Overview

Drawpile is a collaborative drawing and painting app for artists who want to work on a shared canvas, with offline use available too. It is a strong fit for groups that want capable art tools without paying for software or arranging their own session hosting.

Its free, open-source model and official community servers make getting started straightforward. The main caveat is for people planning to host sessions themselves: the built-in server is not recommended, and iPhone and iPad users have only the browser version.

For more options in this category, browse our Digital Painting Software list.

Key features

Brushes and layers

More than 200 built-in brushes, multiple brush engines, a brush editor and stroke stabilization give artists substantial control over their marks. Pressure sensitivity adds support for pressure-aware input. Layers and groups include blend modes, alpha preserve, clipping groups, masking and alpha lock, making Drawpile a more capable workspace than a shared blank canvas. That depth suits artists building detailed compositions; it may be more than casual sketch sessions require.

Animation and file exchange

A timeline and onion skins support animation work. Saving canvas files as OpenRaster or PSD, plus pasting images from files or other programs, helps Drawpile fit alongside other art tools. Advanced color management is also supported.

Sessions, servers and security

Official community servers let groups start sessions without setting up infrastructure, which is the simplest route for most users. Artists who need control over their hosting can operate their own Drawpile server. External authentication can protect passwords when logging into potentially untrusted third-party servers and can let site owners connect existing accounts.

The built-in server is a poor choice for hosting: browsers cannot connect to sessions it hosts, and exposing a home computer can create security and privacy risks. Drawpile says it does not send information to other networked systems unless a user or the person installing or operating it specifically requests this. Windows binaries are signed through SignPath.io; dependencies are pinned to known-good versions, with SHA384 checks on retrieved dependency sources for each build.

Pricing

Drawpile — free. The free and open-source GPLv3 software includes access to official community servers at no charge. There is no paid tier to unlock for solo work or collaborative sessions, so it suits artists and groups who want the full stated offering without a software budget.

Support is available through Discord, IRC web chat, Matrix, GitHub issues and the documentation.

Platforms

Drawpile supports web, Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, as well as self-hosted deployments. The browser version works on iPhone and iPad, but there is no native iOS app because Apple does not allow Drawpile in its store. That makes it usable on Apple mobile devices, but not as a native app experience.

Who it's for

Choose Drawpile if you want free shared-canvas sessions backed by community servers, or if you need painting tools, layered compositions and animation in one application. Its offline capability also makes it useful for solo work. Look elsewhere if native iOS software is essential or if your collaboration setup depends on browser access to a session hosted by Drawpile's built-in server.

Pros and cons

Pros: Official community servers make collaboration possible without self-hosting.
Pros: Extensive brushes, layer controls and animation tools support more than quick sketching.
Pros: Free, open-source software is available for desktop, web and Android, with offline use too.
Cons: The built-in server cannot serve browser-connected sessions and can expose a home computer to security and privacy risks.
Cons: iPhone and iPad use is limited to the browser version rather than a native app.

Alternatives

ibisPaint is worth considering for artists who want a freemium option on Android, iOS, macOS or Windows, including a free version with unlimited usage time, 64MB of cloud storage and advertisements.

Clip Studio Paint is a paid alternative with a free trial and support for Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows.

Artweaver offers a free plan and a free trial on macOS and Windows.

Infinite Painter is a freemium option for Android and iOS; its free plan is limited to three layers at device resolution and selected tools and features.

Sketchbook has a free mobile app with brushes, layers, guides, rulers and stroke tools, alongside macOS and Windows versions.

FireAlpaca is another free option, with customizable brushes, layered artwork and animation tools on Linux, macOS and Windows.

HEAVYPAINT is a freemium option spanning Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows.

Krita is a free, open-source alternative without subscriptions or trials, available on Android, Linux, macOS and Windows.

Verdict

Drawpile is an excellent choice for artists who want free collaborative drawing without having to run a server, especially when layered artwork or animation matters as much as sketching. Choose another tool if native iOS support is a must, or if your hosting needs call for a browser-accessible self-hosted session without the built-in server's limitations.

	Drawpile	PD Howler
Free plan	Yes
Paid from	Free
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, Web, Windows	Windows
Free plan	Yes
Brush customization	Yes	Yes
Layer support	Yes	Yes
Pressure sensitivity	Yes	Yes
Supported platforms	web, windows, macOS, Linux, Android	Windows
Color management	advanced
Stroke stabilization	Yes	Yes

Drawpile vs PD Howler

Drawpile

PD Howler