Photoshop
by Adobe
Photoshop on iPad and iPhone is Adobe's mobile image editor, free to download with premium tools and generative AI by subscription.
- Price
- Free; premium from $7.99/month
- Runs on
- iPadOS, iOS
- Rating
- ★ 4.5 on the App Store (94K ratings)
ibis Paint X
by ibis
ibis Paint X is a free, ad-supported drawing and animation app for iPhone, iPad and Android with a huge online library of brushes and materials.
- Price
- Free with ads; Premium $4.49/month or ad removal $15.99
- Runs on
- iOS, iPadOS, Android
- Rating
- ★ 4.7 on the App Store (298K ratings)
Feature comparison
| Feature | Photoshop |
ibis Paint X |
|---|---|---|
| Price and platforms | ||
| Price | Free; premium from $7.99/month | Free with ads; Premium $4.49/month or ad removal $15.99 |
| Free version | Yes, core editing tools | Yes, ad-supported |
| Subscription | Required for premium tools and PSD export | Optional Premium membership |
| Ad-free | Not advertised | No, ads unless removed for $15.99 |
| No account needed | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| iPad | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | Yes, same app | Yes, same app |
| Mac | Desktop Photoshop, separate plan | Not advertised |
| Android and Chromebook | Separate Android app, in beta | Yes |
| Brushes | ||
| Built-in brushes | Painting and retouching brushes | 130,000+ |
| Brush customization | Basic brush settings | Customizable brushes |
| Brush import | Not advertised | Online brush library |
| Apple Pencil | Supported | Supported |
| Comics and manga | ||
| Comic panel layouts | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Screentones | Not advertised | 46 screentones |
| Text and lettering | Text and fonts | 3,000+ fonts |
| Layers and editing | ||
| Layer limit | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Blend modes | Advanced blend modes (premium) | 27 |
| Masks | Layer masks | Clipping |
| Adjustments and filters | Adjustment layers and targeted adjustments | 86 image filters |
| Selection tools | Tap Select, Object Select, Magic Wand | Selection tools |
| Liquify and distortion | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Clone tool | Spot Healing and Remove Tool | Not advertised |
| Drawing aids | ||
| Symmetry | Not advertised | Symmetry and radial rulers |
| Perspective guides | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Shape correction | Not advertised | Shape and vector tools |
| Gradients | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Paintable materials | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Seamless patterns | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Extras | ||
| Animation | Not advertised | Frame-by-frame, with music and audio |
| 3D painting | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Timelapse | Not advertised | Yes |
| Live collaboration | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Generative AI | Yes: Generative Fill, Generate Image, AI Assistant (credits) | No image generation; AI Disturbance protects art from AI training |
| Files | ||
| Photoshop PSD | Native PSD (premium export) | Not advertised |
| Export formats | PSD, TIFF, JPG, PNG | Images and timelapse video |
| CMYK and print | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| App Store | ||
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 (94K ratings) | 4.7 / 5 (298K ratings) |
| Last updated | August 25, 2026 | September 29, 2026 |
| Languages | 19 | 18 |
Price
Both are free to download, but they charge for different things.
Photoshop on iPad and iPhone is free to download with core editing tools. Premium tools such as the Remove Tool, Content Aware Fill, advanced blend modes and PSD export need a subscription, starting at $7.99 a month for Photoshop Mobile & Web on the US App Store.
ibis Paint X is free with ads. Ads can be removed for $15.99 once, or Premium membership, which adds extra features and materials, costs $4.49 a month or $27.99 a year on the US App Store.
Platforms
Both run on iPad, iPhone and Android. Only Photoshop runs on Mac and Windows.
Photoshop: The same Photoshop app runs on iPad and iPhone. Adobe also has an Android version in beta, and desktop Photoshop for Mac and Windows is sold separately.
ibis Paint X is one app for iPhone and iPad, and it is also available on Android.
Brushes
Photoshop on mobile is built for photo editing and compositing first. It has brushes for painting and retouching, but its painting tools are far more limited than those in dedicated painting apps.
ibis Paint X advertises more than 130,000 brushes along with 30,000+ materials and 46 screentones, which makes it one of the biggest brush collections of any drawing app.
Comics and manga
Photoshop on mobile is built for photo editing and does not advertise comic panel or screentone tools.
ibis Paint X is popular for manga, with 46 screentones, more than 3,000 fonts for lettering and a large online library of inking brushes.
Layers and editing
Photoshop: Its strength is editing: layers, masks, adjustment layers, Tap Select and Object Select, the Spot Healing Brush, Content Aware Fill and native PSD files that open in desktop Photoshop.
ibis Paint X: It offers 27 layer blend modes, clipping, 86 image filters, vector tools and a reference window, which is a lot of power for a free app.
Drawing tools and extras
Photoshop leans on Adobe Firefly for generative tools such as Generative Fill and Generate Image, which use generative credits. It does not advertise painting aids such as symmetry or perspective guides, or animation.
ibis Paint X: Drawing aids include radial and symmetry rulers. ibis Paint X also does frame-by-frame animation with music and audio, records a timelapse, and has an AI Disturbance feature meant to protect your art from AI training.
Which should you choose?
Choose Photoshop if
- You mostly edit and composite photos rather than paint
- You need native PSD files that open in desktop Photoshop
- You need precise object selection, healing and retouching
- You want generative AI tools such as Generative Fill
Choose ibis Paint X if
- You want a huge library of brushes, materials and fonts
- You want a powerful free app and do not mind ads
- You want frame-by-frame animation with music and audio
- You also draw on an Android phone or tablet
Frequently asked questions
Is Photoshop better than ibis Paint X?
Neither is better for everyone. Photoshop is the better pick if you mostly edit and composite photos rather than paint, or you need native PSD files that open in desktop Photoshop. ibis Paint X suits you better if you want a huge library of brushes, materials and fonts, or you want a powerful free app and do not mind ads.
Is Photoshop free?
Partly. Photoshop on iPad and iPhone is free to download with core tools such as layers, selections and adjustments. Premium tools and PSD export need a subscription, from $7.99 a month on the US App Store.
Is ibis Paint X free?
Yes, ibis Paint X is free with ads. You can remove ads for $15.99 once, or subscribe to Premium for $4.49 a month or $27.99 a year for extra features and materials.
Which works on iPhone, Photoshop or ibis Paint X?
Both. Photoshop and ibis Paint X each run on iPhone in the same app as on iPad.
Do Photoshop and ibis Paint X work on Android?
Photoshop has a separate Android app, currently in beta. ibis Paint X has an Android version.
Do Photoshop or ibis Paint X use generative AI?
Photoshop includes generative AI: Generative Fill, Generate Image and an AI Assistant, powered by Adobe Firefly and generative credits. ibis Paint X does not advertise AI image generation, and its AI Disturbance feature is designed to make your artwork harder for AI to learn from.
Sources
- Adobe Photoshop on the App Store
- Photoshop Android beta announcement coverage
- ibis Paint X 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. Photoshop and ibis Paint X 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 Photoshop and ibis Paint X.