You don't need to spend a lot of money on the best iPad for Procreate. This fantastic digital art app has been designed to run on all iPads, new and old(ish), large and small. We have a full list of compatibility iPads at the bottom of this guide, and there are options at a range of price points.
To make it easy for you, I've brought together the best iPads for Procreate in one place, drawing on our team's expertise We've tested every one of these best iPads for drawing, so you know I've selected these from experience. I myself use an iPad Pro 11-inch (M2) with Procreate; the larger model is No.1 on my list.
However, while it's perfect for me, it may not be right for you. For instance, if you value portability and don't mind a smaller drawing surface, the newer iPad mini 7th Gen could be your best bet, offering Apple Pencil Pro compatibility. And you will need the iPad Pro if you want to use animation app Procreate Dreams. So, we've laid it all out in our list below to help you find the best iPad for Procreate for you.
The Apple iPad Air (M3, 2025) comes with the M3 chip, so it'll run Procreate quickly and efficiently. And because it's cheaper than the iPad Pro, that makes it our pick as the best iPad for Procreate overall. Read more below
One of the most affordable iPads you can buy today is the iPad (2025), and it's a good choice for Procreate if you're on a budget. You get a nice, bright 10.9-inch screen and Apple Pencil support, with decent battery life. Read more below
The new 2024 iPad Pro 13 is incredibly thin and fast and has the largest, best quality display on any iPad. We love the feel of drawing on an iPad Pro, and it's just got better with the new Apple Pencil Pro. Read more below
Although it's been around a couple of years now, the 5th generation iPad Air is still very capable indeed. Apple gave this model a big specs bump from its predecessor, including the powerful M1 processor. Read more below
The Apple iPad mini 7th Gen (2024) sports an A17 chip that means Procreate runs like a dream – as we confirmed in our testing. If you don't mind a significantly smaller drawing canvas, it's a potent choice. Read more below
While it doesn't boast the improved internals more recent iPads, this older iPad is still good enough for Procreate with a 10.9-inch display, and the lower price makes it a great choice if you want to save some money. Read more below
Stylus support: Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil USB-C
Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Reasons to buy
+
Enhanced performance with M3 chip
+
Large, beautiful display
+
Supports Apple Pencil Pro
Reasons to avoid
-
Not the most portable
-
Overkill for some
Buy it if
✅ You're seeking maximum value: Delivers premium Procreate capabilities without the Pro's hefty price tag.
✅ You desire advanced stylus functionality: You get complete support for Apple Pencil Pro, including haptic feedback, hover preview, and barrel rotation.
Buy it if
❌ You create extremely large artworks: The 8GB memory cap restricts layer count at maximum resolutions.
❌ You require professional graphics processing: Intensive 3D work and video production benefit more from the Pro model.
The bottom line
🔎 iPad Air (M3, 2025) achieves the ideal balance of capability and affordability, securing its position as our prime recommendation for Procreate. ★★★★
What you need to know: Though not matching the raw power of the latest iPad Pro (which ranks third in our roundup), the iPad Air (M3, 2025) brings significant performance improvements with its M3 processor for fluid Procreate operation. Combined with its attractive pricing and stunning design, this model stands as our top selection for the majority of digital artists.
Design and build: Construction quality is superb, featuring an improved magnetic attachment system for cases that allows flexible viewing positions. The screen's anti-reflective treatment minimises glare effectively, though it doesn't quite match the Pro's superior nano-texture glass option.
Display: Featuring a crisp 2732x2048 resolution at 264 pixels per inch, this tablet delivers stunning visual output with accurate true-tone color balancing and impressive brightness. While lacking the Pro's Ultra Retina XDR OLED technology, the LED panel nonetheless provides excellent color reproduction and contrast levels. Digital artists will find the screen more than capable for professional-quality Procreate artwork.
Performance: Our testing found the new M3 chipset provides remarkably fluid responsiveness in Procreate with zero perceptible delay. Users will notice tangible improvements over the previous M2 model when working with sophisticated brushes and complex effects. When using maximum-sized 10,000x10,000 pixel canvases, the Air supports eight simultaneous layers versus the Pro's sixteen—still sufficient for most professional requirements. The graphics processing easily handles standard creative workloads, though it may reach limitations during extremely demanding 3D rendering or complex video tasks.
Pricing: With an entry point of £799, the iPad Air (M3, 2025) delivers outstanding performance per pound. Even maxed out with 1TB storage at £1,428, it remains considerably more economical than equivalent iPad Pro configurations while offering comparable Procreate performance for most professional requirements.
