Head-to-head · Digital Painting Software
Procreate vs Adobe Fresco
Procreate leads on 0 checks, Adobe Fresco on 1, 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 scoreProcreate · 9.1/10
- Free planonly Adobe Fresco
Procreate scores higher on our rubric for digital painting software: 9.1 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #6.
Adobe Fresco offers free plan; Procreate doesn't.
Procreate is the better fit for iPad artists wanting a polished painting workflow. Adobe Fresco is the better fit for adobe users painting across desktop and iPad.
- Procreate fits best
iPad artists wanting a polished painting workflow
- Adobe Fresco fits best
Adobe users painting across desktop and iPad
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Side by side
| Feature | Procreate 9.1/10 Visit ↗ | Adobe Fresco 8.8/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.1 | 8.8 |
| Ranking | #3 in Digital Painting Software | #6 in Digital Painting Software |
| Best for | iPad artists wanting a polished painting workflow | Adobe users painting across desktop and iPad |
| Pricing model | Paid | Free |
| Starting price | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | ✓ (best) |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Mobile | Desktop, Mobile |
| Platforms | iOS | Windows, iOS, macOS |
| Support | Docs | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business | Solo, Small business |
| Features Procreate 0/4 · Adobe Fresco 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 |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | 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 → |
Adobe Fresco is a digital painting and drawing application for artists, illustrators, and other digital creators. It runs on supported Windows devices and iPhone or iPad, with touch and stylus workflows. Its toolset spans pixel, live, and… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
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
Adobe Fresco — where it wins
- Pixel, live, and vector brushes in one app
- Unlimited layers, animation, symmetry, and vector tools
- Cloud documents connect workflows across Photoshop and Illustrator
Where it doesn't
- The paid tier bundles Photoshop on iPad rather than Fresco alone
- Free cloud storage is limited to 5 GB
- Collaboration allows one collaborator to edit at a time
- Procreate9.1/10 · Paid
A polished iPad painting workflow with broad creative tools and limited platform coverage.
Visit ProcreateFull verdict → - Adobe Fresco8.8/10 · Free plan
A capable Adobe-connected painting app with a generous free tier and iPad workflow.
Visit Adobe FrescoFull verdict →
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All digital painting software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update






