Art · head to head
Procreate vs Krita
The short version
- Only Krita has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Procreate iPad-only application with no desktop version for Windows or macOS; Krita not portable across Windows/macOS/Linux with consistent performance
- They diverge on capability: Procreate covers Brush library, Krita covers Brush engines.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Procreate and Krita actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Art).
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 Procreate
- Brush library
- Selection tools
- Time-lapse recording
- Apple Pencil
- iPad Pro
- Cloud services
- Social sharing
- iCloud sync
Only in Krita
- Brush engines
- Animation
- Vector tools
- OpenEXR
- PSD files
- Graphics tablets
- Third-party brushes
- Open source transparency
Both cover
- Digital painting
- Layer management
- Local processing
- Custom brushes
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Procreate
- Digital illustrationnot Krita
- Concept art
- Character design
- Educational artnot Krita
- Hobby drawingnot Krita
Krita
- Digital paintingnot Procreate
- Concept art
- Character design
- 2D animationnot Procreate
- Texture paintingnot Procreate
Both are used for concept art, character design, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Krita
- Not portable across Windows/macOS/Linux with consistent performance
- Performance limits on large projects with many layers compared to professional software
- Requires system administrator privileges for installation on managed systems
- Limited professional support compared to commercial alternatives
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Krita
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Krita review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Procreate if
- You need brush library.
- You work on iPad.
- You also want selection tools.
Choose Krita if
- You need brush engines.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
- You also want animation.
Questions people ask
- Is Procreate or Krita better?
- Neither clearly leads. Procreate starts at $12.99/one-time and Krita at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Procreate or Krita?
- Krita has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12.99/one-time for Procreate and Free for Krita.
- Does Procreate or Krita run on more platforms?
- Procreate runs on iPad. Krita runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
- Can I use Krita for free?
- Yes. Krita has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Procreate starts at $12.99/one-time.
- What is Procreate best used for?
- Procreate is most often used for digital illustration, concept art, character design, educational art. Of those, digital illustration and educational art are not what Krita is typically brought in for.
- What can Procreate do that Krita cannot?
- Procreate covers Brush library, Selection tools, Time-lapse recording, Apple Pencil. Krita covers Brush engines, Animation, Vector tools, OpenEXR. Both handle Digital painting, Layer management, Local processing, Custom brushes.
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.
SourceKrita: Is Krita free and open source?
Yes, Krita is completely free and open source software developed by the KDE community. It is distributed under the LGPL license with no licensing fees.
SourceProcreate: 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.
SourceKrita: What platforms does Krita support?
Krita is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can be downloaded from krita.org or installed via package managers on Linux distributions.
SourceKrita: What animation capabilities does Krita have?
Krita supports frame-by-frame animation with onion skin view, timeline management, and export to video formats for creating animated sequences.
Source