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Yes—but only in the historical sense. On May 3, 2018, Autodesk made SketchBook’s previously subscription-only Pro tools available at no additional cost in the consumer app. That change did not mean every SketchBook product became permanently free. In 2026, the mobile app is free to download with optional paid features, while Sketchbook Pro for Windows and macOS is sold as a one-time purchase.
What Autodesk changed on May 3, 2018
Before the announcement, Autodesk SketchBook was already free to download, but some of its more advanced tools were restricted to users with a monthly or annual Pro subscription. Autodesk removed that separate paywall for the Pro tools in the consumer version of SketchBook.
In practical terms, free users could access the formerly paid toolset without paying an additional subscription fee. The app was available on Android, iOS, Windows 10, and macOS. However, users still needed to create and sign in with an Autodesk account to unlock the Pro tools. “Free” did not mean anonymous access to every feature or a guarantee that every platform had identical functionality.
#1 Best Overall
- Wacom Intuos Small Graphics Drawing Tablet: Enjoy industry leading tablet performance in superior control and precision with Wacom's EMR, battery free technology that feels like pen on paper
- Works With All Software: Wacom Intuos tablet can be used in any software program to explore new facets of digital creativity; draw, paint, edit photos/videos, create designs, and mark up documents
- What the Professionals Use: Wacom's industry leading pen technology and pen to paper feeling makes it the preferred drawing tablet of professional graphic designers
- Software and Training Included: Only Wacom gives you software with every purchase. Register your Intuos tablet and gain access to some of the best creative software and Wacom's online training
- Wacom is the Global Leader in Drawing Tablet and Displays: For over 40 years in pen display and tablet market, you can trust that Wacom to help you bring your vision, ideas and creativity to life
The contemporary announcement did not establish a complete feature-by-feature inventory of everything unlocked. It is safest to describe the change as making the previously subscription-gated Pro tools available, rather than treating every tool in today’s Sketchbook as part of the 2018 offer. Contemporary coverage of Autodesk’s announcement described the change and its account requirement.
What happened to people who were already paying?
Monthly subscribers
According to the contemporary report, monthly subscribers were told that future charges would stop. A user could wait until the next billing month rather than needing to cancel immediately to avoid another charge.
Annual subscribers
Annual subscribers faced the less favorable outcome: unused time was reportedly not refunded. Someone who had recently paid for a year could therefore receive the newly free Pro tools but still lose the value of the remaining paid months.
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New users could install the consumer app, create an Autodesk account, sign in, and use the formerly paid tools at no additional cost.
Rank #2
- Wacom Intuos Medium Bluetooth Graphics Drawing Tablet: Enjoy industry leading tablet performance in superior control and precision with Wacom's EMR battery free technology that feels like pen on paper
- Works With All Software: Wacom Intuos tablet can be used in any software program to explore new facets of digital creativity; draw, paint, edit photos/videos, create designs, and mark up documents
- Wireless Superior Connectivity: Connect wirelessly via Bluetooth or directly using USB-A cable which enables you to work, draw or create whether it's at a desk, on the sofa, in classrom or even outside
- Software and Training Included: Only Wacom gives you software with every purchase. Register your Intuos tablet and gain access to some of the best creative software and Wacom's online training
- Wacom is the Global Leader in Drawing Tablet and Displays: For over 40 years in pen display and tablet market, you can trust that Wacom to help you bring your vision, ideas and creativity to life
Enterprise customers
The consumer announcement should not be read as a change to every enterprise or centrally managed Autodesk deployment. Commercial licensing arrangements were separate, and organization-level customers should not assume that the individual-user terms applied to them.
Is Sketchbook still free in 2026?
Not in one universal sense. Sketchbook is now an independent company after separating from Autodesk in 2021, and its current products use a different licensing model.
| Platform | Current model |
|---|---|
| Android | Free download, with optional one-time Premium Bundle purchase |
| iOS | Free download, with optional one-time Premium Bundle purchase |
| Windows | Sketchbook Pro is a paid one-time purchase through the Microsoft Store |
| macOS | Sketchbook Pro is a paid one-time purchase through the Mac App Store |
| Enterprise and education | Direct annual licensing is available; mobile licensing is excluded |
Therefore, the accurate modern answer is: Sketchbook is free to download on mobile, but current desktop Sketchbook Pro is not free. Store prices can vary by country and change independently of the product documentation, so check the relevant store listing before buying.