✅ You're a newbie: If you're getting started with Procreate, this is all you need.
✅ You're on a tight budget: This entry-level iPad is nicely affordable.
Buy it if
❌ You want super-smooth drawing: The lower refresh rate means there can be a touch of lag.
❌ You want a more advanced stylus: The 11th-gen iPad only supports Apple Pencil 1.
The bottom line
🔎 iPad 11 (2025) only supports the older first-gen Apple Pencil and the cheap USB-C version, but it's nevertheless a great value tablet for anyone who draws in Procreate for a hobby. ★★★★½
What you need to know: Want something a bit cheaper than the first iPad on our list? The iPad (2025) is nicely affordable, and thanks to its new A16 chip, it runs Procreate more smoothly than previous iterations of the vanilla iPad. With a comfortably sized display, this iPad will suit anyone who doesn't mind using the older generation of Apple Pencil, as it's not compatible with newer ones.
Design and build: The 11th-generation iPad is externally identical to the 10th-gen version from 2022, with premium-feeling build and vibrant 10.9-inch display. Nothing wrong with that – the 2022 iPad felt great to draw on and so does this.
Display: The display is dimmer than the Pros, at 500 nits rather than an eye-scorching 1,600 nits but our reviewer still found it to be a pleasure to draw on, even in outdoor light. The refresh rate of 60 Hz is adequate for a responsive drawing experience – not buttery-smooth, but perfectly fine. A 13-inch display would be a little roomier than an 11-inch, but it still provides a comfortable space to work in Procreate.
Performance: This tablet may be on the cheaper side, but it still includes True Tone support, which is Apple's technology that adjusts colour balance depending on the quality of light in the room. Its A16 runs Procreate more smoothly than the A14 on the 2022 iPad did; if anything's going to annoy you, it's likely to be the slow USB 2.0 port, which can make file transfers a length process if you're not using iCloud. Also, this iPad is only compatible with the first Apple Pencil and the cheaper Apple Pencil USB-C (which doesn't have pressure sensitivity and is therefore not really worth bothering with for Procreate). If you want to use the Pencil 2 or Pencil Pro with their physical controls and other features, you'll need a more expensive iPad.
Pricing: It may not be perfect, but at $349 / £329, this entry-level iPad is easily the best value Procreate tablet you can buy right now.
✅ Money is no object: With its OLED screen, 120Hz refresh rate and Apple Pencil Pro support, this is easily the best iPad display for drawing in Procreate.
✅ You're a professional artist: We think the benefits are worth the expense for pros.
Buy it if
❌ You're not made of money: This is eye-wateringly expensive, and overkill just for using Procreate.
❌ You have an Apple Pencil 1 or 2: It's only compatible with Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil USB-C.
The bottom line
🔎 iPad Pro 13 (M4) is very expensive and more than most people will need, but the incredible specs make this the ultimate iPad for Procreate. ★★★★★
What you need to know: If you want the absolute most powerful iPad available today, you want the Apple iPad Pro (M4, 2024). Released in May, this is very fast, very thin, offers OLED screen technology for improved contrast, and is compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro.
Design and build: We found that despite being just 5.1mm thick, the tablet feels very robust. The size could be a drawback for anyone who wants a more discreet device, though: the base iPad or iPad mini is more comfortable for handheld use. The design features an improved glare-free screen with a nano-texture glass option, excellent speakers, and a camera system. The new "hover" feature works with the Apple Pencil Pro, and the device manages heat well despite its thin design.
Display: The OLED display is quite incredible. Apple's calling it Tandem OLED since it's actually two OLED panels sandwiched together. Apple claims 1,000 nits of standard brightness and 1,600 nits of HDR brightness, just like the 2022 model. Our reviewer felt the Ultra Retina XDR OLED display, though, looks crisper than its predecessor, with outstanding contrast between darks and lights.
Performance: Performance-wise, the iPad Pro (M4, 2024) is extremely powerful, potentially overpowered for most users. That means it'll fly through Procreate smoothly and responsively, and excel in more resource-hungry tools such as high-polygon 3D work and video editing. We'll be honest, though: if you just want to use Procreate, this may well be overkill. In terms of processing speed, you probably won't notice much difference from M1 iPads.
Pricing: This is the most expensive iPad to date, starting at $1,299 / £1,299. However, professional digital artists may think that's worth it, due to Apple Pencil Pro support, OLED screen and fast refresh rate. Otherwise, it's probably more than you need just to use ProCreate.
