# Paintstorm Studio vs Realistic Paint Studio

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Paintstorm Studio at none against Realistic Paint Studio's 12. Realistic Paint Studio's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Paintstorm Studio costs $12.99 and Realistic Paint Studio $11.99 up front. Realistic Paint Studio sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Paintstorm Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

Realistic Paint Studio holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 368 and 735 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Paintstorm Studio's written reviews are positive against 67% of Realistic Paint Studio's.

Paintstorm Studio ships an update every 4 months, Realistic Paint Studio every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 6, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paintstorm Studio | Realistic Paint Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | **$11.99** |
| Rating | [4.4 (368 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintstorm-studio/id1077984099/reviews) | **[4.7 (735 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/realistic-paint-studio/id1529593385/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 368 | **735** |
| Positive reviews | 59.6% of reviews | **67.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 103 MB | 1005 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.1 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sergei Komarov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1060632106) | [Aleksandr Komarov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529593777) |

## What reviewers say

### Paintstorm Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintstorm-studio/id1077984099)

This app offers a professional digital painting experience on iOS devices, leveraging Apple Pencil for advanced control. It provides a vast array of customizable brushes, stroke correction, and intuitive tools for artists of all levels to create masterpieces on the go.

**Highlights:** Advanced brush customization, Stroke post-correction, Perspective-aware parameters, Dynamic and custom interface, Mask brush functionality, Photoshop PSD and ABR support, Apple Pencil integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful desktop-class features
- 🎨 Excellent brush engine and blending
- 📚 Highly customizable interface
- 💻 Seamless desktop-to-iPad experience
- 🖌️ Realistic painting simulation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Cluttered and confusing UI
- 🔋 Performance and memory issues
- 🔒 Lack of cloud/online integration
- 📁 Limited file management and export options

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup or when using certain tools
- Brush lag and performance issues with large canvases
- Unreliable autosave and file management
- Unresponsive or glitchy UI elements
- Incompatibility with older iPad models

**Requested features**

- Improved brush customization and management
- Seamless canvas rotation and zooming
- Expanded layer and selection tools
- Better text and typography support
- Integrated cloud/online sync and sharing


### Realistic Paint Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/realistic-paint-studio/id1529593385)

This digital art software offers a familiar art station experience with realistic brushes, pencils, and markers. It allows users to create art in drawing, watercolor, and oil painting styles with a unique color engine and diverse canvas textures. Step-by-step tutorials and live demonstrations guide users through the creative process.

**Highlights:** Realistic color engine, Drawing, Watercolor, Oil Painting styles, Realistic brushes and tools, Realistic canvases with diverse textures, Live demonstration of drawing methods, Step-by-step tutorials

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Artistic brush | Free | one-time |
| Mechanical pen | Free | one-time |
| Glitz pen | Free | one-time |
| Glass pen | Free | one-time |
| Fountain pen | Free | one-time |
| Calligraphy brush | Free | one-time |
| Hieroglyph brush | Free | one-time |
| Diamond brush | Free | one-time |
| Album with six color sheets | Free | one-time |
| All brushes from the VIP box | Free | one-time |
| Dragon brush | $0.99 | one-time |
| Crystal brush | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Realistic and immersive painting experience
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Excellent brush dynamics and color blending
- 🎨 Wide variety of traditional media tools
- 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing presentation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔒 Limited export options (no PSD, no transparent background)
- 🔒 Restricted canvas size and resolution
- 🔒 Lack of customization for brushes and tools

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when using the camera feature
- Inconsistent behavior with the undo/redo function
- Issues with the color mixing in the palette
- Delayed response and lag when using Apple Pencil

**Requested features**

- Add support for PSD export with layers
- Implement canvas rotation and resizing options
- Allow for more brush customization and pressure sensitivity
- Improve color picker and palette functionality
- Introduce a simple, distraction-free canvas mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paintstorm Studio free?

Paintstorm Studio costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Realistic Paint Studio free?

Realistic Paint Studio costs $11.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Paintstorm Studio or Realistic Paint Studio?

Realistic Paint Studio is rated higher. Paintstorm Studio averages 4.4 out of 5 from 368 ratings, while Realistic Paint Studio averages 4.7 from 735 ratings.

### Do Paintstorm Studio or Realistic Paint Studio have ads?

Neither Paintstorm Studio nor Realistic Paint Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Paintstorm Studio or Realistic Paint Studio?

Paintstorm Studio ships an update every 4 months, and Realistic Paint Studio every 5 weeks. Most recently, Paintstorm Studio was updated on September 6, 2026 and Realistic Paint Studio on September 20, 2026.

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