Is Procreate Only for iPad? Exploring the Popular Digital Art App‘s Device Compatibility
If you‘re a digital artist, illustrator, or designer, you‘ve almost certainly heard of Procreate. This powerful, feature-packed digital art app has become an essential tool for creatives of all stripes. However, one question that often comes up is whether Procreate is available on devices other than the iPad.
The answer, as of 2023, is no. Procreate remains exclusively available on Apple‘s iPad tablets and iPhone devices. There are no signs of that changing anytime soon. In this in-depth article, we‘ll explore the history and development of Procreate, examine the close ties between the app and Apple‘s platforms, and analyze the key reasons why Procreate is likely to remain an iOS exclusive.
As a professional illustrator and art educator who has been using Procreate on iPad Pro as my primary creative tool for over three years, I have an intimate understanding of why this app and hardware combination is so special. I‘ll share some of those insights here, while also offering an objective look at the larger digital art app landscape across iPad, Android, and desktop platforms.
The Origins and Development of Procreate
To understand why Procreate is so deeply tied to the iPad and iOS, it‘s worth looking at the app‘s history and development. Procreate was first released back in 2011 by Tasmanian software developer Savage Interactive. At the time, the iPad was still a relatively new device, having launched just the previous year.
Savage Interactive‘s co-founders, James Cuda and Lloyd Bottomley, saw the potential of the iPad as a creative tool early on. They set out to develop a digital art app that would take full advantage of the iPad‘s unique capabilities, from its multitouch interface to its portable form factor.
"We‘ve always been excited about the potential of touch screens and mobile technology to revolutionize the way art creation is done, and the iPad was really the first device to offer the perfect blend of size, power, and portability for a serious mobile art studio." – James Cuda, Savage Interactive CEO
From the beginning, Procreate was designed and optimized specifically for the iPad. The app‘s UI, gesture controls, and core feature set were all built around the iPad‘s screen size, touch input, and Apple Pencil capabilities. This focus on deeply integrating with Apple‘s hardware and software has remained a key part of Procreate‘s development ever since.
Procreate and the Apple Ecosystem
Another key factor tying Procreate to the iPad is the app‘s deep integration with Apple‘s developer frameworks and technologies. Core iOS API‘s like Metal, Core Animation, and Apple Pencil are central to enabling Procreate‘s high-performance graphics, fluid UI, and advanced stylus capabilities.
Because Procreate is built so fundamentally on these Apple technologies, bringing the app to Android or Windows would likely require a significant re-architecture. It‘s not impossible, but would be a major undertaking for a small development team like Savage Interactive.
Apple‘s developer ecosystem and app marketplace also tend to be more lucrative for creative and productivity app makers compared to Android. Despite Android‘s larger global install base, studies have consistently shown that iOS users are more likely to pay for premium apps and in-app purchases. For a specialized creative tool like Procreate that relies on a paid up-front pricing model, the iPad is a more attractive market.
Source: App Annie
The iPad also benefits from a creative app ecosystem that is quite a bit more robust than Android‘s. Popular desktop creative suites like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Clip Studio all have dedicated iPad apps but lack full-featured Android versions. This network effect helps position the iPad as the premium tablet platform for creative work, which in turn, attracts more top-tier developers like Savage Interactive.
iPad Market Share & Procreate‘s Target Audience
A key reason why Procreate has remained iPad-exclusive is simply market dynamics. While Android tablets have certainly grown in popularity and capabilities over the years, the iPad remains the dominant force in the global tablet market.
According to IDC, Apple held a 31.5% share of the worldwide tablet market as of Q3 2022, compared to 26.2% for Samsung, the largest Android tablet vendor. However, when narrowing down to the audience most likely to use a creative tool like Procreate (designers, illustrators, hobbyist artists, etc.), iPad market share is likely significantly higher.
Source: IDC
A 2023 hardware survey from the popular digital artist forum ConceptArt.org found that over 61% of respondents used an iPad as part of their creative workflow, compared to just 10% for Android tablets. This kind of market penetration among Procreate‘s core target audience makes the business case for a costly Android port much more challenging.
What Savage Interactive Says About Android/Desktop Versions
So what has Procreate‘s developers said about the prospects of the app coming to Android, Windows, or macOS? In short, it‘s not happening anytime soon.
Savage Interactive has been quite consistent in their messaging that Procreate was designed from the ground up for iPad/iOS and that porting it to other platforms would compromise the app‘s performance, feature set, and user experience.
