The short answer is: probably less than you might think, especially if your primary work is illustration.
Procreate has become good enough that many professional illustrators create finished client work entirely on an iPad. Where desktop software still pulls ahead is in workflows that go beyond drawing.
Here's how I'd think about it.
You're probably not missing much if your work is...
- Character illustration
- Editorial illustration
- Book covers
- Children's books
- Fantasy or concept art
- Commissions
- Prints
- Social media artwork
Procreate excels at:
- Natural-feeling drawing
- Fast painting workflow
- Excellent brush engine
- Great color handling
- Time-lapse recording
- Working anywhere
If clients are happy with your files and you're delivering on time, the software isn't holding you back.
Where desktop software still has advantages
1. Vector graphics
If you need:
- Logos
- Icons
- Infinitely scalable artwork
- Packaging graphics
Desktop vector programs still dominate.
2. Typography
Procreate's text tools are functional, but nowhere near what you'd find in desktop layout or design applications.
For things like:
- Posters
- Book interiors
- Magazine layouts
- Complex lettering
- Branding systems
desktop software is much more efficient.
3. Large, complex documents
Desktop programs handle things like:
- Hundreds of layers
- Huge canvases
- Massive PSD files
- Multiple artboards
- Linked assets
much more comfortably than an iPad.
4. Professional print production
If you're preparing files for commercial printing, desktop tools offer much finer control over:
- CMYK workflows
- Bleeds
- Spot colors
- PDF export options
- Color profiles
- Preflight checks
Many illustrators simply send RGB artwork to designers, who handle these production steps.
5. Asset management
Desktop workflows make it easier to:
- Organize thousands of files
- Search assets
- Batch export
- Rename hundreds of files
- Automate repetitive tasks
This becomes more important as your business grows.
Where Procreate is actually better
There are areas where many artists prefer Procreate over desktop software:
- Drawing experience
- Apple Pencil responsiveness
- Gesture controls
- Simplicity
- Speed of sketching
- Portability
Even artists who own powerful desktop setups often start every piece in Procreate because it simply feels better to draw in.
A common professional workflow
Many freelancers use something like this:
- Sketch in Procreate
- Paint in Procreate
- Export PSD
- Finish typography or layout on desktop (only if needed)
- Deliver final files
Others never leave the iPad.
If you only added one desktop application...
If you ever start doing more design than illustration, I'd recommend adding a desktop app primarily for:
- Typography
- Layout
- Print production
- PDF creation
You don't necessarily need a full suite—just one strong companion tool can cover the areas where Procreate is intentionally lightweight.
My impression from your question
If you're making illustrations rather than branding or page layouts, your biggest limitation is unlikely to be Procreate itself. It's more likely to be things like file organization, color management, or client deliverables as your workload grows.
Out of curiosity, are you primarily:
- a children's book illustrator,
- a fantasy/concept artist,
- doing commissions,
- creating work for licensing and products,
- or something else? That changes what, if anything, I'd recommend adding to your workflow.
