Procreate doesn't have a built-in brush store, so you buy more brushes from third-party creators and marketplaces, then import the downloaded files into the app. The usual path is to buy a .brush or .brushset file from a site like Gumroad, RetroSupply Co., or Brush Galaxy, download it on your iPad, and tap it to open it in Procreate. You can also pay through a subscription app that installs brushes in one tap, though it isn't made by Procreate.

Why there's no "buy brushes" button in Procreate

Procreate ships with a solid default library, and it lets you build your own in Brush Studio. It doesn't sell add-on brush packs inside the app. Users on Procreate's community forum have asked for curated in-app brush kits. Others in the same thread argue that the free and paid sets from independent makers are already high quality, and that an in-app store would raise awkward questions about which creators get featured.

So buying brushes is a two-step job. You purchase and download a file from outside the app, then import it. Once you've done it a few times, the process goes quickly.

Where to buy Procreate brushes

Independent marketplaces and creator shops

Most paid brushes come from creator-run shops and marketplaces. A few types are worth knowing:

• Brand shops such as RetroSupply Co. These sell themed packs, usually with a download link on the purchase page and in your email receipt.
• Large catalog sites such as Brush Galaxy. Brush Galaxy says it hosts more than 50,000 downloadable brushes, organized by illustration, design, calligraphy, and painting. It's a good place to browse by use case: inking, watercolor, gouache, textures, stamps.
• Individual artists on Gumroad and similar platforms. These are often more specialized. Procreate's own community forum has long-running threads where brush makers share free and paid sets, and Gumroad comes up as a source.

Subscription apps

There's also a category of companion apps. "Brushes for Procreate" on the App Store, for example, is free to download with in-app purchases. It advertises one-tap install, a free tier with hundreds of brushes (495+ according to the listing), and paid subscriptions of 1, 6, or 12 months for the full catalog. Its listing states it isn't an official part of Procreate.

A subscription makes sense if you want a rotating supply of new brushes and don't want to hunt for them. A one-off purchase is better if you know the look you need and want to own the files. Read the commercial-use terms either way. The subscription app's listing says work made with its content can be used commercially, but terms vary from shop to shop, and client work is where this matters.

Free brushes first

Before spending money, try free sets. Community resource threads list dozens of free packs covering watercolor, oil, ink, manga, lettering, and more. Some links in older threads are broken, and some brushes were built for older Procreate versions, so check that a set is updated for current releases.

How to buy and install a brush, step by step

On iPad, directly from the browser

1. Buy or select the brush on the creator's site.
2. Download the file in Safari or Chrome. Brush files end in .brush (single brush) or .brushset (a collection).
3. Open the downloaded file from the browser's downloads list and choose Procreate if prompted ("Open in…").
4. Procreate launches and imports it automatically.

New brushes land either in their own set at the top of your brush library or in a set named "Imported" at the bottom. Rename that set right away if you plan to import more, or everything piles into one folder.

From a Mac or PC with AirDrop

1. On the iPad, open Control Center, tap AirDrop, and choose Contacts Only or Everyone. Everyone makes your device visible to people nearby, so switch it back in public spaces.
2. On a Mac, select the brush files, right-click, and choose Share → AirDrop.
3. Accept on the iPad. Procreate either installs them automatically or asks where to put them.

From cloud storage or the Files app

1. Move the downloaded files to iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or Google Drive.
2. Unzip them first if they came as a .zip.
3. Open Procreate and your cloud app side by side in Split View, then drag the file into Procreate. A green plus sign appears when Procreate can accept the drop.

You can also use the Import option inside the brush library. Tap the plus icon, choose "Import from Files," and select the brush, set, or library.

Where your brushes live after installing

Since Procreate 5.4, brushes are stored as individual files in the iPadOS Files app. Depending on your setup, they're under On My iPad → Procreate → Brushes, or iCloud Drive → Procreate Brushes. Inside, folders are libraries, subfolders are sets, and the files are the brushes.

This has practical benefits:

• You can back up brushes by copying folders.
• iCloud storage lets you sync brushes across devices, provided you have enough iCloud space.
• You can drop individual .brush files into a set folder, and Procreate reflects the change.

Be careful when moving or deleting things in Files, since those changes carry through to the app. Back up before reorganizing.

What to check before you buy

A few quick checks save money and frustration:

• Version compatibility. Make sure the set is current for your Procreate version. Older sets sometimes behave differently or fail to import.
• Canvas size. Some creators build brushes for large canvases. The Brushes for Procreate listing, for instance, mentions big-size brushes for all canvas sizes. A texture brush that looks great on a small canvas can look coarse at high resolution.
• Pressure and tilt behavior. Preview videos should show the stroke behavior with an Apple Pencil, not just the finished artwork.
• License terms. Look for explicit commercial-use language, especially if the work goes into a client deliverable.
• Organization. Large packs can mean hundreds of brushes to sort through. A reviewer on the Procreate forum mentioned buying a huge set and never loading it because of the setup effort. Smaller, focused packs often get used more.

