Ranked 1 of 6 in best digital painting software
A pay-once iPad painter with brushes, layers and Apple Pencil support, plus companion apps for animation. It runs only on iPad, so Windows and Android artists need another app.
Best for Pay-once painting on iPad
About Procreate
Procreate is a painting app built for iPad and Apple Pencil, with brushes, layers and tools for sketching and finishing artwork. The vendor's site says its apps are made for both creative professionals and aspiring artists, and it markets the app as a single payment with no subscription.
The main app runs only on iPad, so it is not an option for Windows or Android users. Artists who prefer a one-off price often choose Procreate over subscription software. Procreate Dreams and Procreate Pocket extend the same company's tools to animation and to a companion app.
Key features
- Pay once, no subscription
- Apple Pencil support
- Procreate Dreams for animation
- Layers and brushes
- Procreate Pocket companion app
Strengths
- Pay once, with no subscription
- Brushes and layers for painting
Limits
- iPad only for the main app
- No Windows or Android version
Where Procreate ranks
| List | Rank | Score | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Digital painting software | 1 of 6 | 92.5 | Pay-once painting on iPad |
Questions about Procreate
- Is Procreate free?
- Procreate is a paid product (one-time purchase). One-time purchase with no subscription.
- Is Procreate open source?
- No. Procreate is proprietary software; its source code is not public.
- Which platforms does Procreate support?
- Procreate is available on: iPadOS.
- What is Procreate best for?
- Pay-once painting on iPad. In our ranking of digital painting software it is number 1 of 6 with a score of 92.5.
- What are the best alternatives to Procreate?
- The highest-ranked alternatives on listme.name are Krita, Clip Studio Paint, Affinity, ArtRage.