# Brushes vs AB_AR

The clearest difference is price: AB_AR at Free against Brushes's $3.99. Brushes's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#48 vs unranked). On update cadence, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

AB_AR is free to download; Brushes costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brushes | AB_AR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (177 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brushes/id1168117279/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **177** | — |
| Positive reviews | 57.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Best chart rank | **#48** | — |
| Size | 13 MB | 442 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Envoza](https://appshunter.io/developer/867470531) | [Angela Bulloch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1704193638) |

## What reviewers say

### Brushes

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

**Currently charting:** #48 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


### AB_AR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ab-ar/id6463257681)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brushes free?

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

### Is AB_AR free?

AB_AR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Brushes or AB_AR have ads?

AB_AR shows ads; Brushes does not.

### Which is updated more often, Brushes or AB_AR?

Brushes ships an update every 6 weeks, and AB_AR every 6 weeks. Most recently, Brushes was updated on October 15, 2026 and AB_AR on October 3, 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.*