# Drawing Pad vs Flow

The clearest difference is monetization model: Drawing Pad at free with in-app purchases against Flow's subscription. Drawing Pad also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 24%) and ratings volume (99K vs 7.2K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drawing Pad sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Flow sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Drawing Pad holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drawing Pad has 99K ratings behind it against 7.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Drawing Pad's written reviews are positive against 24% of Flow's.

Drawing Pad ships an update weekly, Flow every 6 days. Both last shipped on November 12, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drawing Pad | Flow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (99K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawing-pad/id1169413062/reviews)** | [4.1 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-note-taking-and-sketchbook/id1271361459/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **99K** | 7.2K |
| Positive reviews | **43.6% of reviews** | 23.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 417 MB | 241 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sunny Side Hurricane LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1467213449) | [Bonobo](https://appshunter.io/developer/666155611) |

## What reviewers say

### Drawing Pad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drawing-pad/id1169413062)

This app allows users to draw, sketch, and doodle with a variety of tools and brushes. It offers features for photo editing, a coloring book, and the ability to record and share creations. Users can enhance their artwork with stickers, stamps, and frames.

**Highlights:** Drawing, sketching, and doodling tools, Photo editing with magic brush effects, Coloring book with multiple categories, Record and share drawings as video, Stickers, stamps, and frames, Apple Pencil support

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Lite Weekly Trial | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Weekly Offer | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Drawing Pad Subscriptions | $8.99 | per month |
| Pro Weekly Trial | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Lite Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Lite Yearly | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and easy to use
- 🎨 Good for basic drawing and doodling
- 👍 Helpful for improving drawing skills
- 🎨 Provides a variety of brushes and tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Requires subscription to access full features
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Frequent pop-ups and ads
- 🐛 Laggy performance and glitches
- 🔒 Limited functionality without subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Drawings not saving properly
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Unresponsive touch controls

**Requested features**

- More drawing tools and customization options
- Ability to save and export drawings
- Smoother performance and fewer bugs
- More affordable pricing model


### Flow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-note-taking-and-sketchbook/id1271361459)

Create beautiful notes and drawings with realistic ink and paper. Offers infinite canvas, customizable tools, and secure cloud syncing. Collaborate with others and organize your work with elegant notebooks.

**Highlights:** Realistic ink and paper simulation, Infinite width documents, Customizable drawing tools, Secure cloud storage and sync, Notebook organization, Export images and timelapse videos

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Membership | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Membership | $19.99 | per year |
| Bonobo Bundle (Annual) | $29.99 | per year |
| Bonobo Bundle (Annual Family) | $49.99 | per year |
| Bonobo Bundle (Lifetime) | $129.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Excellent drawing tools and interface
- 🎨 Customizable pens and colors
- 📝 Great for note-taking and sketching
- 🌟 Beautiful and intuitive design
- 🔍 Helpful developer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model not preferred by some users
- 🔒 Limited functionality without subscription
- 🔄 Occasional performance issues and crashes
- 📁 Lacking file management and organization features
- 🔍 Unclear trial period and subscription details

**Reported bugs**

- Drawings disappearing or becoming corrupted
- Eraser tool not functioning as expected
- Scrolling and zooming issues
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add vertical scrolling option
- Improve line smoothing and anti-aliasing
- Implement layers and advanced drawing tools
- Integrate text input and handwriting recognition
- Enhance export and sharing capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drawing Pad free?

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

### Is Flow free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Drawing Pad or Flow?

Drawing Pad is rated higher. Drawing Pad averages 4.3 out of 5 from 99K ratings, while Flow averages 4.1 from 7.2K ratings.

### Do Drawing Pad or Flow have ads?

Neither Drawing Pad nor Flow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Drawing Pad or Flow?

Drawing Pad ships an update weekly, and Flow every 6 days. Most recently, Drawing Pad was updated on November 12, 2026 and Flow on November 12, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*