7 Best Free Drawing Apps for Mac

MacBook owners can’t use PC-based drawing apps, but they still have hundreds of drawing apps to choose from. We picked out a select few that are high-quality AND free to download. Here are the seven best free drawing apps for all Mac users in 2022.

1. Autodesk Sketchbook

The Autodesk Sketchbook is the best all-around drawing app for Mac users. It has everything you need, including over 140 different stencils, brushes and other drawing tools. The app’s perspective stroke feature will keep your projects consistent with guides and rulers. It also has the coveted predictive stroke feature that corrects minor mistakes for you. 

The user interface is simple yet expansive, allowing you to create unlimited layers and image combinations. Once you’re ready to draw, all distracting features dissolve into the background and leave you with a complete canvas.

Install Autodesk Sketchbook for Free

2. Krita

Krita is another great all-purpose drawing app. Although its UI is top-notch, it doesn’t have quite the same seamless UI as Autodesk Sketchbook, so it has to settle for second place. It has a wide array of tools and features that make advanced projects simple.

This app also allows you to customize each project’s layout and provides cross-platform support, which can significantly help with group projects. It’s one of the most widely used Mac drawing apps, so you should have no issue finding people to collaborate with.

Install Krita for Free

3. GIMP

The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) is a little more advanced than the first two drawing apps. While the set-up for basic projects is straightforward, the app quickly becomes more challenging as you explore its advanced functions, add more custom plug-ins and learn how to navigate the many overlapping editing tools.

So, while Autodesk Sketchbook and Krita are better for basic drawing projects, GIMP takes the upper hand in photoshop, graphic design and other more complex tasks. It takes a skilled artist to use the app to full effect, but GIMP’s potential is too great to ignore.

Install GIMP for Free

4. Paint S

Paint S is the free version of Paint Pro. While it doesn’t have many advanced features, it’s a great drawing app for beginners or artists who recently switched to a MacBook. It has all the standard drawing and editing functions, including sketch, crop, scale and the rest of the basics.

Another convenient aspect of Paint S is its ability to download an image as a JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP and other formats. This feature makes for a smooth transition from Paint S to social media and other platforms.

Install Paint S for Free

5. Medibang Paint

Medibang Paint has a similar layout to Krita, but it’s geared more toward comic book artists and other graphic designers. The app has over 800 backgrounds, 50 brushes and 20 fonts. It also offers cross-platform integration that keeps the graphics consistent from device to device. You can bring your projects anywhere using Medibang on your MacBook, iPad and iPhone.

Install Medibang Paint for Free

6. Inkscape

Inkscape is perhaps the most intuitive drawing app for Mac on this list. Its open-source layout and hundreds of drawing tools make it the ideal app for illustrators, web designers and other creative artists. It offers a similar experience to Adobe Illustrator, having a near-identical user interface with certain functions.

Inkscape also creates precise vectors, supports multi-line text and can transfer projects to many different file formats. It’s one of the best creative apps available to Mac users today.

Install Inkscape for Free

7. Tayasui Sketches

Tayasui Sketches is one of the best drawing apps for Mac users who want a simple UI with the basic design features. You have 20 tools to choose from, but they’re ultra-detailed and bring life to each sketch that few other apps can replicate. The most advanced tools are the smart brush editor and color-eyedropper, both of which contribute to a unique painting experience that you won’t find on another app.

Install Tayasui Sketches for Free

Start Drawing!

With so many options available, finding the ideal drawing app for your art projects can be a daunting task. While paid apps offer a wider range of features, these seven apps give you all the essentials for free. Choose your favorite and start drawing!