# Flow vs Etchpad

Flow and Etchpad both sit at 4.1 stars, but that hides the real split: 80% of Etchpad's written reviews are positive against 24% of Flow's. Etchpad also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5). Flow's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 21 months). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Flow sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Etchpad asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for Flow against 4.3 for Etchpad. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Flow has 7.2K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 24% of Flow's written reviews are positive against 80% of Etchpad's.

Flow ships an update every 6 days, Etchpad every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flow | Etchpad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-note-taking-and-sketchbook/id1271361459/reviews) | **[4.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etchpad-sketch-an-image/id6446990936/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.2K** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 23.8% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 21 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 246 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bonobo](https://appshunter.io/developer/666155611) | [Digital Footmark Oy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1062685418) |

## 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. Collaborate on documents in real-time, sketch with customizable tools, and organize your work with infinite width documents and secure cloud syncing.

**Highlights:** Realistic ink and paper drawing, Infinite width documents, Real-time collaboration, Customizable drawing tools, Secure cloud syncing, Apple Pencil support, 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


### 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 Flow free?

Flow 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, Flow or Etchpad?

Etchpad is rated higher. Flow averages 4.1 out of 5 from 7.2K ratings, while Etchpad averages 4.3 from 12 ratings.

### Do Flow or Etchpad have ads?

Etchpad shows ads; Flow does not.

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

Flow ships an update every 6 days, and Etchpad every 21 months. Most recently, Flow was updated on November 3, 2026 and Etchpad on October 24, 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.*