ibis Paint vs ibis Paint X: What’s the Difference?

If you search an app store for ibis Paint, you will often see two icons that look nearly the same: one called ibis Paint and one called ibis Paint X. People reasonably assume the “X” means a newer, more powerful version, or that the paid one hides professional features. Neither is quite right. This guide explains the real difference between ibis Paint vs ibis Paint X, what Prime membership adds on top, which platforms each runs on, and how to make the most of whichever version you end up with.

Once you have picked a version, the next challenge is learning the interface. For a structured walkthrough of the toolbar, brushes and layers, the beginner ibis Paint X tutorial guide covers the essentials in order, so this article stays focused on the version question and practical setup.

ibis Paint vs ibis Paint X: What’s the Difference?

Both apps come from the same Japanese developer, ibis Inc., and they are built from the same code base. When a new brush engine or filter is added, it generally arrives in both. The split exists so the developer can offer a free route funded by advertising and a paid route for people who would rather pay once and never see an ad.

Here is how the pieces fit together:

• ibis Paint X (free): full drawing app with banner ads and occasional video ads. Some materials and brushes are unlocked by watching a short ad or by subscribing to Prime.
• ibis Paint (paid): the same drawing features with no ads, sold as an up-front purchase on stores where it is still listed.
• Remove Ads add-on: an in-app purchase inside ibis Paint X that removes advertising. After buying it, the free app behaves like the paid edition.
• Prime membership: an optional subscription that sits on top of either edition and unlocks extra content and premium features. It is not the same thing as removing ads.

Pricing, the exact list of Prime features and which store carries the paid listing all change over time and differ by country. Check the current listing in your app store before buying, rather than relying on old screenshots or forum posts.

Side-by-side comparison

Does the X version have fewer tools?

No. This is the most common misunderstanding. The free edition does not remove layers, cap brush sizes or lock you out of exporting. What differs is the experience around the tools: ads appear, and a handful of downloadable materials or brushes may ask you to watch an ad to unlock them temporarily. For learning to draw, sketching, inking and coloring, you will not hit a feature wall in ibis Paint X.

What Prime membership actually changes

Prime is where premium features live. Depending on the current offering, it has included things like additional fonts, a large library of screentones and materials, extra filters, and higher limits in some tools. Because the list is updated, read the Prime screen in the app’s settings before subscribing. The key point is that Prime is separate from the edition you install, so buying the paid ibis Paint does not automatically give you Prime, and Prime can be added to the free version.

Which Version Should You Choose?

A simple way to decide is to separate two questions: do ads bother you, and do you need premium content?

1. Start with ibis Paint X. It costs nothing, and every core feature is there. Use it for a week or two to see whether the workflow suits you.
2. If ads interrupt your flow, buy Remove Ads. This is usually the most flexible option because your artwork, settings and brushes stay in the app you already know.
3. If you would rather pay once on a fresh install, consider the paid edition where it is listed. Be aware that artwork does not automatically move between two separate apps, so you would need to export or back up your files first.
4. Only add Prime if you need a specific premium feature. Many hobbyists never need it. Comic artists who use lots of screentones or fonts are the people who tend to benefit.

How to Download ibis Paint X

The safest route is always the official store for your device. Third-party APK sites and “modded” versions can carry malware and may break your account or cloud backups.

• iPhone and iPad: search “ibisPaint X” in the App Store and confirm the developer name is ibis Inc.
• Android phones and tablets: install from Google Play, again checking the developer name.
• Chromebooks: many models with Google Play support can run the Android version. Performance depends on the Chromebook’s processor and whether it supports a stylus.

ibis Paint X download PC tutorial

Desktop availability has expanded over the years, and ibis Inc. has released a Windows edition. The steps below are a general guide; check the official ibis Paint website for the current platform list and system requirements before installing.

1. Visit the official ibis Paint site and look for the Windows or desktop download link, which points to the store the developer currently uses.
2. Install from that official source rather than through an Android emulator, which adds lag and can confuse pen pressure.
3. Plug in your pen tablet and install its driver before opening the app, so pressure sensitivity is detected.
4. Open the app, start a test canvas, and draw a few strokes with light and heavy pressure to confirm the line width changes.
5. If pressure does not register, check the tablet driver settings for a Windows Ink option and try toggling it.

On Apple silicon Macs, some iPad apps can run directly from the Mac App Store if the developer allows it. Availability varies, so search the Mac App Store rather than assuming it is there.

How to Use ibis Paint: First Setup Steps

Getting a few settings right on day one saves frustration later. These apply equally to both editions.

1. Choose the canvas size for the end use. For social posts, a square around 2048 × 2048 pixels is plenty. For anything you might print, set the size in pixels from the print dimensions (more on that below).
2. Turn on the stabilizer for line work. In the brush settings, a stabilizer value between roughly 5 and 15 smooths shaky lines without making the brush feel sluggish. Raise it for long curves, lower it for quick sketching.
3. Set up layers before you start. A typical stack is sketch, line art, flat colors, shading and highlights. Keeping them separate lets you fix one stage without damaging another.
4. Learn the two-finger and three-finger gestures. A two-finger tap usually undoes and a three-finger tap redoes on touch devices. These shortcuts speed up drawing more than any brush setting.
5. Back up your work. Use the app’s export or cloud backup options regularly, especially before switching devices or editions.

How to paint in ibis Paint

Coloring and painting work best when you treat each stage as its own layer.

