I'm thinking about starting to draw comics digitally and I don't know which software to use. I have an iPad and I see that everyone uses either Procreate or Clip Studio Paint, but I'm pretty torn on the choice. Which one would you recommend more?
Clip Studio Paint is basically made specifically for comics - it has dedicated tools for panels, speech bubbles, and screentones that Procreate doesn't have 🎨 Procreate is more versatile for general illustration, but if your focus is really on comics, then CSP wins hands down.
For comics, Clip Studio Paint is basically purpose-built - it has specific tools like panel management, speech bubbles, and effects that Procreate doesn't have (even though Procreate is better at freehand drawing). Procreate is a one-time purchase and more intuitive, but if you really want to do comics seriously, Clip Studio Paint will save you hours of work, even though the learning curve is a bit steeper. It depends on how serious you are about the project.
It's not really true that everyone only uses these two, but whatever, I get that they're the most popular. For comics specifically, Clip Studio Paint is definitely the more obvious choice between the two. It has tools built specifically for comics: page management, speech bubbles for dialogue, manga effects, ready-made patterns. Procreate is fantastic for illustration and painting, but for actual comics you have to put in way more manual work. If your goal is to make comics from scratch, it's not the ideal tool.
That said, it also depends on what you mean by "comics." If you want to make something more artistic and painterly, like high-end comics or heavily illustrated graphic novels, Procreate could work just fine for you. But if you're thinking of comics with structured pages, regular panels and integrated text, then Clip Studio Paint really saves you a ton of tedious manual labor. With it you draw the panel, it creates the grid for you, and you add the speech bubbles in seconds.
The only real downside of Clip is the higher purchase price compared to Procreate, but considering how much time and frustration you save when you're working on actual comics, I'd say it's worth it. Feel free to try the trial version of both before you decide, but if production speed matters, Clip wins hands down for comics work.
Procreate doesn't have comics in its DNA, while Clip Studio Paint is literally built for this. But here's what nobody tells you: if you want to save money and you're just starting out, you can also try Ibis Paint X before dropping cash, because it has a lot of comic artist tools at a lower price. It's not the best, but it works really well for learning if you don't know yet how you'll work.
That said, if you're serious about it and have the budget, Clip Studio Paint wins hands down. It has panel management, dialog boxes (those "speech bubbles" everyone talks about), ready-made screentones for backgrounds, and tons of effects specifically designed for comics that in Procreate you'll have to improvise or hunt for plugins. Procreate is beautiful for pure illustration and color, but for comics you'll make things harder for yourself. Clip Studio Paint has a steeper learning curve but it's the right investment if comics are what you really want to do.
One tip: before you buy, download the trial versions and draw a whole page with both. You'll see right away which one fits your workflow better, because at the end of the day that's what's really going to matter.
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