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The current Android and iOS apps offer a one-time Premium Bundle rather than a recurring subscription. Current Premium Bundle features include:
Rank #3
- WACOM’S BEST PEN TECHNOLOGY: Pro Pen 3 offers amazing precision, 8192 pressure levels, tilt support & lag-free tracking for smooth, precise strokes; choose slim, straight or flared grip, adjust balance & button layout for precision and comfort
- DIAL INTO PRODUCTIVITY: Speed up and stay in the creative flow with 10 customizable tablet ExpressKeys & 2 mechanical dials conveniently located at the top of the tablet and close to your keyboard for efficiency
- DESIGNED FOR MODERN MONITORS: With a versatile 16:9 format perfect for multiple monitors and wide displays; medium size has a large active area with a small footprint 11.4 x 8.1” / 291 x 206 mm
- SLEEK AND STURDY: Measuring 4mm at its thinnest this professional-grade drawing tablet feels like pen-on-paper on your desk, combined with the robust durability of magnesium making it equally suited for your office or life on the go
- WIRELESS FREEDOM: use Intuos Pro with USB or connect wirelessly via Bluetooth to multiple computers with a simple switch
- Creating custom brushes.
- Duplicating, organizing, importing, and exporting brushes.
- Importing and exporting custom color palettes.
- Resizing a canvas and changing its DPI after creation.
- Layer adjustments such as blur, sharpen, brightness, contrast, invert, and grayscale.
- Exporting a multi-canvas Gallery album as a PDF.
These are current mobile features, not a guaranteed historical list of precisely what Autodesk unlocked in 2018. The purchase is also platform-specific: an Android purchase does not unlock the iOS app, and an iOS purchase does not unlock Android. On iOS, use the app’s restore-purchase control when moving to another device; Android generally recognizes the purchase through Google Play. See the official Premium Bundle details.
What happened to the Autodesk versions?
Autodesk-era SketchBook installations are now legacy software. Autodesk no longer supports the older desktop versions with new updates or bug fixes. They may continue to run, but online-dependent features can fail.
In particular, older installations may show login, internet-connection, update, or Extras errors because Autodesk-era servers and services were shut down. The current company’s support documentation explains that these versions cannot simply be upgraded through Autodesk to the current releases.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchCurrent downloads, purchases, and updates are handled through the Microsoft Store, Mac App Store, Google Play, and Apple App Store. If you originally obtained a desktop installer directly from Autodesk or a reseller, the original installer may be necessary for reinstallation; discontinued Autodesk downloads are not supplied through the current distribution system.
Rank #4
- Wacom Intuos Small Bluetooth Graphics Drawing Tablet: Enjoy industry leading tablet performance in superior control and precision with Wacom's EMR, battery free technology that feels like pen on paper
- Works With All Software: Wacom Intuos tablet can be used in any software program to explore new facets of digital creativity; draw, paint, edit photos/videos, create designs, and mark up documents
- Wireless Superior Connectivity: Connect wirelessly via Bluetooth or directly using USB-A cable which enables you to work, draw or create whether it's at a desk, on the sofa, in classroom or even outside
- Software and Training Included: Only Wacom gives you software with every purchase. Register your Intuos tablet and gain access to some of the best creative software and Wacom's online training
- Wacom is the Global Leader in Drawing Tablet and Displays: For over 40 years in pen display and tablet market, you can trust that Wacom to help you bring your vision, ideas and creativity to life
Back up before reinstalling or migrating
Do not uninstall an old installation casually. The consequences differ by platform:
- Android: Artwork is generally retained, but brush customizations, palettes, preferences, Gallery organization, and unsaved work can be lost.
- iOS: Uninstalling and reinstalling can delete saved artwork unless it is recoverable from an earlier device backup.
