Procreate vs Sketchbook: Which Digital Art App Is Right for You?

Are you an aspiring digital artist trying to choose between Procreate and Sketchbook? Both are excellent apps that make it easy to draw and paint on a tablet or phone. But there are some key differences that will help determine which one is the best fit for your needs.

In this in-depth comparison, we‘ll analyze the strengths and weaknesses of Procreate and Sketchbook in terms of features, compatibility, ease of use, brushes, exporting options, pricing, and more. By the end, you‘ll have a clear idea of which app is right for your digital art journey. Let‘s dive in!

Compatibility: Sketchbook Has the Edge

One of the biggest differences between these two apps is device compatibility. Procreate is exclusively available on iPad and iPhone. It‘s not on Android, Windows, or even Mac. If you have an iPad, great! Procreate will likely be an excellent choice. But if you want to do digital art on other devices, you‘re out of luck.

Sketchbook, on the other hand, can be used on a much wider variety of devices. There are versions for iPad, iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac. No matter what device or platform you prefer, you‘ll be able to use Sketchbook. So for sheer accessibility, Sketchbook has a clear advantage over Procreate.

Features: Procreate Offers More Advanced Tools

For core drawing and painting tools, both Procreate and Sketchbook have you well covered. They offer layering, blending modes, selections, perspective guides, and pretty much everything you‘d expect. You can create professional-level artwork with either app.

However, Procreate goes much further than Sketchbook when it comes to advanced features. Some examples of what Procreate offers that Sketchbook lacks:

• Robust photo editing tools including content-aware fill and non-destructive adjustments
• The ability to import and paint directly on 3D models
• Powerful animation assist for frame-by-frame and keyframe animation
• Extensive dual texture brushes for realistic painting
• A huge library of over 150 customizable effects and filters

If you just want to sketch and paint, Sketchbook has all the essentials. But for creating highly polished, professional artwork and animations, Procreate‘s advanced features give it a big edge. It can take your creations to the next level in a way that Sketchbook can‘t quite match.

Ease of Use: Sketchbook Keeps It Simple

Compared to complex desktop software like Adobe Photoshop, both Procreate and Sketchbook are remarkably intuitive and user-friendly. But between the two, Sketchbook is the more beginner-friendly option.

Sketchbook has a very minimalist, uncluttered interface. The main toolbar only has a handful of options, and it‘s easy to find your way around without being overwhelmed by tons of mysterious icons and buttons. It definitely still has enough depth for serious artwork, but the streamlined interface makes it very approachable for beginners.

Procreate packs in a lot more tools and options, which can be a little intimidating at first glance. Fortunately, it‘s still quite easy to learn thanks to a thoughtful interface design and fantastic in-app handbook. The official Procreate Handbook is essentially a full beginner course built right into the app, with short video lessons on every tool and feature. There‘s also a huge variety of Procreate tutorials on YouTube to help you learn.

So while Procreate is very learnable even for beginners, Sketchbook‘s pared-down interface makes it the winner when it comes to instant, easy usability. With Sketchbook you can just pick it up and start creating without a learning curve.

Brushes: Procreate Has More and Better Organization

Any digital art app lives and dies by the quality of its brushes. The more realistic the brushes, and the more options you have, the better. Fortunately, both Procreate and Sketchbook excel in the brush department.

Sketchbook comes with an impressive set of 190 preset brushes, covering all the basics like pencils, inks, paints, and textures. For most artists, this is more than enough variety to create any style of artwork.

However, Procreate outdoes Sketchbook with its massive library of over 200 default brushes. It has an extremely extensive collection of brush types, from natural media to abstract special effects. On top of that, the Procreate brush library allows you to add thousands more custom brushes created by the Procreate community.

Another advantage of Procreate is the organization and preview of the brush library. Each brush shows a realistic preview stroke to give you a clear idea of what it will look like. In Sketchbook, you just get small abstract icons that don‘t really convey the brush style.