✅ You're watching the pennies: Now it's the last gen model, you should be able to get a good discount.
✅ You want a more compact tablet: At 11in, the M1 Air is easy to haul around with you.
Buy it if
❌ You have an Apple Pencil Pro: If so, you'll need a 2024 iPad Pro or Air.
❌ You want to replace your laptop: The 2022 Air isn't the best tablet if you also want to use heavier creative software than Procreate.
The bottom line
🔎 iPad Air (M1) isn't the most up-to-date iPad Air. But its M1 processor is plenty fast enough for Procreate, and you should be able to buy one for less than the latest M4 version. ★★★★½
What you need to know: If you're after the best thin and light iPad for Procreate, the 5th generation iPad Air is excellent value. The M1 processor grants it very past performance, and our reviewer called it a "pretty astounding creative computer".
Design and build: Compared with the 13-inch iPad Pro, the 5th gen iPad Air is a lighter, more portable device that still feels very robust and premium with its sleek aluminium finish. Its real selling point, though, is its portability. Weighing just 462g, with dimensions of 247.6x178.5x6.1mm, this is an iPad that you can take pretty much anywhere with you, allowing you to fire up Procreate no matter where you are.
Display: The 1640 x 2360 Liquid Retina IPS LCD screen makes anything you make in Procreate look fantastic. Our review found that screen resolution is comparable to previous Pro models while backlighting was even and colour-accurate, making it a great choice for drawing. The drawbacks are lower brightness levels compared to the Pro's Ultra Retina XDR OLED display, and a refresh rate of 60Hz (compared to the Pro's 120Hz.
Performance: This Air isn't the best option for those who want a tablet that they can also use for more demanding tasks such as video editing, but for drawing, the M1 chip is plenty powerful. The one thing that does disappoint us is that it only comes with two storage sizes: a 64GB version, which is really too small these days, and a 256GB one, which may be too big for some people.
Pricing: The main reason to get this older iPad Air over the new 2024 iPad Air version is that you should be able to find it at a decent discount. Make sure you compare both prices first, though!
✅ You want something small: As you'd expect, the iPad mini is easy to carry in a bag or even a large pocket.
✅ You're looking for plenty of power: It gives you processing power to spare and support for the latest Apple Pencil Pro.
Buy it if
❌ You want lots of working space: This has the smallest display of all the iPads.
❌ You want Apple ProMotion display tech: The display on the iPad mini 7th Gen remains capped at 60 hz.
The bottom line
🔎 iPad mini (2024) is easy to pick up and put down, making it great for sketching on the go. The basic configuration is reasonably affordable, and you get Pencil Pro support. ★★★★
What you need to know: This is the latest version of the iPad mini. It doesn't use Apple's M-series silicon, but it's equipped with an A17 Pro chip that means Procreate runs very well indeed – we put it through the wringer with some big files and had no problems to speak of. It supports Apple's Pencil Pro for the premium drawing experience – the only question is whether the display is big enough for your needs.
Design and build: As the name suggests, we found the mini to be wonderfully compact, and suitable for carrying anywhere since it can fit neatly into a small bag (read our guide to the best iPad cases). In design terms, it's pretty much exactly the same proposition as the previous iPad mini 6th Gen from 2021.
Display: The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina screen offers 2266x1488 resolution at 326 pixels per inch. It's crisp and vibrant, and while the frame rate hasn't been upped from 60 Hz on the last model, Apple did at least quietly fix the infamous 'jelly scrolling' issue that plagued the previous iPad mini. The only real downfall to the mini, display-wise, is one that's well-advertised going in: the 8.3-inch screen is, well, small. This makes for a bit of a mismatch in terms of the iPad mini 7th Gen's Procreate capabilities – you have enough computing power to work on big, complex projects, but the cramped screen real estate can make the process fiddly and frustrating.
Performance: Make no mistake, Procreate really runs on this thing. The new chip has put the latest generation of iPad mini on a par with the iPad Air series in power terms, and it's just a pleasure to use. The OS is zippier, apps load faster, and of course, Procreate handles like a dream. Our reviewer loaded up some enormous files on the iPad mini 7th Gen in Procreate, working in multiple layers, and the app ran as smoothly as you could ask for. Having the Apple Pencil pro also does wonders for workflow speed and the general feel of drawing on the iPad. It's superb stuff – again, as long as you don't mind the small display.
