What Is Krita AI Diffusion? The Free AI Plugin for Digital Artists in 2026
Krita AI Diffusion is a free open-source plugin that adds Stable Diffusion AI image generation directly into Krita — the popular free open-source digital painting application. Unlike Photoshop with paid Adobe Firefly or other commercial AI tools, Krita AI Diffusion is completely free, runs locally on your own GPU, and integrates seamlessly into the painting workflow that digital artists already use.
Features include inpainting (edit specific areas of artwork with AI), text-to-image generation, ControlNet support for guided generation using poses or sketches, image-to-image transformation, live painting (AI augments your strokes in real-time), and seamless integration with Krita's brushes, layers, and selection tools.
Krita AI Diffusion is the perfect tool for digital artists who want to incorporate AI as a creative collaborator within their existing painting workflow — rather than switching between multiple platforms. Best of all, everything runs locally for free with no subscription costs.
Who Made Krita AI Diffusion? The Provider Behind the Tool
Krita AI Diffusion is developed by Acly (developer GitHub handle), an open-source contributor who built the plugin as a community project. The plugin is hosted on GitHub at github.com/Acly/krita-ai-diffusion and is licensed under the GNU General Public License — making it permanently free and modifiable.
The plugin builds on top of Krita (developed by KDE community since 1998) and Stable Diffusion (originally from Stability AI). The combination of these three open-source projects creates a powerful free alternative to Adobe Photoshop with Firefly — democratizing AI-assisted digital art for everyone.
Key Features of Krita AI Diffusion in 2026
- 100% free open-source plugin — GPL licensed.
- Native Krita integration — works with Krita's brushes and layers.
- Local Stable Diffusion — runs on your own GPU.
- Text-to-image generation — create images from prompts.
- Inpainting — edit specific areas with AI.
- Image-to-image — transform existing images.
- ControlNet support — guided generation with poses, sketches, depth.
- Live painting — real-time AI augmentation while you paint.
- Custom model support — use any Stable Diffusion variant.
- LoRA support — apply community fine-tunes for specific styles.
- Selection-based generation — generate within Krita selections.
- Layer integration — generated content as new layers.
- Cloud GPU support — for users without local GPUs.
- Cross-platform — Windows, macOS, Linux.
Why Use Krita AI Diffusion? The Real Benefits for Users
Krita AI Diffusion's biggest strength is unlimited free local AI within professional digital painting software. Adobe Photoshop with Firefly costs $20+/month with monthly generation limits, while Krita with this plugin gives you unlimited generations forever for free — running entirely on your own hardware.
The integration into Krita's painting workflow is unique. Instead of switching between Midjourney/Stable Diffusion and Photoshop, AI generation happens within your existing canvas — generated content appears as new layers, can be erased and refined with brushes, and integrates with selection tools naturally.
Live painting mode is genuinely revolutionary for digital artists. As you paint with Krita brushes, AI augments your strokes in real time — turning rough sketches into detailed art instantly. This is a workflow no commercial tool offers, made possible by the open-source nature of both Krita and Stable Diffusion.
Where Can You Use Krita AI Diffusion? Platforms and Integrations
- Windows — full plugin support with NVIDIA, AMD, Intel GPUs.
- macOS — Apple Silicon and Intel Mac support.
- Linux — major distributions supported.
- Local GPU inference — runs on consumer GPUs.
- Cloud GPU support — for users without local hardware.
- Custom model support — load any Stable Diffusion model.
- LoRA model support — apply community-built style fine-tunes.
- ControlNet support — pose, depth, edge guidance.
- GitHub source — fully open-source code.
When Should You Use Krita AI Diffusion? Best Use Cases
Krita AI Diffusion is ideal for digital artists. Top use cases include: creating concept art with AI assistance; producing illustrations for graphic novels and comics; designing character art for games; producing matte paintings for digital art; creating fantasy and sci-fi artwork; generating reference images while painting; producing storyboards for animation; creating fan art and creative projects; teaching digital art with AI integration; producing book cover illustrations; designing tabletop RPG art; and producing portfolio pieces showcasing AI-augmented workflows.
It is less ideal for users without dedicated GPUs (cloud options exist but add complexity), professional workflows requiring Photoshop's specific feature set, motion graphics or video work, or anyone uncomfortable with technical setup involving Python and model downloads.
How to Use Krita AI Diffusion — Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
Download Krita from krita.org for your OS — free open-source. Install. Then go to github.com/Acly/krita-ai-diffusion and follow the install guide for the plugin.
The plugin runs a local AI server on your computer (requires NVIDIA GPU with 8GB+ VRAM ideally, or Apple Silicon Mac). The first launch downloads required Stable Diffusion models — about 4-7GB. Open Krita, navigate to the AI Image Generation docker.
Type a prompt and click Generate to create images. Use Krita's selection tools to mark areas, then use Inpainting to AI-edit those specific areas. Try ControlNet to guide generation with sketches or pose references. Use Live Painting to have AI augment your strokes in real-time.
Krita AI Diffusion Pricing in 2026
- 100% free forever — open-source GPL plugin.
- Krita itself is free — open-source painting software.
- No subscriptions — runs locally on your hardware.
- Optional cloud GPU — pay-per-second for users without local GPUs (~$0.0005-$0.002/second).
Alternatives to Krita AI Diffusion Worth Trying
- Adobe Photoshop with Firefly — paid commercial alternative.
- Procreate — iPad digital painting (no AI built-in).
- Stable Diffusion ComfyUI — node-based local AI.
- Automatic1111 WebUI — local Stable Diffusion web interface.
- InvokeAI — Stable Diffusion with painting features.
- Clip Studio Paint — digital painting with limited AI.
Final Thoughts — Is Krita AI Diffusion Worth Using in 2026?
Yes — for digital artists wanting AI-assisted painting in a free, professional, open-source environment, Krita AI Diffusion is one of the most innovative tools available in 2026. The combination of Krita's professional painting features and unlimited local AI generation makes it genuinely competitive with paid Adobe alternatives. For users with NVIDIA GPUs or Apple Silicon Macs, this is the most cost-effective AI digital art workflow possible.
