Best Software for Creating Twitch Emotes in 2026: Complete Tool Comparison

The right software can make emote creation a joy—or a nightmare. After years of helping streamers and artists create emotes, I've tested virtually every option out there. Here's an honest breakdown of what actually works for emote design, whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned artist.

The "best" software depends on your skill level, budget, preferred style, and whether you're creating on desktop, tablet, or iPad. Let's explore your options.

Quick Comparison Table

Software	Price	Platform	Best For
Procreate	$13 one-time	iPad only	Overall best for most creators
Photoshop	$23/month	Windows, Mac	Professional artists, animation
Aseprite	$20 one-time	All platforms	Pixel art emotes
Clip Studio Paint	$50 one-time	All platforms	Illustration-heavy emotes
Photopea	Free	Browser	Free alternative to Photoshop
GIMP	Free	All platforms	Budget option, steep learning curve
Krita	Free	All platforms	Free illustration tool

Procreate: The Best Overall Choice

Price: $13 one-time purchase (iPad only)

If you have an iPad, Procreate is almost certainly your best option. Here's why it dominates emote creation:

Pros

• Incredibly intuitive: You can be productive within an hour of first opening it
• Apple Pencil integration: The best stylus experience available, period
• Affordable: $13 once, forever. No subscriptions
• Animation support: Built-in animation features for GIF emotes
• Portability: Create anywhere with your iPad
• Layer support: Full layer system with blend modes
• Community brushes: Thousands of free brushes available

Cons

• iPad only: No Windows, Mac, Android, or web version
• Hardware cost: If you don't have an iPad, the entry cost is significant
• Limited for complex animation: Basic animation is fine, but longer sequences need other tools

Best For

Streamers who already own an iPad. Artists who want something intuitive without a learning curve. Anyone who values portability. Beginners and professionals alike.

Adobe Photoshop: The Industry Standard

Price: $23/month (Photography plan) or included in Creative Cloud

Photoshop is overkill for emotes—but if you already have it, it's more than capable.

Pros

• Maximum flexibility: There's nothing Photoshop can't do
• Animation timeline: Robust GIF creation for animated emotes
• Actions and batch processing: Automate repetitive tasks
• Industry standard: Free tutorials everywhere
• Integration: Works seamlessly with other Adobe products

Cons

• Subscription model: Ongoing cost adds up over time
• Complex interface: Steep learning curve for beginners
• Resource heavy: Requires a capable computer
• Not designed for small images: The interface isn't optimized for 28×28 work

Best For

Professional artists who already use Adobe products. Those who need advanced animation features. Emote artists who also do other design work.

Aseprite: The Pixel Art King

Price: $20 one-time (or compile free from source)

For pixel art style emotes, Aseprite is unbeatable. It's purpose-built for sprite work and shows in every feature.

Pros

• Pixel-perfect tools: Every feature designed for small-scale work
• Animation excellence: Best-in-class animation workflow for sprites
• Palette management: Superior color palette tools
• Affordable: One-time payment, no subscription
• Lightweight: Runs on virtually any computer
• Export options: Direct GIF export with optimization

Cons

• Only for pixel art: Not suitable for illustrated or realistic styles
• Retro interface: Takes getting used to if you're from Photoshop
• Limited brushes: No soft brushes or painterly effects

Best For

Anyone creating pixel art or retro-style emotes. Artists who focus on animated emotes. Those who want specialized tools for small-scale work.

Clip Studio Paint: The Illustrator's Choice

Price: $50 one-time (Pro) or $220 (EX with animation)

Popular among manga artists and illustrators, Clip Studio Paint offers powerful drawing tools with a one-time purchase option.

Pros

• Excellent brushes: Some of the best drawing tools available
• Vector layers: Great for clean lines that scale well
• One-time purchase: No subscription (though they offer one)
• Multi-platform: Windows, Mac, iPad, Android, Chromebook
• 3D models: Use 3D references for consistent poses

Cons

• Animation costs extra: Full animation requires EX version ($220)
• Interface complexity: More complex than Procreate
• Recent subscription push: Company is pushing subscription models

Best For

Illustrators who want professional tools. Artists creating detailed, illustrated emotes. Those who want desktop software with one-time pricing.

Free Options Worth Considering

Photopea (Free, Browser)

Photopea is essentially Photoshop in a browser—for free. It supports PSD files, has similar tools, and requires no installation.

• Great for: Quick edits, Photoshop-like workflow on a budget, Chromebook users
• Limitations: Browser-based means occasional lag, no offline access

Krita (Free, Desktop)

A powerful free alternative focused on digital painting. Excellent for illustrated emotes with a friendly interface.

• Great for: Illustrated emotes, brush-heavy work, tight budgets
• Limitations: Animation features are basic, steeper learning curve than Procreate

GIMP (Free, Desktop)

The classic free Photoshop alternative. Capable but with an interface from another era.

• Great for: Those who don't mind old-school interfaces, basic editing needs
• Limitations: Clunky workflow, not intuitive, animation requires plugins

What About AI Tools?

AI image generators like DALL-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion can create impressive images, but they're problematic for emotes:

• Copyright concerns: Ownership of AI-generated art is legally murky
• Consistency issues: Hard to get matching styles across a set
• Small size problems: AI struggles with 28×28 pixel requirements
• Twitch policies: Some platforms may restrict AI-generated content

AI can be useful for brainstorming ideas or creating references, but for final emotes, hand-crafted designs are still the standard.

My Recommendations by Scenario

Complete Beginner on a Budget

Start with Photopea (free). Learn the basics, create some emotes, then upgrade if you get serious.

Have an iPad

Procreate, without question. $13 for professional-quality software is a steal.

Want Pixel Art Emotes

Aseprite. Nothing else comes close for pixelated styles.

Professional Artist / Already Use Adobe

Photoshop. You already know it, and it can do everything.

Desktop User, One-Time Purchase

Clip Studio Paint (Pro version) for illustrated styles, Aseprite for pixel art.

After You Create: Resizing for Platforms

Whatever software you use, you'll need to export your emotes at the correct sizes for each platform. That's where StreamEmote comes in.

Simply upload your finished design (any size—512×512 is ideal), and we'll generate all the platform-specific sizes automatically:

• Twitch: 28×28, 56×56, 112×112
• Kick: 32×32, 64×64, 128×128
• Discord: 32×32, 64×64, 128×128
• YouTube: 64×64

No need to manually resize in your design software. Create once, export everywhere.

Final Thoughts

The best software is the one you'll actually use. A simple tool mastered beats a complex tool barely understood. Start with something accessible to your budget and skill level, and upgrade as you grow.

For most creators, Procreate on iPad offers the best balance of power, price, and accessibility. But every option on this list can produce professional emotes in the right hands.

When you're ready to resize your creations for every platform, StreamEmote has you covered—free, instant, and without ever uploading your images to our servers.