# Mandel vs Mandel Draw

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mandel at 100% against Mandel Draw's 53%. Mandel also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Mandel Draw's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 3.2) and update cadence (weekly vs every 62 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mandel Draw sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Mandel asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mandel Draw holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mandel Draw has 147 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Mandel's written reviews are positive against 53% of Mandel Draw's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Mandel ships an update every 62 months, Mandel Draw weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mandel | Mandel Draw |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandel-gl/id1230459217/reviews) | **[4.5 (147 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandel-draw/id1547068084/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **147** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 53.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 62 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Technische Universitaet Bergakademie Freiberg](https://appshunter.io/developer/454471759) | [Kouji Mori](https://appshunter.io/developer/1458257715) |

## What reviewers say

### Mandel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandel-gl/id1230459217)

Explore the intricate beauty of the Mandelbrot set with this educational app. Zoom into fractal patterns, adjust rendering parameters, and choose from vibrant color themes. Learn about the mathematical and historical context behind this fascinating fractal.

**Highlights:** Render Mandelbrot set snapshots, Zoom functionality, Adjust iteration count, Manipulate render scale, Four colorful themes, Mathematical background information, Open-source code

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mandel Draw

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandel-draw/id1547068084)

Explore the infinite beauty of fractals with this intuitive drawing app. Generate Mandelbrot and Julia sets with numerous functions and color palettes. Enjoy simple touch controls for navigation and advanced settings for high-resolution output and iCloud syncing.

**Highlights:** Mandelbrot and Julia set generation, 80+ fractal functions, 20+ color palettes, Intuitive touch controls (drag, pinch, tap), High-resolution output, iCloud Sync for favorites and palettes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mandel free?

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

### Is Mandel Draw free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mandel or Mandel Draw?

Mandel Draw is rated higher. Mandel averages 3.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Mandel Draw averages 4.5 from 147 ratings.

### Do Mandel or Mandel Draw have ads?

Neither Mandel nor Mandel Draw shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mandel or Mandel Draw?

Mandel ships an update every 62 months, and Mandel Draw weekly. Most recently, Mandel was updated on October 5, 2026 and Mandel Draw on October 18, 2026.

---

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