Pixelmator Pro, one of the most highly regarded image editing apps on the Mac, has finally arrived on the iPad. The app, long regarded as one of the best Photoshop alternatives on the Mac, is now available on iPad as part of Apple’s new Creator Studio bundle.
The launch also brings a quiet but important change. Pixelmator Photo, the previous iPad-only app, is being phased out. While existing users can continue to use it, Apple says Pixelmator Photo will no longer receive updates.
Going forward, Pixelmator Pro will be the single, unified image editor across Mac and iPad, using the same tools, features, and file formats on both platforms.
A Mac-class editor built for iPads
Pixelmator Pro joined Apple’s lineup after the company acquired it last year. It includes a layer-based editing system, advanced color tools, masks, effects, and vector shape support, all redesigned for touch and Apple Pencil.
The interface adapts to gestures, Pencil input, keyboard shortcuts, and even trackpads, making it feel at home whether you are sketching by hand or working with a keyboard and mouse.
Machine learning features play a major role here too. The iPad app includes tools like automatic background removal, subject and object selection, super-resolution upscaling, smart retouching, and ML-powered crop and straighten.
These features run directly on the device and are meant to speed up common editing tasks without sending images to the cloud. However, Pixelmator Pro requires iPadOS 26 or later and works only on iPad models powered by an A16, A17 Pro, or M1 chip or newer.
It also works seamlessly with Apple’s Files app and iCloud Drive, so images can be opened, edited, and saved directly from existing folders and cloud storage. Projects sync seamlessly between iPad and Mac, making it easy to start work on one device and finish it on another.
Pixelmator Pro’s arrival on iPad feels long overdue and genuinely exciting, but it would be even better if users had the option to buy or subscribe without committing to Creator Studio.