• Flats: use the Fill tool with “reference layer” turned on, pointing at your line art layer. This fills enclosed areas cleanly even though the color sits on a separate layer. Expand the fill by 1–2 pixels to avoid white gaps along lines.
• Shading: add a new layer above the flats, set it to Multiply, and turn on clipping so the shading stays inside the colored shapes. A muted purple or blue often reads more naturally than gray.
• Highlights: another clipped layer set to Add (Glow) or Screen gives light without washing out the base color.
• Blending: brushes with a soft edge, or the Blur and Smudge tools at low strength, soften transitions. Work in small passes rather than one heavy pass.

How to render on ibis Paint X

Rendering means taking a flat, cel-shaded piece toward a more finished, dimensional look. A reliable sequence is:

1. Decide on one light source and mark it with a small arrow on a hidden layer so you stay consistent.
2. Block in the main shadow shapes with a hard brush, following the form rather than outlining it.
3. Add a second, darker layer of shadow only where surfaces fold or touch (ambient occlusion).
4. Soften selected edges: shadows on round forms get soft edges, shadows from hard objects stay crisp.
5. Add reflected light, a faint lighter band along the shadow side near the edge, to suggest bounced light.
6. Finish with specular highlights on shiny areas such as eyes, metal and wet surfaces.
7. Merge a copy of everything and apply gentle filters such as a gradient map or slight color balance shift to unify the palette.

How to copy in ibis Paint X

Copying is handled through selections and layers rather than a single copy button on the main screen.

• Copy a whole layer: open the layer panel and use the duplicate layer option. This is the quickest way to keep a backup before experimenting.
• Copy part of a drawing: use the Lasso or Selection tool to outline the area, then open the layer panel menu and choose the copy option, followed by paste. The pasted area lands on a new layer you can move and transform.
• Copy across artworks: copy the selection, close the canvas, open the other artwork and paste. If this does not work on your version, export the piece as a transparent PNG and import it as a photo layer instead.

Menu locations shift slightly between updates, so if an option seems missing, look in the layer panel’s extra menu or the selection toolbar.

How to Print From ibis Paint X

Printing problems almost always trace back to canvas size. Screens look fine at low resolution, but paper exposes it. Print shops commonly ask for 300 pixels per inch for crisp results.

Large canvases limit the number of layers available, because the app caps layers based on canvas size and device memory. If you need lots of layers for a big print, merge finished layers as you go.

1. Create the canvas at the correct pixel size and DPI from the start; enlarging later blurs the image.
2. When finished, export as PNG for maximum quality. JPEG at high quality is acceptable for photo printing services.
3. Send the file to your printer from the Photos or Files app, or upload it to a print service.
4. Print a small test first. Screens are backlit, so prints often look darker; brighten midtones slightly if needed.

ibis Paint X Drawing Ideas to Practice With

Whichever edition you install, these exercises build skill with the tools rather than just producing pretty pictures:

• Brush sampler sheet: fill a canvas with 20 small swatches, each made with a different brush, and label them. You will learn your favorites quickly.
• Three-value portrait: paint a face using only three grays, then add color on a Color or Overlay layer. It teaches value separately from hue.
• Ruler-tool city: use the perspective and straight-line rulers to draw a simple street in one-point perspective.
• Symmetry mandala: turn on radial symmetry with 8 or 12 divisions and doodle freely.
• Redraw an old sketch: import a photo of a paper drawing, lower its opacity and ink over it on a new layer.
• Glow study: paint a candle or neon sign on a dark background using Add (Glow) layers.
• Time-lapse challenge: record a 20-minute speed painting and watch it back to spot wasted moves.

Common Mistakes When Choosing or Switching Versions

• Installing both apps and splitting your work. Each app keeps its own gallery. Pick one and stick with it, or export before moving.
• Buying the paid app to get Prime features. Prime is separate, so read what each purchase includes.
• Deleting the app before backing up. Uninstalling can remove local artworks. Use cloud backup or export first.
• Using emulators on PC when a native option exists. Emulators add input lag and pressure issues.
• Starting at a small canvas size for a print project. Resolution cannot be added later without softening detail.

FAQs

Is ibis Paint X completely free?

Yes, the app and its core drawing features are free. It shows ads, and some materials can be unlocked by watching an ad. Remove Ads and Prime are optional purchases.

Is ibis Paint better than ibis Paint X?

Not in terms of drawing tools. The paid edition simply has no ads. If ads do not bother you, ibis Paint X gives the same creative capability.

Can I transfer my drawings from ibis Paint X to the paid ibis Paint?

They are separate apps with separate galleries, so drawings do not move automatically. Export your artworks or use the app’s backup options, then import them in the other app where supported.

Does removing ads in ibis Paint X give me Prime?

No. Remove Ads only stops advertising. Prime membership is a separate subscription with its own premium content and features.

Can I use ibis Paint X with a stylus?

Yes. It supports pressure-sensitive styluses on compatible devices, including Apple Pencil on iPad and active pens on many Android tablets. Basic capacitive styluses work too, but without pressure sensitivity.

Is ibis Paint X good for beginners?

It is a popular starting point because it is free, runs on phones and tablets, and includes features like stabilizers, rulers and clipping layers that make clean results easier while you learn.

Next Step

For most people, the smartest path is to install ibis Paint X, learn it for free, and only pay to remove ads once you know the app is your long-term tool. The edition you choose matters far less than how well you understand layers, clipping, brushes and canvas sizing. When you are ready to move from setup to actual skill-building, work through the step-by-step ibis Paint X lessons for new digital artists and practice each tool on a real piece rather than a blank test canvas.