Pricing: The iPad mini 7th Gen starts out very reasonably at £499 / $499 – though of course, you're already looking at an extra three-figure bump if you're wanting to get the Apple Pencil Pro. You can easily spend a lot on this iPad if you add things like cellular connectivity or 512GB storage, but you can also get it for a reasonable outlay, too.
✅ You're on a tight budget: This is the most affordable way to get into digital art with Procreate.
✅ You're a beginner: Perfect for those just starting their digital art journey.
Buy it if
❌ You want a premium drawing experience: The first-gen Apple Pencil lags behind later versions
❌ You want Apple Intelligence: This pre-dates the AI boom, and doesn't have the power for it.
The bottom line
🔎 iPad (10th Gen) is the budget champion for Procreate, offering solid performance and Apple Pencil support at an unbeatable price point. ★★★★
What you need to know: The previous generation of the iPad (2025) featured at number two on our list, the iPad (2022) is even more affordable, and it will work well for creating art in Procreate too. It doesn't run Procreate quite as smoothly as later iPads, but it'll get the job done.
Design and build: The 10th-generation iPad received a bump in screen size over the 9th gen version, and feels more premium as a result, with a robust build. It comes in a variety of colours, and its design proved so successful that Apple didn't change it at all for the 2025 version.
Display: Perfectly fine, with no danger of being exceptional. The extra legroom (penroom?) in this 10.9-inch display is what makes this tablet the substantially better buy for Procreate than the 9th gen iPad, even though you could easily find that one cheaper.
Performance: This iPad uses the A14 chip, rather than the more powerful M-chips now found in higher-end iPads, so while Procreate runs fine, you don't get quite as slick an experience. It's only compatible with the first Apple Pencil, and you can forget about Apple Intelligence. With that said, it's still got True Tone support, and our reviewer found that creative apps like Procreate ran reasonably well.
Pricing: It was cheap on release and it has only got cheaper – the iPad 2022 is a downright bargain, even when you factor in the extra cost of a Pencil.
We like to test Procreate on all the iPads that release. (Image credit: Ian Dean)
When testing iPads for drawing, I put each tablet through its paces with demanding brushes, layering heavy projects, and intricate line art. Each stroke is scrutinised for lag, responsiveness, and overall performance. From subtle blending to pressure sensitivity, we test how faithfully the iPad translates every nuance of the artist's hand onto the canvas.
I also look at practical considerations such as how long the battery lasts, how much storage there is for projects files, and whether the iPad offers value for money overall.
Industry-leading digital art app Procreate has transformed the iPad into an artistic powerhouse. However, it doesn't work with all iPad models, so picking the perfect one can feel a bit confusing.
The first task is to check that the model is actually compatible with Procreate. All our picks in the list above are, and we have a full list of compatible iPads in our FAQs below. Secondly, you should consider which of the three Apple Pencils you want to use, and check compatibility there too.
Thirdly, think about what screen size you prefer. A large screen means more space to draw, but also makes the iPad bigger and less portable, so there's a balance to be struck there if you plan to often be sketching on the move. Fourthly, consider whether the extra features in the latest version of Procreate are important to you: if so, you'll want one of the newest iPads, as we detail in our list above.
Procreate is a powerful and popular raster graphics editor app designed specifically for iPads and iPhones. It's typically used by artists for digital painting, illustration and sketching on the iPad. First launched in 2011, it's made by by the Tasmanian software company Savage Interactive. In 2018, Procreate became the overall best selling iPad app. Read our selection of Procreate tutorials to get started with using this app.
What's the latest version of Procreate?
The latest version of Procreate is 5.3. This includes a range of new hover features like Brush Cursor, Gallery Previews, Selections, Brush Size and Opacity Gestures. Our reviewer wrote "The fact that you can now create so many different mediums on Procreate, from animations to digital art, undeniably makes it one of the most powerful drawing apps on the market... The app keeps getting better with every update." For more details, read our Procreate 5.3 review.
Which iPads support Procreate?
To run the latest version of Procreate you need to have an iPad with iPadOS 15.4.1 or newer installed. The following iPads support Procreate:
iPad Pro (M4)
iPad Air (M2)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th generation)
iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation)
iPad Pro 10.5-inch
iPad Pro 9.7-inch
iPad (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th generation)
Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creative Bloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and video game titles Play and Official PlayStation Magazine. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on digital art, VFX and video games and tech, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5.
With contributions from
Matt HansonManaging editor, computing and entertainment, TechRadar
