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If you‘re a digital artist who loves using Procreate on your iPad, you‘ve probably wished you could also use this powerful app on your MacBook. Unfortunately, Procreate is designed specifically for iPad and iPhone devices and there is no official Procreate app for Mac.
As an illustrator who uses both iPad and Mac in my workflow, I‘ve spent a lot of time researching potential Procreate alternatives to use on my MacBook Pro. While it‘s disappointing that there‘s no Mac version of Procreate, the good news is there are now some excellent options for digital painting, drawing, and illustration on macOS. In this post, I‘ll explain why Procreate isn‘t available for Mac and share some of the best alternatives available in 2025.
Why Procreate Was Designed Specifically for iPad
To understand why there‘s no Procreate for Mac, it helps to look at how the app was designed from the ground up for iPad. Savage Interactive, the company behind Procreate, has said that they wanted to create the best possible experience for digital painting and drawing on a tablet.
According to Procreate co-founder and CEO James Cuda, "We‘ve always been about making the most of the device you‘re holding. When we started Procreate, the vision was a professional-grade painting app with an interface that melts away, letting you create without distractions."
To achieve this, Procreate was built with a touch-first interface that takes full advantage of the iPad‘s multi-touch display and Apple Pencil. The Apple Pencil‘s precision, pressure and tilt sensitivity, and low latency are all core to the Procreate experience.
Procreate‘s UI is also designed to provide maximum canvas space by minimizing buttons, menus, and palettes. Customizable quick menus and gesture controls help keep the interface uncluttered while still providing fast access to your favorite tools.
Under the hood, Procreate is optimized to leverage the iPad‘s GPU for fast and responsive performance. It‘s built on Apple‘s Metal API which enables the app to push the limits of the iPad hardware for ultra high-definition canvases and large numbers of layers.
In contrast, Mac hardware is not optimized for the kind of high-performance graphics rendering that Procreate requires. Macs have more limited touch and stylus input compared to iPads. Savage Interactive has chosen to focus on the unique capabilities of iPad rather than creating a sub-optimal Mac experience.
Comparing the Best Procreate Alternatives for Mac
While Procreate may not be available on Mac, there are some impressive digital art programs that come close to matching its functionality. Here is a comparison table of five top Procreate alternatives for macOS:
| Feature | Krita | Adobe Photoshop | Affinity Designer | Clip Studio Paint | Concepts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free and open source | $20.99/month subscription | $54.99 one-time purchase | $49.99 one-time purchase | Free with in-app purchases |
| Natural media brushes | 9 unique brush engines, 100+ presets | 1000+ brushes, create custom | 100+ brushes, custom support | 1000+ brushes, mangaka sets | Infinite brushes and vectors |
| Layer support | Unlimited layers and groups | Unlimited layers, smart objects | Unlimited layers and groups | Unlimited layers and folders | Infinite hybrid vector/raster layers |
| Max resolution | Unlimited | 300,000 x 300,000 pixels | 16,000 x 16,000 pixels | 16,000 x 16,000 pixels | Infinite vector canvas |
| Color management | 16 and 32-bit support, CMYK | 16, 32-bit, HDR, CMYK | 16 and 32-bit per channel | 8 and 16-bit, CMYK | 16-bit with wide gamut RGB |
| Perspective tools | Assistants, grids, guides | Perspective warp, grids | Plane-locking grids and axes | Configurable grids and rulers | Infinite planes and 3D rendering |
| Platform compatibility | Mac, Windows, Linux | Mac, Windows, iPad | Mac, Windows, iPad | Mac, Windows, iPad, Android | Mac, Windows, iPad |
| Touch/stylus support | Wacom, XP-Pen, and more | Wacom, Apple Pencil 2 | Wacom, Apple Pencil 2 | Wacom, XP-Pen, Apple Pencil 2 | Apple Pencil, Surface Pen |
| Industry reviews | "A powerful open-source painting app" – Lifewire | "The industry-standard raster graphics editor" – PC Mag | "Perfect for professional creatives" – Creative Bloq | "The best digital art software overall" – Tech Radar | "An infinite canvas for ideation" – FastCo Design |
As you can see, each of these apps has its strengths in terms of brush libraries, layer capabilities, touch/stylus optimization, and specialized toolsets for different use cases. Clip Studio Paint, for example, has become a top choice for comic and manga artists thanks to its extensive selection of presets and assets created by renowned manga artists.
