rabbit.reviews

The Best Drawing Apps

Updated May 2026·Experts: PCMag, CNET, WIRED · Community: DigitalPainting community user, Surface community user, BeginnerArtists community user

Best OverallProcreate

Procreate

If you have an iPad and any interest in digital art, just buy Procreate. Nothing else comes close for the price, it's the app the entire community points to first, every time.

What holds up

  • One-time $12.99 purchase with no subscription or in-app purchases
  • Massive brush library with 136+ brush types, fully customizable
  • Supports layering, blend modes, alpha locks, clipping masks, and animation
  • Intuitive interface designed natively for Apple Pencil and iPad
  • Continuous autosave and high-resolution canvas support

What to know

  • iPad and iPhone only, no Android or Windows version
  • No cloud storage or automatic iCloud backup
  • Large feature set can feel overwhelming for absolute beginners
Expert verdict
Procreate is a premium quality, low-cost iPad app for artists of every kind. Anyone can use it to create 2D artwork, paint on 3D models, animate, and more.
PCMagView source
Expert verdict
I've been using Procreate for a couple of years and there are still features I'm finding out about that improve my artwork.
CNETView source
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Best Free OptionAdobe Fresco

Adobe Fresco

Fresco went fully free in 2024, which makes it a no-brainer to try. The live brushes are genuinely magical, watercolor that bleeds and spreads like the real thing. It's the only app that gives Procreate a real run for its money.

What holds up

  • Completely free, all premium brushes and features now unlocked for everyone
  • Unique Live Brush technology simulates real watercolor and oil paint physics
  • Available on iPad, iPhone, and Windows (unlike Procreate)
  • Supports both raster and vector art in the same canvas
  • 5GB cloud storage included; integrates with Creative Cloud libraries

What to know

  • No Android or ChromeOS version
  • Cannot access Illustrator brushes directly
  • Full feature set requires Adobe account login
  • Advanced features tied to Adobe ecosystem
Expert verdict
Between its exceptional brush options, simple animation tools, and superb help resources, it's a must-have for artists of all levels. Best of all, it no longer locks features behind a paid subscription.
PCMagView source
Expert verdict
Fresco has the upper edge, however, because of its singular Live Brush technology and vector capabilities.
PCMagView source
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Best for Professionals & Manga ArtistsClip Studio Paint

Clip Studio Paint

If you're serious about comics, manga, or detailed illustration work, Clip Studio Paint is the professional standard. The brush quality alone justifies the subscription, no other app produces cleaner, smoother lines.

What holds up

  • Outstanding brush dynamics with the cleanest, smoothest line quality of any drawing app
  • Highly customizable for any workflow, line art, inking, coloring, vector art
  • Six-month free trial for new users
  • Available on desktop and tablet, making cross-device workflows seamless
  • Industry standard for manga and comic artists worldwide

What to know

  • Steeper learning curve than Procreate or Fresco
  • Interface cluttered with tiny buttons that don't translate as well to tablet
  • Subscription model ($9/month) adds up over time
  • Originally built for desktop, so tablet experience feels less native
Expert verdict
Clip Studio Paint is an old standby, a favorite of illustrators and manga artists. No other app is quite as powerful and customizable. It's great for line work, inking, coloring, or anything else you could possibly need in a digital illustration studio.
WIREDView source
Expert verdict
These would be fatal flaws if Clip Studio Paint weren't so incredible as an art-creation tool. The brush dynamics are outstanding, producing some of the cleanest, smoothest, and most consistent lines I've ever seen.
WIREDView source
From the community
Only reason I stopped was cuz I was gifted a pro tablet so I use Clip Studio now lol
r/DigitalPainting community userView source
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Best Free Cross-Platform AppAutodesk Sketchbook

Autodesk Sketchbook

Sketchbook is the community's top free pick, especially for Android users who can't get Procreate. It's less intimidating than Procreate, has no ads, and the brush library is genuinely impressive for a free app.

What holds up

  • Completely free with no paywalled brushes or tools (requires free Autodesk ID after 7 days)
  • Available on Android, iOS, and desktop, true cross-platform support
  • Camera-as-scanner feature lets you import paper sketches with transparent backgrounds
  • Extensive, well-organized brush library with customizable size, opacity, and pressure
  • No ads and a clean, approachable interface with built-in tutorial

What to know

  • Less feature-rich than Procreate for professional-level work
  • Requires creating a free Autodesk account after the 7-day trial period
  • Animation and advanced layer features are more limited than competitors
  • Community considers it a stepping stone rather than a long-term professional tool
Expert verdict
The Autodesk Sketchbook app is free but is surprisingly packed with art tools that aren't blocked by paywalls. It's a little less intimidating than Procreate when you're starting off your digital art journey.
CNETView source
Expert verdict
Even when extensively zoomed in, the app didn't lose its 'drawing' feel by letting you see the pixels in your stroke.
CNETView source
From the community
Personally, I recommend Sketchbook- very simple to use and without ads. Plus the premium version is extremely cheap, if you decide you want to upgrade.
r/DigitalPainting community userView source
From the community
I have tried many apps, since most phone don't have pressure sensitive, I recommend Sketchbook Pro, It has many brushes and gesture shortcuts to make the sketching experience over phone better.
r/DigitalPainting community userView source
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Best Free Desktop Drawing AppKrita

Krita

Krita is what you recommend to anyone who wants Procreate-level power on a desktop without spending a dime. It's open-source, actively maintained, and the community consistently points to it as the best free alternative to paid software.

What holds up

  • Completely free and open-source, available on Windows, Mac, and Linux
  • Supports layering, blending modes, vector tools, and basic 2D animation
  • No ads, no subscriptions, no paywalled features
  • Large brush library with quality material simulation
  • Actively maintained with regular updates

What to know

  • Performance can lag on Mac compared to Windows
  • Steeper learning curve than beginner-friendly apps like Sketchbook
  • Mobile version is less polished than desktop
  • Brush quality for material simulation not quite as refined as Procreate or Clip Studio
From the community
I'd recommend Krita for instance. If you want to improve grab a nice pencily brush and just sketch.
r/BeginnerArtists community userView source
From the community
Krita is what I would typically recommend someone who is just starting out, it's free (it's open source) and very similar to MS Paint, but can also do layering, blending modes, some vector, and even simple animation.
r/BeginnerArtists community userView source
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