Best iPad Pro apps: 7 best free and paid-for apps for the supersized tablet

The iPad Pro is one of the most ambitious products Apple has ever released and we think it’s great. Although it might look like a supersized iPad on the outside, inside the iPad Pro are a range of extra features that set it apart from Apple’s original tablet. Larger speakers, impressive stylus connectivity and a superfast processor make the iPad Pro much more versatile than the standard iPad – but which apps should you download? We’ve scoured the App Store to find the seven apps that get the most out of the iPad Pro.

1. Microsoft OneNote (free)

OneNote is already one of the best productivity apps on the iPhone, Mac and iPad and Microsoft has already optimised it for the iPad Pro. It features split-screen compatibility, so you can take advantage the Pro’s huge screen-size and use it side by side with other apps. However, it’s OneNote’s compatibility with the Apple Pencil that puts it on this list. It turns the iPad Pro into a huge clipboard, so you can compile handwritten notes and diagrams alongside your voice clips, cuttings and typed notes.

2. Netflix (free)

Although the iPad Pro brings significant gains for work and productivity, its screen and speakers can’t be ignored when it comes to entertainment. The iPad Pro uses a 12.9in screen with a resolution of 2,048 x 2,732, meaning films look pinsharp. We don’t usually say this about iPads, but the Pro’s speakers also make watching TV shows and movies more immersive – even if you’re not wearing headphones. Couple those features with Netflix’s huge range of movies and the iPad Pro is a great binge-watching tool.

3. Procreate (£4.49)

Procreate takes advantage of one of the iPad Pro’s best features and maximises it. Featuring a huge range of brushes, powerful editing tools and perfect synergy with iPad Pro’s pressure-sensitive Apple Pencil, Procreate is rightly tipped as the most powerful painting and illustration tool. It’s a must for any graphic designers or keen art enthusiasts.

4. iMovie (£3.99)

Even if you disregard its stylus and keyboard, the iPad Pro’s supersize screen means it’s a great companion for most editing tasks, with movie editing being a good example. Thanks to its impressive resolution and screen real estate, the iPad Pro makes film-editing simple – and when you add the optimised layout of Apple’s own iMovie app, things get even easier. Featuring a similar layout to the desktop version optimised for touchscreens, using iMovie is seamless on the iPad Pro.

5. Microsoft Word (free; with in-app purchases)

Although the iPad Pro is a creative powerhouse, its optional keyboard means it can be used for other tasks you’d usually associate with laptops. Microsoft Word is still one of the best word processors around, and Microsoft has made it even better for the iPad Pro. Featuring all the functionality you’d expect from a word processor, Microsoft Word throws in great office integration and side by side operation, meaning you can read notes from OneNote while typing up your work in Word.

6. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom (free)

The iPad Pro’s screen is great for movie-editing, with its powerful processor and large screen meaning it’s also a useful tool for editing static images. Whether it’s Lightroom, Photoshop Mix or any of Adobe’s other photo-editing apps, the iPad Pro makes them fast, slick and easy to use. If you’ve got a library of pics that need to be edited, tweaking them, or even just browsing through them, is an enjoyable experience on the iPad Pro.

7. SimCity: BuildIt (free; with in-app purchases)

No list would be complete without at least one game, and SimCity: BuildIt is one of the best to play on the iPad Pro. SimCity has always been one of the best city-making games available, and the iPad Pro makes it even better. The tablet’s large screen means you zoom out and see even more, and it adds to the sense of scale after you’ve built your metropolis. Throw in the iPad Pro’s superfast A9X processor, and EA’s build-em up runs without a hitch too.

Still not sure if you want an iPad Pro? Read our Apple iPad Pro review.