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Design · head to head

Adobe Creative Cloud vs Procreate

Adobe Creative Cloud logo

Adobe Creative Cloud

Design

Creativity for all

From
$20.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Procreate logo

Procreate

Design

Digital illustration app made for iPad

From
$12.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Adobe Creative Cloud the vendor's own Plans and Pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 1 January 2022 listed, in US dollars per month: Photography (20GB) at $9.99, Photography (1TB) at $19.99, Creative Cloud All Apps at $52.99, Acrobat Pro at $14.99, and single apps such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, and InDesign each at $20.99, all with a 30 day free trial and a separate Adobe Stock add-on; Procreate iPad-only application with no desktop version for Windows or macOS
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Creative Cloud covers Photoshop, Procreate covers Digital painting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe Creative Cloud and Procreate actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Creative Cloud and Procreate differ
AttributeAdobe Creative CloudProcreate
Starting price$20.99/month$12.99/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Ios, Android, WebiPad
Founded19822010

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adobe Creative Cloud

  • Photoshop
  • Illustrator
  • InDesign
  • Premiere Pro
  • After Effects
  • Lightroom
  • XD
  • Creative Cloud Libraries

Only in Procreate

  • Digital painting
  • Brush library
  • Layer management
  • Selection tools
  • Time-lapse recording
  • Apple Pencil
  • iPad Pro
  • Cloud services

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adobe Creative Cloud

  • Graphic designnot Procreate
  • Photo editingnot Procreate
  • Video productionnot Procreate
  • Web designnot Procreate
  • Digital artnot Procreate

Procreate

  • Digital illustrationnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Concept artnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Character designnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Educational artnot Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Hobby drawingnot Adobe Creative Cloud

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adobe Creative Cloud

  • The vendor's own Plans and Pricing page as captured by the Internet Archive on 1 January 2022 listed, in US dollars per month: Photography (20GB) at $9.99, Photography (1TB) at $19.99, Creative Cloud All Apps at $52.99, Acrobat Pro at $14.99, and single apps such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, and InDesign each at $20.99, all with a 30 day free trial and a separate Adobe Stock add-on

Procreate

  • iPad-only application with no desktop version for Windows or macOS
  • Requires Apple hardware investment (iPad and Apple Pencil)
  • Cannot export to cloud storage natively, limiting cross-device workflows
  • High upfront cost when accounting for required iPad hardware

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Creative Cloud

$20.99/month
  • Photography$20.99/month
    • Lightroom
    • Lightroom Classic
    • Photoshop
  • Single App$22.99/month
    • One app of your choice
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Portfolio website
  • All Apps$59.99/month
    • 20+ Creative Cloud apps
    • 100GB cloud storage
    • Portfolio website
  • Teams$89.99/month
    • Everything in All Apps
    • 1TB cloud storage
    • Advanced admin console

Procreate

$12.99/one-time
  • Procreate$12.99/one-time
    • 200+ brushes
    • Unlimited layers
    • Advanced blending modes
  • Procreate Pocket$5.99/one-time
    • iPhone version
    • Touch-optimized interface
  • Procreate Dreams$19.99/one-time
    • Animation tool
    • Frame-by-frame animation

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe Creative Cloud if

  • You need photoshop.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want illustrator.
Adobe Creative Cloud review

Choose Procreate if

  • You need digital painting.
  • You work on iPad.
  • You also want brush library.
Procreate review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Creative Cloud or Procreate better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Creative Cloud starts at $20.99/month and Procreate at $12.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Creative Cloud or Procreate?
Adobe Creative Cloud starts at $20.99/month and Procreate at $12.99/one-time.
Does Adobe Creative Cloud or Procreate run on more platforms?
Adobe Creative Cloud runs on Windows, Macos, Ios, Android, Web. Procreate runs on iPad.
What is Adobe Creative Cloud best used for?
Adobe Creative Cloud is most often used for graphic design, photo editing, video production, web design. Of those, graphic design and photo editing are not what Procreate is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Creative Cloud do that Procreate cannot?
Adobe Creative Cloud covers Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro. Procreate covers Digital painting, Brush library, Layer management, Selection tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Procreate: Does Procreate work on desktop or only iPad?

Procreate is iPad-only. There is no desktop version for Windows or macOS, requiring users to purchase iPad hardware and Apple Pencil for use.

Source
Procreate: What companion apps are available for Procreate?

Procreate Pocket is an iPhone version at $5.99, and Procreate Dreams is an animation tool at $19.99, both one-time purchases.

Source
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