Adobe Fresco
by Adobe
Adobe Fresco is a free drawing and painting app for iPad, iPhone and Windows with raster, vector and Live Brushes.
- Price
- Free; optional Photoshop bundle $7.99/month
- Runs on
- iPadOS, iOS, Windows
- Rating
- ★ 4.7 on the App Store (62K ratings)
iArtbook
by Alexander Kondrashov
iArtbook is a painting and animation app for iPad, iPhone and Mac with unlimited layers, wet brushes and a lesson mode for learning by copying.
- Price
- Free; Pro $12.99 one-time ($7.99 iPhone only)
- Runs on
- iPadOS, iOS, macOS
- Rating
- ★ 3.8 on the App Store (12K ratings)
Key differences
Only iArtbook has
- Mac: Yes, Apple silicon Macs
Feature comparison
| Feature | Adobe Fresco |
iArtbook |
|---|---|---|
| Price and platforms | ||
| Price | Free; optional Photoshop bundle $7.99/month | Free; Pro $12.99 one-time ($7.99 iPhone only) |
| Free version | Yes, fully free | Yes |
| Subscription | Optional, bundles Photoshop on iPad | None |
| Ad-free | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| No account needed | Adobe account needed to export | Not advertised |
| iPad | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | Yes, same app | Yes, same app |
| Mac | No (Windows version available) | Yes, Apple silicon Macs |
| Android and Chromebook | No | Not advertised |
| Brushes | ||
| Built-in brushes | Thousands | Pro brushes plus 1,000+ textures |
| Brush customization | Brush settings, raster, vector and Live Brushes | 50+ settings per brush |
| Brush import | Photoshop brushes | Import and export brushes |
| Apple Pencil | Supported, including Apple Pencil Pro | Pressure, tilt, azimuth |
| Comics and manga | ||
| Comic panel layouts | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Screentones | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Text and lettering | Adobe Fonts | Not advertised |
| Layers and editing | ||
| Layer limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Blend modes | Yes | Yes |
| Masks | Layer masks and clipping | Masks |
| Adjustments and filters | Adjustment layers: brightness, hue/saturation, color balance | Not advertised |
| Selection tools | Lasso, magic wand and more | Selection tool |
| Liquify and distortion | Liquify | Not advertised |
| Clone tool | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Drawing aids | ||
| Symmetry | Rotational and reflective | Not advertised |
| Perspective guides | Perspective grids, including from a photo | Not advertised |
| Shape correction | Snap to Shape | Not advertised |
| Gradients | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Paintable materials | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Seamless patterns | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Extras | ||
| Animation | Frame-by-frame and motion paths | Unlimited frames, multiple animation layers |
| 3D painting | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Timelapse | Yes | On by default |
| Live collaboration | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Generative AI | None; Content Credentials can mark art as AI-free | None advertised |
| Files | ||
| Photoshop PSD | Export, plus direct Photoshop integration | Not advertised |
| Export formats | PSD, PNG, JPG, PDF, GIF, MP4 | PNG, MP4, HEVC, GIF, APNG |
| CMYK and print | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| App Store | ||
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 (62K ratings) | 3.8 / 5 (12K ratings) |
| Last updated | September 29, 2026 | January 7, 2026 |
| Languages | 18 | 39 |
Price
Adobe Fresco is free with every tool included, while iArtbook is free to download with paid upgrades.
Adobe Fresco is free, with thousands of brushes, unlimited layers and animation tools included. An optional subscription bundles it with Photoshop on iPad for $7.99 a month on the US App Store.
iArtbook is free to download, and Pro is a one-time upgrade: $12.99 on iPad, or $7.99 for iPhone only, with no subscription.
Platforms
Both run on iPad and iPhone. Only Adobe Fresco runs on Windows. Only iArtbook runs on Mac.
Fresco is one app for iPad and iPhone, and there is also a Windows version. Adobe's system requirements list no Mac or Android version. You can start drawing without signing in, but exporting and cloud saving need an Adobe account.
iArtbook is one app for iPhone and iPad that also runs on Apple silicon Macs.
Brushes
Fresco includes thousands of free brushes: blendable raster brushes, vector brushes that stay sharp at any size, and Live Brushes that simulate watercolor and oil paint. It also imports Photoshop brushes.
iArtbook brushes can be dry, glossy or wet, with three kinds of wet paint, more than 50 settings per brush, and a library of over 1,000 textures to build your own. Calligraphy smoothing keeps lines clean even when you draw with a finger.
Layers and editing
Adobe Fresco: Layers are unlimited, with masks, clipping and Photoshop-style adjustment layers for brightness, hue/saturation and color balance. Liquify, free transform and a magic wand are included, and documents open directly in Photoshop and Illustrator.
iArtbook: Layers are unlimited, with blend modes, masks and lossless transforms. Two color pickers, a color mixer and palette import and export round out the color tools.
Drawing tools and extras
Adobe Fresco: Drawing aids include Snap to Shape, rotational and reflective symmetry, rulers, and perspective grids you can build from a photo. Fresco also has frame-by-frame animation with motion paths, GIF and MP4 export, Adobe Fonts for text, and timelapse export.
iArtbook does frame-by-frame animation with unlimited frames and multiple animation layers, exporting to MP4, HEVC, GIF and APNG. Its lesson mode lets you copy any painting or sketch side by side to learn, and timelapse recording is on by default.
Which should you choose?
Choose Adobe Fresco if
- You want Live Brushes that blend like real watercolor and oil paint
- You want a completely free professional app
- You want vector brushes that stay sharp at any size
- You already use Photoshop or Illustrator
Choose iArtbook if
- You want to learn by copying artwork in a side-by-side lesson mode
- You prefer a one-time upgrade to a subscription
- You want to build your own brushes from over 1,000 textures
- You want strong line smoothing, even when drawing with a finger
Frequently asked questions
Is Adobe Fresco better than iArtbook?
Neither is better for everyone. Adobe Fresco is the better pick if you want Live Brushes that blend like real watercolor and oil paint, or you want a completely free professional app. iArtbook suits you better if you want to learn by copying artwork in a side-by-side lesson mode, or you prefer a one-time upgrade to a subscription.
Is Adobe Fresco free?
Yes. Adobe Fresco is free, with thousands of brushes, unlimited layers and animation included. You need a free Adobe account to export and save to the cloud, and an optional bundle with Photoshop on iPad costs $7.99 a month.
Is iArtbook free?
Yes, iArtbook is free to download. Pro is a one-time upgrade, $12.99 on iPad or $7.99 for iPhone only, with no subscription.
Which works on iPhone, Adobe Fresco or iArtbook?
Both. Adobe Fresco and iArtbook each run on iPhone in the same app as on iPad.
Do Adobe Fresco and iArtbook work on Android?
Adobe Fresco is not available on Android. iArtbook does not list an Android version.
Do Adobe Fresco or iArtbook use generative AI?
Adobe Fresco does not include generative AI tools, and its Content Credentials feature can mark artwork as made without generative AI. iArtbook does not advertise any generative AI features.
Sources
- Adobe Fresco on the App Store
- Adobe Fresco: get started
- Adobe Fresco system requirements
- iArtbook on the App Store
Facts checked on October 2, 2026. Prices are from the US App Store, and features from each app's listing and official site. Apps change often, so check the App Store for current prices and features. Adobe Fresco and iArtbook are trademarks of their respective owners. App icons come from each app's App Store listing and belong to their owners. Paintrix Studio is not affiliated with the makers of Adobe Fresco and iArtbook.