Ready to start your digital drawing journey? The right app can make all the difference between feeling frustrated and falling in love with digital art.
The good news: there are some truly excellent apps out there for beginners. The even better news: most of them are either free or very affordable.
Here are our top picks for getting started with digital drawing, especially if you're using Sketch a Day to build your daily art practice.
What Makes a Good Beginner App?
Before we dive into specific apps, here's what to look for:
- Intuitive interface - You shouldn't need a manual just to find the eraser
- Responsive brushes - Your strokes should feel smooth and natural
- Undo button - Essential for learning without fear
- Basic layer support - Even beginners benefit from separating elements
- Good default brushes - You don't need 1000 brushes, just a few great ones
Now let's look at the apps:
Procreate
Price: $12.99 (one-time purchase)
Platform: iPad only
Best for: iPad users who want professional-level tools
Procreate is the most popular digital art app on iPad, and it's easy to see why. It strikes a perfect balance between being powerful enough for professionals but approachable enough for beginners.
What makes it great:
- Huge library of realistic brushes (pencils, inks, paints, and more)
- Records your drawing process so you can watch it back
- Incredibly responsive and smooth to draw with
- Tons of free tutorials and community resources
- You'll never outgrow it as your skills improve
The catch: iPad only, and you do need to pay upfront. But it's a one-time purchase with no subscription, which makes it great value.
Find out more on the Procreate website.
Tayasui Sketches
Price: Free (with optional Pro upgrade)
Platform: iOS and Android
Best for: Beginners who want simplicity and beauty
Tayasui Sketches feels more like using actual art supplies than using software. The interface is clean and minimal, and the tools are gorgeous.
What makes it great:
- Beautiful, realistic watercolor and pen tools
- Simple interface that won't overwhelm you
- Free version is genuinely useful for daily sketching
- Tools behave like real art supplies
- Perfect for Sketch a Day - quick to open and use
The catch: Some advanced features require the Pro upgrade, but the free version is plenty for getting started.
Find out more on the Tayasui Sketches website.
Adobe Fresco
Price: Free (limited features) or included with Adobe Creative Cloud
Platform: iOS and Android
Best for: Artists who want realistic painting simulations
Adobe Fresco brings some serious technology to mobile drawing. Their "Live Brushes" actually simulate how real watercolors and oils behave - spreading, mixing, and drying over time.
What makes it great:
- Live brushes that blend and flow like real paint
- Excellent for both quick sketches and finished paintings
- Integrates with other Adobe apps if you use them
- Professional tools with a learnable interface
The catch: Free version is limited. Full features require an Adobe subscription (which you might already have).
Find out more on the Adobe Fresco website.
Autodesk Sketchbook
Price: 100% Free
Platform: iOS and Android
Best for: Budget-conscious artists who want pro tools
Sketchbook used to be a paid app, but Autodesk made it completely free. This is a professional-grade app that costs nothing - no ads, no limitations, no catch.
What makes it great:
- Completely free with all features unlocked
- Clean, minimal interface stays out of your way
- Smooth, responsive drawing engine
- Predictive stroke helps your lines look cleaner
- Used by professional concept artists
The catch: Honestly? There isn't one. It's just free.
Find out more on the Autodesk Sketchbook website.
ibis Paint X
Price: Free with ads (premium removes ads and adds features)
Platform: iOS and Android
Best for: Artists who love having lots of options
ibis Paint X is hugely popular, especially in the manga and anime community. It's packed with features and has a fun, energetic feel.
What makes it great:
- Tutorials built right into the app
- Huge, active community
- Screen recording to capture your process
- Massive brush library and customization options
- Great for learning through experimentation
The catch: The free version has ads (but they're not too intrusive), and there are a lot of features which can feel overwhelming at first.
Which App Should You Choose?
Honestly? Any of them will work great for starting your digital art journey with Sketch a Day.
If you have an iPad: Procreate is worth the $13. It's industry standard for a reason.
If you want free: Autodesk Sketchbook gives you professional tools for $0.
If you want simplicity: Tayasui Sketches has the most elegant, beginner-friendly interface.
If you want realistic painting: Adobe Fresco's live brushes are unmatched.
If you like lots of features: ibis Paint X gives you everything and the kitchen sink.
The most important thing isn't which app you choose - it's that you actually open it and draw. Pick one, download it today, and use it for this week's Sketch a Day prompts. You can always try others later.
Ready to Start?
Download your chosen app and take it for a spin. Don't worry about learning everything at once - just open it, pick a basic brush, and draw today's Sketch a Day prompt.
Your first digital sketch awaits!
Looking for tips on actually getting started with your new app? Check out our guide "Your First Digital Sketch: Getting Started with Digital Art" (coming soon!)