15 Best Digital Art Programs and Drawing Software in 2023

The best digital art programs are invaluable tools for accomplished artists. But they also open up new possibilities for those of us who are less skilled. The lines between digital art programs and photo editing software are blurred. Many of the products in this review will handle both.

Our top pick is a case in point. Adobe Photoshop is primarily for photos. But its strengths go far beyond that. It is the industry leader. It has extensive tools and processes and integration with the Adobe ecosystem.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Digital Art Programs

Adobe Photoshop

Affinity Photo 2

Corel Painter 2023

What Are Digital Art Programs?

Before we look at the details of our recommendations, here is a summary of our recommendations.

Our Top Pick

Adobe Photoshop

Professional-grade photo editing
Powerful tools to create stunning images
Non-destructive editing and easy adjustment layers
High-quality retouching and compositing tools
Variety of filters and effects for creative expression

Best App for iPad

Affinity Photo 2

Professional photo editing
Non-destructive workflow
Unrivaled speed and power
High-precision tools
Compatible with Windows, macOS, and iPad

Best Art Program for Professionals

Corel Painter 2023

Revolutionary digital painting software
Natural media tools for realistic results
Customizable brushes, palettes, and textures
Easily transition from traditional to digital art
Powerful drawing and painting capabilities

Best Program for Animation

Clip Studio Paint Pro

Professional-grade software for digital art creation
Variety of tools for drawing, coloring, and creating comics
Easy-to-use interface with customizable workspace
Compatible with Windows, Mac, iPad, and iPhone
Intuitive features such as auto-correction and perspective rulers

Best Budget App for iPad

Procreate

Professional-quality painting and drawing
Intuitive and responsive brushes
Customizable canvas and layers
Fast and powerful tools
Easy sharing and export options

Best Software for Education

Rebelle 6

Creates realistic watercolor effects
Unique hybrid media system
Revolutionary color-mixing technology
Paints directly on a digital canvas
Variety of brushes and tools

Best Software for Linux

Krita

Professional digital painting software
Free and open-source
Thousands of brushes and tools
Highly customizable interface
Compatible with multiple operating systems

Best for Automation

ArtRage

Realistic painting tools
Natural media simulation
Easy to use interface
Supports multiple platforms
Wide range of creative features

Best Software for Windows

Artweaver 7

Intuitive interface
Realistic brush simulation
Professional editing tools
Support for multiple layers
Compatibility with various file formats

Best Software for Concept Art

Black Ink

Large range of non-realistic brushes
Generative art brushes
64-bit linear editing
GPU-based rendering
Unlimited brush customization

Best Software for 3D

Mental Canvas

Use it to visualize complex ideas
Create interactive diagrams
Easily share and collaborate
Animate diagrams over time
Create vivid and meaningful presentations

Best Software for Manga

MediBang Paint for Pro

Professional-grade painting tools
Cloud-based workspace
Over 1,000 free resources
Compatible with Mac, Windows, and iOS
Intuitive interface for all skill levels

Best Lifetime License Option

TwistedBrush Pro Studio 25

Professional painting and drawing tools
Over 5000 brushes and textures
Create digital art with ease
Advanced photo editing capabilities
Customizable interface

Best Software for iOS

Adobe Fresco

Powerful digital painting and drawing
Intuitive vector and raster brushes
Live brushes that blend and mix
Fast, responsive, and smooth
Professional-grade results

Best Free Option

Assembly

Easy-to-follow instructions
Time-saving solutions
Cost-effective
High-quality materials
Professional finish

The Best Digital Art Programs for Computer and Tablet

Now let’s look at those products in detail. Most of these programs are paid for. But some offer free trials or free versions with limited functionality. Paid software will be either a one-time payment to buy the license or a subscription model.

1. Adobe Photoshop

Brand	Brand Adobe
Platform	Platform macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription Yes
Key Features	Key Features Automatic updates, integration with other Adobe software
Best For	Best For Anyone immersed in the Adobe ecosystem

Adobe Photoshop is the wise old soul of digital art programs. It has been around for a long time and has become the industry standard. In fact, it sets the industry standard.

The program is updated all the time. You never have to wait long for new features to be introduced. And it keeps them ahead of the competition.

Thanks to the cloud subscription model, the updates are automatic. You don’t have to download a newer version to your computer.

Adobe Photoshop is the leader in digital drawing, animation, and photo editing. You have access to thousands of brushes. And you can even make your own.

They also have the biggest selection of fonts and original typefaces. It’s ideal for illustrations, website design, and 3D artwork. If you need inspiration, have a look at these 3D digital artists.

