Best Procreate Dreams Alternatives in 2026 (Android, Windows & iPad)
Procreate Dreams is a serious iPad animation studio, and it is iPad only, with no Android or Windows version, which is the main reason people look for an alternative. Your best pick depends on what you actually need: Doodraw if you want motion without any frame work, on any platform; RoughAnimator for traditional frame-by-frame animation on Android, Mac and Windows too; or ToonSquid if you want to stay on iPad with keyframes, bones and a timeline, without paying for a subscription-free app that happens to need a Mac-class tablet.
All prices and features below are checked against each app’s official store listing or website as of October 2026.
What Procreate Dreams actually is
Procreate Dreams is the animation app from the makers of Procreate, for iPad only, priced at $12.99 once, with no subscription. Per its App Store listing, it includes:
- Over 300 Procreate-style animation brushes, compatible with purchased and custom Procreate brushes.
- A Flipbook for frame-by-frame drawing, with duplicate and add-frame tools and onion skinning (1 to 8 frames in each direction).
- A multi-track Timeline with keyframes for motion, camera moves and cinematic animation.
- Selection, transform, warp, blend modes, layer masking and permanent filters.
- Video, photo and audio import, with voice-over and music tracks.
- Export as MP4 or MOV in H.264, HEVC or ProRes, transparent video, and PNG sequences with transparency for professional pipelines.
It is a genuinely complete studio, and that completeness is exactly why it has a learning curve: the Procreate Dreams Handbook covers a multi-track timeline, performance recording and camera keyframes, which is a lot of surface area for a 3-second wiggling doodle.
Why people look for an alternative
Based on Procreate Dreams’ own listing and what people ask in animation communities (r/ProcreateDreams, r/animation):
- No Android or Windows version. Procreate Dreams runs on iPad only. There is no Procreate Dreams for iPhone, Android or any desktop platform.
- It is a full studio, not a quick tool. The timeline, keyframes and Flipbook are built for longer animations with camera moves and sound, more setup than a short looping doodle or a sticker needs.
- No animated brushes. Like regular Procreate, nothing moves on its own; animation comes from drawing or keyframing multiple frames. For the wiggle look specifically, see our guide to the wiggle effect in Procreate.
- iPad-only hardware cost. A one-time $12.99 purchase is cheap, but it still requires owning an iPad, which is a real barrier compared to apps on phones or a PC someone already has.
The alternatives
1. Doodraw: no keyframes, runs everywhere
Doodraw is a drawing app where every brush stroke animates the moment you draw it, with no Flipbook and no Timeline to set up first.
- Platforms: iPhone and iPad (iOS/iPadOS 16.4+), Android, and Windows (desktop app with a Paddle checkout at doodraw.com/pro).
- Animation: built into the brush. Each brush has Speed, Jiggle and Thickness sliders, with 26 brushes (16 free, 10 in Pro), plus a frame-by-frame assistant with onion skin in Pro for when you do want to animate by hand.
- Export: GIF, Animated PNG and MP4, 1 to 15 seconds, up to 1080p, with a free transparent background toggle for GIF and Animated PNG.
- Price: free to draw, animate and export, with a watermark on free exports. Doodraw Pro is $3.99 per month, $22.99 per year with a 7-day free trial, or $44.99 once for lifetime.
- Best for: wiggle art, stickers, quick looping doodles, and anyone who does not have an iPad. Not a fit if you need camera moves, audio or a long narrative animation.
2. RoughAnimator: frame-by-frame, on every platform including Windows
RoughAnimator, by Jacob Kafka, is the most direct cross-platform answer to “I want Procreate Dreams’ seriousness, but not just on iPad.”
- Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac and Windows, per its official download page and App Store listing.
- Tools: a timeline with unlimited layers, onion skinning, audio import for lip-syncing, video import for rotoscoping, custom brushes, and adjustable frame rate and resolution.
- Export: QuickTime video, GIF or image sequence. Projects can be imported into Adobe Animate, After Effects and Toon Boom Harmony.
- Price: $7.99 once, on every platform, no subscription.
- Best for: traditional hand-drawn frame-by-frame animation on a phone, Android tablet, Mac or PC, not just an iPad.
3. ToonSquid: the closest iPad-only match
ToonSquid, by Keiwan Donyagard, is the animation studio most often compared directly to Procreate Dreams in animation communities.