You can also tweak anything you buy. Tap a brush twice to open Brush Studio and adjust shape, grain, taper, opacity, and responsiveness. Procreate remembers your changes per brush.

Keeping a brush library manageable

Once you own more than a handful of sets, organization matters:

• Rename imported sets immediately after each import.
• Group by function (inking, texture, paint, stamps) rather than by seller.
• Keep a "favorites" set with the 10 to 15 brushes you actually reach for.
• Store the original purchased files in cloud storage so you can reinstall after a reset.
• Duplicate a brush before heavily editing it, so you keep the original behavior.

Using Procreate brushwork in a motion pipeline

If you're a motion designer, animator, or VFX artist, you may not be buying brushes for illustration alone. Hand-painted textures, ink lines, paper grain, and stamp elements are useful raw material for motion work: styleframes, matte painting passes, title treatments, and animated texture overlays.

The practical route is to paint in Procreate, export flat PNGs (or layered files), and bring them into After Effects, Nuke, Photoshop, or Blender as texture or design assets. Better brushes mean better source art, and that matters more once the art has to survive scaling, tracking, or compositing.

Troubleshooting common problems

• The brush doesn't appear after import. Check the "Imported" set at the bottom of the library, and make sure you haven't switched to a different brush library.
• The file won't open in Procreate. Confirm it's a .brush or .brushset file and not a .zip. Unzip first, then import.
• Brushes disappeared after an update or a device change. Check the Files app for the Procreate folders. If you used iCloud storage, make sure iCloud Drive is enabled and has space. Brushes moved from older versions land in the Classic Library.
• Strange file names. When brushes were migrated into Files, duplicates got numbers appended, and certain special characters were removed from names because operating systems reserve them. Rename if it bothers you, but keep names simple.
• A brush behaves differently than in the preview. Compare canvas size, and check whether the creator recommends specific pressure or tilt settings.

The short version

Procreate doesn't sell brushes in-app, so you buy from outside: creator shops, large catalogs like Brush Galaxy, or a subscription companion app. Then you import with a tap-to-open download, AirDrop, Split View drag, or Import from Files. Start with a free set or a small focused pack, check version compatibility and license terms, rename and organize as you go, and keep your original files backed up. That keeps your library useful instead of overwhelming, and gives you better source art whether it ends up in an illustration or a composite.

Procreate doesn't have a built-in brush store, so you buy more brushes from third-party creators and marketplaces, then import the downloaded files into the app. The usual path is to buy a .brush or .brushset file from a site like Gumroad, RetroSupply Co., or Brush Galaxy, download it on your iPad, and tap it to open it in Procreate. You can also pay through a subscription app that installs brushes in one tap, though it isn't made by Procreate.

Why there's no "buy brushes" button in Procreate

Procreate ships with a solid default library, and it lets you build your own in Brush Studio. It doesn't sell add-on brush packs inside the app. Users on Procreate's community forum have asked for curated in-app brush kits. Others in the same thread argue that the free and paid sets from independent makers are already high quality, and that an in-app store would raise awkward questions about which creators get featured.

So buying brushes is a two-step job. You purchase and download a file from outside the app, then import it. Once you've done it a few times, the process goes quickly.

Where to buy Procreate brushes

Independent marketplaces and creator shops

Most paid brushes come from creator-run shops and marketplaces. A few types are worth knowing:

• Brand shops such as RetroSupply Co. These sell themed packs, usually with a download link on the purchase page and in your email receipt.
• Large catalog sites such as Brush Galaxy. Brush Galaxy says it hosts more than 50,000 downloadable brushes, organized by illustration, design, calligraphy, and painting. It's a good place to browse by use case: inking, watercolor, gouache, textures, stamps.
• Individual artists on Gumroad and similar platforms. These are often more specialized. Procreate's own community forum has long-running threads where brush makers share free and paid sets, and Gumroad comes up as a source.

Subscription apps

There's also a category of companion apps. "Brushes for Procreate" on the App Store, for example, is free to download with in-app purchases. It advertises one-tap install, a free tier with hundreds of brushes (495+ according to the listing), and paid subscriptions of 1, 6, or 12 months for the full catalog. Its listing states it isn't an official part of Procreate.

A subscription makes sense if you want a rotating supply of new brushes and don't want to hunt for them. A one-off purchase is better if you know the look you need and want to own the files. Read the commercial-use terms either way. The subscription app's listing says work made with its content can be used commercially, but terms vary from shop to shop, and client work is where this matters.

Free brushes first

Before spending money, try free sets. Community resource threads list dozens of free packs covering watercolor, oil, ink, manga, lettering, and more. Some links in older threads are broken, and some brushes were built for older Procreate versions, so check that a set is updated for current releases.

