# Flow vs Doodle

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Doodle at 67% against Flow's 24%. Doodle also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and rating (4.5 vs 4.1). Flow's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Flow sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Doodle sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Doodle holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Doodle has 46K ratings behind it against 7.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of Flow's written reviews are positive against 67% of Doodle's.

Flow ships an update every 6 days, Doodle every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flow | Doodle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-note-taking-and-sketchbook/id1271361459/reviews) | **[4.5 (46K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doodle-drawing-pad/id1503601939/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7.2K | **46K** |
| Positive reviews | 23.8% of reviews | **67.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 241 MB | 155 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bonobo](https://appshunter.io/developer/666155611) | [Joe Blau](https://appshunter.io/developer/880400629) |

## What reviewers say

### Flow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-note-taking-and-sketchbook/id1271361459)

Create beautiful notes and drawings with realistic ink and paper. Offers infinite canvas, customizable tools, and secure cloud syncing. Collaborate with others and organize your work with elegant notebooks.

**Highlights:** Realistic ink and paper simulation, Infinite width documents, Customizable drawing tools, Secure cloud storage and sync, Notebook organization, Export images and timelapse videos

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Membership | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Membership | $19.99 | per year |
| Bonobo Bundle (Annual) | $29.99 | per year |
| Bonobo Bundle (Annual Family) | $49.99 | per year |
| Bonobo Bundle (Lifetime) | $129.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Excellent drawing tools and interface
- 🎨 Customizable pens and colors
- 📝 Great for note-taking and sketching
- 🌟 Beautiful and intuitive design
- 🔍 Helpful developer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model not preferred by some users
- 🔒 Limited functionality without subscription
- 🔄 Occasional performance issues and crashes
- 📁 Lacking file management and organization features
- 🔍 Unclear trial period and subscription details

**Reported bugs**

- Drawings disappearing or becoming corrupted
- Eraser tool not functioning as expected
- Scrolling and zooming issues
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add vertical scrolling option
- Improve line smoothing and anti-aliasing
- Implement layers and advanced drawing tools
- Integrate text input and handwriting recognition
- Enhance export and sharing capabilities


### Doodle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doodle-drawing-pad/id1503601939)

Unleash your creativity with a simple yet powerful drawing application. Sketch, paint, and color on a blank canvas, perfect for quick ideas or detailed artwork. Save your creations with an optional subscription for enhanced features.

**Highlights:** Blank canvas for drawing, Variety of drawing tools and colors, Undo functionality, Image sharing, Apple Pencil support, Cross-device compatibility, Optional Pro subscription for advanced features

**Features:** Family Sharing, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Doodle Pro: Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Doodle Pro: Yearly | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 No ads
- 👍 Allows creativity
- 👍 Good for quick sketches
- 👍 Works with Apple Pencil

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Accidental deletion of drawings
- 🐛 Disappearing toolbar
- 🐛 Lack of save/export options
- 🐛 Crashes and loss of progress
- 🐛 Limited drawing tools

**Reported bugs**

- Drawings disappear after app closes
- Toolbar disappears during screen recording
- Inability to zoom in/out properly

**Requested features**

- Add undo/redo functionality
- Implement auto-save feature
- Provide more drawing tools and customization options
- Allow changing background color
- Add ability to import/export drawings


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flow free?

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

### Is Doodle free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Flow or Doodle?

Doodle is rated higher. Flow averages 4.1 out of 5 from 7.2K ratings, while Doodle averages 4.5 from 46K ratings.

### Do Flow or Doodle have ads?

Neither Flow nor Doodle shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flow or Doodle?

Flow ships an update every 6 days, and Doodle every 2 months. Most recently, Flow was updated on November 6, 2026 and Doodle on November 6, 2026.

---

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