Adobe offers a selection of different subscription plans. You can make your decision based on your needs and your budget. But whichever you choose, Photoshop will prove excellent value for money.

2. Affinity Photo 2

Brand	Brand Affinity
Platform	Platform macOS, Windows, and iPadOS
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription One-time purchase
Key Features	Key Features Liquefy, develop, and tone mapping personas, integration with other Affinity programs
Best For	Best For Anyone wanting a one-time payment for a powerful program

Affinity Photo is the best alternative to Photoshop. It’s a powerful program that makes digital illustration easy.

Plus, it has an excellent array of drawing tools and brushes. It’s close to the number offered by Photoshop. But it does lack a few of its more specialist features.

The program is fun and easy to use. You won’t find artists and illustrators needing more effects and features.

Users can switch between vector and raster workspaces with the click of a button. As a result, you can create scalable artworks that are easy to enhance.

Affinity offers great value for money. You pay a one-time price. (It’s about equal to only a few months of a Photoshop subscription.) Of course, Photoshop is a bigger program.

But Affinity can also produce professional standard digital artwork. And it’s another great option for photo editing too.

3. Corel Painter 2022

Brand	Brand Corel
Platform	Platform macOS and Windows
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription One-time purchase or subscription
Key Features	Key Features More than 900 brushes, AI assistance
Best For	Best For Artists wanting to work collaboratively

Corel Painter is another professional-standard digital drawing program. It has over 900 brushes to choose from.

You get stencils, pattern pens, and texture brushes. There are also AI-powered set filters for fast editing.

With Corel Painter, you can set up your own unique digital studio. You can categorize the brushes you like, creating a unique palette to work from.

If you can’t find what you need, you can make your own brushes. Or import them from other artists.

Color mixing is fast and easy. And you can save your personally mixed colors to your palette.

Personalizing the digital workspace allows artists to develop their style. So it’s an ideal program for creating unique pieces of digital artwork.

Corel Painter gives you the option to subscribe with a yearly fee. But there’s an additional cost for the annual update.

Or you can purchase the program outright with a one-time payment. But Corel is encouraging the subscription model. This does work out cheaper in the long run.

4. Clip Studio Paint Pro

Brand	Brand Clip Studio
Platform	Platform macOS, Windows, iPadOS, iOS, Android, ChromeOS
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription One-time purchase or subscription
Key Features	Key Features Customizable 3D models, can transfer work between any supported OS
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for extensive tools for a low price

Clip Studio Paint Pro is aimed at manga and comic book artists. But that doesn’t mean it’s limited.

On the contrary, it’s some of the best digital art software available for drawing and painting. And it also has terrific animation features.

You can experiment with modern digital textures and effects. Or you can create traditional-looking images.

There’s also a pen pressure detection system for pens and brushes with a hand-drawn finish. It adds personality to your work. And it gives you true-to-life results.

Clip Studio Paint Pro has a selection of watercolor and gouache effects for realistic digital painting. The brushes range from sharp to lush. And they give you the same flexibility as actual watercolor paintings.

Clip Studio Paint gives you the options of the Pro or EX suites. The Pro is the basic option, perfect if you’re just starting.

And clip Studio Paint EX is the full package. This option is more expensive. But it’s an industry-grade digital art program for professional artists.

5. Procreate

Brand	Brand Procreate
Platform	Platform iPadOS, iOS
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription One-time purchase
Key Features	Key Features Automatic time-lapse function, hundreds of customizable features
Best For	Best For Anyone with an iPad looking for a bargain digital art app

Procreate is one of the most exciting and creative applications for iOS. It’s a drawing and design app perfect for digital artists with an iPad.

It has hundreds of brushes. So you can create anything from digital sketches to detailed artwork.

There are fantastic illustration possibilities with templates and typography tools. And even though it’s an app, it isn’t limited. For example, you can customize brushes and use hundreds of layers for one piece.

One special feature is how Procreate will record your work with continuous autosave. Then you can turn it into a time-lapse video. So you can watch the whole creation process from start to finish.

The videos are great for drawing and painting tutorials. They’re also great for your social media.

Procreate is an exclusive digital art app for iPads, which does limit its appeal. But it’s a bargain if you’re a digital artist with an iPad.

6. Rebelle 6

Brand	Brand Rebelle
Platform	Platform macOS and Windows
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription One-time purchase
Key Features	Key Features Integrates with Tablet Pro for Windows 11 Tablet, 20 free seats for schools
Best For	Best For Anyone in education looking for a cheap or free painting program

Rebelle 6 is one of the best digital painting software available. It’s a painting software for artists that love painting but hate the mess.

