Ah, Procreate. A nice drawing app that I enjoy. Some people wonder what is better between Photoshop and Procreate. As someone who has used both programs, I can give input on this.
What Are They Exactly? What are the Differences?
Photoshop is an image-editing program by Adobe, but it can do other things like artwork. Photoshop has a mobile version called Photoshop Express. However, it lacks many of the features that regular Photoshop has. Photoshop Express is essentially a “Lite” version, of sorts. In comparison, Procreate is solely a drawing program. Procreate is designed to work with the Apple Pencil, but you can also use your finger, or another iPad-compatible stylus. Procreate also has a version for iPhones called Procreate Pocket. The only differences between Procreate and Procreate Pocket, are the fact that Pocket can’t import 3D objects or work with Apple Pencils, as the iPhone is incompatible with those features. Otherwise, the two versions of Procreate are identical. Both Procreate and Photoshop are raster-based, which means the images created from them are raster images.
With Photoshop, you can do pretty much anything to edit an image.
Procreate is designed for drawing, with all sorts of brushes and other tools. You can even do animations within Procreate with its Animation Assist feature. Procreate has over 200 brushes within it, with no additional cost to unlock anything. You get everything from the start.
You can upload your custom brushes into Photoshop, and edit pre-existing brushes. You can utilize custom brushes in Procreate as well. Procreate even has a playback system to save a video of the process of a drawing. For Photoshop, playing back the process of drawing or editing something would require an external recording software. It’s not built-in, like in Procreate. Both programs offer the ability of utilizing multiple layers. However, Procreate has a layer limit that is dependent on the size of your canvas. Photoshop lacks this layer limit.
Photoshop has a bit of a learning curve due to its complexity and how much it can do. It may take a while to learn all the things it can do, especially if you want to teach yourself, without outside help. For Photoshop, it’s better to learn from others, whether online tutorials and courses, college or continuing education classes, or online resources. Procreate is easier to learn, because even though it has numerous features, they are in an easy to access top panel, so your canvas view is clear, and you can still access the tools as needed. There are Procreate tutorials online, if needed. The interface Photoshop has is much more complex in comparison to that of Procreate. Photoshop is overwhelming. Procreate is much more user friendly than Photoshop.
With Photoshop, if using it on Windows or Mac, you’ll also need to look into buying a graphics tablet separately, and making sure your computer can handle the program. Photoshop uses a lot of RAM, and works best when it’s the only thing running. Procreate does not have this issue, it’s more lightweight.
If you’re using an iPad or iPhone already, Procreate or Procreate Pocket is better than Photoshop’s Express model. Photoshop Express lacks many of the features that regular Photoshop has.
How Much do they Cost?
Procreate costs $12.99 and Procreate Pocket costs $5.99. Either way, it’s only a one time-cost, vs the various subscription models that Photoshop has, whether in Creative Cloud, a bundle, or by itself. The Adobe subscription costs can be from $19.99 a month all the way to $59.99 a month, for individual use. Right off the bat, Procreate is cheaper, and is a single purchase instead of a subscription fee. You never have to pay again for Procreate, unless you get another device that isn’t added to your preexisting iCloud plan. The apps within your iCloud plan can be downloaded onto any compatible device, once they are purchased a single time.
What are They Available On?
Photoshop is available on Windows, Mac, and even on iPad. Procreate is only available on iPad, and Procreate Pocket is only available on iPhone. So, if you’re using Android or Linux, you’re sadly out of luck if you want to get Procreate. There are art apps for those operating systems, but Procreate is not one of them.
Interesting Tidbits
Procreate is compatible with many file formats. Both Photoshop and Procreate are compatible with the Photoshop file type. Procreate can export as a file as a .psd, then it can be opened in Photoshop. There are resources out there for both programs, although there are much more for Photoshop. Procreate is even compatible with Photoshop brushes, and the other way around too!
Which is Better?
Really, this part depends on what exactly you’re wanting. I know the subscription that Photoshop has throws people off. It threw me off too, but I needed it for classes. If you’re wanting just a drawing program, Procreate is better. If you want an image-editing program, then Photoshop is better. Photoshop is more so the ideal for big companies, as that is something they likely expect their employees to know. However, some companies may prefer programs like Procreate for drawings. It all depends.
Whatever you end up choosing to use, whether it be Procreate, Photoshop, or even both, I hope you have fun!