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Top 10 Free Alternatives to Procreate in 2025

Top 10 Free Alternatives to Procreate in 2025

Top 10 Free Alternatives to Procreate in 2025

With Procreate continuing to be the go-to application for digital artists, 2025 has brought forth an array of compelling free alternatives. This article delves into the top 10 free substitutes for Procreate, providing detailed comparisons based on key features, platform availability, and user experience.
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1. Krita

  • Website: krita.org
  • Description: Krita is a free and open-source painting program designed for digital artists.
  • Platform Availability: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android (tablets), ChromeOS.
  • Features: Wide range of customizable brushes, layers, drawing assistants, stabilizers, vector tools, animation tools, HDR support.
  • File Support: Supports a wide variety of file formats, including PSD, and HDR images.
  • Customization: Highly customizable interface, with the ability to create custom toolbars.
  • Community: Large and active user community providing resources, tutorials and support.
  • Learn more about Krita

2. MediBang Paint

  • Website: medibangpaint.com
  • Description: A free digital painting and comic creation software.
  • Platform Availability: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
  • Features: Over 180 default brushes, 1000 screentones, 60 fonts, comic panel creation tools, cloud saving.
  • Cloud Integration: Seamless switching between devices with cloud storage.
  • Collaboration: Supports team-based projects for collaborative art creation.
  • Customization: Highly customizable brushes and interface.
  • Explore MediBang Paint
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3. Autodesk Sketchbook

  • Website: sketchbook.com
  • Description: A free sketching and painting application designed for expressive drawing.
  • Platform Availability: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • Features: Wide range of brushes, including a Copic Color Library, layer support, perspective guides, very clean and minimalist UI.
  • User Experience: Optimized for a smooth and comfortable drawing experience.
  • Cost: Completely free with no ads or payments required.
  • File Support: Supports PSD file import and export.
  • Learn more about Autodesk Sketchbook

4. Ibis Paint X

  • Website: ibispaint.com
  • Description: A popular and versatile drawing app with a large user base.
  • Platform Availability: iOS, Android, Windows (tablets and PCs).
  • Features: Over 47,000 brushes, 21,000 materials, 2,100 fonts, 84 filters, screentones, and blending modes.
  • Recording: Ability to record and share the drawing process as a video.
  • Social Features: Built-in social networking features for sharing and learning.
  • Brush Customization: Highly customizable brushes, with smooth drawing up to 120 fps.
  • Explore Ibis Paint X

5. Infinite Painter

  • Website: infinitepainter.art
  • Description: A robust digital painting app with an extensive set of features.
  • Platform Availability: Android, iOS.
  • Features: Hundreds of built-in brushes with customizable settings, realistic canvas interaction, extensive layer support, pattern creation tool, perspective guides.
  • Canvas Sizes: Supports large canvas sizes up to 8000x8000 pixels.
  • Interface: Minimal and intuitive interface designed for easy navigation.
  • Timelapse Recording: Ability to share timelapse recordings of the drawing process.
  • Discover Infinite Painter
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6. ArtFlow

  • Website: artflowstudio.com
  • Description: A user-friendly painting and drawing app for Android.
  • Platform Availability: Android.
  • Features: Over 80 paint brushes, smudge, fill, and eraser tool, stylus pressure support, layer clipping masks, selection tools.
  • Canvas Size: Supports large canvases up to 6144x6144 pixels with many layers.
  • File Support: Supports import and export of PNG, JPG, and PSD files.
  • Interface: Material design-inspired, fast and intuitive user interface.
  • Learn more about ArtFlow

7. Concepts

  • Website: concepts.app
  • Description: A flexible vector-based sketching and design app.
  • Platform Availability: iOS, Android, ChromeOS.
  • Features: Infinite canvas, vector-based drawing, customizable tool wheel, layer management.
  • Scalability: Vector-based format allows for scaling of strokes without losing quality.
  • User Experience: Minimalist user interface focused on efficient workflows.
  • Integration: Exports to various formats including image, SVG and PDF and integrates with other apps such as Procreate, Sketchbook and Adobe.
  • Explore Concepts

8. Adobe Fresco

  • Website: adobe.com
  • Description: Professional-level painting and drawing app by Adobe, now completely free.
  • Platform Availability: Windows and iPadOS/iOS.
  • Features: Thousands of pixel, vector, and live brushes, unlimited layers, motion presets, symmetry tools, Apple Pencil Pro support.
  • Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other Adobe products like Photoshop and Illustrator.
  • Cost: Completely free, including access to all features, brushes and updates.
  • Animation: Includes tools to create animations.
  • Learn more about Adobe Fresco

9. PENUP

  • Website: samsung.com
  • Description: A social drawing tool focused on community and sharing.
  • Platform Availability: Android (primarily Samsung devices).
  • Features: Live drawing tool, image import, timelapse recording, social networking features, drawing challenges.
  • Community: Platform where artists can showcase their work and connect with others.
  • Brush Memory: Brushes remember color options individually.
  • Canvas Sizes: Includes preset canvas sizes and options for custom sizes.
  • Learn more about PENUP

10. HiPaint

  • Platform Availability: Primarily Android.
  • Features: Offers a range of painting tools, brushes, and layers for digital drawing.
  • User Base: Gaining traction among artists seeking a free alternative to Procreate.
  • Focus: Emphasizes ease of use and accessibility for beginners.
  • Availability: Easily accessible through app stores, which can be useful for artists looking to get started immediately.
Note: App availability and features may vary slightly depending on the device and operating system.
This list should provide a good starting point for anyone looking to explore free alternatives to Procreate in 2025.
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FAQ

1. What is a good free alternative to Procreate for digital painting?
Krita is a popular free and open-source painting program designed for digital artists, offering a wide range of customizable brushes and tools. Explore Krita
2. Which app is best for comic creation as a free alternative to Procreate?
MediBang Paint is an excellent choice for comic creation, offering features such as over 180 brushes and cloud saving. Discover MediBang Paint
3. Is there a completely free sketching app similar to Procreate?
Autodesk Sketchbook provides a smooth and comfortable drawing experience with no ads or payments required. Learn more about Sketchbook
4. What Procreate alternative has extensive brush options and social features?
Ibis Paint X offers over 47,000 brushes and built-in social networking features for sharing and learning. Check out Ibis Paint X
5. Which app offers a minimal and intuitive interface for painting and drawing?
Infinite Painter is known for its minimal and intuitive interface, along with its extensive set of features and realistic canvas interaction. Explore Infinite Painter
6. What app is good for digital painting on Android specifically?
ArtFlow is a user-friendly painting and drawing app for Android, supporting large canvases and a variety of brushes. Learn about ArtFlow
7. Which free alternative to Procreate uses a vector-based format?
Concepts provides infinite canvas and vector-based drawing, allowing for scalable strokes without losing quality. Discover Concepts
8. Is there a professional-level free app by Adobe similar to Procreate?
Adobe Fresco offers professional-level painting and drawing tools, including thousands of brushes and unlimited layers. Learn more about Adobe Fresco
9. What app includes social networking features for artists?
PENUP is a social drawing tool focused on community and sharing, allowing artists to showcase their work and connect with others. Explore PENUP
10. Which new app is gaining traction among digital artists as a free alternative?
HiPaint is gaining traction among artists for its range of painting tools and ease of use, accessible through app stores.

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. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

Mission and Purpose

Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

Key Features

The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
  • Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
  • Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
  • AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
  • SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
  • Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
  • Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
  • 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
  • 100+ startup tools built
  • 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written

Partnerships

Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.

Recognition

Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
Top Alternatives