Procreate
by Savage Interactive
Procreate is a paid digital illustration and painting app made exclusively for iPad.
- Price
- $12.99 one-time
- Runs on
- iPadOS
- Rating
- ★ 4.4 on the App Store (51K ratings)
MediBang Paint
by MediBang
MediBang Paint is a free, ad-supported painting and comic app for iPad, iPhone, Android and desktop with cloud sync and shared canvases.
- Price
- Free with ads; Premium plans from $2.99
- Runs on
- iPadOS, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
- Rating
- ★ 4.6 on the App Store (33K ratings)
Key differences
Only Procreate has
- Ad-free
Only MediBang Paint has
- Free version: Yes, ad-supported
- Mac: Yes, desktop version
Feature comparison
| Feature | Procreate |
MediBang Paint |
|---|---|---|
| Price and platforms | ||
| Price | $12.99 one-time | Free with ads; Premium plans from $2.99 |
| Free version | No, paid upfront | Yes, ad-supported |
| Subscription | None | Optional MediBang Premium |
| Ad-free | Yes | No, ads unless removed for $7.99 |
| No account needed | Yes | Account needed for cloud features |
| iPad | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | Separate app, Procreate Pocket ($5.99) | Separate app, MediBang Paint for iPhone |
| Mac | No, iPad only | Yes, desktop version |
| Android and Chromebook | Not advertised | Yes |
| Brushes | ||
| Built-in brushes | 300+ | 180 (700 more with Premium) |
| Brush customization | Brush Studio, 100+ settings | Adjustable; make your own |
| Brush import | Procreate and Photoshop (.abr) brushes | Cloud brushes |
| Apple Pencil | Pressure and tilt | Supported |
| Comics and manga | ||
| Comic panel layouts | Page Assist for comic pages | Comic panel tools |
| Screentones | Halftone filter | 1,000 screentones |
| Text and lettering | Vector text, custom fonts | 60 fonts |
| Layers and editing | ||
| Layer limit | Depends on canvas size and device | Not advertised |
| Blend modes | 25+ | Yes |
| Masks | Layer and clipping masks | Not advertised |
| Adjustments and filters | Curves, Color Balance, HSB, Gradient Map, blurs, Bloom, Glitch, Halftone, applied to the layer | Filters (extra Filter Pack available) |
| Selection tools | Automatic, freehand, rectangle, ellipse | Not advertised |
| Liquify and distortion | Liquify and Warp | Not advertised |
| Clone tool | Yes | Not advertised |
| Drawing aids | ||
| Symmetry | Vertical, horizontal, quadrant, radial | Not advertised |
| Perspective guides | 1, 2 and 3-point, isometric, 2D grid | Not advertised |
| Shape correction | QuickShape | Not advertised |
| Gradients | Gradient Map adjustment | Not advertised |
| Paintable materials | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Seamless patterns | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Extras | ||
| Animation | Frame-by-frame with Animation Assist | Not advertised |
| 3D painting | Yes | Not advertised |
| Timelapse | Yes, export up to 4K | Yes |
| Live collaboration | Not advertised | Group Project shared canvases |
| Generative AI | None. Procreate has pledged never to add it | None advertised |
| Files | ||
| Photoshop PSD | Import and export | Not advertised |
| Export formats | PSD, TIFF, PNG, JPEG, PDF, GIF, MP4, OBJ, USDZ | Images, with cloud saving |
| CMYK and print | CMYK color profiles | Not advertised |
| App Store | ||
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 (51K ratings) | 4.6 / 5 (33K ratings) |
| Last updated | September 18, 2026 | September 11, 2026 |
| Languages | 17 | 16 |
Price
Procreate costs $12.99 upfront, while MediBang Paint is free to download.
Procreate costs $12.99 once on the App Store, with no subscription and no in-app purchases. There is no free version or trial, so you pay before you draw.
MediBang Paint is free with ads. MediBang Premium plans, from $2.99 on the US App Store, add 700 more brushes, and ads can be removed with a separate $7.99 add-on.
Platforms
Both run on iPad. Only MediBang Paint runs on iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows.
Procreate is made for iPad only. On iPhone you need Procreate Pocket, a separate $5.99 app, and Procreate does not list versions for Mac, Windows or Android.
MediBang Paint has an iPad app, a separate iPhone app, and versions for Android, Mac and Windows. Its cloud feature, which needs a MediBang account, lets you move a drawing between devices.
Brushes
Procreate ships with more than 300 brushes and Brush Studio, which exposes over 100 settings per brush. It imports Photoshop .abr brushes as well as Procreate brushes, and third-party Procreate brush packs are sold all over the web.
MediBang Paint includes 180 adjustable brushes, and Premium plans add 700 more. You can also make your own brushes.
Comics and manga
Procreate has Page Assist for laying out multi-page comics and a Halftone filter, and many artists add third-party panel templates and screentone brushes.
MediBang Paint was built with comics in mind, with 1,000 screentones, 60 fonts for lettering, easy comic panels and shared canvases for team projects.
Layers and editing
Procreate: Layers come with layer masks, clipping masks and 25+ blend modes, and the number of layers depends on your canvas size and device. Adjustments such as Curves, Gradient Map and Gaussian Blur are applied directly to a layer rather than kept as separate adjustment layers.
MediBang Paint: It covers the essentials with layers, blend modes and filters, and keeps the interface simple and lightweight, so it stays fast without needing much storage.
Drawing tools and extras
Procreate: Drawing aids include QuickShape, symmetry, 1, 2 and 3-point perspective and isometric guides, and vector text. Procreate also has frame-by-frame animation with Animation Assist, 3D painting on imported models, and a timelapse you can export in 4K.
MediBang Paint: Group Project lets you and your friends draw on the same canvas, cloud saving keeps drawings in step between devices, and MediBang Paint records a timelapse of your work.
Which should you choose?
Choose Procreate if
- You rely on third-party Procreate or Photoshop brush packs
- You want frame-by-frame animation
- You want to paint directly on 3D models
- You prefer one upfront price to a subscription
Choose MediBang Paint if
- You make comics on a budget and want screentones and panels for free
- You want to draw on a shared canvas with friends or a team
- You want to switch between an iPad and a desktop computer
- You also draw on Android
Frequently asked questions
Is Procreate better than MediBang Paint?
Neither is better for everyone. Procreate is the better pick if you rely on third-party Procreate or Photoshop brush packs, or you want frame-by-frame animation. MediBang Paint suits you better if you make comics on a budget and want screentones and panels for free, or you want to draw on a shared canvas with friends or a team.
Is Procreate free?
No. Procreate costs $12.99 once on the App Store, with no subscription and no free version. The iPhone version, Procreate Pocket, is a separate $5.99 purchase.
Is MediBang Paint free?
Yes, MediBang Paint is free with ads. Premium plans from $2.99 add 700 more brushes, and a $7.99 add-on removes ads.
Which works on iPhone, Procreate or MediBang Paint?
Procreate has a separate iPhone app, Procreate Pocket ($5.99). MediBang Paint has a separate iPhone app, MediBang Paint for iPhone.
Do Procreate and MediBang Paint work on Android?
Procreate does not list an Android version. MediBang Paint has an Android version.
Can two people draw together in Procreate or MediBang Paint?
Yes, MediBang Paint does (Group Project shared canvases). Procreate does not advertise live collaboration.
Do Procreate or MediBang Paint use generative AI?
Procreate has publicly pledged never to add generative AI to its apps. MediBang Paint does not advertise any generative AI features.
Sources
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. Procreate and MediBang Paint 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 Procreate and MediBang Paint.