Chances are, you’ve seen the coloring craze on TikTok. It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite hobbies – the mental health benefits are immense, from reducing day-to-day stress to promoting mindfulness. And, according to the Mayo Clinic, coloring can improve sleep while reducing fatigue, body aches, heart rate, and feelings of depression and anxiety.
So, that’s settled then – coloring is an all-around good hobby to have. However, to get the most out of it, you need the right tools. Fortunately, we’ve found some of the best coloring apps for iPads that’ll help you begin your self-care journey.
traditional vs. digital drawing
Whether you use an iPad or prefer the more traditional method of coloring, the personal benefits are pretty much the same. Both tap into a level of calm and zen that most of us haven’t felt since childhood.
However, you might not know about the other benefits of using digital coloring books.
- Environmentally friendly: Digital coloring books eliminate the need for notebooks, pens, crayons, erasers, ink, and anything else you might need for colorful creations.
- More affordable: Art supplies can be a big investment, especially if you want to get your hands on the good stuff. But once you’ve found a coloring book app for iPads, you’re all sorted! The app will have all the essential coloring tools. However, if you don’t already have an Apple Pencil you might spend much more than you would on a few crayons and coloring books.
- Less pressure: Arty endeavors can feel intimidating – but not when you use a coloring book app on your iPad. You can easily erase mistakes and there’s no physical evidence they ever happened!
what is the best coloring app for iPad?
procreate
Price: one-off payment of $12.99
It’s no surprise to see Procreate here, is it? When this digital art app was released in 2011, it quickly climbed the ranks to become one of the most popular ways to create digital paintings, drawings, and animations. Some might even argue it’s one of the best coloring apps for iPads.
Procreate is exclusively for iOS and iPadOS, so it’s no wonder the features are optimized for Apple Pencils. You can activate features like QuickShape, QuickMenu, Layer Select, and Eyedropper with simple gestures. Then there’s Haptic Feedback and Barrel Roll, which allow you to confirm actions and switch between tools respectively.
What we’re trying to say is that your digital coloring experience doesn’t have to be clunky. Procreate streamlines basic tasks, like switching between your favorite brushes. And if you aren’t content with coloring your own doodles, you can easily import almost any file type.
To top it off, Procreate is also relatively inexpensive. Other creative apps usually operate on a subscription model, but Procreate only requires a one-off purchase.
The main downside of Procreate is that it’s raster-based. Raster programs aren’t a problem in themselves, but they’re pixel-based. So when you scale up an image, you might be able to see the pixels.
That said, it’s still a great choice for hobbyists. To jumpstart your Procreate coloring sessions, check out our picks for the Best Procreate Coloring Pages and the 14 Best Procreate Coloring Palettes.
Pros:
- Affordable: For a one-off payment of $12.99, you can use Procreate for the rest of your life!
- Stylus support: Procreate is literally made for iOS systems, so it pairs well with iPads and Apple Pencils.
- Variety of brushes: This app has over 200 handcrafted brushes, far more than most art apps.
Cons:
- Raster-based program: If you want to enlarge and print out your coloring book, this pixel-based program might not be a good idea.
pigment
Price: free plan available, premium plan: $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year
Pigment might be one of the priciest coloring book apps for iPads, but it’s worth every penny. It has a collection of over 12,000 coloring pages and free users get one page per day. If you pay for the subscription, the dailies remain unlocked and you can access them whenever.
From flowers and mandalas to animals and holidays – you name it, Pigment has it. And you’re not limited to Pigment’s designs; you can easily import coloring pages and fill them in with over 60 customizable brushes, including glitter, pastel, airbrush, watercolor, wood grain, blender, and bloom.
You can use shortcuts to make your life easier. For example, the tap-to-fill tool can instantly complete any coloring task.
The app offers preset color palettes, but you can also create your own for a truly personalized experience. If you’re unsure where to start, Pigment’s has plenty of examples that’ll inspire your next coloring session.
One standout feature is the community. You can share your creations, comment on posts in your feed, and connect with fellow hobbyists. All in all, Pigment is great for people who want an all-encompassing coloring experience.
Pros:
- Community spirit: You can expand your community and meet like-minded friends.
- Simple user interface: The intuitive interface eases the learning curve.
- Variety: Choose from a wide range of illustrations or upload your own coloring pages.
Cons:
- Pricy: The subscription is expensive, but you can use it across all your iOS devices.
lake
Price: free plan available, $9.99 per month or $39.99 per year
Often hailed as one of the best coloring apps for iPads, Lake features over 1,500 coloring pages created by more than 100 independent artists. It also has color palettes to match your mood, and the Hey! tab features personalized content that updates daily, as well as a monthly 12-page coloring book designed by Lake.
