Top Apple Pencil-Friendly iPad Pro Applications

Top Apple Pencil-Friendly iPad Pro Applications

Pair up your iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil and revolutionize your productivity! This guide focuses on the top iPad Pro apps for the Apple Pencil, which are perfect for creating digital art, editing images, note-taking, or simply unwinding.

Working seamlessly with the iPad Pro, the Apple Pencil elevates your tablet and stylus to a whole new level of productivity, especially with the latest Apple Pencil Pro's haptic feedback feature. Let's dive into the best apps suited for creative outlets, from sketching to 3D design.

We've carefully evaluated these apps based on features, usefulness, compatibility with the Apple Pencil, and performance. Here's our hand-picked selection of iPad Pro apps for the Apple Pencil, complete with download links and system requirements:

The best iPad Pro apps for note-taking

1. Bear: iOS 15.6 or later – $2.99 per month ⇨ Download Apple's minimalist beauty, Bear offers an intuitive note-taking experience. With tags, images, drawings, and organization tools, you can create neat notes while keeping things organized.
2. Notes (Apple): iOS 10.0 or later – Free ⇨ Download Apple's native note-taking app is underrated for its simplicity and ease of use. Draw directly into notes, and even add a few sketches to go with your text. All your notes will be synced across your Apple devices in a flash.
3. Nebo: Notes and PDF Annotations: iOS 16.0 or later – Free (with in-app purchases) ⇨ Download Nebo, praised for its handwriting recognition, is great for digital note-taking, and even supports 66 languages! Translate your handwritten notes with ease and share them as HTML, PDF, or text formats.
4. GoodNotes 6: iOS 13.0 or later – Free (full version: $11.99) ⇨ Download Perfect for creating searchable handwritten notes, GoodNotes turns your iPad into digital paper. Its advanced handwriting-to-text conversion is one of the best in the industry.
5. Evernote: iOS 15.1 or later – Free (with in-app purchases) ⇨ Download Evernote offers a more comprehensive note-taking experience, but it has a divided user base like Marmite. You can collect sketches, notes, to-do lists, and even record audio while sketching.
6. Flow: iOS 15.0 or later – $2.49 per month ⇨ Download A minimalist yet feature-rich notetaking app that offers an engaging experience. With a range of paper options and ink emulation, Flow is perfect for sketching rough ideas on the go.
7. LiquidText: iOS 16.6 or later – Free (with in-app purchases) ⇨ Download Optimized for annotating while reading, LiquidText allows you to highlight sections of what you're reading to come back to later or collapse parts of the document for cross-referencing.
8. Microsoft OneNote: iOS 17.0 or later – Microsoft 365 subscription required ⇨ Download This powerful note-taking app is perfect for students, journalists, or researchers, offering an organization system suitable for coursework, research, or anything that requires high-intensity organization.

The best iPad Pro apps for digital art

1. Photoshop for iPad: iOS 17.0 or later – Adobe Creative Cloud subscription required ⇨ Download Now available with all Creative Cloud subscriptions, Photoshop for iPad is powerful for illustration with a vast array of tools previously exclusive to the desktop version. While it lacks typography capabilities, it still features an abundance of brushes that all work harmoniously with the Apple Pencil.
2. Procreate: iOS 15.4.1 or later – $9.99 ⇨ Download Procreate's integration with the Apple Pencil provides an incredibly smooth and natural drawing experience. Its vast library of brushes, advanced painting tools, and 3D capabilities make it perfect for digital art.
3. Astropad: iOS 9.1 (iPad) and 10.11 (Macs) – $79.99 per year ⇨ Download Sculpt your iPad Pro into a graphics tablet for your Mac. Astropad offers compatibility with an array of creative apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Affinity Designer. It's perfect for productive workflows on a single device.
4. Illustrator for iPad: iOS 14.0 or later – Adobe Creative Cloud subscription required ⇨ Download Adobe's Illustrator CC is the industry's standard software for vector art, offering seamless compatibility and integration with the Apple Pencil through the iPad app.
5. Paper: iOS 13.0 or later – Free (with in-app purchases) ⇨ Download Perfect for basic sketching and diagramming, Paper offers a wide array of advanced features like graphs, org charts, and Venn diagrams, yet remains easy to use.
6. Affinity Designer 2: iOS 15.0 or later – $17.99 ⇨ Download This professional vector art app is fully compatible with the Apple Pencil's drawing capabilities for a precise and smooth experience. Customization options make it ideal for a wide range of creative concepts.
7. Clip Studio Paint: iOS 17.0 or later – Free (with in-app purchases) ⇨ Download Clip Studio Paint is a specialized app for digital painting, comic creation, and manga illustration. Its extensive toolset and customization options make it perfect for professional artists.
8. Adobe Fresco: iOS 17.0 or later – Free ⇨ Download Offering a natural drawing and painting experience, Adobe Fresco mimics the feel of traditional art materials. With its rich library of brushes and streaming capabilities, it's an ideal app for beginners and experienced artists alike.

