Comparison

ColorMinis vs Paint Codex

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ColorMinis

A 3D painting studio for miniatures, characters, and scenes. Offers a variety of brushes and a unique tri-color stroke for detailed coloring. Users can paint entire models or individual parts, with options for importing personal models and AI generation.

Highlights
  • 3D model painting
  • Variety of brushes
  • Tri-color stroke technology
  • Model and part painting scope
  • Import personal models
  • AI texture generation
Features
Read full description

Paint what you love in 3D. ColorMinis is a creative 3D painting studio for miniatures, characters, creatures and scenes. Choose a figure you love, turn it around, zoom in and bring it to life with color. It's easy to begin, with plenty of depth when you're ready for more. TWO FREE MODELS EVERY DAY Explore around 800 ready-to-paint models, from dragons, fantasy warriors and robots to whimsical characters, cozy rooms and dioramas. Discover favorites from the ColorMinis Kids, Classic and DressDolls collections. Choose two new gallery models each day for free. Premium unlocks unlimited gallery downloads while subscribed. BRUSHES THAT RESPOND TO DETAIL Paint directly on the sculpt using a regular brush for precise strokes, an airbrush with adjustable flow for soft color, a dry brush that catches raised edges, and an ink brush that settles into crevices. Fill, erase and blend to build your own look. THREE COLORS. ONE STROKE. ColorMinis' signature tri-color painting applies shade, base color and highlight together in a single stroke. Add depth to armor, scales, fabric, faces and scenic details without painting three separate layers. PAINT A MODEL OR A SINGLE PART Choose Model or Part scope for painting and fill. Work across the whole figure or target existing parts such as armor, clothing, hair and accessories. Rotate and zoom to reach the details that matter to you. MORE CREATIVE POWER WITH PREMIUM Go further with expressive brush shapes and stamps, precision masks, image stickers and advanced color controls. Create and manage your own paintable Parts, including editing and merging them. Try different materials and explore hobby paint-brand palettes to preview color schemes on your 3D models. YOUR IDEAS, YOUR MODELS Open compatible personal models shared from the Mac or Windows version using CMINI files or QR codes. You can also generate a paintable 3D model from a text prompt or reference images, and explore AI texture generation. Core painting and two daily gallery downloads are free. Premium offers more models and creative tools. AI generation uses separately purchased credits or individual purchases and is not unlimited with Premium. Whether you're unwinding with character coloring or planning a detailed miniature paint scheme, ColorMinis gives you the freedom to experiment. Choose a figure. Paint it your way. Make it yours.

About

Paint Codex

This app helps miniature and model painters document their creative process. Organize projects, record every step with custom phases, and build a personal gallery of your work. Export your progress to share with clients or the community.

Highlights
  • Create custom paint doctrines
  • Record painting steps and phases
  • Capture progress via camera/gallery
  • Export projects as .paintcodex files
  • Offline-first design for privacy
  • Personal gallery for completed work
Features
Read full description

Paint Codex, by Battle Servo Studios, is your all-in-one companion for miniature and model painters — from weekend hobbyists to professional commission artists. Document every step of your painting process, stay organized across projects, and build a personal archive of your creative journey. Features • Create detailed Paint Doctrines to record every phase of your work • Start with classic preset painting phases like Building, Priming, and Highlights — or rename, add, and reorder them to fit your own creative process and style. Paint Codex is made for hobbyists of all levels. • Capture progress directly from your camera or device gallery • Export projects as ".paintcodex" files to archive, share, or trade with other painters • Offline-first design — your data stays private on your device • Free plan supports up to 3 Doctrines; upgrade to Premium for unlimited projects, export functionality, and other Your Personal Gallery Paint Codex doubles as a showcase for everything you’ve created or collected. Scroll through your personal Gallery to revisit the models, armies, and art you’ve brought to life — or admire Paint Doctrines you’ve imported from your favorite artists. Take awesome cover photos for each project — they become your Gallery cards and visual trophies of your progress and passion. A Powerful Tool Built to Empower Artists — from Hobbyists to Professionals Beyond tracking colors and steps, Paint Codex gives artists a new creative asset. Export detailed paint breakdowns to share with clients, fans, and collectors — showing the depth of craft behind every project. Use your ".paintcodex" files as part of your professional toolkit: • Bundle them with finished models or tutorials • Share them with your community as premium educational content • Build trust and transparency with clients by revealing your process By helping painters document, share, and leverage their creativity, Paint Codex supports a more sustainable future for artists — and helps the hobby continue to grow. Built on an original system designed by Battle Servo Studios — a patent-pending framework made to preserve and share artistic workflows like never before. Subscription Details: Paint Codex Premium unlocks unlimited gallery card slots, and export functionality allowing you to share your work with your friends and collect as many Paint Doctrines as you like! Subscription options: Monthly ($2.99) or Annual ($24.99) Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account upon purchase. Manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/battleservostudios/privacy-policy?authuser=0 Developed by Battle Servo Studios LLC Privacy-friendly • No ads • Patent pending

Screenshots

ColorMinis4 screens
Paint Codex4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Paint Codex at 100% against ColorMinis's 46%. Paint Codex also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.9). ColorMinis's advantage is ratings volume (76 vs 8) and device support (4 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ColorMinis sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Paint Codex sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Paint Codex holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ColorMinis has 76 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of ColorMinis's written reviews are positive against 100% of Paint Codex's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ColorMinis ships an update every 8 days, Paint Codex fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
ColorMinis versus Paint Codex: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterColorMinisPaint Codex
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (76 ratings)5.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews45.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings76 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size358 MB63 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperFRANCOIS GILBERTMitch Zavala

Customer experience

ColorMinis

All ratings76 ratings
Positive72.4%
Neutral6.6%
Negative21.1%
Written reviews205 reviews
Positive45.9%
Neutral15.6%
Negative38.5%

Paint Codex

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

ColorMinis

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Constant crashing when trying to color models
  • Inability to load or access certain models
  • Purchased content and progress not saving properly
  • Slow and inconsistent loading times

Requested features

5 requests
  • More free character models and designs
  • Ability to save and export colored designs
  • Improved performance and stability
  • More customization options for characters
  • Ability to create and upload custom 3D models

Paint Codex

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

ColorMinis

Subscriptions2
  • ColorMinis Premium Monthly$5.991 Month
  • ColorMinis Premium Yearly$59.991 Year
One-time8
  • Intro AI Model$0.99
  • Manga Doll$1.99
  • DESIGNER MODE$1.99
Show 5 more
  • DressDoll Fairy$1.99
  • AI Model$1.99
  • DressDoll Bundle$4.99
  • Bundle_Artist1$6.99
  • Pro Feature Unlock$6.99
2 purchases

Paint Codex

Subscriptions2
  • Paint Codex Premium (Monthly)$1.991 Month
  • Paint Codex Premium (Annual)$14.991 Year

Questions

Is ColorMinis free?
ColorMinis is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Paint Codex free?
Paint Codex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ColorMinis or Paint Codex?
Paint Codex is rated higher. ColorMinis averages 3.9 out of 5 from 76 ratings, while Paint Codex averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.
Do ColorMinis or Paint Codex have ads?
Neither ColorMinis nor Paint Codex shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ColorMinis or Paint Codex?
ColorMinis ships an update every 8 days, and Paint Codex fortnightly. Most recently, ColorMinis was updated on November 6, 2026 and Paint Codex on October 30, 2026.

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