# Inkpad vs Preview mini

The clearest difference is update cadence: Preview mini at every 10 days against Inkpad's every 5 weeks. Inkpad's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Inkpad sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Preview mini sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Inkpad against 4.3 for Preview mini. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 421 and 212 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of Inkpad's written reviews are positive against 63% of Preview mini's.

Inkpad ships an update every 5 weeks, Preview mini every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Inkpad | Preview mini |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (421 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkpad-graphic-design/id1057007769/reviews)** | [4.3 (212 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/preview-mini-image-and-pdf-tool/id1593078015/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **421** | 212 |
| Positive reviews | 57.3% of reviews | **63.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Envoza](https://appshunter.io/developer/867470531) | [Marian Koenig](https://appshunter.io/developer/1394020504) |

## What reviewers say

### Inkpad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkpad-graphic-design/id1057007769)

Create professional vector art on your iPad with a powerful yet intuitive interface. Draw with precision, manipulate objects, and apply flexible typography effects. Organize your work with unlimited layers and easily import/export various file formats.

**Highlights:** Precision vector drawing tools, Flexible typography effects, Unlimited layers for organization, Advanced object manipulation, Gradient editing and Boolean operations, Import/export SVG, PDF, PNG, JPEG, Apple Pencil support

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inkpad Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Inkpad Yearly | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and efficient interface
- 🚀 Powerful vector illustration capabilities
- 💡 Seamless integration with Apple Pencil
- 🔧 Versatile for various design projects
- 💡 Affordable alternative to desktop software

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional performance issues and crashes
- 🔒 Subscription-only model, no longer a one-time purchase
- 🔒 Restricted access to previous work without subscription
- 💡 Lack of comprehensive tutorials and documentation
- 💡 Missing advanced features like canvas rotation

**Reported bugs**

- Distortion issues when importing SVG files
- Inability to access previous work without subscription
- Grayed-out options and functionality after updates

**Requested features**

- Improved file management with folders
- Addition of a brush tool with customizable ends
- Inclusion of an isometric grid and dimension tools
- Support for more cloud storage services beyond Dropbox
- In-app palm rejection for a better drawing experience


### Preview mini

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/preview-mini-image-and-pdf-tool/id1593078015)

Edit and annotate images and PDFs with a desktop-like experience on your iPhone and iPad. Offers advanced features for viewing, converting, and managing files, inspired by macOS.

**Highlights:** Image editing and cropping, PDF annotation and editing, File conversion, Drag and drop support, Keyboard shortcuts, Password protection for PDFs

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Preview mini PRO | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful application, replaces MS Paint
- 💡 Video tutorials are helpful
- 🚀 Makes life easier
- 👍 Wonderful and powerful iPad app
- 👍 Great replacement for Preview (almost)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Changes not saved on iPad
- 🐛 Does not export PDF as picture
- 🐛 Difficult to use on iPad
- 🐛 Crashing the app on large PDFs
- 🐛 Only allows acting on one page at a time

**Reported bugs**

- Changes not saved when attaching to email
- App errors out on large PDFs and crashes
- App shuts down during photo editing, unsaved work lost
- Cannot type the letter 'y' in documents
- Payment issues with Apple, requires new credit card data

**Requested features**

- Split-screen or slide-over capability
- Export PDF as picture (JPG, etc.)
- Ability to paste one image on top of another
- Ctrl-Z for quick undo
- Straight line option for markup


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Inkpad free?

Inkpad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Preview mini free?

Preview mini is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Inkpad or Preview mini?

Inkpad is rated higher. Inkpad averages 4.3 out of 5 from 421 ratings, while Preview mini averages 4.3 from 212 ratings.

### Do Inkpad or Preview mini have ads?

Neither Inkpad nor Preview mini shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Inkpad or Preview mini?

Inkpad ships an update every 5 weeks, and Preview mini every 10 days. Most recently, Inkpad was updated on November 1, 2026 and Preview mini on November 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*