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It really depends on what you're looking to do and how much you're willing to spend.
Procreate is really good, no doubt about it, but it's also expensive (it's around 20-something euros if I remember correctly). The advantage is that it's a one-time purchase - no monthly subscriptions hanging over your head - and the interface is genuinely intuitive if you're coming from other tools. If you use your iPad a lot and want something straightforward, it works well. Now, if you're just casual or only experimenting, there are free alternatives like Ibis Paint X (the free version is pretty solid) or even Krita, which is open source and costs you nothing.
The thing is whether you actually need all of Procreate's premium features. A lot of people get caught up in the idea that it's the best just because it's expensive and has a lot of hype, but if you're just sketching or painting as a hobby, other apps do the job. I was skeptical when I heard about the cheaper alternatives, but I tested them and was surprised. It's worth checking out what each one offers before dropping all that money at once. Procreate is genuinely good if you're professional or serious about it, but for casual work you can save money and test something else first.
Do you really need a paid app, or are you open to free alternatives too?
I tested Procreate and it's genuinely powerful, but I think people overestimate how much you actually need it. If you're just starting out or doing more casual work, free apps like Ibis Paint X (has a free version with plenty of features) or even Clip Studio Paint (which has a more affordable subscription) do the job well. Procreate really shines if you're thinking professional illustration every day, because it's super optimized for iPad and the learning curve is smooth. But paying $12 a month (or the one-time price) for something you'll use half an hour a week? That doesn't make sense.
The thing is, a lot of people buy it thinking it's "the best" and then don't use it as much as they expected. I know people who spent the money and regretted it because it didn't really fit their workflow. If you already work with digital illustration and know what you want, then yeah, it makes sense to switch to Procreate. But if you're unsure, take advantage of the trials and test it first. A good iPad you definitely need (preferably with a decent stylus like the Apple Pencil), that's an investment that's worth it.
ferreira2001 asker
I use it more as a hobby, nothing professional. But I thought it might be worth it in the long run instead of constantly testing free apps.
The big thing that nobody mentions is the iPad dependency - if you ever need to work on another device or collaborate with someone using Windows or Android, it gets complicated. Procreate is locked into the Apple ecosystem, so before you invest those 20 euros it's really worth making sure you're going to have an iPad on hand all the time. That said, if you already have the tablet and you do digital drawing seriously, the investment is definitely worth it, but if it's more of a "maybe I'll give it a try" kind of thing, it might be better to explore free apps on other platforms first and then decide.
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