I reviewed the best digital art software and the best drawing software for Mac, Windows, Linux, and mobile devices. What I’m looking for from each of them is plenty of brushes, tools, and a simple workflow that’s as close to putting brush to canvas (or pencil to paper) as can be.
It’ll probably come as no surprise that Adobe Photoshop is the stand-out software for artists and designers. While it may be a top photo editor and graphic design tool, it also ranks among the best software for any kind of digital art, whatever you’re creating. And since it’s now available on iOS and Android devices, it’s also one of the best drawing apps for mobile devices, while syncing with your work on a desktop computer.
Alternatives include the Apple-only Pixelmator Pro, Corel Painter for digital painting, and Gimp, which is still my go-to choice for free digital art software. You can check out my full thoughts on each of these and more below.
Best digital art & drawing software overall
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Adobe)
(Image credit: Adobe)
(Image credit: Adobe)
Top choice for illustrators and artists
Specifications
Operating system: Windows, macOS, iPadOS, Android
Plan: Subscription
Billing: Monthly, Annual, Annual billed monthly
Reasons to buy
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Massive array of image-editing tools
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Generative AI gets better and better
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New features and refinements
Reasons to avoid
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Subscription-only payment plans
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Overkill for basic image editing
When it comes to the best digital art software, Adobe has dominated the scene for decades. Popular with artists and designers, it’s effectively the industry-standard drawing software – so, whether you’re a professional or just starting out, knowing Photoshop is a great skill to have.
There’s not a lot you can’t create with the software – unless you’re using an Android device, in which case, you’ll have to make do with the limited Photoshop Express. The main app, though, features a host of AI tools for automating the more complex elements of digital art. Changing backgrounds, removing subjects, adding filters, are all streamlined. It’s constantly being updated, too.
Photoshop’s interface might seem overwhelming if you’re new to it. The software is absolutely full of features, so it can be difficult to know what every tool means or where to find them. But you’ll find plenty of guides online, and once you understand Photoshop, you’ll easily find your way around the rest of Adobe’s creative portfolio.
The digital art and drawing software is available as a standalone subscription for around $23 a month, bundled with Lightroom and 1TB cloud storage on the Photography plan ($20 a month), and as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud Pro subscription ($70 a month).
Gimp – or GNU Image Maniipulation Program – is a professional-grade digital art tool that works across Windows, macOS, and Linux machines. When it comes to the best digital art software, Gimp is to Photoshop what DaVinci Resolve is to Premiere Pro – a free and fully featured alternative to Adobe software.
During our own tests, we found the features to be very comprehensive, but performance was slightly less responsive, and more resource-intensive, than Photoshop – but nothing that dramatically halted our workflow.
The sheer number of features, and its open-source heritage, means the learning curve is steeper here than with a drawing program like ArtWeaver. But you’ll find the results worth it – whether you’re fine-tuning photographs or making your own, unique artwork. You can also customize the interface, making navigation more intuitive, and community support for the tool is outstanding.
One of the best drawing software for artists is Corel Painter. Aimed at designers, artists, and students, it provides you with a canvas and all the paintbrushes, paints, and styles you need to create a masterpiece.
Corel Painter attempts to recreate the feel of working on a canvas in the real world. You can daub ‘thick paint’ onto your digital canvas, for example, then scrape around or blend, making highly realistic digital artwork.
During our own tests with the previous version, we found a large selection of brushes, with the ability to customize them, as well as palettes. It’s even possible to import new ones. The latest version (still billed as a 2023 edition) adds even more features and tools.
Painter is a downloadable multi-platform app, compatible with third-party software like Photoshop, and of course, drawing tablets. Testing it on a desktop PC, performance felt smooth, and we noticed considerable speed improvements over previous versions.
While many of the best drawing software platforms have moved to a subscription-only model, Painter presents you with options: grab a subscription ($8.25 a month) or a perpetual licence for a one-off fee of $215. A free trial is also available, along with special rates for students and learning centres.
Artweaver is an old master in the realm of drawing software. Steeped in experience, this tool offers a diverse set of predefined brushes and pencils that can be used to create some jaw-dropping artwork.
Best of all, it’s free – although you can get a perpetual license for Artweaver Plus and its additional functionality for €37. The one-off purchase is temptingly cheap, is so much more attractive than yet another endless subscription, and you get access to loads more tools. Existing users can upgrade to the latest version at a discounted rate.
In our experience, Artweaver’s interface is intuitive and easy-to-use, making it a great starting off point if you want free drawing software for beginners. However, it also boasts an impressively configurable brush system for professional artists.
You can choose from a variety of predefined brushes, then tweak them to suit your exact needs. Other extras include sharing and collaboration tools, including the option to record your canvas to review your artistic process.
