# Doodle Magic vs Etchpad

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Etchpad at none against Doodle Magic's 1. Doodle Magic's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 21 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Doodle Magic sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Etchpad asks for nothing beyond the download.

Doodle Magic holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Doodle Magic has 12K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Doodle Magic's written reviews are positive against 80% of Etchpad's.

Doodle Magic ships an update monthly, Etchpad every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Doodle Magic | Etchpad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doodle-magic-draw-paint/id1195301052/reviews)** | [4.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etchpad-sketch-an-image/id6446990936/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **12K** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **81.1% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 21 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 108 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [炳甲 梁](https://appshunter.io/developer/1157827144) | [Digital Footmark Oy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1062685418) |

## What reviewers say

### Doodle Magic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doodle-magic-draw-paint/id1195301052)

Unleash your creativity with a magical doodle game. Replay your drawings as animated cartoons and explore a variety of colorful brushes and patterns. This app offers a simple yet imaginative way to create unique artwork and relive your artistic process.

**Highlights:** Cartoon playback of doodle process, Magical paintbrushes (rainbow, neon, pearl), Random color variations, 10+ doodle patterns, My Gallery for saved drawings, Mandala and kaleidoscope creation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Advertisement | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Relaxing and creative drawing experience
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🌈 Vibrant and colorful designs
- 💡 Unique and satisfying drawing patterns
- 🤩 Helps users feel like an artist

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Excessive advertisements
- 🎨 Limited color options
- 🔍 Difficult to save or share drawings
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezing issues

**Reported bugs**

- Controls stop working after purchasing ad-free version
- Drawings disappear or cannot be accessed after exiting the app

**Requested features**

- Allow users to choose their own colors
- Expand drawing tools and brush options
- Improve saving and sharing functionality
- Reduce the frequency of advertisements


### Etchpad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etchpad-sketch-an-image/id6446990936)

Relive nostalgic drawing experiences with this app that lets you create images using two knobs for horizontal and vertical lines. Erase your creations by shaking your device or using a long press. Share your artwork through various methods.

**Highlights:** Draw with horizontal and vertical knobs, Shake to erase screen, Long press erase option, Share drawings easily, Nostalgic drawing interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Doodle Magic free?

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

### Is Etchpad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Doodle Magic or Etchpad?

Doodle Magic is rated higher. Doodle Magic averages 4.7 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Etchpad averages 4.3 from 12 ratings.

### Do Doodle Magic or Etchpad have ads?

Both Doodle Magic and Etchpad show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Doodle Magic or Etchpad?

Doodle Magic ships an update monthly, and Etchpad every 21 months. Most recently, Doodle Magic was updated on October 27, 2026 and Etchpad on October 24, 2026.

---

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