Comparison

Sketchar vs TraceAR

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

Head to head
About

Sketchar

Learn to draw with augmented reality and AI-powered lessons. This app offers a comprehensive drawing tool, community contests, and personalized learning plans to enhance your artistic skills. Practice art to relieve stress and impress others with your creations.

Highlights
  • Augmented Reality drawing guidance
  • AI-powered personalized learning plans
  • 550+ drawing lessons
  • Comprehensive drawing toolset
  • Community contests and collaboration
  • Stress relief through art practice
Features
Read full description

Sketchar is for you if you want to improve your drawing skills, express yourself through art, impress friends and family with stunning artwork, collaborate with peers, relieve stress, or become a Pro. We have merged AR and AI together to speed up your learning experience and make it more entertaining.  Here are the unique features that can only be found on the Sketchar app:  1.COURSES 550+ drawing lessons based on characters you love. You can start with a beginner set or delve deeper into a specific topic to improve your artistic skills, for example, in creating portraits or anime.  2. PERSONALIZED PLAN Based on AI to speed up your creative growth 3. DRAWING TOOL Powerful toolset to create stunning art in minutes. 4.CONTESTS Join the community to collaborate with peers. 5. AUGMENTED REALITY for drawing  We invented that in 2012. Through your smartphone camera, you can see an AR sketch on the surface in front of you. Just take a pencil and follow the virtual lines on the paper step-by-step. This function is also employed by professional artists to scale sketches onto surfaces like walls. Use carefully and follow the video guide. and many other features.  Btw, practicing art helps relieve stress. Download Sketchar now and learn to draw like never before. ---  In-app purchases: Sketchar offers four paid auto-renewable subscription options that give you unlimited access to the app's premium content and features.  1-Week Subscription - $7.99 / Week 1 -Month Subscription – $14.99 / Month  1-Year Subscription with 3-Day Trial – $69.99 / Year  1-Year Special Offer Subscription – $34.99 / Year  Prices may vary across countries. Prices are equal to the value that Application Store Matrix determines as the equivalent of the subscription price in USD.  We are always interested in your opinion, so please email us at hi@sketchar.io.

About

TraceAR

Transform photos into outlines and use augmented reality to project them onto paper for tracing via your device's camera. A demo is included, with an in-app purchase to unlock your personal photo library.

Highlights
  • Photo to outline conversion
  • Augmented reality projection
  • Trace images with device camera
  • Demo image for testing
  • Unlock personal photo library via IAP
Features
Read full description

Convert a photo into an outline then use augmented reality to project the image onto paper and trace through your device's camera. The app includes a demo image to try out the tracing features and if you like it - then through an In-App purchase you can unlock access to your personal photo library to trace one of your own images. The augmented reality feature requires an image to 'anchor' to - so it's a good idea to use something like a ruler or a passport photo as an anchor point. - The app needs access to your camera in order to use augmented reality tracing. - To select your own photo, the app needs access to your photo library if you purchase the In-App Purchase option

Screenshots

Sketchar4 screens
TraceAR1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Sketchar at 4.2 against TraceAR's 1.0. Sketchar also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 0%) and ratings volume (9.9K vs 3). TraceAR's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Sketchar sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days and TraceAR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sketchar holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sketchar has 9.9K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Sketchar's written reviews are positive against 0% of TraceAR's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sketchar ships an update every 3 weeks, TraceAR daily. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Sketchar versus TraceAR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSketcharTraceAR
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (9.9K ratings) — better1.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews33.4% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings9.9K — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#113 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size227 MB4 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSketchARDavidsonAHW

Customer experience

Sketchar

All ratings9,830 ratings
Positive79.7%
Neutral5.6%
Negative14.7%
Written reviews1,295 reviews
Positive33.4%
Neutral12.1%
Negative54.5%

TraceAR

All ratings3 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Sketchar

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • AR tracking frequently loses paper
  • App crashes and resets progress
  • Ads disrupt drawing and cause loss of work
  • Brightness/lighting issues affect performance

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more free drawing lessons and content
  • Improve AR tracking and stability
  • Allow drawing without full page detection
  • Add more drawing tools and brushes for free users
  • Improve organization and navigation of lessons

TraceAR

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Sketchar

Subscriptions9
  • 1 Week$7.997 Days
  • Sketchar PRO$10.991 Month
  • 1 month$17.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • 1 Year$34.991 Year
  • 1 Year1 Year trial$44.991 Year
  • 1 Year3 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • SketchAR PRO$69.991 Year
  • Sketchar: Learn to Draw7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • 1 Year3 Days trial$79.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$149.99
1 purchases

TraceAR

One-time1
  • Unlock Photo Library$1.99

Questions

Is Sketchar free?
Sketchar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TraceAR free?
TraceAR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sketchar or TraceAR?
Sketchar is rated higher. Sketchar averages 4.2 out of 5 from 9.9K ratings, while TraceAR averages 1.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Sketchar or TraceAR have ads?
Neither Sketchar nor TraceAR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sketchar or TraceAR?
Sketchar ships an update every 3 weeks, and TraceAR daily. Most recently, Sketchar was updated on November 6, 2026 and TraceAR on November 3, 2026.

Other comparisons