Procreate vs. Procreate Dreams: What’s the Difference?

Savage Interactive is the company that brought us Procreate. The app that many digital artists, including myself, gush over. 

So, when they said they were releasing a new product, it was one of the happiest days of my artistic life. What magic could they come up with next?!

That magic is called Procreate Dreams. 

In today’s post, we’re going to dive into an overview of Procreate and Procreate Dreams. What are they? What do they do? Do you need both of them? 

Let’s get started.

What is Procreate?

Procreate is a digital art software released by Savage Interactive in March 2011 for the Apple iPad.

At the time of this writing, Procreate is a one-time payment of $12.99. To say that this is a bargain is a vast understatement given how amazing this program is.

Even today, Procreate is only compatible with the Apple iPad. While this can be frustrating for those who don’t have an iPad and wonder whether it’s worth it to buy an iPad just for Procreate, there are also some advantages as well.

As an artist, I just love how naturally Procreate works with the iPad. Given that Procreate was originally released in 2011, it almost feels like Procreate grew along with the iPad, adjusting and adapting to its changes.

You can check Procreate’s website for their list of compatible iPad models.

What has resulted is a powerhouse of a digital art program.

So, with that said, let’s talk about what Procreate is. Procreate is a digital art program. Artists tend to use it for digital illustration, digital drawing, and many other forms of digital art.

It’s a great choice for any digital art done by hand with a stylus, as opposed to graphic design done by clicking a mouse on a computer.

For example, I would use Procreate to draw a picture of my dog, but I would use a program like Canva to make a collage of photos. 

When drawing by hand with Procreate, you’ll need to have the digital art equivalent to a pencil that you can use with your iPad. For Procreate, your two choices are the Apple Pencil and the Logitech Crayon.

So, in the simplest terms, think about Procreate as the equivalent to grabbing a piece of paper and a pencil. But, instead, you’re grabbing your iPad and Apple Pencil…and have access to a wild world of amazing features.

If you want to dive into all of those amazing features, check out my huge collection of Procreate tutorials!

Now that we’ve done an overview of Procreate, let’s talk about Procreate Dreams.

What is Procreate Dreams?

Procreate Dreams is a digital animation software released by Savage Interactive in November 2023 for the Apple iPad.

At the time of this writing, Procreate is a one-time payment of $19.99. As with Procreate, to say that this is a bargain is a vast understatement given how amazing this program is. 

Seriously, there are times when I stare at my iPad in awe. It’s very distracting for my art process 😂

As with Procreate, Procreate Dreams is only compatible 

You can check the Procreate Dreams page for software compatibility with your iPad.

At this point, you may be wondering what the difference between these programs really is. Yes, Procreate does have some animation features, so why do we need Procreate Dreams?

Procreate can only do limited animation. Remember that it is a digital art platform. The animation it performs can be captured in cute gifs and, while it’s awesome, it’s not what you would expect to sit down and watch with your family.

Procreate Dreams on the other hand? Wow, this software really can turn art into animation. The animated short stories it has created are astonishing. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a feature film come from Procreate Dreams someday.

Here’s my very first animation! Not a feature film by any means, but it makes me chuckle.

If you are interested in hand drawn animation, I highly suggest checking out Procreate Dreams.

I also suggest checking out Procreate Dreams if you already have Procreate, but want to dip your toes into what Procreate Dreams can do. 

The neat thing is that Procreate and Procreate Dreams function really well together. You can drag and drop your Procreate files into Procreate Dreams. This means that a character you drew in Procreate can be brought to life in Procreate Dreams.

You can also draw directly in Procreate Dreams if you want to build your project there.

It’s clear that Savage Interactive wanted Procreate and Procreate Dreams to feel harmonious. The interface, style, and many of the features are similar. The fact that you can jump between the two platforms with such ease is a thing of beauty.

These platforms are made for each other. That said, they have two very distinct purposes. Procreate is for digital art, while Procreate Dreams is for digital animation.

They work harmoniously, but they do not replace each other. And thank goodness they don’t because they are both wonderful in their own magical ways. 

Can you tell I’m excited?

I have a post about setting up a Procreate Dreams project if you want to jump in and get started with your first animation!

Alright, I hope that helped clear up any confusion between Procreate and Procreate Dreams. Now, go have fun creating art! 

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