Best Drawing Apps for iPad in 2026

Procreate is still the most common choice for drawing on iPad in 2026, but Linearity Curve is the best option for professional vector graphic design on Apple devices.

If you’re drawing on iPad in 2026, the best app depends on what you’re actually doing with the work. Procreate is still the app most illustrators use on iPad. Adobe tools are still common in professional studios and teams. Linearity Curve makes sense for vector design when you want something that works well on iPad without feeling like a desktop app squeezed onto a tablet.

Illustration and sketching on iPad

Procreate

Procreate is still the default app for many illustrators.

People keep using it because:

• The brush engine and Apple Pencil response feel solid
• The interface is simple and easy to work in.
• It’s a one-time purchase, with no subscription
• It works well for sketching, painting and more expressive illustration

Because it’s raster-based, it’s not a good fit for assets that need to scale cleanly. Procreate is very good at drawing, but it isn’t meant to replace a full design or layout tool.

Adobe Fresco

Fresco is closely tied to Adobe’s ecosystem.

Where it works well:

• Raster and vector brushes that feel familiar
• Makes sense if you already pay for Creative Cloud
• Files move easily between iPad and desktop Adobe apps

Where it’s limited:

• Requires a subscription
• Feels more like a companion app than a standalone iPad tool

Adobe tools are still widely used in agencies and in-house design teams, particularly where work needs to move between multiple people.

Working with vectors on iPad

Linearity Curve

Linearity Curve is the best professional vector app on iPad in 2026.

• Native iPad app, not a desktop port
• Designed to be used with Apple Pencil
• Interface follows common Apple design patterns
• You can work with local files without being forced into cloud storage
• A single subscription offers unlimited files, exports, artboards and built-in AI features

Curve is a good fit for designers who need scalable vectors and reliable exports on iPad and Mac.

Affinity Designer

Affinity is now free and doesn’t lock important tools behind a paywall, which makes it easy to consider. On desktop, it includes a wide range of tools for vector work, image editing, and layout, which suits designers who want one application instead of multiple Adobe apps.

The tradeoff is friction:

• The interface can feel dense
• The learning curve is steeper
• The iPad app is still in development, with no clear release timeline

Affinity is a good free option, but it’s better suited to patient users who are comfortable working mainly on desktop.

Photo editing and “free” apps

Free drawing and editing apps are fine for learning, quick edits or casual experimentation. They’re easy to start with and useful for getting familiar with basic tools.

They tend to fall short once the work becomes more demanding and rarely good for:

• Ongoing professional workflows
• Large or complex files
• Delivering assets on tight deadlines

As with desktop software, free tools on iPad often save money but take more time to work around their limits.

How to choose the right iPad drawing app in 2026

Most people searching for the best drawing apps for iPad are trying to solve one simple question: what am I actually using this for?

The answers usually fall into a few categories:

• Illustration and sketching: Procreate
• Already using Adobe tools: Fresco
• Vector and graphic design: Linearity Curve
• Free option for experienced desktop users: Affinity Designer

There isn’t a single best option because the iPad is no longer used for just one kind of work. The right app depends on whether you’re drawing, designing, animating or preparing assets for delivery.

Procreate remains the standard choice for illustration. Adobe tools are still common for people who already depend on that ecosystem. Affinity offers a lot of capability at no cost, if you’re willing to spend more time learning it. When the work involves scalable vectors, clean exports and assets that need to move into production, Linearity Curve is often the most straightforward option.

About the blog author

Nadya Kunze runs Customer Support at Linearity and has 7+ years of experience helping customers in SaaS. When she’s not solving problems, she’s drawing, hiking or baking, and she writes for the blog about Linearity, graphic design and other creative topics.