high-DPI monitor support

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
PaintTool SAI Ver.1 Software License	One license per user and installation · License covers Ver.1.x.x · Nonreturnable	$5,500, paid once

As systemax.jp lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Verdict

PaintTool SAI focuses on lightweight digital painting with pressure input, layers, brush controls, and detailed color handling. Its monthly Ver.1 license and technical-preview status for Ver.2 are important considerations before purchase.

Facts from PaintTool SAI's own pages

Color: It supports 16-bit ARGB channels for image composition. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
Data protection: The maker describes a data protection function intended to avoid abnormal termination such as bugs. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
Drawing: It supports pressure-sensitive digitizers and produces anti-aliased drawings. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
Free plan: No · systemax.jp, 20 Sept 2026
Known limit: SAI Ver.1 does not support high-DPI monitors. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
License upgrade: The Ver.1 license covers minor upgrades within Ver.1.x.x, and the maker says Ver.2 will be a free upgrade. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
Operating system: The listed SAI Ver.1 minimum requirements specify Windows XP through Windows 11 and a 32-bit platform. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
Privacy: The license agreement says purchase information is used for personal identification if the user loses the license download password, and that it will not be sold or transferred. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
Purpose: PaintTool SAI is lightweight painting software for digital art. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
Support: The maker says it cannot provide support for basic Windows operation knowledge. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
Tablet support: SAI Ver.2 technical preview supports pen tablets using WinTab API and TabletPC API. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
Technical preview: SAI Ver.2 is distributed as a technical preview that may contain serious bugs, and the maker advises precautions such as keeping multiple backups. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
Trial limitation: After the 31-day trial expires, file opening and saving are disabled immediately. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026
Warranty: The license agreement provides the software “AS IS” and says the maker does not warrant that it will work or undertake bug fixes on request. · systemax.jp, 7 Oct 2026