Procreate is one of the best drawing apps for iPads but unfortunately, it doesn’t exist for Mac.
However, all hope is not lost as we’ve found some excellent alternatives to Procreate that will get you drawing on a Mac in no time.
In our research and testing, we found that there are not only some superb creative applications to use instead of Procreate on macOS but some of the best ones are even FREE.
We also looked at a range of paid subscription and one-off payment creative apps for professionals to replace Procreate too.
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Is Procreate For Mac Available?
Procreate is only available for iPad and Procreate Pocket for iPhone which both cost $12.99. It’s not available on any other platform including Mac, Windows or Android.
Savage Interactive, the developer of Procreate, has also stated that it will not be releasing a Mac version of Procreate for Apple Silicon Macs either as there is still no touch input on M-series Mac screens.
Although this might come as bad news, we really wouldn’t recommend using Procreate on a Mac anyway.
Procreate is designed for touch screens and the user experience is tailored specifically for iPads that support tilt and pressure gestures rather than desktop computers that do not.
With this in mind, just use any of these creative apps to replace Procreate on your Mac.
1. Adobe Illustrator
Adobe leads the industry when it comes to design and and Adobe Illustrator is by far the best professional alternative to Procreate on a Mac.
Adobe Illustrator is a professional-grade design tool with extensive vector capabilities, suitable for detailed illustrations, logo design, and graphic design.
While Procreate excels in digital painting and sketching, Illustrator is more focused on vector graphics and design work.
It’s also the only drawing software that allows you to use Adobe Capture to capture sketches you’ve done by hand and then enhance them in Illustrator.
Illustrator takes some learning for beginners but once mastered, you’ve got a professional drawing tool that’s used by some of the biggest design houses in the world.
You can also read our full Adobe Illustrator review for more.
Pricing: 60% off with Creative Cloud Educational Discount or $22.99/m
Pros:
- Industry leading graphic design software
- Incredible set of features and tools
- Over 16,000 different fonts
- Integrated with the Creative Cloud suite
- Edit multiple art boards simultaneously
- Mac desktop app
Cons:
- Steep learning curve for beginners
- Raster graphic support could be better
2. Adobe Express (Free)
Adobe Express (formerly Adobe Spark) is very similar to Procreate on a Mac and is ideal for those that need a professional but easy to use software like Procreate.
Express is a simplified design tool for beginners to digital art.
It’s ideal if you don’t have the time to learn more advanced (and expensive) graphic design software like Photoshop or Illustrator.
The software has thousands of templates which make it easy to get started with everything from desktop publishing layouts to logo designs.
Adobe Express even has a free plan although for professional use you’ll need the Premium version which gives you full access to the amazing Adobe Stock archive of photos and videos.
A Premium membership also allows you to do custom branding and gives you access to all templates and designs.
If you’re a student and subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud (60% off), you get Adobe Express included along with more than 20 industry standard Adobe apps like Illustrator and Premiere.
You can check out our full Adobe Express review for more.
Pricing: Free / Starting from $9.99/month
Pros:
- Easy enough for anyone to use
- Limited free version
- Similar tools to Procreate
- Access to Adobe Stock archive
Cons:
- Free version doesn’t give full access to all templates or features
3. Krita (Free)
Krita is a free open source raster graphics editor which is the best open source replacement for Procreate on a Mac we’ve tried.
It offers a wide range of brushes, a customizable interface, and many advanced features, all for free. However, it does have a steeper learning curve compared to Procreate.
Krita is designed for digital painting and 2D art and has some pretty powerful features such as an OpenGL-accelerated canvas, color management support and an advanced brush engine.
It also supports non-destructive layers and masks, group-based layer management, vector artwork support and switchable customization profiles.
Krita works with most major drawing tablets too including Wacoms and can export your drawing to Photoshop.
Of course, we wouldn’t recommend Krita for industry level or professional drawing but if you’re an amateur or looking for a free replacement for Procreate on a Mac, it’s definitely worth a closer look.
Pricing: Free
Pros:
- Free open source application
- Powerful raster graphics editor
- Imports and exports Photoshop files
Cons:
- Not updated often for new versions of macOS
- Takes longer to learn than Procreate
4. ArtStudio Pro
ArtStudio Pro for Mac is a professional digital painting and photo editing app, designed for artists and creative professionals.
It’s available only for macOS and iOS so it takes full advantage of what your Mac can do graphically.
It includes an extensive set of tools, including customizable brushes, layers, masks and filters.
ArtStudio Pro supports vector editing and can be used for both drawing and photo re-touching or editing.
It supports high-resolution canvases and a variety of file formats like PSD, which can be imported from Adobe software.
The app also has advanced layer blending options and supports pressure-sensitive stylus input, making it an excellent choice for graphic tablet users.
