Procreate is a painting app for iPad, bought once for $12.99 with no subscription. It suits people who want a full digital canvas on iPad and are happy to own the app outright, and it suits less well anyone who wants it on a Mac, Windows machine or Android device, or who is looking for generative AI tools.
What is Procreate?
Procreate is made by Savage Interactive, a company based in Hobart, Australia, founded in 2011. It is an installed iPad app bought once from the App Store, with no account required to use it. Procreate Pocket for iPhone and Procreate Dreams for animation are separate sibling apps and are not covered here.
Editing images in Procreate
Procreate imports and exports PSD files, preserving locked layers, layer groups and compatible blend modes, and its layer masks let you change or remove edits later without altering the underlying pixels. You can create and paint a canvas directly in a native CMYK color profile, alongside sRGB and P3 Wide Color, rather than only converting for print at export. Pressure-sensitive input with Apple Pencil is a core part of the app, and canvas-size presets give you a starting point for a new piece.
Procreate publishes its own Statement on AI, in which it states plainly that it rejects generative AI. In line with that, it has no AI image generation, no generative fill, no AI upscaling and no automatic background removal; its selection tool works by color and luminosity rather than by detecting a subject. There is no plugin system and no batch processing across multiple files.
Working with other people
Procreate is built for one person painting on one canvas, with no real-time collaboration or comment workflow. Support runs through an email contact form, a community section on the vendor's site, and a built-in help center.
Procreate pricing: what it costs
Procreate costs $12.99 once on the App Store. There is no subscription, no free tier and no trial: you buy it a single time and keep it. Commercial use of art made with the app's own default brushes and color swatches is explicitly allowed.
Privacy and support
Procreate is installed software with no account required to use it, so questions about training on your work, SOC 2 and GDPR do not arise the way they would for a cloud service. Support runs through an email contact form and a built-in help center, alongside a community section on the vendor's site.
Who Procreate suits
Procreate suits anyone on iPad who wants a painting app bought once rather than rented, with PSD compatibility, non-destructive masks and native CMYK for print-facing work. It also suits anyone who wants Apple Pencil pressure sensitivity built into the core experience.
It suits less well anyone working on a Mac, Windows machine or Android device, since Procreate runs only on iPad. It also suits less well anyone looking for generative AI tools, a plugin system or the ability to process multiple files in one batch, since none of those exist here.
How Procreate compares
Procreate scores 5.3 out of 10 among the photo editors we rate. These two do the same job and are the closest to it, compared on what each vendor publishes.
Pixelmator Pro
Procreate is bought once for iPad and has no generative AI by its own choice; Pixelmator Pro is bought once on Mac, or comes inside the $12.99 a month Apple Creator Studio bundle. Pixelmator Pro automatically selects a subject, removes backgrounds in one action, and upscales with AI, none of which Procreate offers. Procreate works natively in CMYK for print, which Pixelmator Pro does not.
Pick Pixelmator Pro if you want automatic subject select and AI background removal.
Pick Procreate if you want native CMYK painting on a simple iPad app.
Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop's cheapest plan is the Photography plan, which also includes Lightroom, at $19.99 a month; Procreate is bought once for iPad instead. Photoshop generates images from a prompt, fills and expands photos with generative AI, and automatically selects a subject, none of which Procreate does, by its own choice. Both work natively in CMYK for print, though Photoshop also has Android and browser versions, while Procreate is iPad only.
Pick Adobe Photoshop if you want generative fill, prompt image generation and more platforms.
Pick Procreate if you want a simple iPad app with native CMYK painting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Procreate cost?
Procreate is $12.99, paid once on the App Store, with no subscription and no trial.
Does Procreate open Photoshop's PSD files?
Yes, both importing and exporting PSD files, with locked layers, layer groups and compatible blend modes preserved.
Does Procreate have generative AI tools?
No. Procreate's own Statement on AI says it rejects generative AI, and it has no AI image generation, generative fill, AI upscaling or automatic background removal.
Does Procreate require an account or collect my artwork?
No. Procreate is bought once from the App Store and runs as installed software with no account needed to use it.
