# ClayTrace: Pottery Journal — Track Clay, Glazes & Firings

> Pottery journal for tracking clay, glazes, firings, and lessons. (iPhone/iPad app by LIFEVEN LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/claytrace-pottery-journal/id6784499958 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [LIFEVEN LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6784499960)
- Category: Lifestyle, Productivity
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 6 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 64 MB
- Languages: American English, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified, China) and 2 more
- Released: 2026-06-30
- Data updated: 2026-08-25
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/claytrace-pottery-journal/id6784499958/reviews.md

## What is ClayTrace?

The next time a piece works, remember why.

ClayTrace is a pottery journal for the studio: photos, glaze layers, firings, and lessons kept with the piece they belong to, so your ceramics notes are still findable months later.

CAPTURE IT IN THE MOMENT

When your hands are covered in clay, take the photo and get back to making. Add the clay body, dimensions, and next step later, with clean hands. Ideas and references save the same way, so a promising shape is still waiting when you come back.

FOLLOW THE REAL PROCESS

A piece is not one form to fill in. Every step and photo stays attached to the piece it belongs to, from the first form to the kiln opening, so you can see what actually changed along the way.

REMEMBER EVERY SURFACE

Record the glaze order, coats, area, and application method behind a result. When a surface finally comes out right, the recipe is sitting beside the photo — not buried in Notes or lost in your camera roll.

FIND WHAT WORKED

Search one place instead of Photos, Notes, and scraps of paper. Pull up every piece where you used a glaze or a clay body, see how each one came out, and go back to last season's work while the details still mean something.

TURN RESULTS INTO EXPERIENCE

A surprise from the kiln does not have to become a mystery six months later. Write down what happened, what you learned, and what you would change. Over time this becomes a searchable memory of your own practice.

LEARN AND SHARE

See your skills and milestones through work you actually made. When a piece deserves it, turn its finished photo into a Finished Card, or share the making as Process Slides without rebuilding the story from your camera roll.

YOUR JOURNAL IS YOURS TO KEEP

We made ClayTrace so potters could keep a real record of their own work, and a record is only worth keeping if it stays yours. No caps on pieces or glaze layers. Whatever else changes over the years, your own records will never sit behind a payment. Export everything — pieces, glaze notes, original photos — to a single file, free, anytime, and restore it on this device or a new phone. No account, and your work stays on your device.

ClayTrace speaks English, 简体中文, 繁體中文, 日本語, 한국어, Français, Deutsch, Español, Italiano, Português (Brasil), Nederlands, and Polski.

## Key features

- Document clay, glazes, and firings
- Attach photos and notes to pieces
- Track process from form to kiln
- Searchable record of past work
- Learn from past results
- Share finished pieces and process

## Recent user reviews (6 of 6)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/claytrace-pottery-journal/id6784499958/reviews.md

### 5/5 — easy to use

*2026-08-21*

nice ui and easy to use

### 5/5 — The Best Pottery Journal I’ve Found

*2026-08-20*

This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. The developer is incredibly generous—there are no arbitrary limits on how many pieces or glaze layers you can record. You can tell it was made by someone who genuinely understands pottery, with so many thoughtful details throughout. Easy to use, yet surprisingly rich and powerful！

**Developer response:** Thank you so much! We wanted it to feel simple to use without getting in the way of how potters actually work, so this is incredibly encouraging to hear. 😄

### 1/5 — MY PICTURES ARE GONE!!

*2026-08-11*

I am so upset and I don't know what to do!! I updated the app a few days ago, and now every single one of my photos is completely gone! I opened it up today and there is still nothing there. 

Just blank!!!

I can’t find them anywhere. How can an update just erase someone's pictures like that?? Please fix this and bring my photos back!!

**Developer response:** [Updated] We now know that this review is part of a broader one-star review attack.

Several earlier malicious one-star reviews were removed by Apple after we reported them. However the attacks continued: this time they re-submitted one-star ratings without written reviews, alongside claims that are fabricated.

Stop this conduct. We have collected substantial evidence. If it continues, we reserve the right to pursue legal remedies against the responsible parties. Online anonymity does not eliminate accountability.

If ClayLab’s developers genuinely care about pottery and have confidence in their app, they should want potters to choose the tool that works best for them and compete by building better products—not encourage attacks on new apps through malicious one-star reviews.

[Original response]

Hi — we’re very sorry, and we’re taking this seriously. We’re pottery hobbyists ourselves, and we use ClayTrace regularly to document our own pottery projects. We have not experienced photo loss. We thoroughly test every release before it goes live and haven’t been able to reproduce this issue. We also carefully reviewed the 1.6 update and found no changes that delete, move, or rewrite existing photos.