In 2017, Lake received Apple’s prestigious Design Award, which recognizes the talent, artistry, and creativity of app developers. It’s optimized for Apple Pencil, so you can take full advantage of powerful iOS technologies.
Another innovation is the coloring journal, which is apparently the first of its kind. As you jot down notes and track your progress, the ASMR sound effects will add to your relaxation.
Unfortunately, Lake isn’t known for its brushes. The selection is limited, but you have to weigh that against the benefits of the other features. With over 12 million users, Lake remains a popular choice.
Pros:
- Optimized: Like Procreate, Lake is optimized for Apple Pencils.
- Support small artists: The illustrations come straight from independent artists, giving them work and exposure.
- Fresh content: You get a 12-page coloring book every single month!
Cons:
- Expensive: Compared to other coloring book apps for iPad, it’s on the pricier side.
- Limited tools: The small brush selection might dampen your creativity.
tayasui color
Price: one-off payment of $7.99
Tayasui Color is dedicated to French artist Olivia De Bona and features over 50 of her acclaimed illustrations. All the illustrations are designed to calm you, with everything from landscapes reminiscent of The Great Wave of Kanagawa to lush rainforests.
It only has six tools, but they’re all realistic.
Of course, Tayasui Color has a few tools we’d expect to see in a coloring app. Smart Boundaries helps you stay within the lines, Fill streamlines coloring, and Eyedropper makes matching colors effortless. You can even choose from gold and silver accents to add new textures to your creations.
The real highlight is the Sound Engine, which creates realistic noises every time you swipe a pen or make a brushstroke, effectively blurring the boundaries between traditional and digital coloring methods. (But if you want the real deal, check out Rock Paper Pencil for the most realistic pen-on-paper feel for iPad)
We’re not saying Tayasui Color is the most advanced, best coloring app for iPad, but it’s great for relaxation. And there’s even a built-in community hub that allows you to share creations and make lifelong friends.
Pros:
- Calming sound effects: With each stroke of the pen, you’ll hear calming ASMR sounds.
- Community: Engage with the community to build your skills, learn new tips, and meet friends.
- One-off purchase: You’ll be pleased to learn that Tayasui Color is one of the few coloring apps for iPad that doesn’t require a subscription. Once you’ve paid the one-off fee, you’ll have full access to the app.
Cons:
- Limited tools: If you’re looking for an app with extensive tools, this isn’t it. Tayasui Color only has six tools, but all the basics are there.
chroma
Price: $11.99 per month or $39.99 per year
Chroma is a strong contender for the best coloring app for iPad because of its innovative AI feature. Its AI tool, Amber, generates detailed coloring pages based on your prompts. And it’s from the same creators of the award-winning, Apple-featured creative coloring app for kids, Mini Monet.
Returning to the AI feature; even a simple prompt like ‘lion face’ will generate detailed sketches. Essentially, the only limit is your imagination. You can color between the lines or opt for a more organic approach.
Chroma also has blank pages, so you can unleash your imagination and create your own illustrations.
There are a few key tools, like the pencil, marker, and paintbrush. A relatively small selection compared to the other apps on our list, but you have to measure this against the intriguing AI feature.
Pros:
- Personalized images: The sky is the limit! You can be as specific as you like, and Amber AI will create a detailed sketch based on your ideas.
Cons:
- Expensive: Compared to other coloring book apps for iPad, it’s on the pricier side. However, if you want to bring your ideas to life in just a few seconds, that might be a small price to pay.
- Limited tools: Like Tayasui Color, Chroma only has a small selection of brushes.
- AI Ethics: While the generative AI is a major feature for this app, the controversy surrounding many AI models not ethically sourcing the art they are trained on is something to keep in mind. We could find not find much on what model Amber AI uses, so the jury is still out on ethics for this one.
Rock Paper Pencil: A Pen-On-Paper Experience for iPad
If you like the convenience of coloring digitally, but miss that satisfying feeling of pencil (or crayon) on paper, Rock Paper Pencil is for you!
Designed to create the most realistic pen-on-paper feel for iPad – Rock Paper Pencil includes a reusable, paper-feel iPad screen protector and two ballpoint Apple Pencil tips.
Built with nano-texture technology, Rock Paper Pencil adds subtle friction between your screen and Pencil, giving you more control while drawing or writing.
- NanoCling Screen Protector: Securely bond your screen protector to your iPad using static cling. Easy application, non-adhesive, removable and reusable.
- Matte Texture: Subtle friction mimics the feel of paper (no more slippery glass!)
- Precision Apple Pencil Tips: Smoother, more controlled strokes