Pros:
- Wide range of professional-grade features
- Optimized for macOS and iOS
- Excellent support for stylus input and pressure sensitivity
- Seamless PSD file integration
Cons:
- Slight learning curve for beginners
- Lacks advanced photo editing features
5. CorelDRAW
CorelDRAW for Mac is a powerful graphic design software that’s up there with Adobe Illustrator in terms of a powerful alternative to Procreate on all platforms.
CorelDRAW offers both vector and raster tools, suitable for professional design and illustration work. While it’s more complex and feature-rich than Procreate, it’s also more expensive and has a steeper learning curve.
CorelDRAW offers incredible color accuracy and flexibility with powerful non-destructive bitmap and vector editing.
For those that like to use a drawing tablet to draw on a Mac, the CorelDRAW LiveSketch tool is an amazing addition to it which uses an advanced neural network to instantly create an editable vector image from a freehand sketch.
Although you can use LiveSketch with just a cursor in CorelDRAW, it’s best used with a drawing tablet for complete freedom when drawing.
Pricing: $549.99/license or $22.42/month.
Pros:
- Powerful industry standard drawing software
- Incredible color and palette controls
- LiveSketch allow you to create hand drawn tablet sketches
- Mac desktop app
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- High up front cost
- Not as widely used as Adobe Illustrator
6. Affinity Designer 2
In just a few years, Affinity Designer has rapidly become one of the best drawing apps for Macs and won an Apple award for design.
It’s easy to see why too with Adobe quality features and interface touches but without the subscription pricing model or learning curve.
Affinity Designer 2 is incredibly fast working at an impressive 60fps, well designed, relatively easy to use but packs a serious design punch even compared to Adobe Illustrator.
Some of the nice touches in Affinity Designer 2 include a 1,000,000 x zoom for precision drawing, support for Photoshop PSD import and export, customized tool palettes and layer support.
The nice thing about Affinity Designer 2 is that the interface doesn’t feel a million miles away from Adobe Illustrator but it’s less intimidating, easier to get to grips with and allows you to do pretty much everything you can do in Illustrator.
Affinity Designer 2 not on the same level as Illustrator for Professional design and it doesn’t have the power of Creative Cloud behind it but it’s a real contender as a desktop alternative to Procreate.
Pricing: $69.99/license
Pros:
- High quality vector graphic design tool
- Imports Photoshop files
- Excellent value for money
- One-off purchase
Cons:
- Takes some learning if you’re used to Illustrator
- Lacks industry standard level features
7. ArtRage Vitae
ArtRage Vitae Desktop is a digital art studio for those on a budget. ArtRage Vitae Desktop has something for artists of all levels including kids, amateurs and professionals.
ArtRage Vitae is ideal for those that want to draw oil paintings or watercolors but can be used for drawing of all kinds on a Mac.
ArtRage Vitae includes a full set of pencils, wax crayons and a wide variety of brush types. In fact the choice of brushes in ArtRage Vitae are some of the best you’ll find in any sketching software for Mac.
Some of the things ArtRage Vitae allows you to do include the ability to smear and blend thick oils to create natural color gradients.
You can also sketch with pencils and shade with the edge of the tip as well as create delicate watercolor strokes that react to canvas texture.
The richness of textures that can be achieved with ArtRage Vitae is truly impressive giving a realistic sense of thickness of oils.
The other great thing about ArtRage is the price. At just $80, it’s very good value for money and you don’t have to renew the license annually.
Pricing: $80/license
Pros:
- Amazing choice of brushes
- Suitable for both beginners and pros
- Good value for money
- One-off purchase
Cons:
- No Photoshop import support
Procreate For Mac FAQs
Can I run the iPad version of Procreate on a Mac?
No, you can’t run the iPad version of Procreate on a Mac. When they were first released in 2020, Apple Silicon Macs could “sideload” iOS apps onto them from the App Store.
However, recent updates by Apple to macOS have blocked this so it is no longer possible to use the Procreate for iPad app on a Mac.
Can I use Procreate on a Mac through any workaround?
While Procreate itself is not available on Mac, you can use Sidecar in macOS or third party applications such as Duet Display or Astropad to mirror your iPad screen on your Mac.
This allows you to use Procreate on your iPad while viewing and controlling it from your Mac.
What is the best Procreate alternative for vector illustration on a Mac?
All of the apps featured here are excellent choices for vector illustration on Mac. They all offer robust vector tools, precision, and advanced features suitable for professional work.
Can I create animations on a Mac with these apps like with Procreate?
Yes, Adobe Illustrator (with Adobe Animate) and Krita, offer animation capabilities. While the workflows may differ, you can achieve similar results to Procreate.
Are there any free Procreate alternatives for Mac?
Yes, Krita is a free, open-source alternative that offers many features similar to Procreate. Adobe Express also offers a free tier, though it is more limited in functionality compared to Procreate.
Can I use a drawing tablet with Procreate alternatives on Mac?
Yes, you can use drawing tablets like Wacom, Huion, and XP-Pen with most of these Procreate replacements on your Mac although you should check the website of each app for specific compatibility.
