Best Copic Alternatives

If Copic Markers are beyond your budget, you’re actually in luck! These days there many budget-friendly Copic alternatives, so you can enjoy making art with alcohol markers without paying a small fortune.

In this article, I’ll share with you the best Copic alternatives that I myself own and use! I’ll show you artworks that I created using my recommended brands, along with links to in-depth reviews for each brand. Let’s begin!

Why trust my opinion?

Hi! I’m Thaneeya McArdle, and my coloring books have sold over 3.9 million copies, so I have a ton of experience coloring with all kinds of media, especially alcohol markers!

I own all 358 Copic Sketch Markers, and after 10+ years of using them, I’m extremely familiar with their quality and performance. You’re probably aware that Copics have a reputation as being “the best of the best” when it comes to alcohol markers. Copic invented alcohol markers as a professional-quality artist tool, and they have a price tag to match. Due to their high cost, for many years a lot of artists simply could not afford to try alcohol markers… until recently!

Nowadays there are many different companies selling Copic dupes (short for “duplicates”)—a.k.a. Copic alternatives.

Over the years, several different Copic competitors have contacted me about trying out their brand of alcohol markers. Some of them I really loved, so I wrote lengthy reviews about them (which I’ll link to below). Others I did not like (those brands don’t even get a mention on my site).

Since I have such extensive experience using Copic Markers, I’m well-positioned to compare them with their cheaper alternatives. Before I write my reviews, I spend a lot of time with the markers, creating full works of art with them, and using them on different paper types. As a result, it can take weeks (or even months) before I feel I’ve used the markers enough to write an honest review. Unlike some other reviewers, I don’t simply swatch the markers and declare them to be “better than Copics” after just an hour or two of use. Instead, I aim to offer my readers useful insights based on my genuine experience of using the markers to make professional-quality works of art. 😃

Ohuhu Markers

Ohuhu Markers win the top spot in my list of best Copic alternatives! I have used 2 different kinds of Ohuhu alcohol markers (shown above):

• Ohuhu Honolulu Markers: Brush + Chisel nibs (320 colors)

• Ohuhu Kaala Markers: Fine Bullet + Chisel nibs (168 colors)

The links above will take you to my detailed reviews for each marker type!

Here’s why I enthusiastically recommend Ohuhu Alcohol Markers:

• Ohuhu Markers are very affordable—they’re literally just a fraction of the cost of Copics. For example, at the time of this writing, a complete set of 320 Ohuhu Honolulu Markers costs $245 on Amazon. Compare that to purchasing the complete set of 358 Copic Sketch Markers, which would cost over $2000. Quite a massive difference!

• Ohuhu Markers come in a wide range of colors. Their Honolulu markers are available in 320 colors, and while that’s not as many colors as the 358 Copic Sketch Markers, it’s still pretty close! 320 colors is definitely enough to allow you to color, design and illustrate anything you can think of.

• The nib quality of Ohuhu Markers is quite good. That said, in my experience they tend to soften and fray more quickly than Copic nibs. I think this is one of the trade-offs when it comes to the big price difference between Ohuhu vs. Copic. On a positive note, Ohuhu nibs have improved over time due to customer feedback, so it’s great that the company is actively taking on board their customer needs.

• One cool thing about Ohuhu nibs is that the brush nibs are reversible! As you can see below, if a nib gets frayed, you can simply pull it out, turn it around and stick it back in (be sure to be gentle)! Plus, replacement tips are now available for purchase.

• The ink quality and ink load of Ohuhu Markers are very good. Most of the markers I’ve used are quite juicy and last a long time. I’ve never had an Ohuhu marker that was dried-out upon first use, but if you do get one that’s dried out, you contact Ohuhu and they will send you a replacement.

• Ohuhu ink refills are now available! This means you can refill your Ohuhu markers with official Ohuhu ink, so you can reuse the same marker over and over.

• Individual markers now available from the Ohuhu website! At the time of this writing, the individual Ohuhu Honolulu markers are priced at $2.50. Compare that to:

  • Copic Sketch Markers = currently $5.85 each at Blick

  • Blick Studio Brush Markers = currently $4.15 each at Blick

Those are all the main reasons that I highly recommend Ohuhu Markers as a cheap Copic alternative. Now let me share a few more reasons why Ohuhu is a good brand:

• They offer a bunch of different marker sets in various sizes, so you can buy a set that suits your budget.

• When you buy an Ohuhu marker set, the markers come in a handy zippered carrying case with a strap and a handle.

• Ohuhu offers strong customer service. They truly aim to make your experience of using their products the best it can be.

• Ohuhu has a solid web presence. They have a well-designed website and blog full of helpful tips and tutorials, and they’re very active on social media. Ohuhu often features artists who use their products. Plus, they have a special Tester Program where you can apply to test their new products before they are released in exchange for your honest, detailed feedback.

Art that I created with Ohuhu Markers

So now that you know all the reasons why Ohuhu is one of the best Copic alternatives, let’s look at some art made with Ohuhu markers!

Below you can see several examples of artwork that I created using Ohuhu Honolulu and Ohuhu Kaala Markers. As you can see, the colors are quite vibrant, and the colors blend well!

If you’d like to learn step-by-step how to color in the kawaii cat illustration above, check out my Wizard Cat Alcohol Markers Course! Printable line art is included, along with color names and swatches, so you can follow along with me every step of the way!

