# Simile - Paint Like a Master — user reviews > 27 indexed App Store user reviews of Simile by Save The Machine, rated 3.90/5 from 90 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simile-paint-like-a-master/id1250576687/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simile-paint-like-a-master/id1250576687.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 51 · 4★ 11 · 3★ 9 · 2★ 5 · 1★ 14 ## Newest reviews (7 of 27) ### 3/5 — More Information *2019-01-11, version 1.0.2* I didn’t see a way to contact the developer on the app, but since they respond to reviews I hope they see this. There needs to be more explanation and instructions, especially for the “arcade” mode. Questions - -Is there a zoom feature I haven’t discovered? -The reference picture is “pixely” with blocky edges. Is my drawing supposed to also be blocky so that it matches better? -In Arcade mode, are you playing alone or can you invite people somehow? -Is it considered a game just to see how fast you can do it? Or is there a one-on-one challenge with other players somehow? -What determines the amount of time you get? -Can you add an audible countdown so you don’t have to take your eyes off the drawing to check the time? Every second counts so it would help to keep your eyes on what you are drawing. - Explain how adding a person works. I understand that you can invite others to collaborate, but they don’t have to buy the picture, right? (Assuming it’s a premium one) -Do invitees have to individually purchase the specialty tools themselves, or does that transfer to them once you invite them to collaborate? Please add this extra info! I’m giving 3 stars for now but may update it if improvements are made. ### 3/5 — Please more free pictures *2019-01-08, version 1.0.2* Or can I at least paint some of my own it’s a lot of money 🙃 ### 3/5 — let me paint more stuff w/o paying thx *2019-01-07, version 1.0.2* great app but why is everything money leave ### 4/5 — Fun, but pricier than I thought *2019-01-05, version 1.0.1* Really love the concept, but I wish there was a way to try more photos without paying $3 for the next. The $15 for unlocking all my photos doesn’t seem that terrible, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to drop that much yet. I’d be totally fine if the app even had ads to watch to unlock photos or some other way to try more before paying for all. ### 3/5 — So so *2019-01-04, version 1.0.1* Right now I really have enjoyed this app/game. I think it’s highly creative with no other app like it but I don’t like the fact that there are only two free pictures. To get more you have to pay 1.99 a picture or pay 24.99 for all which is quite high. Hopefully in the future there will be more free options so I can continue playing. ### 4/5 — I love it *2019-01-04, version 1.0.1* It’s really fun and I find it relaxing when you don’t do the quick game but I wish we could have for paintings to paint but they cost money.. maybe you could change it so you have to do the painting quickly and the more points you get the more paintings you unlock...... But overall it’s a great game and I would recommend it to anyone whose bored and just wants to draw ### 4/5 — Practically useless for lefties *2019-01-01, version 1.0.1* Nice idea, but they forgot an option to switch the tiles for left handed people. The way it is now, painting is tiresome and no fun at all. Also needs changeable width of brush. Update: Developer responded and new version has left-hand support and variable width. Great support! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Great App, However………. *2022-12-10, version 1.0.11* I love the app, and love the concept behind it. It’s fun and relaxing. However, it’s way overpriced. I didn’t realize at first that you have to pay for each individual picture. I tried a free one first, thinking that there were a couple of free pictures to try to see how you liked it, then you could purchase the app. Well, I liked it, went to look to find where to purchase a full version of the app, and learned that it’s a pay by picture. Sorry, but that’s crazy. If the app is ever available for a one time purchase, I would definitely buy it, but, I’m not paying by picture. ### 1/5 — Way overpriced *2019-01-10, version 1.0.2* I know you need money, and I understand that. But forcing customers to pay to paint their own photos while having like two free photos of your own is a stretch. And the prices of said photos are crazy high. If you're gonna do that, you may as well make it a paid app altogether so that people don't feel ripped off. If you want more money, I suggest ad banners at the bottom and a system where people can paint several of their own photos per day. If they want more, they can pay. Until something happens though, I'm staying at 1 star. ### 1/5 — Might make the same app with ads *2019-01-10, version 1.0.2* Oh wow, every image for a dollar?? When they miiight cost the developers a few bucks for their use. That’s an actual scam. Evil in art. ### 1/5 — Instant delete. *2019-01-07, version 1.0.2* Everything is nickeled and dimed to oblivion. Every picture is behind paywall. Good concept but soon to be copied by a better developer who has a realistic payment system. Stay away. ### 2/5 — 5 star to 2 star *2019-01-09, version 1.0.2* Wow, I loved this app the moment I downloaded it. As I worked in arcade mode I was going through all the various ways this could actually help me in my own arts. Everything about this was perfect. The Apple rate box popped up and I immediately gave it the 5 stars I thought it deserved. Then I moved on to my next painting. Oh wait, that one costs money. Makes sense, they’ve gotta make their money somehow. I move to the next painting. It costs money as well. So then I just start looking for any that do not. There are literally only two (that I found). Wow. This is *not* a professional art app, devs. I love the work you’ve put into this but the prices you are asking are totally not justified. Again, it’s a great app... it’s just the business model that’s killing it. You either need much more free content and features to counter offset these prices or just lower the prices to something much more reasonable—possibly a bit of both. Otherwise I feel a lot of people are going to do what I’m about to do and just begrudgingly uninstall it 30 minutes after discovering it. What a shame. Wishing all the best for the future of the app here. Really. ### 2/5 — I love the concept, hate the pay wall. *2019-01-09, version 1.0.2* Hey! We love the app, and just want to play more. I wouldn’t mind paying 99c here and there or watching ads, we understand you need to make your money too! But the complaint of the pay wall is only coming out of a place