Comparison

Spirograph Maker vs TangledString

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

Head to head
About

Spirograph Maker

Easily create intricate spirograph patterns by adjusting gear size and pen color. Explore a variety of designs with this intuitive drawing application.

Highlights
  • Easy spirograph creation
  • Adjustable gear size
  • Customizable pen color
  • Draw various figures
  • Intuitive interface
Features
Read full description

Create mesmerizing geometric art with a single tap. Released in 2017 with over 110,000 downloads — a math-meets-art tool refined over 9 years. Spirograph Maker turns the timeless mechanical drawing toy into a digital playground for your iPhone and iPad. Choose your gears, pick your colors, and watch hypnotic patterns bloom across the screen — no drawing skill required. WHERE MATH MEETS ART The patterns Spirograph creates aren't accidents — they're governed by GCD/LCM and parametric equations. Watch how the lobe count is determined by n/gcd(n,m), see hypotrochoids and epitrochoids come alive on your screen. A visual companion for middle-school number theory and high-school parametric curves. Whether you're a curious learner, a math enthusiast, or just love beautiful patterns, this is where math becomes mesmerizing. In 2022, this app was acknowledged in an academic paper on algebraic combinatorics — the smoothness criteria for Positroid varieties (Billey & Weaver, arXiv:2207.06508). From a child's toy to cutting-edge mathematical research — that's how deep these patterns go. FOUR GEAR SHAPES Not just circles. Draw with ellipse, rounded triangle (a curve of constant width), and teardrop gears too. Change the gear's shape and the symmetry of the pattern changes with it: circles stay regular, ellipses stretch, triangles beat in threes, teardrops curve organically. A strength slider tunes each shape continuously — from nearly circular to a flat ellipse, or a sharply pointed triangle or teardrop. KEY FEATURES - Auto-draw mode: tap once and beautiful patterns appear on their own - Custom color palette with gradient mode for endless combinations - Adjustable gear shapes and sizes: circle / ellipse / rounded triangle / teardrop, plus tooth count - Save your creations directly to your Photo Library - Share to Instagram, Facebook, or anywhere - Full iPad support — a bigger canvas for finer detail - Light and Dark mode WHY SPIROGRAPH MAKER - A meditative break from a busy day — without leaving your phone - A visual bridge between middle-school math and university geometry - Inspired by the classic Spirograph toy, reimagined for modern iOS - Perfect for parents, students, artists, and math enthusiasts - Works offline, anywhere PERFECT FOR - Winding down before bed - Sparking creativity with kids - A short math meditation anytime - Making one-of-a-kind wallpapers - Sharing unique art on Instagram - A short, calm focus break during your day In Japan, downloads notably spike around the start of new school terms and summer breaks — pointing to a growing use as a learning companion. Pull out your phone, tap once, and watch sacred geometry unfold. Whether you're a designer, a doodler, a student, or just love beautiful patterns, Spirograph Maker is the simplest way to make art that mesmerizes. Free to download. Optional ad-free upgrade available.

About

TangledString

Features
Read full description

The left and right edges of the screen are tied with 10 strings. Apply the right end that is connected to the left end. The game is over when you can hit as many as 10.

Screenshots

Spirograph Maker4 screens
TangledString2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TangledString at none against Spirograph Maker's 1. TangledString also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). Spirograph Maker's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 42 months). On price and device support 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. Spirograph Maker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. TangledString asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spirograph Maker ships an update every 2 weeks, TangledString every 42 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Spirograph Maker versus TangledString: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpirograph MakerTangledString
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (88 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews52.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings88 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 42 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKYWorksYukihiro Shioya

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Spirograph Maker

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$3.99
None

TangledString

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Spirograph Maker free?
Spirograph Maker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TangledString free?
TangledString is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Spirograph Maker or TangledString have ads?
Spirograph Maker shows ads; TangledString does not.
Which is updated more often, Spirograph Maker or TangledString?
Spirograph Maker ships an update every 2 weeks, and TangledString every 42 months. Most recently, Spirograph Maker was updated on October 16, 2026 and TangledString on October 6, 2026.

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