# Color by Number∘ vs TangledString

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TangledString at none against Color by Number∘'s 3. TangledString also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). Color by Number∘'s advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 42 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Color by Number∘ sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. TangledString asks for nothing beyond the download.

Color by Number∘ ships an update every 5 weeks, TangledString every 42 months. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Color by Number∘ | TangledString |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-by-number/id1326764484/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **17K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 54.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 42 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 148 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Impala Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1063279743) | [Yukihiro Shioya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1565306192) |

## What reviewers say

### Color by Number∘

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-by-number/id1326764484)

Engage in a relaxing and creative digital coloring experience with a vast library of images. Follow numbered sections to bring pixel art to life, fostering concentration and stress relief. Create custom art from your own photos and share your masterpieces.

**Highlights:** Vast image library, Custom photo art creation, Pixel art development, Stress relief, Offline coloring, Social media sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Color by Number | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Experience - 1 Month | $7.99 | per month |
| Premium Experience - 1 Year | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ The best coloring app
- 🎨 Fun and relaxing coloring experience
- 👍 Great variety of pictures and difficulty levels

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Too many premium features
- 🔍 Hard to see/find numbers in some pictures
- 🐛 Crashes and lost progress issues
- 📺 Too many ads

**Reported bugs**

- Restore purchases not working
- Freezing and screen flashing problems
- Coloring not registering properly

**Requested features**

- Add an eraser/undo tool
- Indicate when a color is fully completed
- Improve picture quality and clarity
- More free/easy pictures to color


### TangledString

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tangledstring/id1596545427)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Color by Number∘ free?

Color by Number∘ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is TangledString free?

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

### Do Color by Number∘ or TangledString have ads?

Color by Number∘ shows ads; TangledString does not.

### Which is updated more often, Color by Number∘ or TangledString?

Color by Number∘ ships an update every 5 weeks, and TangledString every 42 months. Most recently, Color by Number∘ was updated on November 9, 2026 and TangledString on November 3, 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.*