There are two versions of Clip Studio Paint, and they’re confusingly named. Let me walk you through them.
Clip Studio Paint Pro
…is the “entry level” version of the program:
It gives you all you probably need. If you change your mind down the road, you can pay the difference and upgrade to the “EX” version. It’s $60 to download on Amazon right now. [Yes, I am an affiliate. I will earn a small commission if you purchase through that link, but it won’t cost you a penny more.]
Clip Studio Paint EX
…gives you all the “extras” to let you create a comic book. Really, that’s what 95% of the differences amount to. The EX version allows you to create a project that has multiple pages and page layout functionality. It also gives you some extra 3D functionality and a longer animation time frame to play with, as the Pro version only lets you do three seconds’ worth of animation at a time.
The whole chart of differences is here.
Aimed more at people who make a living at drawing comics, CSP EX carries a heftier price tag. At Amazon right now, you can buy the physical box with a CD for $210.
That’s it. The price difference is $170 there. Effectively, CSP is saying that comic professionals should use EX, while non-professionals should use PRO.
But, hey, this is a company that named its product “Clip Studio Paint,” so what did you expect?
The Free Trial
You can download the software and give it a spin for 30 days for MAC or PC. It does limit you in some ways — you can’t save anything, or copy and paste it — but if you just want to take it for a test drive and get a feel for how the tools work, it’s there. Just don’t plan on doing any serious work with it.
The mobile versions of the software — Android, iPhone, iPad — are available at the same link with months’ worth of free access, as well.
This website only deals with the desktop edition, unless specifically noted.