Best digital art software for artists
(Image credit: Escape Motions)
5. Rebelle
Solid digital art app for realistic paintings
Specifications
Operating system: Windows, macOS
Plan: Perpetual license
Billing: Lifetime
Reasons to buy
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Designed by a pro artist
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Simulates realistic painting experience
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Lots of customization options
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Toolkit bursting with brushes and tools
Reasons to avoid
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Can lag on older hardware
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Not as advanced as Corel Painter
Developed by artist Peter Blaskovic, Rebelle is another highly versatile drawing and painting application. Described as “one-of-a-kind paint software”, it’s been designed to simulate a real-world painting experience for creatives working on watercolor, acrylic, wet and dry media artwork.
Blaskovic created the app as part of his experimental drawing projects, and wanted an easy-to-use program to access natural painting tools on-the-go. The app uses realistic color blending, wet diffusion and drying techniques, and offers a plethora of watercolors, acrylics, inks and pastels.
There are also ‘dry’ tools like pencils, markers and erasers, so you don’t have to stick to paintbrushes. The app also boasts some interesting capabilities, like the ability to tilt the canvas you’re working on.
What’s more, Rebelle works with Photoshop, allowing you to tap into 23 additional blending nodes. You can download a trial version to see if Rebelle is the best digital art and drawing software for you. Rebelle works on either Windows or Macs, and is available as a perpetual license for $90, or $150 for Rebelle Pro.
Best digital art software for mobile & PC
(Image credit: Artrage)
6. ArtRage
Great for working across Windows, Mac, and mobile
Specifications
Operating system: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Plan: Perpetual license
Billing: Lifetime
Reasons to buy
+
Custom brushes
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Oil paint feature
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Realistic painting
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Recordable actions
Reasons to avoid
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A little slow and unstable
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Lite version may be limited for some
Available on Windows, Apple, and Android devices, ArtRage is one of the best digital art apps for working across multiple devices and platforms.
It packs in a good range of painting features, such as pencils, pens and oil painting brushes, which you can customize, as well as digital editing features such as layers, transform, and filters. Like Rebelle, it simulates real-world painting, with brushes reacting to the textures of the canvas. Collaborative workflow tools also means it’s ideal for working with colleagues and classmates on projects.
This impressive digital art software is available as a full package (Vitae) for $80, the regular version for $60 or a Lite version for $30. There’s flexibility here, so it’s worth checking if the version you want does what you need.
There are also a good range of support options available on the website, such as manuals, tutorials, as well as an online community for advice, suggestions, tips, and tricks.
Best digital art & drawing software for Mac & iPhone
(Image credit: Pixelmator)
7. Pixelmator Pro
A great alternative to Photoshop for Apple devices
Specifications
Operating system: macOS, iOS
Plan: Perpetual license
Reasons to buy
+
Rich in features
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Very Photoshop-like
Reasons to avoid
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Apple devices only
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Doesn’t have all of Photoshop’s features
Pixelmator came out in 2007, setting itself as an alternative to Photoshop. At the time, that claim was risible, but there definitely was something there, and since the app evolved into Pixelmator Pro in 2017, it has grown from strength to strength, incorporating more and more features, to the point its original bold claim isn’t laughable anymore.
Pixelmator Pro has powerful non-destructive image editing tools, comes with a set of vector tools for resolution independence, numerous customisable brushes for artistic work, and all the tools you’d need to create a project from scratch, or to get inspiration from one of its numerous templates. If you’re used to Photoshop, you’ll feel right at home in Pixelmator, and yes, it might not have all the tools in its competitor’s vast arsenal, but odds are most (if not all) of the ones you use on a daily basis are included. Put it this way: I haven’t yet found myself stuck when designing in Pixelmator.
Perhaps the best feature is its price: a flat fee of $50, and that includes any future major revisions. When you put that next to the monthly cost of Photoshop, there’s no contest. Such a shame it’s only available for macOS and iOS devices.
Best digital art & drawing software: FAQs
What is digital art & drawing software?
Digital art & drawing software transforms your computer monitor or mobile device screen into a blank canvas.
Unlike many general graphic design software, drawing apps tend to provide tools especially for artists and illustrators. Offering a vast array of tools, brushes, and color pallettes, artists will enjoy a realistic creative experience.
These sophisticated programs can emulate a variety of mediums, modeling paint effects with great accuracy.
However, the best software for digital art also allows you to break away from traditional methods. Layers, effects, filters, and many other tools allow you to manipulate your art in ways not previously possible.
What is the best drawing software for PC?
