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)
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)
Key differences
Only Photoshop has
- Free version: Yes, core editing tools
Feature comparison
| Feature | Procreate |
Photoshop |
|---|---|---|
| Price and platforms | ||
| Price | $12.99 one-time | Free; premium from $7.99/month |
| Free version | No, paid upfront | Yes, core editing tools |
| Subscription | None | Required for premium tools and PSD export |
| Ad-free | Yes | Not advertised |
| No account needed | Yes | Not advertised |
| iPad | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone | Separate app, Procreate Pocket ($5.99) | Yes, same app |
| Mac | No, iPad only | Desktop Photoshop, separate plan |
| Android and Chromebook | Not advertised | Separate Android app, in beta |
| Brushes | ||
| Built-in brushes | 300+ | Painting and retouching brushes |
| Brush customization | Brush Studio, 100+ settings | Basic brush settings |
| Brush import | Procreate and Photoshop (.abr) brushes | Not advertised |
| Apple Pencil | Pressure and tilt | Supported |
| Comics and manga | ||
| Comic panel layouts | Page Assist for comic pages | Not advertised |
| Screentones | Halftone filter | Not advertised |
| Text and lettering | Vector text, custom fonts | Text and fonts |
| Layers and editing | ||
| Layer limit | Depends on canvas size and device | Not advertised |
| Blend modes | 25+ | Advanced blend modes (premium) |
| Masks | Layer and clipping masks | Layer masks |
| Adjustments and filters | Curves, Color Balance, HSB, Gradient Map, blurs, Bloom, Glitch, Halftone, applied to the layer | Adjustment layers and targeted adjustments |
| Selection tools | Automatic, freehand, rectangle, ellipse | Tap Select, Object Select, Magic Wand |
| Liquify and distortion | Liquify and Warp | Not advertised |
| Clone tool | Yes | Spot Healing and Remove Tool |
| 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 | Not advertised |
| Live collaboration | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Generative AI | None. Procreate has pledged never to add it | Yes: Generative Fill, Generate Image, AI Assistant (credits) |
| Files | ||
| Photoshop PSD | Import and export | Native PSD (premium export) |
| Export formats | PSD, TIFF, PNG, JPEG, PDF, GIF, MP4, OBJ, USDZ | PSD, TIFF, JPG, PNG |
| CMYK and print | CMYK color profiles | Not advertised |
| App Store | ||
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 (51K ratings) | 4.5 / 5 (94K ratings) |
| Last updated | September 18, 2026 | August 25, 2026 |
| Languages | 17 | 19 |
Price
Procreate costs $12.99 upfront, while Photoshop 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.
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.
Platforms
Both run on iPad. Only Photoshop 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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
Frequently asked questions
Is Procreate better than Photoshop?
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. Photoshop suits you better if you mostly edit and composite photos rather than paint, or you need native PSD files that open in desktop Photoshop.
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 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.
Which works on iPhone, Procreate or Photoshop?
Procreate has a separate iPhone app, Procreate Pocket ($5.99). Photoshop runs on iPhone in the same app as on iPad.
Do Procreate and Photoshop work on Android?
Procreate does not list an Android version. Photoshop has a separate Android app, currently in beta.
Do Procreate or Photoshop use generative AI?
Procreate has publicly pledged never to add generative AI to its apps. Photoshop includes generative AI: Generative Fill, Generate Image and an AI Assistant, powered by Adobe Firefly and generative credits.
Sources
- Procreate on the App Store
- Procreate's statement on generative AI
- Adobe Photoshop on the App Store
- Photoshop Android beta announcement coverage
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 Photoshop 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 Photoshop.