# Brushes vs Zen Brush 3

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Brushes at 179 against Zen Brush 3's 58. Brushes also leads on price ($3.99 vs $4.99). Zen Brush 3's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Brushes costs $3.99 and Zen Brush 3 $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Brushes holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 179 and 58 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of Brushes's written reviews are positive against 60% of Zen Brush 3's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Brushes ships an update every 6 weeks, Zen Brush 3 every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brushes | Zen Brush 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$3.99** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (179 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brushes/id1168117279/reviews)** | [4.4 (58 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-brush-3/id1531841731/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **179** | 58 |
| Positive reviews | 57.1% of reviews | **59.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #94 | **#63** |
| Size | 13 MB | 226 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Envoza](https://appshunter.io/developer/867470531) | [PSOFT](https://appshunter.io/developer/373752450) |

## What reviewers say

### Brushes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brushes/id1168117279)

**Currently charting:** #94 Top Paid · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

This app offers a powerful digital painting and sketching experience with a modern interface and advanced features. Create detailed artwork with customizable brushes, layers, and color tools. Optimized for Apple Pencil and various devices.

**Highlights:** Customizable parameterized brushes, Advanced layer management, Apple Pencil support with pressure curve, Light and dark mode interface, Unlimited undo/redo, Cloud Drive import/export

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Great for detailed drawings
- ✨ Simple and intuitive interface
- 💨 Fast and fun to use
- 🖌️ Unique 'Brushes look'
- 💰 Excellent value for price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Brush tip issues (square instead of fade)
- 💾 Auto-save malfunctions
- 🎛️ Poor brush size control (fine detail)
- ⚫ Difficulty getting a true black line
- 🔄 Not an improvement on original

**Reported bugs**

- Brush tips not staying (switching to square)
- Auto-save not working
- Cannot place images from gallery
- Brush size slider jumps
- Circular lines icon appears unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- More save color slots
- Full Chinese menu translation
- Instructions/manual
- Smudge tool
- Documentation


### Zen Brush 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-brush-3/id1531841731)

**Currently charting:** #63 Top Paid · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

This app allows users to create beautiful East Asian ink art, including calligraphy and painting. It simulates an ink brush with adjustable water and color features, offering a rich expressive range for both beginners and experienced artists. Easily share and edit your creations with various export options and background templates.

**Highlights:** Simulated 3D ink brush drawing, Adjustable water and color effects, Layer functionality for flexible editing, Import photos for tracing or backgrounds, Rich background and paper templates, Export to JPEG, PNG, and transparent PNG

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Realistic brush simulation and ink blending
- 💧 Innovative water simulation and wet ink effects
- 🎯 Natural brush stroke behavior and responsiveness
- 🌈 Color palette addition in version 3
- 📄 Multiple paper textures and backgrounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔄 Significant downgrade from version 2 in brush feel
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app instability
- 🔋 Excessive battery drain and device heating
- ❌ Limited undo functionality (only 5 levels)
- 🎨 Mushy brush strokes at default resolution

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when setting maximum resolution
- Crashes when adding layers or importing images
- Crashes during high-resolution JPEG export
- iPad Pro M2 overheating and battery drain
- Apple Pencil input not recognized

**Requested features**

- Canvas rotation with two-finger gestures
- Increased undo/redo levels (more than 5)
- Grid or guide line display for practice
- Custom color wheel/palette picker
- Instant erase without animations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brushes free?

Brushes costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Zen Brush 3 free?

Zen Brush 3 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Brushes or Zen Brush 3?

Brushes is rated higher. Brushes averages 4.6 out of 5 from 179 ratings, while Zen Brush 3 averages 4.4 from 58 ratings.

### Do Brushes or Zen Brush 3 have ads?

Neither Brushes nor Zen Brush 3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Brushes or Zen Brush 3?

Brushes ships an update every 6 weeks, and Zen Brush 3 every 3 months. Most recently, Brushes was updated on November 6, 2026 and Zen Brush 3 on November 7, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Brushes or Zen Brush 3?

Brushes currently peaks at #94 in the App Store charts, and Zen Brush 3 at #63. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*