# ShadowDraw vs Art Set 4

The clearest difference is ads: Art Set 4 at none against ShadowDraw's shown. Art Set 4 also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ShadowDraw sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Art Set 4 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Art Set 4 holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Art Set 4 has 29K ratings behind it against 1.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of ShadowDraw's written reviews are positive against 63% of Art Set 4's.

ShadowDraw ships an update every 6 weeks, Art Set 4 every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShadowDraw | Art Set 4 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowdraw-learn-how-to-draw/id1223507083/reviews) | **[4.6 (29K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/art-set-4/id1418530800/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.8K | **29K** |
| Positive reviews | 59.4% of reviews | **63.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 820 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shadow Draw](https://appshunter.io/developer/1223507082) | [LOFOPI](https://appshunter.io/developer/326067842) |

## What reviewers say

### ShadowDraw

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowdraw-learn-how-to-draw/id1223507083)

Learn to draw with guided, step-by-step lessons designed for beginners. Follow the strokes of professional artists to build confidence and master fundamental techniques. Explore thousands of tutorials across various popular art subjects.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step guided drawing lessons, Thousands of tutorials, Manga, anime, people, animals, and nature subjects, Art Teacher Mode, Sketch My Way Mode, Builds drawing fundamentals

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ShadowDraw: Monthly Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| ShadowDraw: Yearly Plan | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful for beginners
- 🎨 Variety of drawing topics
- 👍 Intuitive step-by-step guidance
- 💡 Relaxing and therapeutic experience
- 🤖 Responsive customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy at times
- 🤔 Tracing-focused approach may not teach drawing fundamentals
- 🔍 Difficulty finding purchased content
- 🔀 Jumping between steps too quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Drawings disappearing after completion
- App crashing on launch for some users
- Eraser tool not working properly with coloring feature

**Requested features**

- More free drawing content
- Canvas rotation and reference image positioning
- Ability to save progress on drawings
- Clearer visual indicators for brush/pen changes
- Side-by-side drawing mode to practice without tracing


### Art Set 4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/art-set-4/id1418530800)

Experience hyper-realistic digital art creation with advanced tools for painting and drawing. Explore a vast array of brushes, fluid simulations, and 3D paint effects. This app offers a customizable workspace and professional features for artists of all levels.

**Highlights:** Hyper-realistic art tools, Fluid watercolor simulation, 3D paint effects, Customizable workspace, Time-lapse video recording, PSD export, Layer masks

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Realistic paint and brush simulation
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🎨 Excellent oil paint and watercolor tools
- 🎨 Wide variety of art tools and materials
- 👍 Responsive and smooth performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Lack of layer management and export options
- 🔒 Limited brush size and customization options in free version
- 🔒 Confusing UI and hidden features

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening color palette or blending
- Unexpected loss of work and canvas resets
- Inability to resize canvas or change aspect ratio
- Brush size and settings not preserved when switching tools

**Requested features**

- Add more free brushes and tools
- Improve layer management and export options
- Allow more brush size and customization options in free version
- Provide better documentation and tutorials
- Add undo/redo gesture support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShadowDraw free?

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

### Is Art Set 4 free?

Art Set 4 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ShadowDraw or Art Set 4?

Art Set 4 is rated higher. ShadowDraw averages 4.2 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Art Set 4 averages 4.6 from 29K ratings.

### Do ShadowDraw or Art Set 4 have ads?

ShadowDraw shows ads; Art Set 4 does not.

### Which is updated more often, ShadowDraw or Art Set 4?

ShadowDraw ships an update every 6 weeks, and Art Set 4 every 6 days. Most recently, ShadowDraw was updated on November 6, 2026 and Art Set 4 on November 10, 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.*