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Free Procreate Alternatives (2027): 11 Free Drawing Apps for iPad, Android, Windows and Mac

Free Procreate Alternatives for iPad, Android, Windows and Mac

Procreate is the drawing app many illustrators start with, but it only runs on an iPad and costs money up front. If you draw on an Android tablet, a Windows or Mac computer or a Chromebook, or you simply want to try digital painting without paying, a free app can do most of the work. We checked every app below on its official website and app store listing in October 2026: which platforms it runs on, what the free version really includes, where ads, daily time limits or paid upgrades come in, and which apps from older lists have changed.
Quick answer: on a computer, use Krita (free and open source for Windows, Mac and Linux, and on Android tablets); on an iPad or iPhone, use Adobe Fresco, which is now free; for the biggest brush and font library on a phone or tablet, use ibis Paint X; for comics and manga, use MediBang Paint; and on an Android tablet, try Infinite Painter or Sketchbook.
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What Procreate Costs and Where It Runs in 2027

To know what you are replacing: Procreate is sold only through Apple's App Store, with no subscription. When we checked the US App Store in October 2026 it cost $12.99 as a one-off purchase and required an iPad with iPadOS 16.3 or later; version 5.4.14 was the latest. There is no Android, Windows or Mac version. The same company sells Procreate Pocket for iPhone and Procreate Dreams for animation. Procreate has also taken a public stance against generative AI: it says it will not build generative AI into its apps. That one-off price is fair, so the reasons to look elsewhere are usually the platform, not the cost.

Free Procreate Alternatives Compared

AppPlatformsFree terms (Oct 2026)Best for
KritaWindows, Mac, Linux, AndroidFree and open source (GPL); paid store versions fund developmentPainting and illustration on a computer
Adobe FrescoiPad, iPhone, WindowsFree for all, no paid tierThe closest free Procreate feel on iPad
ibis Paint XiPhone, iPad, Android; Windows and MacFree with ads on mobile; desktop demo 1 hour a dayHuge brush and font library, phones
MediBang PaintWindows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, AndroidFree with ads; Premium adds brushesComics, manga and webtoons
SketchbookAndroid, iPhone, iPad (Pro on Mac and Windows is paid)Mobile app free; Premium Bundle $2.99Clean sketching on mobile
Infinite PainterAndroid, iPhone, iPad, ChromebookFree with 3 layers; Pro unlocks moreNatural painting on Android tablets
ConceptsiPad, iPhone, Android, Windows, ChromebookFree Basic plan, 5 layers, JPG exportVector sketching, product and UX ideas
ArtFlowAndroidFree with ads; pro licence in-appSimple painting on Android
HiPaintiPad, iPhone, Android, Apple-silicon MacFree with ads; $0.99 add-onsProcreate-style app on Android
MyPaintWindows, Mac, LinuxFree and open sourceDistraction-free sketching on a computer
Clip Studio PaintWindows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, AndroidTrial; phones free up to 30 hours a monthProfessional comics (paid)
Sources: each app's official website and its Apple App Store or Google Play listing (US store), checked 30 October 2026. Prices vary by country and store.

The Best Free Procreate Alternatives in 2027

1. Krita: the best free painting app for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android

Krita describes itself as a professional free and open-source painting program made by artists, and it is the strongest free answer to Procreate on a computer. It has a deep brush engine, layers and masks, a wrap-around mode for seamless textures, and frame-by-frame animation. It is licensed under the GNU GPL and runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android tablets; its download page states plainly that iPads and iPhones are not supported. The versions sold on Steam, the Epic Games Store, the Microsoft Store and the Mac App Store are the same app; buying one is a way to fund development. Krita 5.3.4 and 6.0.4 came out on 15 September 2026, and the Android version gained video export that month.

2. Adobe Fresco: free on iPad, iPhone and Windows

Adobe Fresco is the closest free match to Procreate on an iPad. Adobe's product page calls it free for all, and according to Creative Bloq, Adobe made its former premium features free in October 2024. It combines textural raster brushes, vector brushes that scale without pixelating, live brushes that blend like watercolour and oil, and motion tools for frame-by-frame animation. It runs on iPad, iPhone and Windows, but not on Android or Mac, and it suits you best if you already use other Adobe apps.