Please do not delete or reinstall ClayTrace. Your data is stored locally on your device inside the app, so deleting the app may also delete your records and photos. 

Please contact us through Settings → “Questions, ideas, or something not working?” or email claytrace@lifeven.com. If possible, include screenshots, your iPhone model and iOS version, whether your pieces and notes are still visible, and whether photos are blank in piece covers, Process, and Gallery. We’ll investigate this with you directly.

### 5/5 — Beautiful and efficient!

*2026-08-07*

Just found this app and I love it! While admittedly very similar to another well known app, I honestly prefer this one 100%! It is well organized, easy to use yet detailed, and MUCH more beautiful to look at from a design standpoint (which means I’m a lot more likely to use it). There are no limitations on glaze layers and no essential features locked behind a paid subscription. In fact, there’s nothing locked behind a paywall! And no ads! 

Bonus features include fun milestone badges and skill maps to keep track of trying new-to-you techniques. I appreciate these especially as a newer potter. 

Would love to see the following features added: bulk edit, duplicate projects, set defaults for form/method/clay body/firing cone to save on time adding projects, and a data backup to our iCloud or own cloud storage.

**Developer response:** Thank you so much for the thoughtful review! We’re really happy to hear you’re enjoying ClayTrace, and we truly appreciate all the kind words and suggestions. Feedback like this is incredibly helpful and gives us a lot to think about as we keep making the app better. 🙌

### 1/5 — Stop spamming other communities

*2026-07-24*

Received unsolicited direct messages on Facebook trying to convince me to switch to this app just because I posted in a competitors community group. Poaching users via private cold messages is shady practice. Do better

### 5/5 — Lovely app!

*2026-07-05*

So intuitive to use and helpful to have everything all in one place!

**Developer response:** Thank you so much! We’re really glad ClayTrace feels intuitive and makes it easier to keep everything together. 🫶

## Frequently asked questions about ClayTrace

### What is ClayTrace used for?

ClayTrace is a pottery journal designed to help you remember the details behind each piece you create. It allows you to track clay bodies, glazes, firing schedules, and any lessons learned, ensuring you can replicate successful results.

### Can I use ClayTrace offline?

Yes, your records stay on your device, and no account is required, meaning you can use ClayTrace even without an internet connection.

### What languages does ClayTrace support?

ClayTrace supports English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, German, and Spanish, making it accessible to a global user base.

### How does ClayTrace help me learn?

By documenting the entire process, including what worked and what didn't, ClayTrace becomes a searchable memory of your practice. This allows you to analyze past results, understand your decisions, and improve your skills over time.

### Is ClayTrace suitable for beginners?

Yes, ClayTrace is beneficial for potters of all levels. It helps beginners establish good documentation habits from the start and allows experienced artists to refine their techniques by analyzing detailed records.

### Can I share my pottery projects with others using ClayTrace?

You can turn a finished piece's photo into a studio card or share the process without rebuilding the story from your camera roll, making it easy to showcase your work and its journey.

### How often is ClayTrace updated?

The latest version, 1.3.0, was released on July 15, 2026, indicating active development and regular updates to improve the application's functionality and user experience.

### Does ClayTrace have ads?

No, ClayTrace does not contain advertisements. It is a free application designed to provide an uninterrupted experience for documenting your pottery.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.7.0 — 2026-08-20

Your journal is yours to keep — export it and restore it on any device, anytime, for free. Glazes and clay bodies also get richer profiles: description, photo, and Lead-free, Food-safe, and Dinnerware-safe labels you can filter by.

### 1.6.0 — 2026-08-01

Firing records now capture richer kiln details and are easier to review and edit. This update also includes bug fixes, UI improvements, and better overall reliability.

### 1.5.1 — 2026-07-29

Work Detail now has a **Gallery** tab. See every photo for a piece in chronological order, then tap any image to browse them fullscreen and swipe between stages — like a growth record of your work.

### 1.5.0 — 2026-07-26

ClayTrace now supports Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, and Polish. Settings is cleaner and now gives you a direct way to rate ClayTrace or send us feedback.

### 1.4.0 — 2026-07-19

ClayTrace now supports System, Light, and Dark appearance. Studio and Settings are cleaner, and image generation for sharing finished pieces is more reliable.

## More apps by LIFEVEN LLC

- [ReinTrace: Riding Journal](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reintrace-riding-journal/id6785635665)

All apps by LIFEVEN LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/6784499960

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-25.*