Affinity Designer is a strong Adobe Illustrator alternative for vector illustration, branding, and UI design at a much more affordable price point. And Concepts takes a unique approach with its infinite canvas and vector-raster hybrid layers.
The Digital Art Software Market and Industry Trends
The market for digital art and illustration software has grown significantly in recent years, driven by increasing adoption of mobile devices like the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. The global digital art software market is projected to reach $407 million by 2028 at a compound annual growth rate of 6.1% from 2021 to 2028, according to Verified Market Research.
A major shift in the industry occurred in 2013 when Adobe moved its Creative Suite products to a subscription model with Creative Cloud. While the subscription pricing made Adobe‘s software more accessible for some users, it also opened the door for competitors like Affinity and Clip Studio Paint to gain market share with one-time purchase pricing.
Procreate‘s success on the iPad is one of the biggest stories in digital art software over the past decade. Launched in 2011, Procreate reached 2 million sales by 2018 and over 50 million downloads by 2022. It has become a go-to tool for professional artists and illustrators, and its popularity has helped drive iPad Pro and Apple Pencil sales among creatives.
Specialized tools for specific industries and use cases have also gained traction. Clip Studio Paint has become a dominant force in the comic and manga creation space, with over 10 million downloads globally. Concepts has found a niche in product design and architectural sketching with its infinite canvas and precision tools.
The Future of Digital Art on Mac
As Apple continues to invest in its own silicon chips for Mac, the potential for high-performance creative apps on macOS grows. The M1 chip brought huge speed boosts and optimizations for Mac apps, and subsequent updates like the M1 Ultra and M2 push performance even further.
Some industry watchers have speculated that Apple could release a touchscreen Mac in the future, potentially even a 2-in-1 device that converts between laptop and tablet modes. If that were to happen, it‘s possible that Savage Interactive could reconsider bringing Procreate to the Mac in some form.
However, the company has remained adamant that the iPad is the best device for the Procreate experience they want to deliver. In a 2022 interview with Digital Arts, James Cuda reiterated that "Our goal has always been to make the best painting and drawing app for iPad and iPhone. That‘s still where our passion lies."
For now, Mac-based digital artists will need to choose from the various Procreate alternatives available, each with its own strengths and capabilities. Fortunately, the options continue to improve and expand, with new features and optimizations taking advantage of the latest Mac hardware.
Choosing the Best Digital Art Software for Your Mac Workflow
So which Procreate alternative should you choose for your digital art needs on Mac? Ultimately, the best app for you will depend on your specific use case, budget, and preferred workflow.
If you‘re just starting out with digital art or want a free and open-source option, Krita is an excellent choice. It has a wide range of professional-grade features and is actively developed by a passionate community.
For professional illustrators and designers, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator are still the industry standards, with unmatched ecosystems of plugins, brushes, and assets. The subscription pricing can be a barrier for some users, but the cloud-based workflow and regular updates make Adobe software a top choice for many pros.
Affinity Designer is a budget-friendly alternative for vector illustration and UI design, with a powerful toolset and one-time purchase pricing. And Clip Studio Paint is the go-to for comic and manga artists, with specialized tools and assets for that industry.
If you want an infinite canvas and the flexibility of combined vector and raster workflows, Concepts is worth checking out. Its unique approach to layering and precision make it a favorite for product designers and architects.
Conclusion
While it‘s disappointing that there‘s no version of Procreate for Mac, the good news is that there are excellent alternatives available for digital artists and illustrators on macOS. Each of the apps covered in this article has its strengths, from the free and open-source Krita to the industry-standard Adobe Creative Suite.
For professional artists, the decision often comes down to the specific tools and workflows required for your industry and style. Comic and manga artists flock to Clip Studio Paint for its specialized assets and powerful page layout tools. Vector illustrators and UI designers find everything they need in Affinity Designer or Adobe Illustrator.
As the digital art software market continues to evolve and grow, it‘s exciting to see new competitors arise to challenge the old guard and bring new innovations to the field. And with the incredible performance of Apple Silicon chips in the latest Macs, the future looks bright for digital art and illustration on macOS.
Whether you choose one of the apps covered here or explore other options, the most important thing is to find the tools that work best for your creative process. Don‘t be afraid to experiment and try new things – you never know what might become your new go-to for creating amazing digital art.
Do you have experience with any of the Procreate alternatives covered here? Which one is your favorite and why? Let me know in the comments!