Here are a few more examples of art I made using Ohuhu Markers. Click on an image below to view a larger version!

The artworks above are all from my published coloring books or printable coloring pages. From left to right:

• Power of Love Coloring Book (love train)

• Happy Campers Coloring Book (hot air balloon)

• Printable Enchanted Faces Coloring Pages (joy tree)

• Printable Happy Hodgepodge Coloring Pages (dapper raccoon)

If you decided to purchase the big set of 320 Ohuhu Honolulu Markers, I suggest you also download my Custom Ohuhu Color Chart! I organized the colors according to hue, value and saturation, making it super-easy to choose colors for blending!

Arrtx Markers

My next recommendation for the best Copic alternatives is Arrtx! I have used 2 different kinds of Arrtx alcohol markers (shown above):

• Arrtx Alp Markers: Fine Bullet + Chisel nibs (218 colors)

• Arrtx Oros Markers: Brush + Chisel nibs (242 colors)

The links above will take you to my detailed reviews for each marker type!

Here’s why I happily recommend Arrtx Alcohol Markers for people seeking cheap Copic dupes:

• Arrtx Markers are very budget-friendly. They’re quite similar in price to Ohuhu Markers (though prices can fluctuate slightly when either brand runs a sale).

• Arrtx alcohol markers are available in a wide range of colors. While 242 colors is 100 fewer than what you can get with Copic Sketch Markers, it’s still a lot! With 242 colors you can create just about anything you want with your alcohol markers. If you notice any gaps in your colors that are preventing you from creating a smooth blend, you can purchase individual markers from other brands (like Copic, Blick or Ohuhu) to fill in those gaps.

• Arrtx Markers have really good nib quality. The brush markers feel both firm and flexible upon first use, and gradually soften up over time. It can be hard to describe in words, but if you use alcohol markers then you’ll know what I mean.

• The ink quality and ink load are both great. I’ve never experienced a dried-out marker straight out of the box, and so far the ink in the markers has lasted me a good while.

• They’re very comfortable to hold and use, even for hours at a time. Comfort can be a subjective thing, because it all depends on your personal preference with regards to barrel shape and size, as well as the texture of the barrel. I find Arrtx Oros and Arrtx Alp markers to be very comfortable!

• Arrtx Markers come with really handy carrying cases, as you can see above and below! I like their carrying cases way more than the Ohuhu carrying cases, because Arrtx cases feature an individual slot for each marker. This makes it a lot easier to keep your markers organized, which is important if you’re a professional artist and you need to find the right markers quickly. Plus, the lid of Arrtx cases fold under, so you can prop the case up on your desk and view all of the markers easily from a comfortable angle. I love this feature!

So those are all the reasons why I highly recommend Arrtx Markers as an affordable Copic alternative!
The only downsides to Arrtx Markers is that they don’t offer replacement nibs or ink refills, they’re not available for sale individually, and occasionally some of their marker sets can be hard to find in stock.

Art that I created with Arrtx Markers

Below you can see several examples of artwork that I created using Arrtx Alcohol Markers. I really enjoyed working with these vivid colors that blend together so well!

Click on an image below to view a larger version!

The artworks above are all from my published coloring books or printable coloring pages. From left to right:

• Think Happy Coloring Book (dragonfly)

• Printable Happy Hodgepodge Coloring Pages (cat)

• Printable Enchanted Faces Coloring Pages (happy lady)

• Hippie Animals Coloring Book (poodle)

Ohuhu vs Arrtx

So now that you know my 2 top recommendations for best Copic alternatives, which one is better?

They’re both excellent, affordable alcohol marker brands that offer a wide range of colors. Their overall quality is quite similar, with regards to nib quality, ink quality and overall performance. So it can be really hard to choose one over the other!

But, Ohuhu does have several factors working in it's favor over Arrtx:

• Ohuhu markers can be purchased individually from their website

• Ohuhu offers replacement nibs

• Ohuhu offers ink refills

• Ohuhu has a larger color range (78 more colors than Arrtx)

• Ohuhu has a stronger web presence with a more informative website and active social media channels

Even though Ohuhu outpaces Arrtx with regards to those 5 factors listed above, it’s worth mentioning that I still really love using Arrtx markers, so I highly recommend them.

Of course there are many other brands of cheap alcohol markers out there, so if you’re wondering why I didn’t mention any other affordable alcohol markers brands, it’s because these are the only 2 that I’ve used to such an extent that I feel confident recommending them to anyone. 😊

If you’re new to alcohol markers, you might enjoy my free 90-minute Alcohol Markers Course where I show you step-by-step how to color in the luminescent butterfly above! 😍 Printable line art is included, along with a chart of the colors I used, so you can follow along at home, at your own pace!

Ultimate Guide to Using Alcohol Markers

For the most in-depth alcohol marker instruction available anywhere, check out my Ultimate Guide to Using Alcohol Markers! Watch the course trailer below to see everything that you’ll get in this comprehensive alcohol markers course!

Keep exploring!

Head back to main Alcohol Markers page, where you can find a Table of Contents for all the alcohol marker info on this site!

Learn to blend alcohol markers in this easy step-by-step alcohol marker tutorial for beginners.

Create more detailed artwork by following along with my fun alcohol marker tutorials.

Learn the best techniques for drawing realism with alcohol markers!

Get inspired by my gallery of alcohol marker art!

Check out my Top 8 Tips for Using Alcohol Markers!

Learn how to refill Ohuhu Markers!