Procreate vs Drawpile

Procreate8.8Visit Drawpile7.9Visit

Higher score Procreate #5 in Sketching Software 8.8/10 Paid ✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Procreate

vs

Drawpile #8 in Sketching Software 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Drawpile

• Procreate fits best

  iPad artists seeking a polished drawing toolkit

• Drawpile fits best

  Free collaborative sketching with desktop flexibility

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	Procreate 8.8/10 Visit ↗	Drawpile 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	7.9
Ranking	#5 in Sketching Software	#8 in Sketching Software
Best for	iPad artists seeking a polished drawing toolkit	Free collaborative sketching with desktop flexibility
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free plan
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Mobile	Desktop, Mobile, Self-hosted
Platforms	iOS	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Support	Docs	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features Procreate 0/4 · Drawpile 1/4
Pressure sensitivity	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Layer support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Cloud sync	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Vector drawing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Platforms	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Export formats	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Customizable brushes, layers, masks, groups and blend modes Drawing assists, transforms and adjustments support detailed workflows Frame-by-frame animation, multipage projects and supported 3D painting	Real-time collaborative sessions, with options to use public servers or self-host Over 200 brushes, pressure support, layers and stroke stabilization Animation tools and OpenRaster and PSD export support
Cons	Available on iOS only, with no desktop app Requires a paid one-time purchase; there is no free plan Support channels listed are documentation	Its broad painting toolkit may be more than casual sketching needs iPad and iPhone access is through a browser, not a native app Community and documentation are the listed support channels
Our verdict	Procreate is an illustration and digital painting app for iPad, aimed at creative professionals and aspiring artists. Its toolkit spans customizable brushes, layer-based editing, drawing aids and image adjustments, with options for… Read the review →	Drawpile is a free, open-source digital painting and drawing application for artists who want offline tools or real-time collaboration. Its solo and shared-canvas features suit individual artists and small groups, while desktop apps and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Procreate — where it wins

  • Customizable brushes, layers, masks, groups and blend modes
  • Drawing assists, transforms and adjustments support detailed workflows
  • Frame-by-frame animation, multipage projects and supported 3D painting

  Where it doesn't

  • Available on iOS only, with no desktop app
  • Requires a paid one-time purchase; there is no free plan
  • Support channels listed are documentation

• Drawpile — where it wins

  • Real-time collaborative sessions, with options to use public servers or self-host
  • Over 200 brushes, pressure support, layers and stroke stabilization
  • Animation tools and OpenRaster and PSD export support

  Where it doesn't

  • Its broad painting toolkit may be more than casual sketching needs
  • iPad and iPhone access is through a browser, not a native app
  • Community and documentation are the listed support channels

• Procreate8.8/10 · Paid

  A paid iPad drawing app with a broad toolkit and a one-time purchase.

  Visit ProcreateFull verdict →
• Drawpile7.9/10 · Free plan

  A flexible drawing app for solo work and shared sessions, with desktop, mobile and browser access.

  Visit DrawpileFull verdict →