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Design · head to head

Principle vs Procreate Dreams

P

Principle

Design

Animate your ideas, design better apps

From
$129/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Procreate Dreams logo

Procreate Dreams

Design

Edit. Animate. Create.

From
$12.99/once
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Principle macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available; Procreate Dreams requires iPadOS 16.3 and is exclusive to iPad; track capacity varies by device, with the base iPad (A16) limited to 1 track at up to 4K
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Principle and Procreate Dreams actually diverge.

Attributes where Principle and Procreate Dreams differ
AttributePrincipleProcreate Dreams
Starting price$129/one-time$12.99/once
Pricing modelUnknownone-time
PlatformsmacOSWeb
Founded2015Unknown

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 Principle

  • Timeline-based animation
  • Interactive prototypes
  • Touch gestures
  • Component reuse
  • Video export
  • Sketch import
  • Figma import
  • Driver animations

Only in Procreate Dreams

Nothing recorded that Principle does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Principle

  • Mobile app prototypesnot Procreate Dreams
  • Micro-interactionsnot Procreate Dreams
  • Animation designnot Procreate Dreams
  • User flow designnot Procreate Dreams
  • Gesture-based interfacesnot Procreate Dreams

Procreate Dreams

  • Animation software for iPad usersnot Principle
  • Alternative to subscription-based animation toolsnot Principle

Where each one falls short

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

Principle

  • macOS only with no Windows or Linux editor available
  • No vector morphing capability for complex shape transformations
  • Limited asset creation tools; cannot create vectors or shapes directly within Principle
  • Sketch import flattens certain properties including paths, fills, borders, masks, blur effects, and text layers
  • Limited variable support, logical loops, and data input capabilities compared to tools like ProtoPie or Origami

Procreate Dreams

  • Requires iPadOS 16.3 and is exclusive to iPad; track capacity varies by device, with the base iPad (A16) limited to 1 track at up to 4K
  • 8K video support is not yet available and is listed as coming in a future release

Pricing, plan by plan

Principle

$129/one-time
  • License$129/one-time
    • One year of upgrades
    • Full access to all features
  • Upgrade License$99/year
    • Annual renewal for ongoing upgrades

Procreate Dreams

$12.99/once
  • Procreate Dreams$12.99/once
    • No subscriptions
    • Pay once, create forever

Which should you pick?

Choose Principle if

  • You need timeline-based animation.
  • You work on macOS.
  • You also want interactive prototypes.
Principle review

Choose Procreate Dreams if

Nothing in the data separates Procreate Dreams from Principle on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Procreate Dreams review

Questions people ask

Is Principle or Procreate Dreams better?
Neither clearly leads. Principle starts at $129/one-time and Procreate Dreams at $12.99/once, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Principle or Procreate Dreams?
Principle starts at $129/one-time and Procreate Dreams at $12.99/once.
Does Principle or Procreate Dreams run on more platforms?
Principle runs on macOS. Procreate Dreams runs on Web.
What is Principle best used for?
Principle is most often used for mobile app prototypes, micro-interactions, animation design, user flow design. Of those, mobile app prototypes and micro-interactions are not what Procreate Dreams is typically brought in for.
What can Principle do that Procreate Dreams cannot?
Principle covers Timeline-based animation, Interactive prototypes, Touch gestures, Component reuse.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Principle: Does Principle run on Windows or Linux?

No. Principle is macOS only and runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. There is no Windows or Linux editor available; however, prototypes can be shared and viewed on any platform via web link.

Source
Procreate Dreams: How much does Procreate Dreams cost?

Procreate Dreams costs $12.99 USD as a one-time purchase through the Apple App Store. Regional pricing may vary by location.

Source
Principle: What is the cost of Principle?

Principle costs $129 for a one-time purchase with 1 year of upgrades included. After 1 year, upgrade licenses cost $99/year. A 14-day free trial is available with all features included.

Source
Procreate Dreams: Is there a subscription fee after purchasing Procreate Dreams?

No. The purchase is permanent with no recurring fees or subscriptions. You pay once and retain the app forever.

Source
Principle: Can I import designs from Figma or Sketch into Principle?

Yes. Principle supports importing designs from Figma and Sketch with intelligent merging of re-imported files. Some Sketch properties such as paths, fills, borders, blur effects, masks, and text layers are flattened upon import.

Source
Procreate Dreams: What payment methods does Procreate Dreams accept?

Payment is processed through the Apple App Store, which accepts the payment methods configured on your Apple account.

Source
Principle: How do I share Principle prototypes with others?

Prototypes can be shared via web link with one click (File > Export > Share to Web). Recipients can view and interact with prototypes in any browser on any platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or iOS. No installation required.

Source
Principle: Can I create vector shapes and morphing animations in Principle?

Principle does not support vector morphing, where vector objects transform into other vector shapes. It also has limited asset creation capabilities and editing is restricted to basic operations like scale and rotate.

Source
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