# Flow vs Canvas Dot Painter

The clearest difference is price: Flow at Free against Canvas Dot Painter's $12.99. Canvas Dot Painter's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Flow is free to download; Canvas Dot Painter costs $12.99 up front. Flow sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Canvas Dot Painter asks for nothing beyond the download.

Flow ships an update every 6 days, Canvas Dot Painter every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flow | Canvas Dot Painter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $12.99 |
| Rating | **[4.1 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-note-taking-and-sketchbook/id1271361459/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7.2K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 23.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 245 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bonobo](https://appshunter.io/developer/666155611) | [Ursa Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/497262701) |

## 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

**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


### Canvas Dot Painter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canvas-dot-painter/id6755422945)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flow free?

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

### Is Canvas Dot Painter free?

Canvas Dot Painter costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Flow or Canvas Dot Painter have ads?

Neither Flow nor Canvas Dot Painter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flow or Canvas Dot Painter?

Flow ships an update every 6 days, and Canvas Dot Painter every 2 weeks. Most recently, Flow was updated on October 24, 2026 and Canvas Dot Painter on October 6, 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.*