Procreate costs $12.99 once, and that's all you pay
Procreate is a one-time purchase for $12.99 on iPad. You buy it once through the Apple App Store, and you own it permanently. There is no monthly subscription, no annual renewal, and no hidden fees that appear later. The app stays yours even if you stop using it for a year and come back.
This matters because many creative apps have shifted to subscription models in recent years. Adobe Creative Cloud, for example, charges monthly. Procreate chose differently — you pay once and keep the app forever, though updates and new features do come out periodically at no extra cost.
One clarification: Procreate only runs on iPad, not on iPhone, Mac, or Windows. If you want to use it on a different device, you would need to buy a separate version (though as of now, Procreate is iPad-only). The $12.99 price applies to all iPad models that support the current version.
Key Takeaways
- Procreate is a one-time purchase of $12.99 through the Apple App Store, with no subscription or recurring charges.
- Once you buy Procreate, you own it permanently and can use it on any iPad you own, even if you stop using it for months or years.
- Updates and new features are included in that single purchase price — you do not pay extra when the app improves.
- Procreate only works on iPad; it is not available for iPhone, Mac, or Windows devices.
What happens after you buy Procreate
After you purchase Procreate, it downloads to your iPad and you can start using it when ready. The app is yours to keep. If you delete it and reinstall it later, you do not pay again — your purchase is tied to your Apple account, so reinstalling is free.
Procreate releases updates regularly. These updates add new brushes, tools, and features. You get all of them at no cost. For example, recent updates added features like animation information and text tools. None of these cost extra money; they straightforward arrive as part of owning the app.
If you own multiple iPads, you can install Procreate on all of them using the same Apple account. You still pay only once. This is different from some software that charges per device.
How Procreate compares to other creative apps
Many professional creative tools use subscriptions. Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro all require monthly payments — typically $20 to $55 per month depending on which apps you need. If you stop paying, you lose access to the software.
Procreate's one-time model is unusual in professional creative software. This is one reason it has become popular with digital artists and illustrators who want to avoid ongoing costs. You pay once and the app is yours, even if Procreate releases a new version years later.
Some other iPad drawing apps use different pricing. Clip Studio Paint, another popular option, offers both a one-time purchase ($49.99) and a subscription plan ($4.49 per month). Ibis Paint X costs $4.99 one-time. So if cost is your main concern, Procreate at $12.99 is relatively affordable compared to subscription-based tools.
Whether the one-time purchase is worth it
Whether Procreate makes sense for you depends on what you plan to do with it. If you draw regularly or do digital illustration work, the $12.99 cost is low enough that most people find it worth trying. You are not locked into a subscription, so you can test it without ongoing commitment.
If you are new to digital art and unsure whether you will stick with it, Procreate still makes sense because you can buy it, try it for a few weeks, and if you do not like it, you have only spent $12.99. Compare that to a $20-per-month subscription, where you would spend $60 in three months.
Keep in mind that Procreate requires an iPad — it is not free and it is not available on other devices. So your total cost includes the iPad itself. But if you already own an iPad, adding Procreate is a small additional expense.
What you should know about future versions
Procreate occasionally releases major new versions. When this happens, the question comes up: do you have to pay again? The answer depends on when you bought the app. If you own Procreate 5, for example, and Procreate 6 comes out, you would need to purchase version 6 separately if you want it. However, you can keep using version 5 forever at no cost.
This is different from a subscription, where you pay monthly and always have the latest version. With Procreate, you own the version you bought. If you want the newest version, you pay for it. But there is no pressure to upgrade — your current version keeps working.
Procreate has not released a new major version frequently, so this is not a constant expense. The app has remained in version 5 for several years, with updates adding features along the way. When version 6 eventually arrives, you will have the choice to upgrade or stay with what you have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay a subscription after buying Procreate?
No. Procreate is a one-time purchase with no subscription or recurring charges. Once you buy it, you own it permanently and do not pay anything else to keep using it.
Can I use Procreate on my iPhone or Mac?
Procreate only runs on iPad. It is not available for iPhone, Mac, or Windows. If you want to use a drawing app on other devices, you would need to look at different software.
If I delete Procreate and reinstall it later, do I have to pay again?
No. Your purchase is tied to your Apple account. You can delete and reinstall Procreate as many times as you want without paying again.
What if a new version of Procreate comes out?
You can keep using your current version forever at no cost. If you want to upgrade to a new major version, you would pay for it separately. But upgrading is optional — your current version continues to work.
Can I use Procreate on multiple iPads?
Yes. You can install Procreate on all your iPads using the same Apple account. You pay once and can use it on all of them.