Adobe Photoshop is the best drawing software for Windows devices overall. The digital art program sets an industry-standard for features and tools, including impressive AI work to lighten the load. Photoshop also works well combined with the likes of Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Fresco. Corel Painter, Rebelle, and Krita are great options for digital artists and painters.
Photoshop is the best software for drawing on Mac, while the Apple-owned Pixelmator Pro offers an excellent alternative, which also works on iOS devices. Both apps will sync across your computer, tablet, and phone.
If you’re an artist looking for painting apps on Mac, we recommend trying Corel Painter and Rebelle. Krita is a good free and open-source alternative.
What’s the best free digital art software?
Gimp is the best free digital art software on WIndows, Mac, and Linux. The open-source drawing app is as powerful as Adobe Photoshop, however, there is a learning curve to mastering the tool.
The freemium Adobe Fresco is also worth trying, without having to pay for the full app. Krita is a fully-featured open-source digital art app for Windows, Mac, and Android, if you want to paint and draw.
For a simple free drawing software on PC, try Artweaver. It’s been around a while now, and the free version is somewhat limited, but the highly configurable brush system makes it worth a download.
What software do digital artists use?
Digital artists express themselves through a range of drawing apps. Many professionals use Photoshop, which works across desktop, mobile, and tablet and integrates with Adobe’s other digital art apps like Adobe Illustrator. Gimp is an open-source alternative to Photoshop, although it’s tied to desktops. The well-loved Procreate is a favorite drawing tool among talented digital artists. Autodesk Sketchbook is a great professional illustrator app for iPhone, Android, Windows, macOS, and iPad.
What are some digital art software alternatives?
While we’ve tested out the best digital art and drawing software, there are still alternative tools available – especially if looking for something more entry-level, or simply competent when it comes to art and design.
PaintShop Pro is a neat little art program. Although not as fully featured as some of the above it’s still very competent software for many aspects of art and design. Whether it’s photo editing, drawing, or creating/designing graphics, there are a lot of tools and additional plugins available to get the effect you want. Originally developed by Jasc, it’s now part of the Corel stable of creative programs.
Adobe Illustrator can sometimes be thought of as being the little brother to the more powerful Photoshop, but don’t overlook its possibilities. While Photoshop was originally built for photo editing, Adobe Illustrator has always been designed around illustration and drawing. You don’t need to choose between one or the other, however, as if you subscribe to even the basic level Adobe creative apps plan, you can have both Photoshop and Illustrator together.
Sketchup is more focused on 3D design rather than general painting and drawing, but is worth considering if that’s the main reason you need software for drawing. Even better is that there’s a free version, but even the paid-for versions are relatively cheap by comparison to some of the above, with an annual cost varying according to how many features you want to unlock.
Microsoft Paint is a basic art package that comes with every Windows install, and has done so since at least Windows 3.x. The release of Windows 10 has seen 3D editing tools added to it, but let’s be fair-it’s still a simple program that isn’t going to rival anything else on this list. However, because of the easy availability of MS Paint it’s worth mentioning – if nothing else because it does have a basic toolkit that is expanded on by other software.
How to choose which digital art & drawing software is best for you
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When deciding which digital art & drawing software is best, first consider how many features and tools you may need, the types of projects you’re creating, and your skill-level with this type of software.
Hardware
Digital art and drawing software isn’t typically too resource-intensive, with fair minimum system requirements. However, for more complex projects, you may need a machine capable of keeping up with the program. For more on this, we reviewed the best laptops for graphic design and the best laptops for drawing and digital art. Alternatively, you may prefer to use a dedicated digital art tablet, which we’ve also tested in our guide to the best drawing tablets.
Use
In some cases, fully featured digital art tools may not be needed. For example, if you’re just trying to make a simple image, such as a logo, you may find the best free logo designer or similar will be fine. For more complex works, the best photo editors and professional graphic design software may be best.
Collaboration
Whether you’re a freelance artist or working in-house, online collaboration tools are essential for sharing your work, receiving feedback, and getting each project pixel-perfect and signed off. If you’re working across mediums, look for supported integration between related apps – for example, Photoshop seamlessly integrates with Adobe Lightroom.
Budget
Budget is another factor. We’ve reviewed plenty of free computer programs for artists, but there will be trade-offs. Adobe Fresco is a good intermediate app in this case, as it operates a freemium model, letting you get a real taste of what it offers before you commit to subscribing.
How we test the best digital art & drawing software
To test for the best digital art and the best drawing software we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service by creating a handful of images to see how the software could be used for the editing and development of each image.
The aim was to push each software platform to see how easy it was to use different features, tools, and filters where available. We assess overall user interface and experience, the breadth of tools and brushes on offer, and value for money.
