GPL-3.0-or-laterfreeRuns locallyImage & Design

Krita: Open-Source Digital Painting App

Free GPL digital painting studio for illustration, comics, concept art, and VFX.

Krita official hero artwork showing the painting workspace used to identify the application — Official project image. Source · License: GPL-3.0-or-later.

License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Stars: 10,603 (2026-10-22)
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
First seen: 2015-10-09

TL;DR. Krita is Free GPL digital painting studio for illustration, comics, concept art, and VFX. License: GPL-3.0-or-later (verified). Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux. Price: free. Runs locally: yes. It is an alternative to Photoshop, Canva.

Name	Krita
Language	C++
Suite	KDE
License	GPL-3.0-or-later
Pricing	free
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux
Runs locally	Yes
Stats	10,603 stars · 891 forks (as of 2026-10-22)
First seen	2015-10-09
Repository	https://invent.kde.org/graphics/krita

Krita is a free digital painting application. Official hosts we opened on 2026-10-22: krita.org, the license page, krita.org/en/download (5.3.4.1), invent.kde.org/graphics/krita (canonical Git), and the GitHub mirror KDE/krita. It is listed on Photoshop alternatives and Canva alternatives as a painting/illustration editor, not because we measured feature parity.

Key facts (2026-10-22)

Field	Value	Source
Canonical repo	invent.kde.org/graphics/krita	KDE GitLab / GitHub README
GitHub mirror stars / forks	10,603 / 891	GitHub API `KDE/krita` (2026-10-22)
Mirror created	2015-10-09T19:24:19Z	same
Last push on the mirror	2026-10-22T01:51:45Z	same
Current download	Krita 5.3.4.1 (released 7 October 2026)	krita.org/en/download/
License	GPL-3.0-or-later	krita.org/en/about/license/
Language	C++ (Qt / KDE)	GitHub
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux (Steam and Microsoft Store also listed)	krita.org/en/download/
Job	Digital painting, comics, concept art, matte/texture, VFX	krita.org / README

The GitHub mirror has no GitHub Releases object (API 404). Download binaries from krita.org, not from GitHub star counts.

What it is for

The project site describes Krita as a full-featured free painting studio for professional work from start to end. Features the press page names include colorspaces other than RGB (such as CMYK), HDR painting, painting assistants, and a perspective grid. Those are copied labels. We have not independently enumerated brushes, layer types, or file-format support.

Gaps versus Photoshop or GIMP

We do not have a sourced, tested gap list. Krita’s own positioning is painting, not a drop-in Photoshop replacement and not the same job as GIMP’s general photo manipulation. For that comparison see Krita vs GIMP, Krita vs Photoshop, and PhotoCraft vs Krita.

Photoshop alternatives
Canva alternatives
GIMP
PhotoCraft
PhotoCraft vs GIMP
Krita vs Photoshop
GIMP vs Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator alternatives (Inkscape)
How to install PhotoCraft
Switch from Photoshop to GIMP if the job is general editing, not painting
Lightroom alternatives if the job is a RAW catalog
Image & Design

Comparisons

FAQ

Is Krita free?

Yes. krita.org says it is licensed under the GNU GPL version 3 or later (checked 2026-10-18). Paid listings on Steam or the Microsoft Store still use that GPL. Not legal advice.

Is the GitHub star count the real project?

GitHub KDE/krita is a mirror. The README says the canonical repository is invent.kde.org/graphics/krita. The 10,573 star count (2026-10-18) is that GitHub mirror, not a GitLab popularity claim.

Should I pick Krita, GIMP, or PhotoCraft?

Krita is aimed at digital painting. GIMP is a long-standing general image editor. PhotoCraft is an early-alpha Rust editor. See Krita vs GIMP, Krita vs Photoshop, and PhotoCraft vs Krita. We have no sourced quality ranking.

Sources & verification

Last verified 2026-10-22 · Last updated 2026-10-22· Edited by forkalt editors · Editorial policy

License notes are not legal advice. Read the original LICENSE. Trademark & disclaimer.