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)
Sketchbook
by Sketchbook, Inc.
Sketchbook is a free sketching and drawing app for iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac and Windows with a one-time $2.99 Premium Bundle.
- Price
- Free; Premium Bundle $2.99 one-time
- Runs on
- iOS, iPadOS, Android, macOS, Windows
- Rating
- ★ 4.8 on the App Store (221K ratings)
Key differences
Only Sketchbook has
- Mac: Yes, separate desktop version
- Android and Chromebook
Feature comparison
| Feature | Adobe Fresco |
Sketchbook |
|---|---|---|
| Price and platforms | ||
| Price | Free; optional Photoshop bundle $7.99/month | Free; Premium Bundle $2.99 one-time |
| 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, separate desktop version |
| Android and Chromebook | No | Yes |
| Brushes | ||
| Built-in brushes | Thousands | Pencils, markers, airbrushes, smear and more |
| Brush customization | Brush settings, raster, vector and Live Brushes | Highly customizable; custom brushes in Premium |
| Brush import | Photoshop brushes | Premium Bundle |
| Apple Pencil | Supported, including Apple Pencil Pro | Supported |
| 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 | Not advertised |
| Blend modes | Yes | Full set |
| Masks | Layer masks and clipping | Clipping and layer masks in Premium |
| Adjustments and filters | Adjustment layers: brightness, hue/saturation, color balance | Blur, sharpen, brightness/contrast, greyscale, invert (Premium) |
| Selection tools | Lasso, magic wand and more | Selection tools |
| Liquify and distortion | Liquify | Not advertised |
| Clone tool | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Drawing aids | ||
| Symmetry | Rotational and reflective | Yes |
| Perspective guides | Perspective grids, including from a photo | Perspective guides |
| Shape correction | Snap to Shape | Predictive Stroke |
| Gradients | Not advertised | Gradient fill |
| Paintable materials | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Seamless patterns | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Extras | ||
| Animation | Frame-by-frame and motion paths | Not advertised |
| 3D painting | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Timelapse | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | Export |
| Export formats | PSD, PNG, JPG, PDF, GIF, MP4 | PNG, JPG, PSD, PDF (Premium) |
| CMYK and print | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| App Store | ||
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 (62K ratings) | 4.8 / 5 (221K ratings) |
| Last updated | September 29, 2026 | June 1, 2026 |
| Languages | 18 | 10 |
Price
Adobe Fresco is free with every tool included, while Sketchbook 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.
Sketchbook is free, and a one-time $2.99 Premium Bundle unlocks extras such as custom brushes, clipping masks, layer grouping, extra adjustments and PDF export. There is no subscription.
Platforms
Both run on iPad, iPhone and Windows. Only Sketchbook runs on Android and 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.
Sketchbook is one app for iPhone and iPad, with separate versions for Android, Mac and Windows.
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.
Sketchbook has a full set of pencils, markers, airbrushes and smear brushes that feel like their physical versions, and every brush is highly customizable. Creating, importing and exporting custom brushes is part of the Premium Bundle.
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.
Sketchbook: Layers come with a full set of blend modes. The Premium Bundle adds clipping masks, layer masks, layer groups, and adjustments such as blur, sharpen and brightness/contrast.
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.
Sketchbook is built for sketching and precision, with guides, rulers, symmetry, perspective guides and Predictive Stroke for clean lines and shapes. Its clean interface stays out of the way so the canvas gets the screen.
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 Sketchbook if
- You mostly sketch and want a clean, distraction-free interface
- You want a nearly free app with a $2.99 one-time upgrade
- You want versions for Windows and Mac too
- You also draw on Android
Frequently asked questions
Is Adobe Fresco better than Sketchbook?
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. Sketchbook suits you better if you mostly sketch and want a clean, distraction-free interface, or you want a nearly free app with a $2.99 one-time upgrade.
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 Sketchbook free?
Yes. Sketchbook is free, and a one-time $2.99 Premium Bundle unlocks extras such as custom brushes, clipping masks, layer groups and PDF export. There is no subscription.
Which works on iPhone, Adobe Fresco or Sketchbook?
Both. Adobe Fresco and Sketchbook each run on iPhone in the same app as on iPad.
Do Adobe Fresco and Sketchbook work on Android?
Adobe Fresco is not available on Android. Sketchbook has an Android version.
Do Adobe Fresco or Sketchbook use generative AI?
Adobe Fresco does not include generative AI tools, and its Content Credentials feature can mark artwork as made without generative AI. Sketchbook does not advertise any generative AI features.
Sources
- Adobe Fresco on the App Store
- Adobe Fresco: get started
- Adobe Fresco system requirements
- Sketchbook 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 Sketchbook 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 Sketchbook.