Quick answer: Procreate is a professional digital illustration and painting application designed exclusively for iPad and iPhone, available for a one-time purchase price. It is best suited for illustrators looking for desktop-grade creative tools on an iPad.
Choosing the right digital illustration software requires weighing specific hardware requirements, pricing structures, and creative workflows. This buyer's guide breaks down what procreate offers, its pricing plans, its limitations, and who should or should not purchase it.
Understanding Procreate and Pricing
procreate operates on a one-time purchase model rather than a recurring subscription. There is no free plan and no free trial available. The core software is priced at $12.99 as a one-time purchase for the iPad version. Additionally, a companion application called Procreate Pocket is available for iPhone users at $4.99 as a one-time purchase.
Key Features and Capabilities
Built for digital painting and illustration, procreate is optimized specifically for the Apple Pencil to deliver low latency and a responsive drawing experience. Key features include:
- Over 500 customizable default brushes with support for custom brushes.
- An unlimited layer system featuring blend modes and opacity controls.
- Animation Assist, which enables frame-by-frame 2D animation directly within the application.
- Built-in time-lapse recording of your creative process.
- Export options supporting PSD, PDF, SVG, and PNG file formats.
Pros and Cons
Evaluating the software's strengths and weaknesses helps clarify whether it fits your workflow.
Pros
- Serves as the industry standard for iPad digital art and is the most used professional illustration app on the platform.
- Exceptionally low Apple Pencil latency creates a natural, responsive drawing experience.
- Includes 500+ default brushes and supports custom brushes for infinite creative possibilities.
- Animation Assist allows for frame-by-frame 2D animation directly in the app.
- The one-time purchase price of $12.99 provides great value for a professional-grade creative tool.
Cons
- Limited to iPad and iPhone only, with no versions available for macOS, Windows, or Android.
- Lacks cloud synchronization between devices, meaning files must be stored locally or exported manually.
- Less suitable for vector illustration compared to tools like Adobe Illustrator or Affinity Designer.
- Large canvas files containing many layers can experience reduced performance on older iPad models.
Who Is Procreate For?
procreate is ideal for illustrators who want desktop-grade tools on an iPad. It provides the necessary raster-based drawing, painting, and basic animation tools for digital artists working within the Apple ecosystem.
Who Is Procreate Not For?
It is not recommended for artists who specifically need vector graphics for scalable logos and print materials. Because of its raster focus, those needing non-destructive vector tools will find better alternatives in Affinity Designer or Adobe Illustrator on iPad. Furthermore, users who work on Windows, macOS, or Android devices cannot use the application due to its strict iPad and iPhone hardware requirement.
Sources
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