3. ibis Paint X: the biggest brush library on phones and tablets

ibis Paint X is a free drawing app for iPhone, iPad and Android, and its maker now also offers it for Windows and Mac. Its US App Store listing counts more than 130,000 brushes, 30,000 materials and 3,000 fonts, plus 86 filters, and it can record your drawing process as a video. The mobile app is free with ads: removing them costs $15.99 once, and Premium Membership is $4.49 a month or $27.99 a year. On a computer, the free Demo Mode is limited to one hour a day; the Pro Upgrade costs $62.99 once. It is a good choice for drawing on a phone, less so for long desktop sessions.

4. MediBang Paint: free comics and manga on every platform

MediBang Paint is a free painting and comic app for Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone and Android, with cloud saving between devices through a free MediBang account. The iPad listing includes 180 brushes, 1,000 screentones and 60 fonts, which makes it a favourite for manga, comics and webtoons. The mobile apps show ads; MediBang Premium adds about 700 more brushes and materials, from $2.99 in the App Store. Its desktop download page lists version 29.1. MediBang also sells a separate iPad app, MediBang Paletta, which is free for 2 hours a day (more if you watch ads) or $9.99 for a perpetual licence.

5. Sketchbook: clean sketching on Android and iOS

Sketchbook is the former Autodesk SketchBook, now made by Sketchbook, Inc. Its uncluttered interface makes it one of the easiest apps for quick sketches. The mobile app for Android, iPhone and iPad is free to download; on iOS, a Premium Bundle costs $2.99 as an in-app purchase. The desktop version, Sketchbook Pro for Mac and Windows, is no longer free: the US Mac App Store listed it at $24.99 in October 2026. The Android app was updated in October 2026, so it is still maintained.
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6. Infinite Painter: natural painting on Android tablets

Infinite Painter by Infinite Studio is one of the most complete painting apps for Android, and it also runs on iPhone, iPad and Chromebooks. Its Google Play listing says the free version includes all built-in brushes and brush editing, 3 layers at device resolution, lasso selection, symmetry and seamless pattern projects; Pro adds HD canvases, many more layers, adjustment and filter layers, masks and over 40 tools. Export includes layered PSD. The Android app was updated in October 2026.

7. Concepts: vector sketching on an infinite canvas

Concepts is different from Procreate: every stroke is an editable vector on an infinite canvas, which suits product sketches, storyboards, floor plans and UX ideas more than painting. It is on the App Store, Microsoft Store, Google Play, Chromebooks and the Galaxy Store. The free Basic tier includes the infinite canvas, unlimited drawings, 5 layers, basic brushes and JPG export; Pro costs $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, and Essentials are one-off purchases from $1.99 to $39.99 that unlock tools such as infinite layers and PSD, SVG or DXF export.

8. ArtFlow: a simple painting app for Android

ArtFlow by Artflow Studio is an Android-only sketch and paint app with a fast brush engine and a clean interface. It is free with ads, and advanced features need a one-time pro licence that activates on every device linked to your Google account. Its last Google Play update was in July 2025, so it is less active than Infinite Painter or ibis Paint X.

9. HiPaint: a Procreate-style app on Android

HiPaint by Aige Technology has a layout similar to Procreate's, and it runs on Android as well as iPad, iPhone and Apple-silicon Macs. Its App Store listing lists over 100 brushes with a brush studio, 28 blend modes, vector, liquify and selection tools, frame-by-frame animation and PSD export. The app is free with ads; removing ads and unlocking single tools such as text or selection costs $0.99 to $1.99 each. The Android app was updated in October 2026.

10. MyPaint: free, distraction-free painting on a computer

MyPaint is a free, open-source painting program for Windows, Mac and Linux with an endless canvas and a minimal interface that hides out of the way while you draw with a tablet. Its last stable release, 2.0.1, dates from May 2020, although code changes were still made in 2026. Use it for sketching and painting; for a fuller feature set, choose Krita.

11. GIMP and Paint.NET: free editors, not painting apps

Older lists often include GIMP and Paint.NET, but both are image and photo editors first. GIMP is free software for Windows, Mac and Linux (version 3.2.6 came out on 10 September 2026) and can paint with a tablet, but its brushes are weaker than Krita's. Paint.NET is a free Windows-only editor (version 5.1.12, March 2026) for quick edits, layers and effects. Use them to edit photos and finished artwork, not as your main drawing app.

