Comparison

MapScribe vs ArtGen

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MapScribe

Easily create antique-styled maps on your iPad or iPhone. Utilize a variety of "brushes" to paint features like mountains, trees, and towns. Export your creations in multiple resolutions.

Highlights
  • Draw antique-styled maps
  • Finger swipe and tap interface
  • Variety of map feature "brushes"
  • Multiple map resolutions
  • Selectable fonts for text
  • Color brushes for terrain
Features
Read full description

MapScribe is an IOS App that lets you draw maps on your IPad or IPhone. It has an easy to use interface that lets you quickly "paint" antique styled maps with finger swipes and taps using its map feature "brushes", such as mountains and trees. Are you an author who needs to create a map for your fantasy novel? Perhaps you are a video game designer who needs to create a map for players to use to navigate through your game? Or maybe you are an artist looking to create a unique kind of decor? ...AND You want to do it on your IPad or IPhone Then, MapScribe is for you. --Map Resolutions-- MapScribe let's you create maps as jpg files with the following resolutions both vertically(portrait) and horzontally(landscape) oriented: • 500 x 700 • 800 x 1000 • 850 x 1100 • 900 x 1200 • 1100 x 1400 • 1200 x 1600 --Fonts-- MapScribe let's you write on your maps with the following fonts: • Ariel • Bradley Hand • Noteworthy • Papyrus • Snell Roundhand • Zapfino --Brushes-- These brushes allow you to paint features on your map Mountains Hills Trees Fir Trees Palm Trees Dead Trees Bridge Castle Town House Swamp Dunes Water Compass Sea Monster Volcano 3 Kinds of grasses Roads Tower Shop Classic Building Mine Jail Tavern Mill City Hall Church Townhouse Arena - Color Brushes - Green (for grass) Blue (for water) White (for snow) Snow capped Mountains Green Hills Green Trees Green Fir Trees

About

ArtGen

This app helps artists, writers, and creatives overcome creative blocks by generating randomized character concepts. Customize word pools with themed packs and reroll or manually edit attributes. Save your generated characters and attach your artwork, with all data stored locally or privately via iCloud.

Highlights
  • Randomized character concept generation
  • Customizable themed word packs
  • Reroll or manually edit attributes
  • Save generated characters
  • Attach artwork to saved characters
  • Local and private iCloud sync
Features
Read full description

ArtGen is a character idea generator built for artists, writers, and creatives to help push past art/idea blocks. Choose from themed packs to customize your word pool. Tap generate to get a randomized character concept instantly. Reroll any attribute until it feels right, or manually make it your own.  When you're done randomizing, save your character and attach your finished artwork. No AI, accounts. or data collection. Everything stays on your device or syncs privately through your personal iCloud. Your ideas belong to you!

Screenshots

MapScribe2 screens
ArtGen4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ArtGen at Free against MapScribe's $2.99. ArtGen also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (63% vs 50%). MapScribe's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and chart position (#185 vs unranked). On rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

ArtGen is free to download; MapScribe costs $2.99 up front. ArtGen sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. MapScribe asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.3 for MapScribe against 3.2 for ArtGen. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 46 and 216 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of MapScribe's written reviews are positive against 63% of ArtGen's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MapScribe ships an update every 3 months, ArtGen every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
MapScribe versus ArtGen: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMapScribeArtGen
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating3.3 (46 ratings) — better3.2 (216 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews63.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings46216 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#185 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB4 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperDaniel EskridgeLIONBYTE LLC

Customer experience

MapScribe

All ratings46 ratings
Positive52.2%
Neutral17.4%
Negative30.4%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral21.1%
Negative28.9%

ArtGen

All ratings216 ratings
Positive52.3%
Neutral12.5%
Negative35.2%
Written reviews54 reviews
Positive63.0%
Neutral9.3%
Negative27.8%

Bugs and requests

MapScribe

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

ArtGen

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • App crashes when opening edited character
  • App closes when scrolling down character profile
  • Cannot delete characters
  • Cannot edit character pictures
  • App crashes when editing characters
Show 9 more
  • App closes when scrolling
  • Purchased packs not showing up
  • App closes when trying to restore purchases
  • App keeps exiting when opening
  • Application suddenly shuts down
  • Bought packs and nothing happened
  • Scrolling is glitched
  • Profile glitched after removing writing
  • Black screen on launch

Requested features

19 requests
  • Grid view selection
  • More detail options
  • Ability to delete characters
  • Ability to re-roll existing character details
  • More powers/attributes
Show 14 more
  • Add own attributes
  • Sort characters into folders
  • Add cover images to characters
  • Option to choose selections instead of random
  • Ability to choose own choices/type in traits
  • Subcatalog by specific works
  • More realism in generation
  • More attributes (hair, eye color, age, traits)
  • Add own character characteristics to generator
  • Option to insert image or character creation look
  • Additional questions (favorite color, zodiac sign)
  • Sections/dividers for organizing characters
  • Restore purchases button
  • See all characters at once (icon mode)

In-app purchases

None

MapScribe

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

ArtGen

One-time6
  • Realistic PackFree
  • Fantasy Pack$0.99
  • Space Pack$0.99
Show 3 more
  • Historical Pack$0.99
  • Comic Book Pack$0.99
  • Unlock All Packs$2.99

Questions

Is MapScribe free?
MapScribe costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ArtGen free?
ArtGen is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MapScribe or ArtGen?
MapScribe is rated higher. MapScribe averages 3.3 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while ArtGen averages 3.2 from 216 ratings.
Do MapScribe or ArtGen have ads?
Neither MapScribe nor ArtGen shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MapScribe or ArtGen?
MapScribe ships an update every 3 months, and ArtGen every 2 days. Most recently, MapScribe was updated on October 7, 2026 and ArtGen on October 6, 2026.

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