Procreate Alternatives & Competitors

Overview of Procreate Alternatives

Procreate is a popular digital sketching and illustration app designed exclusively for iOS devices, such as the iPad and iPhone. This cloud-based solution is used by creative professionals for a wide range of digital art applications such as concept art, illustration, graphic design, and more. It helps them in designing illustrations and digital sketches on a centralized platform. Plus, it comes with an 'animation assist' feature that enables artists to save every stroke as a time-lapse clip for future reference. Moreover, this app boasts a vast library of brushes, such as various painting, sketching, and texture brushes and it allows you to create custom brushes or import brushes created by other artists.

Although Procreate offers tons of benefits, there are some potential drawbacks. Firstly, it is exclusively available for iOS devices, which means it cannot be used on Android, Windows, or macOS computers. Secondly, although this app is known for its user-friendly interface, mastering all its features and tools can take time and practice, making it less approachable for beginners.

Why are People Looking for Procreate Competitors?

Some people search for alternatives to Procreate due to drawbacks, such as:

• No Desktop Version: Procreate does not offer a desktop version, which can be a drawback for artists and designers who require a consistent workflow across multiple devices.
• Limited Text Tools: Procreate's text tools are relatively basic in comparison to dedicated graphic design software, which may be a limitation for those who require advanced typography and text manipulation.
• Export Options: Although the export options in Procreate are suitable for most purposes they may not offer the same level of control and flexibility as some desktop illustration and design software.
• Resource Intensive: Procreate can be resource-intensive, especially when working with high-resolution canvases or complex projects. This may lead to performance issues on older iOS devices.

What To Consider When Looking for Apps like Procreate?

Here are some critical things you should keep in mind while looking for substitutes for Procreate.

• High-Resolution Canvas: Users should be able to create artworks on high-resolution canvases. It helps in creating detailed and professional-quality illustrations and designs.
• Extensive Brush Library: Procreate alternatives should come with a large library of customizable brushes such as pencils, inks, paints, and textures. Moreover, you should be able to make your own customizable brushes.
• Layers: All Procreate competitors should use a layer system, which helps in stacking different elements of artwork on top of each other. Plus, it makes it easy to experiment and make changes without having to start over.
• Advanced Blending Modes: An alternative should provide a variety of blending modes for layers, allowing users to achieve a wide range of visual effects and styles in their artwork.

Must Have Features in Procreate Alternatives

Alternatives to Procreate should offer several notable features, such as layering, sharing options, symmetry drawing, sharing and animation.

• Layering: Procreate like apps should support multiple layers, blending modes, and layer grouping. Artists should be able to work with different layers to compose their artwork and make non-destructive edits.
• Colour mixing tools: Procreate offers a variety of colour mixing tools, such as colour palettes and colour wheels. This makes it easy to create custom colours. Similarly, its alternative should also come with a colour mixing tool feature.
• Sharing options: There must be a wide range of sharing options, such as email, social media, and cloud storage. This makes it easy to share your artwork with others.
• Symmetry drawing: An alternative app should have symmetry drawing modes that allow artists to create symmetrical designs effortlessly.
• Animation support: Procreate like apps must include animation features. Plus, users should be able to create frame-by-frame animations and do onion skinning, time-lapse recording, and export to various animation formats.

Comparison of Apps Similar to Procreate

• Procreate Vs Sketchbook
• Procreate Vs ArtRage
• Procreate Vs Inkscape

What are some Procreate alternatives for Mac, Windows, Android & iOS platforms?

• Procreate Alternatives for Mac: Affinity Designer, Clip Studio Paint, Corel Painter and ArtRage
• Procreate Alternatives for Windows: Clip Studio Paint, ArtRage and Corel Painter.
• Procreate Alternatives for iOS: Adobe Fresco, Tayasui Sketches, Autodesk SketchBook and Adobe Illustrator Draw
• Procreate Alternatives for Android: Infinite Painter, ibis Paint, ArtFlow and PaperColor

What Type of Businesses are Looking for Alternatives to Procreate?

Let’s look at some businesses that might look for Procreate alternatives.

• Graphic Design Agencies: Graphic design agencies often require advanced features and capabilities that are primarily found in professional desktop design software like Adobe Creative Cloud (e.g, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign). Therefore, they search for other platforms that offer a wider range of design and layout functionalities. Plus, while Procreate offers some vector-like capabilities, it is mainly a raster-based tool. Graphic design agencies often require powerful vector graphics tools for tasks such as logo design, vector illustrations, and scalable designs.
• Animation Studios: Animation studios frequently involve multiple artists, animators, and designers working together on projects; hence they opt for an alternative that supports team collaboration, version control, and asset management. Moreover, these studios often require advanced compositing and special effects capabilities, which are typically available in dedicated animation and compositing software. Procreate's compositing features may not be as robust as other dedicated software.
• Gaming Companies: Gaming companies often require 3D modeling and animation tools to create 3D characters, environments, and assets and Procreate is primarily a 2D illustration tool and may not provide the necessary 3D capabilities. Additionally, they need tools that support real-time rendering and optimization for various gaming platforms, which is not available in Procreate application.

Techjockey’s Verdict

Procreate is considered as one of the most powerful and versatile digital painting and illustration apps available for iOS devices. Its extensive set of features, intuitive user interface, and constant updates have made it a favourite among artists, designers, and illustrators. This app supports multiple layers, blending modes, and layer grouping, which allows you to work flexibly and make non-destructive edits to your artwork.

Moreover, it has a thriving online community where professionals share resources, tutorials, custom brushes, and artwork to foster a supportive and creative environment.

However, if Procreate is the right choice for your business depends on your specific needs, goals, and budget. It is advisable to take advantage of any trial periods or demos offered to assess whether it aligns with your business requirements or not. In addition, you can consider exploring other alternatives and comparing them to ensure you select the best digital illustration app for your organization.