Procreate is bought directly in the App Store on an iPad: open the App Store, search "Procreate," tap the price button, and confirm with your Apple ID. It is a one-time purchase with no subscription, and there is no Windows, Mac, or Android version. If you only have an iPhone, the separate Procreate Pocket app is the option to buy instead.

Step-by-Step: Buying Procreate on iPad

1. Open the App Store on your iPad and sign in with your Apple ID if prompted.
2. Search for "Procreate." The iPad app is published by Savage Interactive. The result is easy to confuse with Procreate Pocket, which is the iPhone-only version, so check that you're opening the iPad listing.
3. Check the button. Unpurchased apps show the price. If you already own it, the button says a download cloud or "Download." If it's installed, you'll see "Update" or "Open."
4. Tap the price and confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple ID password.
5. Wait for the install. The app is around 1.2 GB, so give it a few minutes on slower connections and keep enough free storage for the download plus your canvases.

Once installed, Procreate opens straight to the gallery. Autosave is continuous, so there is nothing to configure before you start drawing.

What It Costs

Procreate is a single payment. Pricing has shifted over time and varies by region, so the number on your own App Store listing is the one that counts.

• The current US App Store listing shows $12.99 for the iPad app.
• Older guides and videos quote $9.99, which reflects earlier pricing.
• Procreate Pocket for iPhone was listed at $4.99 in older coverage. Check the live listing before assuming that's still accurate.

There's no subscription tier and no recurring fee, which is the main contrast with subscription-based apps like Adobe Fresco and Photoshop. Updates to the app arrive through the normal App Store update process.

You may also want an Apple Pencil. Procreate works with touch, and it supports several third-party styluses, but the app is built around Apple Pencil input, and features like Scribble make the most sense with one.

Before You Buy: Check Your iPad

Procreate is iPad-first, so compatibility comes down to your device and iPadOS version.

• iPadOS version. The App Store only offers versions your device can run. Forum reports show users on very old iPads, such as an iPad mini stuck on iOS 9.3.5, being unable to find the app at all. The App Store listing in that case simply doesn't surface it. A device that can run a recent enough iPadOS (that thread points to iOS 13.2 as a threshold for that user) is generally required.
• Storage. The installed app is about 1.2 GB before you add any artwork, brush packs, or time-lapse recordings.
• Canvas limits. Procreate advertises canvases up to 16k by 8k on compatible iPad Pro models. Other iPads may support smaller maximum canvas sizes, which matters if you plan to paint large textures or matte paintings.

If you're buying an iPad specifically for this, prioritize a recent chip and enough memory over screen size.

Buying Procreate on iPhone: Procreate Pocket

Procreate itself doesn't run on iPhone. Savage Interactive sells Procreate Pocket as a separate purchase. It has the same Valkyrie engine, brush customization, ColorDrop, QuickShape, Animation Assist, adjustments and filters, and time-lapse recording, but in a layout built for a phone. It's a good sketchbook for reference captures and thumbnails, though it isn't a replacement for working on a full iPad canvas.

The purchase flow is identical: search the App Store on your iPhone, find Procreate Pocket, and tap the price.

If You Can't Find Procreate in the App Store

This is the most common snag, and it usually has one of three causes.

Your device is too old

If your iPad can't update to a supported iPadOS version, the App Store won't list the current app for it. One workaround that Procreate community members have suggested is to purchase the app as a gift from a supported device, send the gift to your own email, and redeem it. After redeeming, go to your App Store account, open Purchased, and tap the cloud download icon next to Procreate. The App Store may then offer the last compatible version for your older iPad. Results vary, so don't buy a new device based on this alone.

You're searching on a computer

The Procreate listing page is visible on the web, but the web page doesn't let you complete the purchase. The buy action has to happen through the App Store app on a compatible iPad. Searching on a Mac or in a browser won't work as a purchase path.

Your regional store doesn't surface it

Users have reported that Procreate didn't appear in some regional App Store searches even though the web listing existed. If the app is missing in your region, the practical fixes are to purchase from a supported iPad signed in with your Apple ID, or to have someone buy it as a gift and send you the redemption code. You'd then download it from your Purchased tab.

Downloading, Updating, and Reinstalling

Because the purchase is tied to your Apple ID, you can reinstall Procreate any time on a compatible iPad signed into the same account. Search for it in the App Store and the button will show a download cloud instead of a price. If an update is waiting, the button reads "Update." Back up your artwork before reinstalling. Export important pieces to iCloud Drive, Files, or another cloud service first.

Is Procreate Worth Buying for Motion and VFX Work?

For motion designers, animators, and compositors, Procreate isn't a motion graphics tool, but it covers the front of the pipeline well.

