Table of Contents
If you‘re a digital artist looking for a powerful drawing and painting app, you‘ve probably heard of Procreate. It‘s widely considered one of the best apps available for creatives using an iPad or iPhone. But with a price tag of $9.99 on the App Store, you might be wondering—is there a way to legally get Procreate for free?
The short answer is no. Procreate is not available for free and has never offered a free version. The developers have been very clear that the app will always be a one-time paid purchase with no subscription model. While that might be disappointing if you were hoping for a free option, there are some very good reasons why Procreate is worth the $9.99.
In this post, we‘ll explain exactly what Procreate offers, debunk some myths about free versions, and share a few free alternative apps to consider. Let‘s dive in!
What is Procreate?
First, let‘s clarify what Procreate actually is. It‘s a digital illustration app built exclusively for iPadOS and iOS devices. With Procreate, you can draw, paint, and edit with a robust collection of brushes and tools. It‘s been meticulously designed to recreate the natural feel of traditional art supplies like pencils, inks, and paint brushes.
Some key features of Procreate include:
- 200+ handmade brushes, plus the ability to make your own
- Customizable canvas sizes up to 16K resolution
- Full layer support for complex compositions
- Powerful selection tools, transformation options, and layer effects
- Vector text, plus the ability to import/export vector files
- Record 4K resolution time-lapse videos of your art
- Intuitive gesture controls for a seamless workflow
- Export to PSD, PDF, PNG, JPEG, and more
Since its initial release in 2011, Procreate has won numerous awards including an Apple Design Award and iPad App of the Year. Over the years, it‘s been a top-seller on the App Store and has an impressive 4.8-star rating across over 45,000 reviews.
Why Isn‘t Procreate Available for Free?
As you can see, Procreate is an extensive app with an abundance of advanced features. It‘s more than just a simple sketching or coloring app. The small team of developers at Savage Interactive have put an enormous amount of work into handcrafting every detail.
Procreate was built on the vision of empowering artists to create professional-level digital art without the complexity of traditional desktop software. Making the app exclusive to Apple‘s platforms has allowed the developers to deeply integrate Apple Pencil support and optimize performance.
With Procreate‘s one-time purchase model, you get full access to every current feature, plus free updates with new features and improvements over time. It‘s a refreshingly simple approach in an age of recurring subscriptions. Paying the $9.99 upfront allows Savage Interactive to put their time and energy into expanding the app, rather than worrying about selling upgrades or add-ons.
So while it would be great to get all of that value for $0, the reality is that developing professional-grade software has real costs in both time and resources. The price of the app goes to support the livelihood of the creators and makes it possible for them to provide ongoing customer support.
The Dangers of Downloading "Free" Versions of Procreate
You may find YouTube videos or websites claiming you can download Procreate for free. They‘ll often include step-by-step instructions or a download link. But beware! These are illegal, pirated versions of the app.
Not only is it ethically wrong to steal from independent creators, but downloading these files can seriously harm your device. Procreate knockoffs can contain malware, spyware, and viruses that compromise your iPad‘s security. Developers of legitimate apps like Procreate use official channels like the App Store, which have strict security and verification processes.
Scammers are just looking to make money off of ads or steal your personal information. They don‘t care if their malicious code destroys your device or locks you out of your files. It‘s simply not worth the risk, especially when the real Procreate app is so affordable.
Affordable Alternatives to Procreate
Perhaps you‘re just not ready to spend the $9.99 on a drawing app right now. In that case, there are some free alternatives worth checking out:
-
Autodesk SketchBook: SketchBook has a clean and minimal interface that‘s great for beginners. It has a nice selection of basic tools and brushes. While not as extensive as Procreate, it‘s a solid app for getting started with digital drawing.
-
MediBang Paint: If you‘re interested in creating comics or manga art, MediBang Paint is a good choice. It comes with a library of pre-made tones, backgrounds, and word balloons. You can also download user-created brushes for even more options.
-
ibis Paint X: ibis Paint X has a unique recording feature that captures your drawing process in real time. You can then save the recordings and post them to social media. It also supports pressure sensitivity for more realistic brush strokes.
Of course, there are always new apps launching on the App Store, so I recommend browsing the free options and reading reviews to find the one that suits your needs. Just keep in mind that free apps usually have ads, limited features, or in-app purchases.
Frequently Asked Questions About Procreate
To wrap things up, here are answers to some common questions about Procreate:
Q: What are the system requirements for Procreate?
A: Procreate requires iPadOS 14.4 or newer and works on the iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 2 & 3, iPad mini 5, and the 5th-8th generation iPad. The recommended minimum is 2GB of RAM.
Q: How much space does Procreate take up on an iPad?
A: The app itself is about 464 MB, but you‘ll also need space for your artwork files. The max canvas size of 16,384 x 4,096 pixels can produce large file sizes. I‘d recommend having at least 2-3 GB of free space.
Q: Is my Procreate artwork saved to iCloud?
A: Yes, if you have iCloud enabled on your iPad, your Procreate files will automatically sync just like any other app data. You can access your files on other iPadOS/iOS devices signed in with your Apple ID.
Q: Can you use Procreate without an Apple Pencil?
A: Yes, you can use Procreate with your finger or a third-party stylus. However, Apple Pencil is the recommended tool to take full advantage of features like pressure and tilt sensitivity.
Q: Is there an Android version of Procreate?
A: No, Procreate is exclusive to iPadOS and iOS. There are no plans for an Android or desktop version. If you want to use Procreate, you‘ll need a compatible iPad or iPhone.
Q: Does Procreate ever go on sale?
A: Very rarely. Your best bet is to check the App Store around major holidays like Black Friday or the December holidays. Even then, the discount is usually just a couple dollars off the regular price.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, it‘s true that you can‘t get Procreate for free. I know that can be frustrating if you‘re on a tight budget, but I firmly believe it‘s worth the investment. The $9.99 you spend now will provide you with an incredibly powerful tool for all your digital art needs.
If you want to be a professional artist, you need professional tools, and Procreate offers an unparalleled suite of features for a one-time price. It‘s trusted by graphic designers, illustrators, and concept artists at major studios like Disney and Pixar.
Don‘t put your iPad‘s security at risk trying to download a hacked version. Not only is it illegal, it‘s just not worth sacrificing the stability and peace of mind you get from buying from the official App Store.
And remember, you can always try out a free alternative app like Autodesk SketchBook to see if you enjoy digital illustration. Then, if you decide you want to get serious about learning to use Procreate, you can upgrade to the full app later.
I hope this post has given you a better understanding of your options! Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions. And if you found this information helpful, consider using our affiliate link to purchase Procreate and support the site.