How much does visual novel art cost?
Prices vary a lot between artists, so here are real numbers from published price sheets, and what they add up to.
Coming to the Mac App Store in November or December 2026. Free, with an optional Pro upgrade.
Email me when it is outOne full-body CG with a basic background costs about $180 on one of the price sheets below, before fees. Twenty of those come to about $3,600. Commercial use can double that, and each extra character adds more. Your own numbers will depend on the artist, the style and how much detail you ask for.
What artists charge
These come from public commission sheets, read on October 31, 2026. They are examples and not a market survey, and artists change their prices, so ask for a quote before you budget.
| Artist sheet | Work | Price | Extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day0 | CG, half body | $100 | Background $40 and up. Commercial use costs 2 times as much. |
| Day0 | CG, full body | $130 | Background $50 and up. Commercial use costs 2 times as much. |
| Glasswing Games | CG, half body to full body | £100 to £180 | An extra character adds 50%. |
| Kryrain | Illustration with a background | $30 to $300 | By complexity. This sheet says the work is not for commercial use. |
Full-screen art is the fair comparison here, since NovelStage makes full scenes. Character art and backgrounds sold separately have their own prices.
What that adds up to
Take the first sheet above and one character per picture, with a basic background. A half-body CG comes to $140 and a full-body one to $180.
| CGs in your game | Half body | Full body | Full body, commercial rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,400 | $1,800 | $3,600 |
| 20 | $2,800 | $3,600 | $7,200 |
| 40 | $5,600 | $7,200 | $14,400 |
Our arithmetic from one sheet, before fees, extra characters, outfit changes or revisions.
A second person in a picture raises the bill quickly. Glasswing's rate of 50% more per character would turn a £180 picture into £270.
Ways to spend less
- Write the art list before the script is final, and cut any picture the story would survive without.
- Reuse a CG with small changes, such as a different expression or a darker sky. Ask the artist what they charge for variations.
- Keep the cast small. Every extra person costs more in every picture they appear in.
- Ask about commercial terms on day one. A cheap personal-use rate does not help if you plan to sell the game.
- Mix sources. Commission the moments that matter most and use another route for the rest.
What making it yourself in 3D costs
The bill for a 3D tool looks different. In NovelStage there is no cost per picture, so picture 40 costs the same as picture 4. You pay in your own time: learning the app, building sets and directing each shot. The free version has every tool, with limits on how many characters and scenes you can keep. NovelStage Pro removes them, and the App Store shows its price in your currency.
It is not the right trade for everyone. An artist brings taste and a style of their own, and a drawn game looks like nothing a renderer makes. If you want drawn art and have the budget, hire an artist. If you need many pictures of the same people and photographs suit your story, 3D is worth a try.
Questions
How much does one visual novel CG cost?
On the sheets above, roughly $140 to $180 for one character with a basic background, and more for a detailed background or a second person. Expect about twice that where commercial use is charged separately.
Why does commercial use cost more?
Many artists charge more when their work will be sold as part of a product. Some sheets double the price, and some do not allow it at all. Agree on this in writing before work starts.
Is it cheaper to make the art in 3D?
Usually in money, not in time. You have no cost per picture, but you direct every scene yourself, and the tool has its own learning time.
Are there free options?
Yes. Itch.io has free asset packs, usually with their own license terms. The free version of NovelStage has every tool too, with limits on amounts and a small mark on pictures.