The best digital art software

The logos of three of the best digital art software programs
(Image credit: Future / Adobe / Procreate / Escape Motions)

Today's best digital art software offers more choice and variety than ever, from painting software that can simulate real paint effects to apps for drawing on the go and photo editing tools that provide the versatility for all kinds of digital art. We've tested and reviewed a wide range using real-world art workflows to compare options for different needs.

Below, we've compared and rated our picks of the best digital art software below in terms of features and tools, versatility, easy of use and cost, and we've suggested what each program is best suited for, be it desktop drawing software or an app for tablets. We've also included links to complete hands-on reviews so you can see more on our evaluation of each tool (see how we test software for more information).

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Adobe Photoshop scorecard
AttributesNotesRating
Tools and featuresIt has everything, from brushes to blending, masking, colour adjustment and much, much more.★★★★★
VersatilityCan be used for everything from digital painting to photo editing and graphic design.★★★★★
UsabilityThe vast toolset can make Photoshop daunting, but there's no need to know everything.★★★★
PriceThe monthly or annual subscription plan makes it an expensive option if you're not using other Adobe tools.★★★
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Procreate scorecard
AttributesNotesRating
Tools and featuresGreat brush collection out of the box.★★★★★
VersatilityBest for painting and illustration. Only works on iPad.★★★
UsabilitySleek UI designed specifically for use on a tablet.★★★★★
PriceVery reasonable one-off price.★★★★★
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Rebelle 7 scorecard
AttributesNotesRating
Tools and featuresRealistic brushes, paint behaviour and blending.★★★★★
VersatilityBest for simulating natural media. Lacks the image manipulation tools of Photoshop.★★★
UsabilityWe found the program easy to learn, but older PCs may struggle.★★★★★
PriceVery reasonable one-off price.★★★★★
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Affinity Photo scorecard
AttributesNotesRating
Tools and featuresClosely comparable to Photoshop but lacks some headline tools.★★★★
VersatilityServes for image manipulation as well as painting.★★★★
UsabilityEasy to adjust to if you know Photoshop.★★★★
PriceAffordable one-off cost.★★★★★
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Painter scorecard
AttributesNotesRating
Tools and featuresStrong range of painting and drawing tools.★★★★
VersatilityGreat for paining and drawing but many users will need separate software for image manipulation.★★★★
UsabilityGreat customisation options.★★★
PriceNo subscription, but the price is relatively steep.★★★
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Clip Studio Paint Pro scorecard
AttributesNotesRating
Tools and featuresNew features added regularly.★★★★
VersatilityMost useful for drawing and comic art.★★★
UsabilityThe interface can be a bit confusing.★★★
PriceLots of pricing options.★★★★
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ArtRage Vitae scorecard
AttributesNotesRating
Tools and featuresGreat brush options and layer functionality but could use an update.★★★
VersatilityLacks the depth of tools like Photoshop for vectors and text.★★★
UsabilitySimple UI makes for easy use.★★★★
PriceGood value, especially the mobile apps★★★★
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Krita scorecard
AttributesNotesRating
Tools and featuresGreat brush options and layer functionality.★★★★
VersatilityLacks the depth of Photoshop for vectors and text.★★★
UsabilitySimple and intuitive workflows for painting.★★★
PriceFree and open source!★★★★
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Adobe Fresco scorecard
AttributesNotesRating
Tools and featuresGreat brushes, including for vector art. Compatibility with other Adobe software.★★★★
VersatilityBrushes to create both raster and vectors, but doesn't compare to Illustrator's Vector tools.★★★
UsabilitySimple and intuitive with direct drawing on the screen.★★★
PriceFree!★★★★
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The Drawing Desk scorecard
AttributesNotesRating
Tools and featuresGood for learning with licensed tutorials with big-name IPs.★★★★
VersatilityThis is designed for kids and isn't kitted out for creating pro art.★★
UsabilitySimple and easy to use.★★★★
PriceThe subscription may seem expensive for what it is.★★★
TOPICS
Editor, Digital Arts & 3D

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.