How to buy and install a brush, step by step

On iPad, directly from the browser

1. Buy or select the brush on the creator's site.
2. Download the file in Safari or Chrome. Brush files end in .brush (single brush) or .brushset (a collection).
3. Open the downloaded file from the browser's downloads list and choose Procreate if prompted ("Open in…").
4. Procreate launches and imports it automatically.

New brushes land either in their own set at the top of your brush library or in a set named "Imported" at the bottom. Rename that set right away if you plan to import more, or everything piles into one folder.

From a Mac or PC with AirDrop

1. On the iPad, open Control Center, tap AirDrop, and choose Contacts Only or Everyone. Everyone makes your device visible to people nearby, so switch it back in public spaces.
2. On a Mac, select the brush files, right-click, and choose Share → AirDrop.
3. Accept on the iPad. Procreate either installs them automatically or asks where to put them.

From cloud storage or the Files app

1. Move the downloaded files to iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or Google Drive.
2. Unzip them first if they came as a .zip.
3. Open Procreate and your cloud app side by side in Split View, then drag the file into Procreate. A green plus sign appears when Procreate can accept the drop.

You can also use the Import option inside the brush library. Tap the plus icon, choose "Import from Files," and select the brush, set, or library.

Where your brushes live after installing

Since Procreate 5.4, brushes are stored as individual files in the iPadOS Files app. Depending on your setup, they're under On My iPad → Procreate → Brushes, or iCloud Drive → Procreate Brushes. Inside, folders are libraries, subfolders are sets, and the files are the brushes.

This has practical benefits:

• You can back up brushes by copying folders.
• iCloud storage lets you sync brushes across devices, provided you have enough iCloud space.
• You can drop individual .brush files into a set folder, and Procreate reflects the change.

Be careful when moving or deleting things in Files, since those changes carry through to the app. Back up before reorganizing.

What to check before you buy

A few quick checks save money and frustration:

• Version compatibility. Make sure the set is current for your Procreate version. Older sets sometimes behave differently or fail to import.
• Canvas size. Some creators build brushes for large canvases. The Brushes for Procreate listing, for instance, mentions big-size brushes for all canvas sizes. A texture brush that looks great on a small canvas can look coarse at high resolution.
• Pressure and tilt behavior. Preview videos should show the stroke behavior with an Apple Pencil, not just the finished artwork.
• License terms. Look for explicit commercial-use language, especially if the work goes into a client deliverable.
• Organization. Large packs can mean hundreds of brushes to sort through. A reviewer on the Procreate forum mentioned buying a huge set and never loading it because of the setup effort. Smaller, focused packs often get used more.

You can also tweak anything you buy. Tap a brush twice to open Brush Studio and adjust shape, grain, taper, opacity, and responsiveness. Procreate remembers your changes per brush.

Keeping a brush library manageable

Once you own more than a handful of sets, organization matters:

• Rename imported sets immediately after each import.
• Group by function (inking, texture, paint, stamps) rather than by seller.
• Keep a "favorites" set with the 10 to 15 brushes you actually reach for.
• Store the original purchased files in cloud storage so you can reinstall after a reset.
• Duplicate a brush before heavily editing it, so you keep the original behavior.

Using Procreate brushwork in a motion pipeline

If you're a motion designer, animator, or VFX artist, you may not be buying brushes for illustration alone. Hand-painted textures, ink lines, paper grain, and stamp elements are useful raw material for motion work: styleframes, matte painting passes, title treatments, and animated texture overlays.

The practical route is to paint in Procreate, export flat PNGs (or layered files), and bring them into After Effects, Nuke, Photoshop, or Blender as texture or design assets. Better brushes mean better source art, and that matters more once the art has to survive scaling, tracking, or compositing.

Troubleshooting common problems

• The brush doesn't appear after import. Check the "Imported" set at the bottom of the library, and make sure you haven't switched to a different brush library.
• The file won't open in Procreate. Confirm it's a .brush or .brushset file and not a .zip. Unzip first, then import.
• Brushes disappeared after an update or a device change. Check the Files app for the Procreate folders. If you used iCloud storage, make sure iCloud Drive is enabled and has space. Brushes moved from older versions land in the Classic Library.
• Strange file names. When brushes were migrated into Files, duplicates got numbers appended, and certain special characters were removed from names because operating systems reserve them. Rename if it bothers you, but keep names simple.
• A brush behaves differently than in the preview. Compare canvas size, and check whether the creator recommends specific pressure or tilt settings.

The short version

Procreate doesn't sell brushes in-app, so you buy from outside: creator shops, large catalogs like Brush Galaxy, or a subscription companion app. Then you import with a tap-to-open download, AirDrop, Split View drag, or Import from Files. Start with a free set or a small focused pack, check version compatibility and license terms, rename and organize as you go, and keep your original files backed up. That keeps your library useful instead of overwhelming, and gives you better source art whether it ends up in an illustration or a composite.