While both apps have great brushes, Procreate wins this category for sheer numbers, variety, customization, and helpful organization. You‘ll never get bored of Procreate‘s brush options.

Exporting: Procreate Preserves Layers

Once your masterpiece is done, you‘ll want to export it to share or print. This is one area where Procreate and Sketchbook differ significantly.

Procreate makes it very easy to export your artwork in a variety of formats, including PSD files that preserve your layer data. So you can send your Procreate art to Photoshop with all the layers intact, which is great for further editing.

Sketchbook, however, is very inconsistent with file exporting. The options vary between the desktop, mobile, and tablet versions. And worst of all, Sketchbook does not allow you to export layered files at all. Everything gets flattened when you export.

Additionally, Procreate lets you export artwork as animations, videos, PDFs, and even 3D models. The exporting options are much more robust and flexible compared to Sketchbook.

For artists who value working with layers and the freedom of different export formats, Procreate is the clear choice over Sketchbook.

Pricing: Sketchbook Has a Free Version

You can‘t compare art apps without considering price. Procreate and Sketchbook have very different pricing models:

• Procreate costs $10 for the iPad version and $5 for the iPhone version. It‘s a one-time purchase, not a subscription.

• Sketchbook can be downloaded for free on any platform, which gets you basic features and brushes. You can then upgrade to Sketchbook Pro as an in-app purchase for $20, which unlocks all features on all your devices.

If budget is a concern, Sketchbook definitely has the advantage here since you can use it for free. The free version is somewhat limited, but it‘s great for trying out the app before you commit to a purchase.

Procreate‘s $10 iPad price is still quite reasonable considering it‘s a one-time purchase for a professional-grade app. But Sketchbook does give you more flexibility to use it for free or cheaply across all your devices.

Community & Learning Resources

Learning a new art app can be challenging, so having a wealth of tutorials and resources created by other artists is incredibly valuable. In this aspect, Procreate has pulled far ahead of Sketchbook.

Since Procreate is so popular with professional artists, there‘s a massive community of Procreate users sharing their knowledge online. You can find an endless supply of Procreate courses, brushes, color palettes, and resources—both free and paid. And there are countless Procreate tutorials on YouTube and art education sites covering every imaginable topic.

While Sketchbook also has tutorials and resources available, the community is much smaller and you won‘t find nearly as much learning content specifically for Sketchbook. The Sketchbook website does offer some free brushes and coloring pages, which is nice. But it can‘t compare to the incredibly active Procreate community.

If you want to be part of a thriving artist community, Procreate is the way to go. You‘ll have an easier time finding answers to questions, connecting with other Procreate artists, and accessing a huge diversity of brushes and resources to expand the app.

The Verdict

So, which app should you choose: Procreate or Sketchbook? The answer depends on your needs and preferences. But here‘s a quick summary to help you decide:

Choose Sketchbook if:

• You want a free, beginner-friendly drawing app
• You use Android, Windows, or Mac in addition to iPad
• You value a simple, uncluttered interface

Choose Procreate if:

• You‘re a professional artist or want professional-grade features
• You own an iPad and don‘t need to use other platforms
• You want the maximum amount of powerful tools, effects, and brushes
• You export files with layers to work on further in Photoshop
• You want to be part of a large, thriving digital art community

For most people, I recommend Procreate as the overall better app. Its advanced features, ease of use, intuitive interface, wide brush library, robust layered exporting, and helpful community make it the top choice for anyone serious about digital art. The only downsides are the lack of a free version and iPad exclusivity.

Sketchbook is an excellent alternative for beginners and budget-conscious artists, or for those who need cross-platform support. But if you want the absolute best, most powerful digital art app and you have an iPad, Procreate is hard to beat. Give both a try and see which one clicks for you!

I hope this in-depth Procreate vs Sketchbook comparison helps you choose the ideal digital art app to bring your creative visions to life. Happy sketching!