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Head-to-head · Digital Painting Software

Krita vs Procreate

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 1 check side by side
Higher score Krita #1 in Digital Painting Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Krita

Krita leads on 1 check, Procreate on 0, and 0 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreKrita · 9.4/10
  • Free planonly Krita

Krita scores higher on our rubric for digital painting software: 9.4 against 9.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #3.

Krita offers free plan; Procreate doesn't.

Krita is the better fit for professional-grade painting on major desktop OSes. Procreate is the better fit for iPad artists wanting a polished painting workflow.

  • Krita fits best

    Professional-grade painting on major desktop OSes

  • Procreate fits best

    iPad artists wanting a polished painting workflow

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Side by side

Feature Krita 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Procreate 9.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 9.1
Ranking #1 in Digital Painting Software #3 in Digital Painting Software
Best for Professional-grade painting on major desktop OSes iPad artists wanting a polished painting workflow
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Free plan —
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop, Mobile Mobile
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, Android iOS
Support Community, Docs Docs
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features Krita 0/4 · Procreate 0/4
Brush customization Not checked yet Not checked yet
Layer support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Pressure sensitivity Not checked yet Not checked yet
Stroke stabilization Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Not checked yet Not checked yet
Color management Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free GNU GPL v3 application with commercial use permitted
  • Raster, vector, layers, masks, color management, and animation tools
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android tablets in beta
  • Over 300 customizable brushes with Brush Studio
  • Animation, 3D painting, time-lapse, and layered artwork tools
  • Imports and exports PSD, PDF, PNG, TIFF, GIF, and MP4
Cons
  • Android tablet version is still in beta
  • No iOS or iPadOS support
  • Extensive features may exceed the needs of simple painting workflows
  • Available only on iOS
  • No free plan
  • No desktop app
Our verdict

Krita is a free, open-source digital painting application for illustrators, comic artists, concept artists, animators, and other digital creators. Its toolkit covers raster painting, brush engines, vector layers, layer and mask-based…

Read the review →

Procreate is a raster-based digital art application for iPad artists, illustrators, and creative professionals. Its workspace combines customizable brushes, layered artwork, color and adjustment tools, vector text, animation, time-lapse…

Read the review →
  1. KritaDigital Painting Software 9.4Free plan
  2. ProcreateDigital Painting Software 9.1Paid

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Krita — where it wins

    • Free GNU GPL v3 application with commercial use permitted
    • Raster, vector, layers, masks, color management, and animation tools
    • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android tablets in beta

    Where it doesn't

    • Android tablet version is still in beta
    • No iOS or iPadOS support
    • Extensive features may exceed the needs of simple painting workflows
  • Procreate — where it wins

    • Over 300 customizable brushes with Brush Studio
    • Animation, 3D painting, time-lapse, and layered artwork tools
    • Imports and exports PSD, PDF, PNG, TIFF, GIF, and MP4

    Where it doesn't

    • Available only on iOS
    • No free plan
    • No desktop app

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update