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iPads have become a designer’s best friend, they’re portable, fast, and built with stunning displays. If you’re on the hunt for an app that helps bring your ideas to life, this list of the 5 best graphic design apps for iPad should point you in the right direction. These are tools we’ve actually used and liked. Some handle quick edits like a charm, others feel closer to a full-on studio. Whatever your creative vibe, there’s something here worth opening.
Let’s jump right into the ranking.
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We want to start our list with VistaCreate, a design app that’s carved out its own corner of the iPad world. You might’ve heard of it back when it was called Crello, but under its new name, it’s only gotten better. Whether you’re building a brand, jazzing up your social feed, or cranking out a last-minute party invite, VistaCreate gives you everything you need to make it look like you actually had time to hire a designer.
✅ Here’s what you can do with it:
That’s a lot, and the app runs smoothly too. You can go from “blank canvas” to “social-ready design” in under 5 minutes if you’ve got a vision. Even if you don’t, the templates make you feel like you do.
But here’s something we’ve noticed after using it for a while. The more projects you start, the less room you’re left with on your iPad. The app stores quite a bit locally (templates, animations, previews, export files). Before you know it, your iPad starts complaining about storage, and when you check what’s eating space, surprise: VistaCreate is right there.
So yeah, you’ll want to clean house every now and then. You can hop into iPad Storage in Settings, offload a few unused apps, or manually purge your Photos. But if we’re being honest, we usually just delegate that job to iPad cleaner apps. Design work tends to generate a lot (and we do mean a lot) of stuff in Photos. Copies, drafts, exports, reference pics… it all piles up. The manual approach could take half a day, so lately, we’ve been launching a free Apple cleanup app like Clever Cleaner instead. It automates the whole cleanup process in a minute or two and frees up more time for, you know, actually creating with VistaCreate.
Next on our list is Sketchbook. This one’s a must. The name isn’t just branding, it’s accurate. It feels like a real sketchbook. From the way the pencil brushes react to pressure, Sketchbook nails that tactile, paper-like vibe. Whether you’re jotting down a quick idea or sketching out something more serious, this app can easily become your go-to. Even over on Reddit’s ComicBookCollabs, someone mentioned how it holds up for comic creation.
✅ Here’s what you can do with it:
It’s perfect for quick ideas. Open it, pick a brush, and go. But Sketchbook’s also got depth. Layers, blend modes, rulers, symmetry tools, and even perspective guides. You can keep things simple or build up a full-on polished piece with shading, line weight, and texture. The brush library alone covers everything from crisp inking pens to soft airbrushes, and customizing them is easy enough that you actually want to experiment.
The interface also deserves a nod, it stays out of the way. Once you’re in the zone, there’s nothing cluttering your canvas. No distractions – it’s just you, your tools, and the idea you’re trying to shape.
But (and you knew there’d be a “but”), a few things could use some love. For one, there’s no true smudge/blend tool that works like a finger on charcoal – some brushes try to fake it, but a proper one would be great. And saving files could be a little more flexible (more export options or better integration with cloud storage).
That said, those are more like wish-list improvements than actual deal breakers. In our opinion, Sketchbook still ranks as one of the best graphic design apps for iPad.
At number 3, we’re putting Adobe Express: AI Photo, Video, and it deserves the spot, no question. If you need to quickly make a social post, edit a video, or generate something creative with AI, this is one of the best iPad design apps that makes it possible. Adobe basically took a chunk of Photoshop, added a bit of Premiere, mixed in some Canva simplicity, and wrapped it all in a mobile-friendly package.
✅ Here’s what you can do with it:
With this app, you can jump right in and start building content without touching a blank canvas. Templates? Hundreds. Need to remove a background, resize something for 10 different platforms, or slap on some animated text? It’s all there, often just one tap away.
Video creation is another highlight. You can combine clips, photos, sounds, and even animate text or characters. And if you’re posting across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, Express makes it easy to preview and schedule content from the same place, something that used to take a handful of separate tools not that long ago.
But like a lot of Adobe’s stuff, it’s not perfect. Some users on r/graphic_design say it still feels like a Canva clone and can be glitchy with video editing. And they’re not wrong. Another thing we’ve noticed? The export quality on desktop doesn’t always match what you see on mobile, which can be annoying if you’re working across devices.
Still, as far as mostly-free-and-mostly-functional design apps go? This one punches way above its weight, and the interface doesn’t scare off newcomers. Express lives up to the name.
At number 4, we’re highlighting Design Lab・Logo・Graphics Maker, a mobile-first tool that’s earned a loyal following. It might not be as big a name as Adobe Express, but don’t let that fool you. If you’re trying to pull off eye-catching social posts, mockups, or branded content right from your iPad, this app gives you a ton to work with.
✅ Here’s what you can do with it:
What makes Design Lab stand out is how much creative freedom it gives you without overwhelming the screen. You’ve got the templates, you’ve got the font tools, and there’s a solid set of stock assets to pull from. It’s the kind of app that makes you feel like a designer, even if you’ve never touched Photoshop before.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. A few users on the App Store mention that the app can lag, especially on older iPads (we’ve seen it too). And one wrong tap can wipe out hours of work thanks to a clunky undo/history system. Unfortunately, that’s not an exaggeration either.
Another issue? The app doesn’t support true non-destructive editing. As Adobe defines it, it means being able to tweak your work without permanently altering the original image data, so you can always go back if needed. Design Lab doesn’t offer that level of safety net, which might be a dealbreaker if you’re working on detailed or layered projects. Just something to keep in mind.
And closing our list of design apps for iPad is Poster Maker + Flyer Creator. Unlike some of the heavier apps we covered, this one doesn’t try to be Photoshop or Illustrator. It focuses on one thing: helping you make polished, professional-looking posters, flyers, logos, and social media graphics fast. And for that job, it’s awesome.
✅ Here’s what you can do with it:
This one is perfect for small business owners, students, or anyone who wants to get creative without a learning curve. If you need to make a flyer for an event, this app gives you all the tools to whip up something presentable in no time.
Just a heads-up: the save system auto-saves everything (even misclicks), so your project list can get cluttered fast. And unlike Design Lab, this one leans a little too heavily into pop-up menus that sometimes block your view while editing. Still, those are minor pains for an app that delivers this much value, this quickly. With apps like this, even someone who’s never touched a design tool before can pull off a clean-looking poster or social post.
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To wrap up, we want to say this: in 2025, it honestly feels like anyone can be a designer. Just grab your iPad and go. What used to demand a laptop and pro software can now be done from your couch, Apple Pencil in hand (or even just a finger, in some cases).
The apps we picked all do something different. Some are best for clean logos and quick social posts. Others are better for layered illustrations or comic art. But the point is, whatever you’re trying to make, there’s probably an app that makes it possible and makes it fun.
The learning curve? Barely there in most cases. And the creative potential is way bigger than it has any right to be on a 10-inch screen.
Now it’s your turn, grab one (or a few) of these iPad design apps, and see what you can make.
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If you found this post useful you might like to read these post about Graphic Design Inspiration.
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