- Platforms: iPad only (iPadOS 15.0 or later), per its App Store listing.
- Tools: a flexible layer system, keyframes that animate layer properties automatically, pixel and vector brushes, bones with inverse kinematics, a smudge tool, animated text and shapes, video and audio layers, and camera movements.
- Export: MP4, MOV, GIF, PNG, JPEG and PSD.
- Price: $9.99 once (US pricing), no subscription, per its FAQ, which states there are “no hidden fees, no subscriptions.”
- Best for: iPad owners who want keyframes, bones and a real timeline, and who have already decided they are staying on iPad.
4. FlipaClip: the free, ad-supported starting point
If budget matters more than polish, FlipaClip is free to download on iPhone, iPad and Android, with ads and a watermark unless you buy FlipaClip Plus. See our full FlipaClip alternatives guide for the detailed breakdown, since FlipaClip itself is also a common Procreate Dreams substitute for people who just want to try frame-by-frame animation first.
Procreate Dreams vs the alternatives, at a glance
| Procreate Dreams | Doodraw | RoughAnimator | ToonSquid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPad only | iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows | iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, Windows | iPad only |
| How it animates | Flipbook frames, keyframes | Every brush stroke, automatically | Frame-by-frame timeline | Keyframes, bones, timeline |
| Audio | Yes | No | Yes, for lip-syncing | Yes |
| Transparent export | Yes (video, PNG sequence) | Yes, free (GIF, Animated PNG) | Not stated | Yes (PNG, PSD) |
| Price | $12.99 once | Free, Pro from $3.99/mo or $44.99 lifetime | $7.99 once | $9.99 once |
| Best for | Full iPad animation studio with sound | Instant wiggle art, stickers, any platform | Serious frame-by-frame, cross-platform | iPad keyframe animation, bones |
How to choose
- You don’t have an iPad, or want the same app on your phone too: Doodraw or RoughAnimator.
- You want motion without drawing or keyframing anything: Doodraw. Every stroke wiggles as you draw it.
- You want a real timeline and keyframes but need Windows, Android or Mac too: RoughAnimator.
- You are staying on iPad and want the closest match to Procreate Dreams’ depth: ToonSquid.
- You want to try animation for free first: FlipaClip, then step up once you know what you are missing.
If what drew you to Procreate Dreams was the wiggle, boiling-line look specifically rather than a full animation studio, our Procreate animated brushes guide compares the honest effort of doing that in Procreate (and Procreate Dreams’ Flipbook) against Doodraw, where it is just how the brush works.
FAQ
What is the best Procreate Dreams alternative?
It depends on your platform and how much control you want. Doodraw is the closest fit if you want motion without keyframes or a timeline, and it also runs on iPhone, Android and Windows, unlike Procreate Dreams. RoughAnimator is the best fit for traditional frame-by-frame animation across iPad, Android, Mac and Windows. ToonSquid is the closest iPad-only alternative with keyframes, bones and a multi-track timeline.
Is there a Procreate Dreams alternative for Android?
Procreate Dreams is iPad only, with no Android version. Doodraw and RoughAnimator are both on Google Play. Doodraw animates every stroke as you draw; RoughAnimator is frame-by-frame with a timeline, onion skinning and audio import.
Is there a Procreate Dreams alternative for Windows or PC?
Procreate Dreams has no Windows version. RoughAnimator sells a Windows build directly from roughanimator.com for $7.99. Doodraw also has a Windows desktop app, with a Paddle checkout at doodraw.com/pro, free to draw, animate and export.
Is Procreate Dreams free?
No. Procreate Dreams costs $12.99 once in the US App Store, with no subscription, per its official page at procreate.com/dreams. Doodraw is free to download, with drawing, animating and exporting included; Doodraw Pro is $3.99 per month, $22.99 per year with a 7-day free trial, or $44.99 once for lifetime.
What is the easiest Procreate Dreams alternative for a quick wiggle, not a full animation?
Doodraw. Every brush stroke animates the moment you draw it, with no frames, keyframes or timeline to set up. Procreate Dreams and ToonSquid are built for longer, more deliberate animations with sound and camera moves, which is more setup than a quick looping doodle needs.
Try Doodraw
If Procreate Dreams felt like more app than your doodle needed, download Doodraw for free on iPhone, iPad, Android or Windows, and watch your first line start wiggling on its own.