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Design · head to head

Procreate Dreams vs Visual Studio

Procreate Dreams logo

Procreate Dreams

Design

Edit. Animate. Create.

From
$12.99/once
Free plan
No
Visit Procreate DreamsFull review
Visual Studio logo

Visual Studio

Developer Tools

IDE for .NET and C++ development on Windows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Visual StudioFull review

The short version

  • Visual Studio is free; Procreate Dreams starts at $12.99 one-off.
  • Where Procreate Dreams falls short: 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.
  • Where Visual Studio falls short: A standalone perpetually licensed Visual Studio Professional 2022 costs $499 as a one-time purchase, separate from the subscription tiers.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Procreate Dreams and Visual Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Procreate Dreams and Visual Studio differ
AttributeProcreate DreamsVisual Studio
Starting price$12.99/onceFree
Pricing modelOne-timeFreemium
Free tierNoYes
CategoryDesignDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: platforms (Web).

What people use each for

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

Procreate Dreams

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

Visual Studio

  • Managing complex, large-scale projects across multiple platformsnot Procreate Dreams
  • Commercial development in small businessesnot Procreate Dreams
  • DevOps and automated deployment workflowsnot Procreate Dreams
  • Windows/SQL Server developer and tester rolesnot Procreate Dreams
  • Short-term or month-to-month IDE access needsnot Procreate Dreams

Where each one falls short

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

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

Visual Studio

  • Community edition is free only for individual developers, classroom use, academic research and open-source contribution, not general commercial use
  • Monthly subscriptions are $45 per user per month for Professional and $250 per user per month for Enterprise, and do not include perpetual use rights the way annual Standard subscriptions do
  • A standalone perpetually licensed Visual Studio Professional 2022 costs $499 as a one-time purchase, separate from the subscription tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

Procreate Dreams

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

Visual Studio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Visual Studio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Procreate Dreams if

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

Procreate Dreams review

Choose Visual Studio if

  • You want to start without paying.
Visual Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Procreate Dreams or Visual Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Procreate Dreams starts at $12.99/once and Visual Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Procreate Dreams or Visual Studio?
Visual Studio has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12.99/once for Procreate Dreams and Free for Visual Studio.
Does Procreate Dreams or Visual Studio run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Visual Studio for free?
Yes. Visual Studio has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Procreate Dreams starts at $12.99/once.
What is Procreate Dreams best used for?
Procreate Dreams is most often used for animation software for ipad users, alternative to subscription-based animation tools. Of those, animation software for ipad users and alternative to subscription-based animation tools are not what Visual Studio is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Visual Studio: What are the pricing differences between subscription types?

Standard subscriptions include access to more benefits, such as Azure dev/test pricing, monthly Azure individual credit, software and download access, services, training, and support. Monthly subscriptions offer flexibility but fewer benefits.

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
Visual Studio: Are discounts available for startups?

There aren't any discounts available to start-ups, however an unlimited number of users within an organization can use Visual Studio Community for specific scenarios like open source work.

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
Visual Studio: Who can use Visual Studio Community for free?

In non-enterprise organizations, up to five users can use it. Enterprise organizations (greater than 250 PCs or greater than $1M annual revenue) cannot use it beyond academic/open-source scenarios.

Source
Visual Studio: What's the renewal pricing structure?

Enterprise standard renews at $214.09/month (after initial $499.92); Professional at $66.59/month (after $99.99).

Source
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