If you’re in the market for the 10 best drawing apps for iPad, this one’s for you!

As more and more people put a premium on internet-based artworks and the commodification of virtual art, it shouldn’t come as a surprise why the technology behind the empowerment of digital artists is expanding. As a matter of fact, there have never been more art-driven applications designed specifically for tablets until today.

Take the iPad, for instance. What used to only be a device for streaming and basic computing activities has now evolved into a creative powerhouse, able to churn out professional marketing materials.

As such, both sketchers and graphic designers alike are exploring, even more cleverly, how to make the most of the iPad space and the many apps that support the Apple brand.

Here are the leading drawing apps for iPads in 2022!

Also see our features on the best drawing tablets for beginners and the best standalone drawing tablets.

You may also be interested in our features on the best tablets with stylus pen and the best Apple Pencil alternatives.

 

Latest Apple Pencil Price on Amazon:

 

10+ Best Drawing Apps for iPad

1. Procreate (Editor’s Choice)

The best drawing app for iPad overall

Is anyone even shocked that Procreate is first on our list? Arguably the most popular drawing app exclusive to the iPad, Procreate has been consistently on the forefront, allowing artists of different kinds to be as expressive and visually articulate as possible.

A robust graphics editor for digital painting, this find has an intuitive color picker and allows you to organize your favorite shades and hues so you can easily keep tabs on your favorites! Like many Apple-only apps, this one is responsive, quick, and hosts a myriad of features digital artists appreciate.

Also see our features on the best Procreate brushes, the best iPads for Procreate and the best Procreate fonts.

 

2. Adobe Illustrator

The best lite version of Illustrator for iPad

Known as one of the biggest Adobe products for creatives, Illustrator for iPad takes what it does superbly for large computers and brings its magic to Apple’s very own tablet line.

Of the many things artists look forward to with this find, one of the app’s best features is its capacity to send files to desktop versions of Illustrator, allowing creatives to seamlessly imagine and build what they need to use any device. If that doesn’t sound enticing enough, it works intuitively with Apple Pencils too!

Click here for today’s best Adobe Creative Cloud deals.

 

3. Photoshop for iPad

The best lite version of Photoshop for iPad

You don’t have to be an artist to know what Photoshop is—the program is that popular! On that note, users will be pleased to know that an iPad version of the desktop program exists.

Known for its persuasive and impactful image-editing prowess, this pick is a go-to platform for artists and marketers for obvious reasons. Whether editing a photo or whipping up a mad drawing, this Adobe offering is bound to deliver.

Click here for today’s best Adobe Creative Cloud deals.

 

3. Concepts

The best budget drawing app for iPad

Concepts may not be as commercially known as Procreate but it’s every bit functional and dynamic. Designed particularly for art pros, this app features an expansive menu of canvases, precision tools, organic brushes, and a whole lot more. As the app makers put it, Concepts is “an advanced version of sketching paper where natural tools meet vector manipulation.”

Whatever kind of artist you may be, this pick lets you iterate, adjust, and explore as many creative ideas as you have in mind.

 

4. Affinity Designer

The best value drawing app for iPad

Affinity Designer should easily ring a bell to any creative, considering how an equally able version of this program exists for desktops. Made to actualize designs and create logos, this debatably pricey app houses a ton of brushes and canvases.

What’s more, this MacOS find also seamlessly supports the optimization of Apple Pencils, allowing any artist to create whatever they can wherever they are. While budding sketchers are free to explore the app, we’d argue that this one is a little more for the pros, as it’s a great platform for revenue-generating professional artists.

 

5. Linea Sketch

The best sketching app for iPad

Are you new to the whole iPad drawing experience? If you are, Linea Sketch is a brilliant app for you to start with. Sporting a pleasing UI, this app is easy to use. It also heavily focuses on drawing, so those looking to improve the way they sketch with an iPad will fall in love with this pick in no time.

Also featuring an array of decent tools and color options, users are free to use their fingers to create drawings or optimize an Apple Pencil. If you’re in the mood to record your drawing process, you can do just that through this app too!

 

6. Assembly

The best iPad app for graphic designers

If you’re a logo designer, an architect, or an expert sketcher, perhaps Assembly will hold deeper value for you. Made to design detailed icons, vector drawings, and other similar materials, this app conveniently provides a variety of shapes, easily allowing you to finish your sketches and visualize your ideas much faster.

Perfect for agency designers and branding experts, this one is a fantastic option for anyone whose job requires having to pitch to clients and sell ideas.

 

7. Adobe Fresco

The best lite version of Fresco for iPad

If there’s anything clear here, it’s that Adobe has no shortage of amazing apps made for creatives. Another stellar example here is Adobe Fresco. As if Procreate’s biggest competition, this program is what Adobe has to pit against the number one graphics editor app today.

Users will be pleased to know, though, that this one comes included in Adobe’s comprehensive creative subscription suite. Offering a pleasant drawing experience bundled with a myriad of sketching tools, this program is just as dreamy as any of Adobe’s existing platforms.

 

9. iPastels

The best drawing app on iPad for pastels

Nothing quite copies the feel and aesthetics of pastel artworks the way iPastels does it. Extending such a distinct drawing experience, this iPad app lets you replicate how tangible pastel artworks feel as you create them.

One very obvious upside here, however, is you don’t have to dirty your fingers. Packed with interesting soft pastels, pastel pencils, and persuasive color blending capacities, this one is an absolute steal! To find out what we’re talking about yourself, download the app now.

 

10. Autodesk Sketchbook

The best drawing app on iPad for beginners

We’re all fans of free stuff! Who isn’t? That said, Autodesk Sketchbook is exactly that—free! Similar to Procreate and Adobe Fresco, users can sketch, paint, and do virtually whatever they need to in the name of digital drawing with this iPad program. We’ll even go as far as saying that this is a much easier app, to begin with, compared to Procreate.

Do you have existing drawings on physical notebooks? Feel free to digitize and improve them with your iPad through Autodesk Sketchbook’s scanning feature! Once you take a photo of your tangible art, the app translates it into an image with a transparent background, letting you easily work on your artwork however you want to!

 

Related Posts

Now that you’ve checked out the best drawing apps for iPad, be sure to check out our articles about the best brushes for our top choice, Procreate.

• 15+ Best Liquid Texture Brushes for Procreate
• 10+ Best Tattoo Brushes for Procreate
• 19 Best Ink Brushes for Procreate in 2022
• 20 Best Sketching Brushes for Procreate
• Top 17 Best Procreate Hair and Fur Brushes

10+ Best Drawing Apps for iPad

Overall, the 10 best drawing apps for iPad are all stellar programs, each made to help you become an articulate designer. Whether for professional projects or personal use only, these apps are easily any creative’s staple favorites because of how robust and easy they are to use.

All that said, we hope this list helps you improve the way you approach digital art. Keep artsy and stay creative!