of which people really want to play more of your game! Even having more free options and some paid would be better! ### 2/5 — Awful nickel & dime pricing ruins this app *2019-01-05, version 1.0.1* I should have known that downloading this “free” app would have some fees, but when they ask you to pay $3 to paint your own pictures, you know you have failed. The app would have been something neat to you around with, but I’m not interested in paying $14 to do all of the work myself. Developers, stop being greedy and do better for your customers. This is just ridicoulous. ### 2/5 — Faker *2019-01-04, version 1.0.1* This game fakes that it is free. You get one drawing to use for free, then the rest require .99 cents each ### 3/5 — Good, but not $25 good. *2024-09-19, version 1.0.11* This is a great way to kill time, and it could even be used to practice drawing from a reference (or at least i'm sure it is, I'm no artist). The ability to use your own pictures is very good too, and that feature alone is probably worth five or so dollars. But of course, there's the pricing. You only get two images to draw for free, and they're images you don't get to choose. Everything else (even a few of the tools) costs a bit of money. I understand monetizing games like this on the AppStore, devs gotta eat too, but for everything, it costs $25. That's the kind of price you'd pay for some kind of professional tool for your phone, not for a game in the same device. I did buy the full package, mostly because I knew this game had potential and I wanted to support the devs. Unfortunately, the game is now dead. You can't even play with your friends anymore. I still pick it up every now and then, (I did spend a bit on it after all), but for new players, I wouldn't expect much from this game, since it hasn't been updated in a very long time. ### 3/5 — Wonderful idea *2022-01-31, version 1.0.11* I love this app but the price is just way too high for the additional features… Especially when the app isn’t updated regularly. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Elegant Five Star App *2019-02-25, version 1.0.9* I’ve been using Simile since it first came out and I love it. The collaboration feature is my favorite – I am working on my third picture with friends and relatives. Working on a team to complete a painting is rewarding and fun. There’s even a feature that lets you see who’s working on what section! I paid $14.99 to use my own photo gallery which was a terrific investment since every picture I have on my phone has the potential to become a work of art to display or give as a gift (think vacation photos with family and friends turned into gifts or even artsy Christmas cards – priceless)! Also up to six family members can use those pictures through family sharing. That’s a great deal! It’s a way better value than a single movie ticket with a small popcorn. I have to mention that it’s addictive, and I can hardly wait to jump in when I have some free time. I like to listen to music or audiobooks while I’m painting. It’s a calming journey. This is an elegant app that produces beautiful results. Love, love, love it! ### 5/5 — Addictive! *2019-01-16, version 1.0.4* OCD me wants it perfect but I learned to let it go if it’s 900 or close to it. Very addicting. Really wish there were more free pics. Could use basic pics or free and the more attractive ones to pay for. ### 5/5 — Five Stars *2019-01-14, version 1.0.3* This app is really a welcome change from its competition. Instead of having the software revise pictures in what some software engineer would deem to be “clever” way, each person gets to generate and discover their own art from their personal photos; a feature which makes it much more satisfying. The collaborative feature also makes it fun to compose family pictures as a family or group of friends. This app is quite a lot of fun on an iPhone, but is practically addicting on an iPad with the Apple Pencil - definitely 5 stars! ### 5/5 — Cool app.... *2019-01-14, version 1.0.3* I am no artist—more of an adrenaline junkie. However, this game did allow me to be artsy fartsy which is new for me. Got to make some rad stuff and still move my digits. Cool app! ### 5/5 — Calming and fun *2019-01-10, version 1.0.2* Happy to support your app and definitely look forward to seeing how you continue to further improve Simile. ### 5/5 — Relaxing and creative! *2018-12-26, version 1.0* A really cool little app. I opened it thinking I'd spend just a couple of minutes checking it out, and found myself enjoying it so much, I worked on three tiles. Love the little rating scale, so there's a sense of whether I'm doing OK as I go, and also the sense of satisfaction as I complete each tile. The collaboration feature is one I haven't tried yet but is such a cool idea! One thing I would suggest is that I got a little frustrated after a couple of tools because I would have liked to see a wider range of brushes. My husband (who also downloaded it!) tells me that's available as an upgrade--I didn't even realize there are upgrades in the app, so a little pop up after a level or two might be a good idea? Thanks for a fun, creative little app that's not a video game! ### 5/5 — This is a great app *2018-12-22, version 1.0* This is a exceptional App. There are so many boring apps in the App Store these days. It is great to come across an app that not only “Thinks out of the box” but also let’s you feel like you haven’t waisted your time. Congrats to the developer. Thanks from Bob Hyte ### 5/5 — Love it! *2018-12-22, version 1.0* Fun way to “paint” replicas of Pictures you love! ### 4/5 — Lovely, but can be difficult *2019-01-11, version 1.0.2* Honestly leaving a review only because reviewers that insist on an app being free and complaining about the price is a huge pet peeve considering the amount of time and effort an independent developer has put into it. The app itself is pretty fun, though I usually play in short snippets rather than large areas at a time because I find myself getting a little frustrated because I can’t see under my finger (hah). It’s probably much easier and much more fun with the iPad Pro and the Apple pencil (which I have neither, unfortunately). If it’s possible, I think having a list of the IAPs in the settings section (in addition to where they normally are) would be convenient, because I got a bit lost trying to find out how to buy the extra tools. ### 4/5 — The concept is familiar to me *2019-01-07, version 1.0.2* This is how I learned geography in grade school. All kinds of complex maps drawn square by square. Congrats Sol team (I miss Crossword, Road Trip Effect and Quiz Press). --- *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 2026-06-22.*