The Rebelle painting software is the best for realistic wet and dry media artwork. You can create digital illustrations using watercolor, oil, or acrylic simulators.

The brushes mimic the characteristics of real paintbrushes. And the paint options give the work a warm and real-to-life effect.

Rebelle is an authentic painting experience. And the digital illustrations match the quality of real-life paintings. You even have a tilt feature, which gives the running effect of real paint.

The Rebelle 6 digital art software offers excellent value for money. It’s cheaper than both Corel Painter and Clip Studio Paint. And there are regular updates to keep things fresh.

It is a bit specialist. But if you want to replicate wet media art, then Rebelle 6 could be the painting software for you.

7. Krita

Brand	Brand Krita
Platform	Platform macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and ChromeOS
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Free
Subscription	Subscription No
Key Features	Key Features Multiple brush and smudge options, importable texture packs
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a free entry point into digital art

Krita is free digital art software that is fun and easy to use. It’s been around since 2004. But not many people know about it. This is surprising as they want everyone to have high-standard digital art software.

Krita might seem limited compared to some of the professional digital drawing software. But with over 100 unique brush types and Smudge and Shape engines, there is much scope for creativity.

You can also import extra brush and texture packs for more digital fun.

Originally, Krita was designed to be a generic photo manipulation tool. Something similar to Photoshop.

But since 2009, Krita has become a dedicated digital painting software. This focus on purpose has improved the application.

This free painting software is available for Windows, Apple, and Linux systems. It’s the perfect place to start if you’re new to digital art software.

But it isn’t just for beginners. The results are excellent. And Professional artists can ply their trade with Krita too.

8. ArtRage

Brand	Brand ArtRage
Platform	Platform macOS, Windows
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription One-time purchase
Key Features	Key Features Recordable scripts to repeat actions, realistic painting tools
Best For	Best For Creating natural-looking paint tones on a budget

ArtRage 6 is digital art software fully equipped for hobbyists and professionals. The strength of this drawing software is the natural colors and textures it gives you.

You can push digital technology to the limit and still achieve realistic paint tones. You can start with pencil sketches. Then you can move to real-to-life paint simulation modes.

The oil paint mixing is particularly sophisticated. And it helps you create a personal color palette you can save.

You can change the digital canvas to mimic different real-life paper or canvas. And the brush motion reacts to the type of paint and paper you’re using.

ArtRage 6 produces work that is a seamless blend of digital and natural. So if you’re looking for natural tones on a budget, it’s one of the best drawing software.

9. Artweaver 7

Brand	Brand Artweaver
Platform	Platform Windows
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription No
Key Features	Key Features Customizable user interface, collaborative working over the internet
Best For	Best For Windows users looking to take their first step into digital art

Artweaver 7 offers excellent digital art software. Many professional illustrators use this drawing software. But it’s excellent for beginners too.

Artweaver has two options. The Artweaver Free suite is a free version of the program. Admittedly, it’s a more basic version. But it gives you some of the best free digital art software available.

The paid version, Artweaver Plus, has all its advanced features. And it’s still good value for money.

Both versions offer plenty of customizable brushes. And the program has improved brush handling, so they react naturally. These features help the artist create personal work with a unique style.

If you’re new to digital illustration, downloading the free version is a great place to start. And when you’re ready to take the next step, you only need to download Artweaver Plus.

10. Black Ink

Brand	Brand Black Ink
Platform	Platform Windows
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription No
Key Features	Key Features Unlimited brush customization, GPU-based rendering for speed
Best For	Best For Experienced digital artists looking to expand their style

Black Ink is a digital art software for artists comfortable in the digital age. The program’s creators are not trying to appeal to artists that want the traditional feel of painting on paper.

Users of Black Ink can create their own custom brushes. They can customize their brushes to meet their own needs.

And they’re not limited to real-life paintbrush types. Each artist can build a collection of brushes to speed up their design process.

Black Ink is the perfect drawing software for developing stand-out concept art or creating comics. The brush-sharing features make this program excellent for coworking and group projects.

Black Ink is only available for Windows systems, which does limit its appeal. And it’s not great for beginners. But it does offer good value if you’re experienced.

11. Mental Canvas

Brand	Brand Mental Canvas
Platform	Platform iPadOS and Windows
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription One-time purchase
Key Features	Key Features 3D video output, free trial version available
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a new angle to their digital art

Mental Canvas is a 3D drawing tool like no other. It’s not a 3D graphics program. Mental Canvas is free drawing software with a 3D approach.

