Procreate
#4 in Creative Software · Rated 4.4
Powerful, one-time-purchase drawing app for iPad.
Procreate is a highly popular raster drawing and painting app designed specifically for iPad, offering a mature set of brushes, layers, masks, and robust animation tools. It runs on iPadOS with Apple Pencil support, delivering a responsive and tactile drawing experience that appeals to professionals and hobbyists alike. Procreate has long been favored for its intuitive interface, versatile brush system, and deep feature set that enables illustrators to produce finished work on the go. It’s a one-time purchase, which makes it exceptionally attractive to individuals seeking a long-term tool without ongoing subscriptions. While not a full replacement for desktop professional suites in some workflows, Procreate remains a staple in many artists’ toolkits for concept art, storyboarding, and finished artwork. The app is widely localized and supports a broad range of languages, with a large ecosystem of brushes and templates. Established in 2011, Procreate has grown into a benchmark app for digital illustration on iPad. Headquarters are in Tasmania, Australia.
Features
- High-resolution canvases up to 16k x 8k on compatible iPad Pro
- Layer-based workflow; Time-lapse, animation, and 3D painting support
- Breadth of brushes; PSD import/export; advanced layer effects
- Apple Pencil optimization; intuitive gestures and keyboard shortcuts
- Export in PSD, PNG, TIFF, GIF, OBJ, USDZ and more
Pros
- One-time purchase; no ongoing subscription
- Highly responsive drawing experience on iPad
- Strong community and extensive brush ecosystem
Cons
- Primarily iPad-focused; limited desktop parity
- Less suited for heavy 3D or video work compared to desktop apps