Procreate vs Sketchbook

Procreate9.1Visit Sketchbook8.6Visit

Higher score Procreate #3 in Digital Painting Software 9.1/10 Paid ✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Procreate

vs

Sketchbook #8 in Digital Painting Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Sketchbook

• Procreate fits best

  iPad artists wanting a polished painting workflow

• Sketchbook fits best

  Accessible sketching across desktop and mobile

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Side by side

Feature	Procreate 9.1/10 Visit ↗	Sketchbook 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	8.6
Ranking	#3 in Digital Painting Software	#8 in Digital Painting Software
Best for	iPad artists wanting a polished painting workflow	Accessible sketching across desktop and mobile
Pricing model	Paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Mobile	Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	iOS	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Features Procreate 0/4 · Sketchbook 4/4
Brush customization	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Layer support	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Pressure sensitivity	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Stroke stabilization	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Specs
Supported platforms	Not checked yet	windows, macos, ios, android
Color management	Not checked yet	Advanced
Our review
Pros	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	Free mobile application with core drawing tools Customizable brushes, layers, masking, and blend modes Available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
Cons	Available only on iOS No free plan No desktop app	Advanced features are divided across paid offerings Flipbook 2D animation is available on desktop Feature availability varies by platform and app version
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 →	Sketchbook is digital drawing, painting, and sketching software for artists, illustrators, and hobbyists. Its broad platform coverage supports Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, making it suitable for users who move between desktop 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

• Sketchbook — where it wins

  • Free mobile application with core drawing tools
  • Customizable brushes, layers, masking, and blend modes
  • Available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

  Where it doesn't

  • Advanced features are divided across paid offerings
  • Flipbook 2D animation is available on desktop
  • Feature availability varies by platform and app version

• Procreate9.1/10 · Paid

  A polished iPad painting workflow with broad creative tools and limited platform coverage.

  Visit ProcreateFull verdict →
• Sketchbook8.6/10 · Free plan

  A flexible sketching tool with broad platform coverage and a useful free starting point.

  Visit SketchbookFull verdict →