At first, Mental Canvas might seem like a simple digital sketching tool. But the difference is you can interact with your drawings three-dimensionally.

You can create scenes and landscapes. And you can explore them as if they were 3D models.

This free software is designed for conceptual artists. Directors and producers can use it to sketch scenes for live-action productions. Even civil engineers and architects can use it.

Mental Canvas was developed a few years ago. And the app is still free to download.

It’s not a program for professional illustrations. But it can be used by anyone who needs to express their ideas visually.

12. MediBang Paint for Pro

Brand	Brand MediBang
Platform	Platform macOS and Windows
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Free
Subscription	Subscription No
Key Features	Key Features Templates for comic books and Manga
Best For	Best For Budding artists looking for free resources

MediBang Paint Pro is designed for digital artists on a budget. If you want to draw manga art and comic books, MediBang offers free digital art software.

Compared to paid programs, it might seem limited. But there is plenty to play with. And the drawing tools are excellent.

The brush selection is small compared to other programs. But you get a good selection of templates and backgrounds.

For budding comic book creators, the templates give you a variety of structures to choose from. You can work straight into them so you can focus on the drawing.

MediBang Paint Pro is perfect for beginners. And it’s compatible with Windows and macOS. You can download the app for free if you love manga and comic books.

13. TwistedBrush Pro Studio 25

Brand	Brand Pixarra
Platform	Platform Windows
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription One-time purchase or lifetime purchase (for continued updates)
Key Features	Key Features Easy integration of photos and digital art
Best For	Best For Windows users looking for extensive features

TwistedBrush Pro Studio is professional standard digital art software. But it comes with a professional price tag.

If you like a large brush selection, TwistedBrush has a big selection. Sorry, it’s not big, it’s massive! There are 9,000 to choose from. And if you’re still not satisfied, you can create your own.

The brush action is also excellent. Many options mimic real-life brush strokes to give your work that traditional feel.

But there are digital brush options too. These create authentically technological images.

And there are not just brushes. You get a full suite of digital art tools. And if you’re using a tablet, there’s pressure sensitivity technology. The layers and masking features are good for animation too.

TwistedBrush Pro Studio isn’t cheap. It is an excellent digital art program. But there are cheaper options available.

14. Adobe Fresco

Brand	Brand Adobe
Platform	Platform iOS and iPadOS
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid
Subscription	Subscription Yes
Key Features	Key Features Built to work best with Apple Pencil
Best For	Best For iOS users who want to take advantage of the platform's strengths

Adobe Fresco is a digital drawing application for iPhones and iPads. The application is more streamlined than Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop.

Everything has been simplified. And you won’t get lost in a maze of tools. It’s simple and easy to use.

You can fix up a great-looking digital image in no time. And if you do need more, you can move your image to one of the more advanced programs.

The painting features are excellent. The brush tools have realistic effects. And the paints can blend and bleed on your page. The oil paint simulations swirl and mix just like they would on a real canvas.

Adobe Fresco is an excellent painting app for beginners. Or for a professional designer on the go. You can do sketches on the train before moving the images to Photoshop or Illustrator.

15. Assembly

Brand	Brand Pixite
Platform	Platform iOS
Paid or Free	Paid or Free Paid and free
Subscription	Subscription Yes
Key Features	Key Features Unlimited tools and typography options
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for an affordable iOS drawing app with strong features

Assembly is a digital painting app for graphic design and illustration. Unfortunately, Android users won’t be pleased. It’s only available for iPhones and iPads.

The toolset has everything a digital designer might need. It is more simplistic than more heavy-duty tools. But brush tools, blending modes, and shape packs make the app accessible.

The user interface is minimalist and uncluttered. It’s easy to navigate. And it doesn’t draw your attention away from your work. The app also features tutorials for those getting started.

When downloading Assembly, you get two options. There is the free version, which is more basic. Or Assembly Pro, which is the paid version.

Assembly is another great painting app for designers on the go. Rather than spend your time scrolling through social media, you can create something new. It’s the perfect drawing tool for beginners and pros.

Conclusion: The Best Digital Art Programs

Whether you’re new to digital art or looking to upgrade your system, digital art software is available. If you’re looking for advice, we have some tips on how to get started with digital art.

If you have the budget, you can go for the industry leaders. But even if you have no budget, you can use plenty of free art programs.

And there are options for your computer or your phone. Plus, there are web-based tools.

Adobe Photoshop is an excellent choice that offers a wide range of features and tools to help you create stunning digital artwork.

Our Top 3 Choices for The Best Digital Art Programs

Adobe Photoshop