8 November 2023

10 Must-Have iPad Apps for Web Designers

By Ronald Smith

If you’re a web or graphic designer like me, always on the lookout for the best iPad apps to work on the go, then this list has got you covered!

Us web designers, we have a lot on our plate. We’re constantly coming up with fresh ideas, pitching those ideas to clients, turning them into reality, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends in our field. Luckily, we have a trusty companion in the form of the iPad, which makes our lives a whole lot easier.

So, without further ado, allow me to share with you the very best iPad apps that can revolutionize the way you work as a web designer. From unleashing your creativity to capturing your thoughts, each app in this collection is tailored to meet a specific need and comes packed with its own unique features.

Popular Productivity Apps For Freelance Designers

As a designer, I spend a lot of time trying to stay organized. It can be a challenge to juggle meetings, project deadlines, and all the other tasks that come my way. Thankfully, there are tools available to help me stay on top of everything and keep my creative process running smoothly.

1. Adobe Illustrator Draw

One tool that has been instrumental in my design process is Adobe Illustrator Draw. This app allows me to sketch out my ideas and bring them to life right on my mobile device. I can create vector illustrations with ease and precision, using a variety of brushes and editing tools. It saves me time and lets me work wherever inspiration strikes.

10 Must-Have iPad Apps for Web Designers

Do you like to create, design, and edit art with vectors? Well, you’re in luck because Adobe Illustrator Draw is here to help! This app has a wide range of features and tools that make drawing a breeze. With multiple pen tips, styluses, and support for layers, the possibilities are endless. And the best part? You can use it in multiple languages, so no matter where you’re from, it’s got you covered.

But wait, there’s more! Illustrator Draw is not just a standalone app. It works hand in hand with other Adobe apps, like Illustrator and Photoshop. This means you can easily send your artwork directly to these apps for further editing or enhancements. And if you need some fresh vector shapes for your drawings, don’t worry, you can connect it to Adobe Capture CC and unlock a whole new world of possibilities.

2. Let’s dive into some awesome concepts!

10 Must-Have iPad Apps for Web Designers

Hey there! I’m here to tell you all about this amazing app called Concepts. It’s perfect for your professional design and sketching needs. With Concepts, you can let your creativity run wild! It has so many cool features like endless layers, a touch-up option, and an infinite canvas. Plus, you’ll have access to object libraries, organic brushes, and a super responsive vector engine.

One of the things I really love about Concepts is its clean and intuitive interface. It’s so easy to use! And let me tell you, the options for markers, pens, pencils, and wires are out of this world. You can adjust your strokes too, so you can create exactly what you have in mind. Oh, and did I mention that Concepts supports multiple formats, including PSD? That means you can easily share your work with others.

3. Noteshelf

10 Must-Have iPad Apps for Web Designers

In Noteshelf, you have the extraordinary ability to write notes by hand, just like you would on real paper. The thing that really caught my attention, though, is that you can also record audio, sketch drawings, and add pictures to your notes. Not only that, but you can also mark up PDFs, fill out forms, print documents, sign contracts, and do countless other things with Noteshelf.

Noteshelf comes loaded with a ton of options for personalization and a wide array of pre-designed features for a note-taking app. For instance, you can select the cover for your notebook, choose a paper template, and even pick a theme for your bookshelf.

4. Adobe Comp CC

10 Must-Have iPad Apps for Web Designers

Adobe Comp CC is an amazing iPad app that lets you create layouts for web and graphic design projects wherever you are. It’s packed with cool features like a collection of photos, shapes, and free fonts. Plus, it supports gestures for quick and easy editing.

But what really sets Adobe Comp CC apart is its integration with other Adobe products. You can start a layout in this app and later transfer it to InDesign, Illustrator, Muse, or Photoshop. It’s a seamless workflow that makes it a breeze to bring your designs to life.

And if that wasn’t enough, Adobe Comp CC works seamlessly with Adobe Creative Cloud services. You can access all your files and assets in one place, and keep everything in sync with CreativeSync. And with support for over 15 languages, it’s a truly global tool.