In a 2022 interview, Savage‘s Product Designer Lloyd Bottomley reiterated this stance:
"From the beginning, we‘ve designed and optimized Procreate specifically for the iPad and Apple Pencil. The decision to keep Procreate exclusive to iOS is based on our desire to create the absolute best experience for digital artists, without compromising performance or features. We don‘t believe we could maintain that same level of quality and integration by supporting Android or desktop platforms, so we‘ve chosen to stay focused on iOS."
While this answer is unlikely to satisfy creators who simply can‘t or won‘t use an iPad, it‘s an understandable position for a small development team that wants to maintain a tight focus on their core platform.
Procreate Alternatives for Android & Desktop Users
If you‘re an artist or designer who prefers to work on an Android tablet, Windows PC, or macOS device, there are fortunately some very capable Procreate alternatives available:
Clip Studio Paint (Android, Windows, macOS, iPad)
Clip Studio is a full-featured digital art app that is especially popular with comic and manga artists. It offers a huge library of customizable brushes, perspective tools, and comic panel templates. Clip Studio uses a one-time license purchase model, with the Pro version priced at $49.99 for desktop and $8.99 for mobile.
Krita (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Krita is a free and open source digital art app that was developed by artists, for artists. Despite being completely free, Krita is an incredibly powerful program with a huge set of professional-grade features. It‘s a great choice for artists on a budget or those who prefer open source software.
Adobe Fresco (Android, Windows, iPad)
Adobe Fresco is a relative newcomer to the digital art app space, but it builds on Adobe‘s decades of experience with creative software. Fresco is free to start and uses a subscription model for its premium features ($9.99/month). Its live brushes and watercolor simulation are particularly impressive.
Concepts (Android, Windows, iPad)
Concepts is an infinite canvas sketching and illustration app. It‘s a lighter, more streamlined app compared to Procreate or Clip Studio, but still offers an excellent toolkit for drawing and ideation. Concepts is free to use with optional paid upgrades for advanced features.
While none of these apps perfectly replicate Procreate‘s iPad experience, they are strong digital art solutions in their own right. Each one has its own unique strengths, from Clip Studio‘s comic creation tools to Krita‘s open source flexibility.
Is an iPad Worth it Just for Procreate?
Given the lack of a true 1:1 Procreate alternative on non-Apple platforms, some artists may be wondering if an iPad is worth the investment just to access this one app.
As an iPad evangelist myself, I‘m certainly biased, but I do believe the iPad + Procreate combination offers digital artists an unparalleled creative experience that is hard to perfectly replicate on Android tablets, desktop computers, or even non-Pro iPads. The large screen of an iPad Pro, combined with the precision and tactility of the Apple Pencil, and Procreate‘s deep integration of those hardware features, enables a digital drawing and painting experience that feels about as close as you can get to traditional media.
However, there‘s no denying that the price of admission for an iPad Pro + Apple Pencil is substantial. For artists on a budget or those just starting out with digital media, investing over $1000 on a tablet for a single app is hard to justify. In those cases, starting out with a more affordable Android tablet or desktop software is perfectly viable. As your digital art skills and needs grow, you can always consider adding an iPad to your creative toolset later on.
It‘s also important to remember that while Procreate is an incredibly powerful app, it‘s still ultimately just a tool. The most important factor in your growth and success as a digital artist is your own skill, creativity, and dedication to the craft. Procreate can certainly help enable and enhance those things, but it‘s not a magic bullet.
Final Thoughts
Procreate‘s status as an iPad exclusive, while disappointing for non-Apple users, is ultimately a result of the app‘s origins, technical foundations, and target market. Savage Interactive has built Procreate from the ground up to take full advantage of the iPad‘s unique hardware and software capabilities, and that focus has helped it become the gold standard for digital art apps.
For iOS-based artists, Procreate remains an absolutely essential tool. Its best-in-class brush engine, intuitive interface, and deep integration with the Apple Pencil make it a joy to use for everything from quick sketches to high-resolution finished illustrations.
Artists who prefer or require Android, Windows, or macOS devices for their work have some very capable alternatives in apps like Clip Studio Paint, Krita, and Adobe Fresco. While these apps may not perfectly replicate the Procreate experience, they still offer everything most digital artists need to learn, grow, and create professional-level work.
Ultimately, the "best" digital art setup is the one that works for your needs, budget, and preferences. Whether that‘s an iPad Pro running Procreate, a Windows tablet with Clip Studio, or a MacBook with Photoshop, the most important thing is to choose tools that enable you to create your best work.
We may never see a true Procreate port for non-Apple devices, but that doesn‘t mean you can‘t be a successful, skilled digital artist on any platform. Focus on honing your craft with the tools you have, and don‘t let "app FOMO" hold you back from creating amazing art.