• Storyboards and animatics. Page Assist helps you build page-by-page concepts, and frame-by-frame animation with customizable onion skinning is enough for rough animatics, storyboards, and GIFs.
• Concept and styleframe painting. The brush engine, layer masks, clipping masks, and more than 25 blend modes make it quick to paint design frames and color keys.
• Texture and matte work. You can import and export custom Procreate brushes, import Photoshop brushes, and paint onto 3D models in .USDZ and .OBJ formats, then export textures or renders.
• Handoff. You can export PSD, PNG, JPEG, GIF, and MP4 files, and share via AirDrop, iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and others. PSD export is the practical bridge into After Effects for further animation or compositing.

What it doesn't replace: timeline-based compositing, expressions, 3D cameras, or node-based work in Nuke. Think of it as a drawing and design stage that feeds those tools, not a substitute for them.

Where Procreate Art Fits With Styleframe

Many motion pipelines start with a drawn frame. A painted styleframe or a few rough key poses from Procreate can become the source material for AI-assisted motion work, as long as that process keeps you in control.

Styleframe is an AI video and motion tool. Procreate stays your drawing surface, Styleframe can take your drawn frames as reference material, and your compositor remains the place where the final shot is assembled.

Quick Buying Checklist

• Confirm your iPad can run a current iPadOS version.
• Free up storage, with at least a few GB of headroom beyond the 1.2 GB install.
• Decide whether you want an Apple Pencil.
• Buy from the App Store app on the iPad, not from a browser.
• Check the live price. Expect a one-time charge, not a subscription.
• Set up an export routine (PSD for layered work, PNG or MP4 for review) before you start a big project.

FAQ

Is Procreate a subscription? No. It's a one-time purchase on the App Store.

Can I buy Procreate for Mac or Windows? No. Procreate is available for iPad, with Procreate Pocket as the separate iPhone app.

Can I buy it from a computer? You can view the App Store page on a computer, but the purchase has to happen through the App Store on a compatible iPad. Gifting the app from a supported device and redeeming the code is the common workaround.

Does Procreate work with After Effects? Not directly, but PSD export lets you carry your artwork into After Effects, and PNG, GIF, and MP4 exports cover reference and review.

Which version should I get for storyboarding? The iPad version. The larger canvas and Apple Pencil support suit storyboards and styleframes far better than the phone version.

Procreate is bought directly in the App Store on an iPad: open the App Store, search "Procreate," tap the price button, and confirm with your Apple ID. It is a one-time purchase with no subscription, and there is no Windows, Mac, or Android version. If you only have an iPhone, the separate Procreate Pocket app is the option to buy instead.

Step-by-Step: Buying Procreate on iPad

1. Open the App Store on your iPad and sign in with your Apple ID if prompted.
2. Search for "Procreate." The iPad app is published by Savage Interactive. The result is easy to confuse with Procreate Pocket, which is the iPhone-only version, so check that you're opening the iPad listing.
3. Check the button. Unpurchased apps show the price. If you already own it, the button says a download cloud or "Download." If it's installed, you'll see "Update" or "Open."
4. Tap the price and confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple ID password.
5. Wait for the install. The app is around 1.2 GB, so give it a few minutes on slower connections and keep enough free storage for the download plus your canvases.

Once installed, Procreate opens straight to the gallery. Autosave is continuous, so there is nothing to configure before you start drawing.

What It Costs

Procreate is a single payment. Pricing has shifted over time and varies by region, so the number on your own App Store listing is the one that counts.

• The current US App Store listing shows $12.99 for the iPad app.
• Older guides and videos quote $9.99, which reflects earlier pricing.
• Procreate Pocket for iPhone was listed at $4.99 in older coverage. Check the live listing before assuming that's still accurate.

There's no subscription tier and no recurring fee, which is the main contrast with subscription-based apps like Adobe Fresco and Photoshop. Updates to the app arrive through the normal App Store update process.

You may also want an Apple Pencil. Procreate works with touch, and it supports several third-party styluses, but the app is built around Apple Pencil input, and features like Scribble make the most sense with one.

Before You Buy: Check Your iPad

Procreate is iPad-first, so compatibility comes down to your device and iPadOS version.

• iPadOS version. The App Store only offers versions your device can run. Forum reports show users on very old iPads, such as an iPad mini stuck on iOS 9.3.5, being unable to find the app at all. The App Store listing in that case simply doesn't surface it. A device that can run a recent enough iPadOS (that thread points to iOS 13.2 as a threshold for that user) is generally required.
• Storage. The installed app is about 1.2 GB before you add any artwork, brush packs, or time-lapse recordings.
• Canvas limits. Procreate advertises canvases up to 16k by 8k on compatible iPad Pro models. Other iPads may support smaller maximum canvas sizes, which matters if you plan to paint large textures or matte paintings.

