# MetaBrush vs FocalPaint

The clearest difference is price: MetaBrush at Free against FocalPaint's $4.99. MetaBrush also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.6). FocalPaint's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.8) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

MetaBrush is free to download; FocalPaint costs $4.99 up front. MetaBrush sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and FocalPaint sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

FocalPaint holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 13 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of MetaBrush's written reviews are positive against 79% of FocalPaint's.

MetaBrush ships an update every 2 months, FocalPaint monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MetaBrush | FocalPaint |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [3.8 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metabrush/id1082339963/reviews) | **[4.2 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focalpaint/id1532688085/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 65.4% of reviews | **78.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 253 MB | 557 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [talonsodev](https://appshunter.io/developer/490528857) | [brien dieterle](https://appshunter.io/developer/1532688087) |

## What reviewers say

### MetaBrush

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metabrush/id1082339963)

Transform your photos into artistic paintings with a variety of brush presets and advanced settings. This app offers layers support and the ability to import Photoshop brushes, allowing for detailed customization of your artwork.

**Highlights:** 30 brush presets, Layers support, Import Photoshop brushes (.abr), Customizable stroke settings, Paint with images

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Metabrush PRO | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Metabrush PRO | $6.99 | per year |
| Metabrush PRO | $9.99 | one-time |


### FocalPaint

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focalpaint/id1532688085)

This app offers a unique brush engine for realistic paint simulation, pigment mixing, and canvas textures. It allows for custom brush and layer creation using Metal GPU or Javascript code, with advanced features like spectral color models and Apple Pencil Pro support.

**Highlights:** Realistic paint and pigment mixing, Custom brush and layer creation, Transparent ink simulation, Apple Pencil Pro support, Spectral color model, Open source shader code library

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Generous Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Big Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Huge Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MetaBrush free?

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

### Is FocalPaint free?

FocalPaint costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MetaBrush or FocalPaint?

FocalPaint is rated higher. MetaBrush averages 3.8 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while FocalPaint averages 4.2 from 13 ratings.

### Do MetaBrush or FocalPaint have ads?

Neither MetaBrush nor FocalPaint shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MetaBrush or FocalPaint?

MetaBrush ships an update every 2 months, and FocalPaint monthly. Most recently, MetaBrush was updated on October 21, 2026 and FocalPaint on October 24, 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.*