Now let’s move on to the next app on our list – MindNode.

10 Must-Have iPad Apps for Web Designers

I’ve discovered an incredible tool called MindNode that has completely transformed the way I collect and organize my thoughts. It’s a mind mapping tool that allows me to join different ideas and create patterns, whether I’m on the go or collaborating with my team.

One thing I love about MindNode is its ability to make my ideas come to life. I can easily add pictures and stickers to enhance my presentations and make them more engaging. Plus, it offers features like voice-overs and gestures that take the experience to a whole new level. And the best part? It’s lightning-fast, thanks to its “Smart Layout” feature.

With MindNode, I can also highlight important points and add notes to my mind maps, which is incredibly helpful for organizing my thoughts quickly and efficiently.

6. Markup

10 Must-Have iPad Apps for Web Designers

I have discovered an incredible tool called Markup that can do so much for you when it comes to working with documents. It’s not just an annotator, editor, highlighter, scanner, and viewer for PDFs; it’s also a great tool for highlighting web pages and adding shapes, sticky notes, and text boxes.

But wait, there’s more! Markup even has a text-to-speech engine, so you can have it read PDFs to you. And if that wasn’t enough, you can also insert audio files, hyperlinks, and photos into your files. The tabbed interface makes it easy to navigate, and it even supports cloud sync, allowing you to access your files from Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and more.

7. PANTONE Studio

10 Must-Have iPad Apps for Web Designers

If you’re a web designer, PANTONE Studio is the perfect color tool for you. It not only helps you create stunning color palettes, but also allows you to easily share them with others. With PANTONE Studio, you can extract colors from any picture using its color picker tool. You can even see how these colors would look on 3D designs and materials.

Using the PANTONE Studio app, you can easily select images from your phone’s storage, as well as from online networks like Facebook and Pinterest. Plus, it’s connected to ColourLovers, a vibrant community that can inspire you to create even more amazing palettes.

8. Penultimate

10 Must-Have iPad Apps for Web Designers

I tried out Penultimate, a cool digital app for handwriting and sketching, and I was blown away. What sets this app apart is its incredible inking technology that creates natural strokes, making it feel like you’re using a real pen or pencil. And the best part? Its “Wrist Protection” feature keeps stray marks at bay, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally ruining your notes.

But that’s not all. Penultimate also has a nifty “Drift” feature that adjusts the page as you move along, making it super simple to navigate through your notes. And if you need to take a closer look, just pinch-to-zoom. Plus, it seamlessly syncs with Evernote, so you can access and search your handwritten notes effortlessly.

9. OmniGraffle 3

10 Must-Have iPad Apps for Web Designers

When it comes to creating, designing, and sketching charts, diagrams, and more on your iPad, OmniGraffle 3 is the app for you. What’s great about it is that it offers three different canvas modes – fixed, flexible, and infinite – so you can choose the one that best suits your design needs. And that’s not all, it also includes searchable objects, a variety of stencils, and much more.

What sets OmniGraffle 3 apart is its support for cross-platform automation using JavaScript. With a unified sidebar that lists all your canvases, layers, and objects, it’s easy to navigate and work on your projects. Plus, there are many optional in-app purchase features and tools available for those who want to take their designs to the next level.

10. FontBook

If you’re looking for some font inspiration, Monotype’s FontBook is the app for you. With over 150 type foundries and more than 1800 font type designers, this app offers a vast library of fonts to explore.600+ samples from 9400+ font families and 46+ typefaces are curated in this impressive collection.

One of the things I really like about FontBook is its user-friendly interface. You can easily apply filters, create lists, and search for fonts based on various criteria such as class, design, foundry, name, and year. And if you find a font you love, you can bookmark it or share it via email, Facebook, or Twitter.

Check out these related articles:

  • 50 Useful Android Apps for Designers
  • 8 Mobile Apps for 3D Designing & Sketching
  • 10 Best Mobile Apps to Create Typography Easily