The best iPad Pro games for Apple Pencil

1. Donut County: iPadOS 10.0 or later – $4.99 ⇨ Download Become a hole and scoop up everything in sight in this unique and engaging game. With a mix of simple mechanics and deep humor, Donut County is sure to amuse people of all ages.
2. Brain dots: iPadOS 15.6 or later – Free or $3.99 to remove cut-in ads ⇨ Download Draw lines to merge balls and solve puzzles in this captivating game. Challenge yourself with levels that gradually increase in difficulty and test your drawing skills.

Enjoy your iPad Pro and Apple Pencil experiences!

By following this guide, you'll make the most of your iPad Pro and Apple Pencil combination for productivity, creativity, and entertainment. Happy digital sketching, designing, and playing!

1. With your Apple Pencil, take productivity to new heights and revolutionize your art, note-taking, or leisure with these top iPad Pro apps.
2. The Apple Pencil, when paired with your iPad Pro, transforms the tablet and stylus into a superior productivity tool, particularly with the latest Apple Pencil Pro's haptic feedback feature.
3. Join us as we dive into the best apps catering to creative outlets, such as sketching, 3D design, and digital art.
4. These apps have been carefully evaluated, considering factors like features, compatibility with the Apple Pencil, usefulness, and performance.

The best iPad Pro apps for note-taking

1. Bear, a popular minimalist app, offers an intuitive note-taking experience with tags, images, drawings, and organizational tools.
2. Apple's native note-taking app, Notes, offers simplicity and ease of use, allowing you to draw directly into notes and add a few sketches.
3. Nebo, praised for its handwriting recognition, is a great choice for digital note-taking, supporting 66 languages.
4. GoodNotes 6 turns your iPad into digital paper for creating searchable handwritten notes with advanced handwriting-to-text conversion.
5. Evernote offers a more comprehensive note-taking experience, though may be divisive like Marmite, featuring a range of tools for sketches, notes, to-do lists, and audio recordings.
6. Take advantage of Flow's minimalist yet feature-rich note-taking app for an engaging experience, with a range of paper options and ink emulation.
7. LiquidText optimizes annotating while reading, enabling you to highlight sections and return to them later or collapse document parts for cross-referencing.
8. Microsoft OneNote, perfect for students, journalists, or researchers, offers organization suitable for coursework, research, or high-intensity projects.

The best iPad Pro apps for digital art

1. Photoshop for iPad, now available with Creative Cloud subscriptions, is powerful for illustration, boasting a vast array of tools once exclusive to the desktop version.
2. Procreate's seamless integration with the Apple Pencil provides a smooth and natural digital drawing experience, with a vast library of brushes and advanced painting tools.
3. Astropad turns your iPad Pro into a graphics tablet for your Mac, compatible with creative apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Affinity Designer.
4. Illustrator for iPad offers seamless compatibility and integration with the Apple Pencil for vector art, mirroring the industry standard software's capabilities.
5. Paper is ideal for basic sketching and diagramming with numerous advanced features, like graphs, org charts, and Venn diagrams, yet remaining simple to use.
6. Affinity Designer 2 is fully compatible with the Apple Pencil's drawing capabilities, providing a precise and smooth experience for professional vector art.
7. Clip Studio Paint specializes in digital painting, comic creation, and manga illustration, with an extensive toolset and customization options perfect for professional artists.
8. Adobe Fresco provides a natural painting and drawing experience, resembling traditional art materials, ideal for beginners and experienced artists alike.

The best iPad Pro games for Apple Pencil

1. Donut County, a hole-based game, offers a unique and entertaining experience, combining simple mechanics, humor, and satisfying gameplay.
2. Brain dots challenges you to draw lines to merge balls and solve puzzles, testing your drawing skills while entertaining players of all ages.

Cherish your iPad Pro and Apple Pencil adventures!

1. By following this guide, you'll unlock productivity, creativity, and entertainment experiences with your iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, maximizing your artistic, design, and gaming endeavors while learning and growing.

Read also: