Best Apple Pencil Apps 2026: Top Picks
Apple Pencil unlocks iPad's potential. After daily use for 4 years, here are the 2026 must-have Pencil apps.
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Cost Breakdown — All Options
| Where | Cost | Wait | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Procreate | $13 once | Pro digital art | Artists |
| Notability | $15/yr | Best handwritten notes | Med/law students |
| GoodNotes 6 | $30 / $7/yr | Most popular notes | Students |
| Linea Sketch | $5/mo / $30/yr | Architectural sketch | Designers |
| Affinity Designer 2 | $70 once | Vector design | Pro designers |
| Concepts | Free / $130/yr | Infinite canvas | Brainstorming |
| Notes (built-in) | Free | Quick handwriting | Casual |
Procreate (Best Digital Art)
$13 once. Pro digital art on iPad. Used by professional illustrators, comic artists, animators.
Best for: digital artists, illustrators, anyone wanting to draw on iPad.
Notability (Handwritten Notes)
$15/yr. Apple Pencil note-taking. Audio sync with notes (playback hears what was said when you wrote a line).
Best for: med students, law students, anyone preferring handwritten notes.
GoodNotes 6 (Most Popular)
$30 once or $7/yr. Most popular student note-taking app. Searchable handwriting.
Best for: students, presentation slides annotation, PDF markup.
Linea Sketch (Architects)
$5/mo or $30/yr. Quick sketching app. Used by architects, designers for ideation.
Best for: design professionals, quick concept sketches.
Affinity Designer 2 (Pro Vector)
$70 once. Pro vector design app. Adobe Illustrator alternative without subscription.
Best for: graphic designers, logo work, illustration.
Concepts (Infinite Canvas)
Free / $130/yr Pro. Infinite canvas for brainstorming, mind mapping, design.
Best for: design thinking, brainstorming sessions, project planning.
Apple Notes (Built-In, Free)
Free. Built-in. Apple Pencil works for handwriting, sketching.
Best for: quick notes, casual users, those wanting Apple-native solution.
Adobe Fresco (Pro Painting)
Free / $10/mo Adobe CC. Adobe's iPad painting app. Realistic brushes.
Best for: Adobe ecosystem users, realistic painting workflows.
Adobe Photoshop iPad
$10/mo Adobe CC. Photoshop on iPad. Apple Pencil for retouching.
Best for: photo editing pros, designers in Adobe ecosystem.
Nomad Sculpt (3D Modeling)
$20 once. 3D sculpting on iPad. ZBrush alternative.
Best for: 3D artists, character designers, sculpture concepts.
Pencil Pro Features
Apple Pencil Pro adds: squeeze for menu, barrel roll for tilt, haptic feedback.
Procreate, Notes, GoodNotes, Affinity all support these.
Verdict
- Note-takers: GoodNotes 6 ($30) or Notability ($15/yr)
- Artists: Procreate ($13)
- Pro designers: Affinity Designer 2 ($70)
- Casual: Apple Notes (free)
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