Not Free or Changed: What Happened to Older Recommendations

The 2025 version of this article and many other lists still describe some of these apps in ways that are no longer accurate:
  • Autodesk SketchBook: the apps are now run by Sketchbook, Inc. The mobile app is still free, but the desktop Sketchbook Pro is a paid app.
  • Clip Studio Paint: excellent for comics, but not free. On iPad you get a 30-day trial and then need a plan (from $4.89 a month in the US App Store) to save and export; its iPhone listing says it can be used fully for free for up to 30 hours each month. Check the Clip Studio Paint plans before you rely on it.
  • Adobe Fresco: no longer has a paid premium tier; everything is free.
  • PENUP: Samsung's PENUP is a drawing-sharing community with colouring pages and follow-along drawing videos, not a full painting studio, so it does not replace Procreate.
  • ArtFlow and MyPaint: still available, but updated less often (ArtFlow's last store update was July 2025; MyPaint's last stable release was May 2020).

Which Free Procreate Alternative Should You Choose?

  • You have a Windows, Mac or Linux computer and a drawing tablet: Krita. MyPaint if you want something lighter.
  • You have an iPad but do not want to pay: Adobe Fresco, or ibis Paint X if you want a bigger brush library.
  • You have an Android tablet: Infinite Painter or Krita for painting, ibis Paint X or MediBang Paint for comics, HiPaint for a Procreate-like layout.
  • You draw comics, manga or webtoons: MediBang Paint for free, Clip Studio Paint if you are ready to pay.
  • You sketch products, wireframes or storyboards: Concepts.
  • You only need quick sketches on a phone: Sketchbook.
Want to compare beyond free apps? See our lists of open-source Procreate alternatives and paid and free Procreate alternatives, plus free Krita alternatives and Autodesk Sketchbook alternatives. For other creative work, we also checked free Photoshop alternatives, free Illustrator alternatives, free CorelDRAW alternatives and free Blender alternatives for 3D.

How Founders Use Free Drawing Apps

For a founder, a drawing app is less about art and more about making ideas visible fast: a logo sketch before you pay a designer, storyboards for a launch video, product sketches to show early customers, or illustrations for a landing page and social posts. A quick sketch you put in front of customers is part of the 30-day validation sprint, and the top design tools for startups cover what to use once a sketch becomes a real design. If you are an illustrator, art itself can be the business: see our ideas for selling digital art, freelance illustration services and print-on-demand designs.
Free design tools can replace much of a startup's paid stack: compare free Canva Pro alternatives for social graphics, open-source Figma alternatives for interfaces and open-source Rive alternatives for animation. When your work is ready to show, write about it with the F/MS AI SEO Tool so people find your portfolio in Google and AI assistants.
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FAQ About Free Procreate Alternatives

What is the best free alternative to Procreate?

On a computer, Krita: it is free, open source and runs on Windows, Mac, Linux and Android tablets. On an iPad, Adobe Fresco is the closest free match, and ibis Paint X has the biggest brush library on phones and tablets.

Is there a free Procreate for Android?

Procreate does not run on Android. Good free Android options are Infinite Painter, ibis Paint X, MediBang Paint, Sketchbook, HiPaint and Krita, which runs on Android tablets.

Is there a free Procreate for Windows or Mac?

Procreate is iPad only. On Windows and Mac, use Krita or MyPaint (both free and open source) or MediBang Paint. Adobe Fresco also runs on Windows, and ibis Paint has a desktop version with a one-hour-a-day free demo.

How much does Procreate cost in 2027?

When we checked the US App Store in October 2026, Procreate cost $12.99 as a one-off purchase with no subscription. It runs only on iPad; Procreate Pocket is the separate iPhone version.

Is Adobe Fresco really free?

Yes. Adobe's product page says Fresco is free for all, and there is no paid premium tier any more. It runs on iPad, iPhone and Windows.

Is Sketchbook still free?

The mobile Sketchbook app for Android and iOS is free to download, with an optional $2.99 Premium Bundle on iOS. The desktop Sketchbook Pro for Mac and Windows is now a paid app.

Can Krita run on an iPad?

No. Krita's download page says iPads and iPhones are not supported. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android tablets.

Is Clip Studio Paint free?

Not fully. On iPad there is a 30-day free trial, after which you need a plan to save and export; the iPhone app can be used for free for up to 30 hours each month. It is the strongest choice for professional comics if you are willing to pay.

Which free drawing app is best for comics and manga?

MediBang Paint, which is free on Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone and Android and includes 1,000 screentones and 60 fonts. ibis Paint X is a good second choice on phones.

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About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
2026-10-30 04:50 Top Alternatives