# Flow vs Sketchy

The clearest difference is rating: Sketchy at 5.0 against Flow's 4.1. Sketchy also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5). Flow's advantage is ratings volume (7.2K vs 1) and review sentiment (24% vs 0%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Sketchy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Flow has 7.2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 24% of Flow's written reviews are positive against 0% of Sketchy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Flow ships an update every 6 days, Sketchy weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flow | Sketchy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-note-taking-and-sketchbook/id1271361459/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sketchy/id6670319622/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.2K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **23.8% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 241 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bonobo](https://appshunter.io/developer/666155611) | [Elliott Lafayette-Morgan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1545231606) |

## 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


### Sketchy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sketchy/id6670319622)

This is a lightweight drawing application designed for artists of all skill levels. It offers a variety of brushes, preset shapes, and unlimited colors to help users create and save their artwork with ease. The app features haptic feedback, undo/redo functionality, and customizable modes for an intuitive drawing experience.

**Highlights:** Variety of brushes, Preset shapes, Unlimited colors, Haptic feedback, Undo & Redo, Dark & Light Modes, Save to iCloud

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flow free?

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

### Is Sketchy free?

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

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

Sketchy is rated higher. Flow averages 4.1 out of 5 from 7.2K ratings, while Sketchy averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Flow or Sketchy have ads?

Neither Flow nor Sketchy shows ads.

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

Flow ships an update every 6 days, and Sketchy weekly. Most recently, Flow was updated on November 10, 2026 and Sketchy on November 4, 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.*