If you're buying an iPad specifically for this, prioritize a recent chip and enough memory over screen size.

Buying Procreate on iPhone: Procreate Pocket

Procreate itself doesn't run on iPhone. Savage Interactive sells Procreate Pocket as a separate purchase. It has the same Valkyrie engine, brush customization, ColorDrop, QuickShape, Animation Assist, adjustments and filters, and time-lapse recording, but in a layout built for a phone. It's a good sketchbook for reference captures and thumbnails, though it isn't a replacement for working on a full iPad canvas.

The purchase flow is identical: search the App Store on your iPhone, find Procreate Pocket, and tap the price.

If You Can't Find Procreate in the App Store

This is the most common snag, and it usually has one of three causes.

Your device is too old

If your iPad can't update to a supported iPadOS version, the App Store won't list the current app for it. One workaround that Procreate community members have suggested is to purchase the app as a gift from a supported device, send the gift to your own email, and redeem it. After redeeming, go to your App Store account, open Purchased, and tap the cloud download icon next to Procreate. The App Store may then offer the last compatible version for your older iPad. Results vary, so don't buy a new device based on this alone.

You're searching on a computer

The Procreate listing page is visible on the web, but the web page doesn't let you complete the purchase. The buy action has to happen through the App Store app on a compatible iPad. Searching on a Mac or in a browser won't work as a purchase path.

Your regional store doesn't surface it

Users have reported that Procreate didn't appear in some regional App Store searches even though the web listing existed. If the app is missing in your region, the practical fixes are to purchase from a supported iPad signed in with your Apple ID, or to have someone buy it as a gift and send you the redemption code. You'd then download it from your Purchased tab.

Downloading, Updating, and Reinstalling

Because the purchase is tied to your Apple ID, you can reinstall Procreate any time on a compatible iPad signed into the same account. Search for it in the App Store and the button will show a download cloud instead of a price. If an update is waiting, the button reads "Update." Back up your artwork before reinstalling. Export important pieces to iCloud Drive, Files, or another cloud service first.

Is Procreate Worth Buying for Motion and VFX Work?

For motion designers, animators, and compositors, Procreate isn't a motion graphics tool, but it covers the front of the pipeline well.

• Storyboards and animatics. Page Assist helps you build page-by-page concepts, and frame-by-frame animation with customizable onion skinning is enough for rough animatics, storyboards, and GIFs.
• Concept and styleframe painting. The brush engine, layer masks, clipping masks, and more than 25 blend modes make it quick to paint design frames and color keys.
• Texture and matte work. You can import and export custom Procreate brushes, import Photoshop brushes, and paint onto 3D models in .USDZ and .OBJ formats, then export textures or renders.
• Handoff. You can export PSD, PNG, JPEG, GIF, and MP4 files, and share via AirDrop, iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and others. PSD export is the practical bridge into After Effects for further animation or compositing.

What it doesn't replace: timeline-based compositing, expressions, 3D cameras, or node-based work in Nuke. Think of it as a drawing and design stage that feeds those tools, not a substitute for them.

Where Procreate Art Fits With Styleframe

Many motion pipelines start with a drawn frame. A painted styleframe or a few rough key poses from Procreate can become the source material for AI-assisted motion work, as long as that process keeps you in control.

Styleframe is an AI video and motion tool. Procreate stays your drawing surface, Styleframe can take your drawn frames as reference material, and your compositor remains the place where the final shot is assembled.

Quick Buying Checklist

• Confirm your iPad can run a current iPadOS version.
• Free up storage, with at least a few GB of headroom beyond the 1.2 GB install.
• Decide whether you want an Apple Pencil.
• Buy from the App Store app on the iPad, not from a browser.
• Check the live price. Expect a one-time charge, not a subscription.
• Set up an export routine (PSD for layered work, PNG or MP4 for review) before you start a big project.

FAQ

Is Procreate a subscription? No. It's a one-time purchase on the App Store.

Can I buy Procreate for Mac or Windows? No. Procreate is available for iPad, with Procreate Pocket as the separate iPhone app.

Can I buy it from a computer? You can view the App Store page on a computer, but the purchase has to happen through the App Store on a compatible iPad. Gifting the app from a supported device and redeeming the code is the common workaround.

Does Procreate work with After Effects? Not directly, but PSD export lets you carry your artwork into After Effects, and PNG, GIF, and MP4 exports cover reference and review.

Which version should I get for storyboarding? The iPad version. The larger canvas and Apple Pencil support suit storyboards and styleframes far better than the phone version.