# Paintstorm Studio vs Sketcha

The clearest difference is price: Sketcha at Free against Paintstorm Studio's $12.99. Sketcha also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 4 months) and device support (3 vs 1). Paintstorm Studio's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.1 vs 15.0). On ads there is nothing between them.

Sketcha is free to download; Paintstorm Studio costs $12.99 up front. Sketcha sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Paintstorm Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

Paintstorm Studio ships an update every 4 months, Sketcha every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paintstorm Studio | Sketcha |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.4 (381 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintstorm-studio/id1077984099/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **381** | — |
| Positive reviews | 59.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 103 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.1** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sergei Komarov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1060632106) | [Gambit Global LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/6775798461) |

## 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


### Sketcha

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sketcha-drawing-and-animation/id6807633097)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sketcha Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Sketcha Pro Yearly | $14.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paintstorm Studio free?

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

### Is Sketcha free?

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

### Do Paintstorm Studio or Sketcha have ads?

Neither Paintstorm Studio nor Sketcha shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Paintstorm Studio or Sketcha?

Paintstorm Studio ships an update every 4 months, and Sketcha every 9 days. Most recently, Paintstorm Studio was updated on November 2, 2026 and Sketcha on November 6, 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.*