- macOS: Artwork should remain, and custom brushes, palettes, and preferences should generally persist.
- Windows: Artwork should remain, but preferences reset to factory defaults.
Export or copy important artwork before changing versions, uninstalling, resetting a device, or moving between platforms. The official reinstalling guidance provides the platform-specific cautions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Current system requirements
As listed in the current requirements documentation, the supported versions include:
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- macOS: Sketchbook Pro 9.4.13, macOS 12 Monterey or later, Apple Silicon or at least a 2.4 GHz Intel processor, and at least 8 GB of memory.
- Android: Version 6.2.6 and Android 9 or later.
- iOS: Version 6.2.8 and iOS 14 or later.
Android supports selected pressure-sensitive styluses, including Samsung S Pen. The requirements page says generic peripheral drawing tablets are not supported on Android. Release notes list Android 6.2.6 as the latest Android release on May 31, 2026; that should not be mistaken for the latest version on every platform.
Best Value
- IMMERSIVE CREATIVE CANVAS: 16" IPS display with 2.5K WQXGA resolution (2560 x 1600) delivers sharp, crisp, detailed visuals for digital art and design
- WACOM’S BEST PEN TECHNOLOGY: Pro Pen 3 with 8192 pressure levels responds to your lightest touch; includes tilt support, 3 shortcut keys for tool access, and a holder that mounts to either side of the display with adjustable angle for quick access
- CINEMATIC COLOR DISPLAY: 99% DCI-P3 and 100% sRGB coverage with 8-bit color depth delivers the wide color gamut used in modern displays and digital media - see your artwork as it's meant to be viewed
- READY TO CREATE: Built-in fold-out legs provide a 20-degree working angle or purchase adjustable stand for personalized comfort
- CONNECTION: includes USB-C cable to connect to Windows/Mac computers with DisplayPort Alt Mode or Thunderbolt 3 or 4 input (computers without DP Alt or TB 3 or 4 input require additional cables)
Who should use Sketchbook now?
Beginners and hobbyists: The free mobile app is a sensible way to start sketching without a subscription. The basic drawing experience includes customizable brushes, layers, blend modes, rulers, symmetry, predictive stroke, and color tools.
Tablet and stylus users: Check stylus compatibility before committing, particularly on Android. Apple Pencil and supported desktop pen setups may provide a better fit than an unsupported generic Android tablet.
Desktop illustrators: The current Windows and macOS versions are not free, but their one-time store-purchase model may appeal to artists avoiding recurring subscriptions.
Professional teams: Direct licensing can provide centralized seat and deployment management. The listed enterprise price is US$24.99 per seat per year, with a 10-seat minimum. It is annual, excludes mobile licensing, and the direct-license page specifies Windows 11 for those environments. That makes it unsuitable for a solo artist or a mobile-only team. See Sketchbook’s direct licensing page.
How it compares with alternatives
Sketchbook is not automatically the best choice simply because its mobile app has a free tier. The right choice depends on the workflow:
- Krita is a strong desktop raster-painting and illustration option, especially for users seeking open-source software.
- Procreate is designed around iPad drawing and Apple Pencil, so it is a poor fit for Windows, macOS, and Android users.
- Clip Studio Paint is particularly strong for comics, manga, line art, animation, and illustration, but its plan structure may be less appealing to users seeking simplicity.
- Adobe Fresco suits artists who want Adobe ecosystem integration and mixed raster/vector tools.
- Concepts emphasizes precision and an infinite-canvas sketching workflow rather than conventional painting alone.
Check each developer’s current pricing, platform support, and feature tiers before switching; those details change independently of Sketchbook.
The bottom line
Autodesk did make SketchBook’s consumer Pro tools free on May 3, 2018. That gave free users advanced functionality, stopped future monthly charges for reported monthly subscribers, and left annual subscribers without refunds for unused time. But the announcement is historical: today’s mobile Sketchbook is free to download with an optional one-time Premium Bundle, while desktop Sketchbook Pro is paid and Autodesk-era desktop versions are legacy software.
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