# Procreate vs Clip Studio Paint

The clearest difference is price: Clip Studio Paint at Free against Procreate's $12.99. Clip Studio Paint also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4). Procreate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and review sentiment (70% vs 46%). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Clip Studio Paint is free to download; Procreate costs $12.99 up front. Clip Studio Paint sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.89 per month. Procreate asks for nothing beyond the download.

Clip Studio Paint holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 51K and 14K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Procreate's written reviews are positive against 46% of Clip Studio Paint's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Procreate ships an update every 2 weeks, Clip Studio Paint every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Procreate | Clip Studio Paint |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (51K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/procreate/id425073498/reviews) | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clip-studio-paint/id1262985592/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **51K** | 14K |
| Positive reviews | **69.7% of reviews** | 45.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#93** | — |
| Size | 1.1 GB | 583 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.3** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Savage Interactive Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/363433636) | [CELSYS,Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/291038364) |

## What reviewers say

### Procreate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/procreate/id425073498)

**Currently charting:** #93 Top Paid · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

This app provides a comprehensive digital art studio for iPad, offering tools for sketching, painting, illustration, and animation. It features a vast brush library, advanced layering, color management, and precision design tools for creative professionals and aspiring artists.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of handmade brushes, Advanced layer system, High resolution canvases, 3D Painting with Lighting Studio, Frame-by-frame animation, Precision design tools, Continuous auto-save

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and intuitive drawing experience
- 💡 Vast selection of customizable brushes
- 👍 Simple and clean user interface
- 🚀 Efficient workflow with gestures and shortcuts
- 👍 Great value for the one-time purchase price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional freezing and crashing issues
- 🔧 Limitations in the animation and audio features
- 🔧 Frustrations with the fill bucket tool and color selection
- 🔧 Lack of advanced organization tools like folders within folders

**Reported bugs**

- Random freezing and crashes, especially after recent updates
- Issues with the fill bucket tool not working as expected
- Problems with exporting animations and preserving the animation quality

**Requested features**

- Implement a proper stroke stabilizer and shape tools
- Add the ability to import audio and sync animations to audio
- Improve the fill bucket tool to work across layers
- Introduce a folder system for better organization of artworks


### Clip Studio Paint

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clip-studio-paint/id1262985592)

Create digital art with a vast array of brushes, textures, and colors. This app offers tools for drawing, painting, comic creation, and animation, with features like 3D models for reference and advanced layer options. It provides a free trial and subscription plans for full access.

**Highlights:** Unlimited custom brushes, Realistic color mixing, Artist-made materials, 3D model references, Comic creation tools, Animation features, Advanced layer editing

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Monthly | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Single-Device Plan | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Single-Device Plan | $4.89 | per month |
| PRO Monthly Dual-Device Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| EX Monthly | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Single-Device Plan | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Single-Device Plan | $9.69 | per month |
| EX Monthly Dual-Device Plan | $13.49 | per month |
| PRO Annual | $28.90 | per year |
| PRO Annual Single-Device Plan | $28.90 | per year |
| PRO Annual Single-Device Plan | $28.90 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best drawing software for iPad
- 🎨 Powerful features like vector layers
- 💻 Seamless transition from desktop to iPad
- 👍 Great for comics and illustrations
- 🎨 Diverse brushes and materials

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔍 Confusing interface for beginners
- 🔒 Requires internet connection to save
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 💻 Lacks full desktop feature parity

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to save work without subscription
- Laggy performance with large files
- Unreliable auto-save and recovery
- Issues with brush and tool responsiveness

**Requested features**

- One-time purchase option
- Improved file management and cloud integration
- Simplified interface for casual users
- More animation and 3D tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Procreate free?

Procreate costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Clip Studio Paint free?

Clip Studio Paint is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Procreate or Clip Studio Paint?

Clip Studio Paint is rated higher. Procreate averages 4.4 out of 5 from 51K ratings, while Clip Studio Paint averages 4.7 from 14K ratings.

### Do Procreate or Clip Studio Paint have ads?

Neither Procreate nor Clip Studio Paint shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Procreate or Clip Studio Paint?

Procreate ships an update every 2 weeks, and Clip Studio Paint every 3 weeks. Most recently, Procreate was updated on September 24, 2026 and Clip Studio Paint on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*