# iPencil vs GHOSTLINE

The clearest difference is review sentiment: GHOSTLINE at 67% against iPencil's 0%. GHOSTLINE also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.5) and ratings volume (348 vs 4). iPencil's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iPencil sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and GHOSTLINE sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

GHOSTLINE holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GHOSTLINE has 348 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of iPencil's written reviews are positive against 67% of GHOSTLINE's.

iPencil ships an update every 3 weeks, GHOSTLINE monthly. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iPencil | GHOSTLINE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipencil-vector-design/id1456256101/reviews) | **[4.6 (348 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ghostline/id6444372551/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **348** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **67.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 26 MB | 113 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bon Tran](https://appshunter.io/developer/973739151) | [Ghostline, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1654281154) |

## What reviewers say

### iPencil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipencil-vector-design/id1456256101)

Create sophisticated vector graphics on your iPad with unlimited layers, powerful editing tools, and extensive import/export options. Customize your workspace with light, dark, or tinted themes.

**Highlights:** Unlimited layers, Path and text manipulation, Gradient fills, Boolean operations, Color wheel and swatch library, SVG, PDF, PNG, JPEG import/export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Activity tools in a week | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Activity tools in month | $3.49 | per month |
| Activity tools in 3 month | $6.49 | per 3 months |
| Activity tools in year | $49.99 | per year |


### GHOSTLINE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ghostline/id6444372551)

This app helps tattoo artists create perfect stencils quickly and efficiently. It offers AI-driven tools to upscale, sharpen, and customize artwork, eliminating the need for manual tracing. Print stencils at any size with advanced layout technology, saving valuable time for artists.

**Highlights:** AI-driven stencil generation, Artwork upscaling and sharpening, Customizable stencil details, Print-scale technology for any size, Reference tool for visualization, Editing tools (pen, eraser, ruler)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ghostline Unlimited Access | $5.99 | per month |
| Ghostline Unlimited Access | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Saves significant time on stencil creation
- 👍 User-friendly interface and easy to learn
- 💡 Innovative stencil conversion technology
- 📏 Multi-page printing and sizing features
- 🎨 Advanced editing and customization tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model considered overpriced
- 🚫 Paywall immediately upon app opening
- ❌ Free alternatives available with similar features
- 🐛 Occasional gaps in stencil output
- 😕 Confusing stencil output for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Quarter inch gaps appearing in stencil output
- App loses important design details in conversion
- Emphasizes irrelevant details over important ones
- Inconsistent stencil quality on complex designs
- Limited customization options for stencil output

**Requested features**

- One-time purchase option instead of subscription
- Lower subscription pricing ($6/month considered too high)
- Lifetime subscription option under $100
- JPEG file format export option
- Save reference image as separate file


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iPencil free?

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

### Is GHOSTLINE free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iPencil or GHOSTLINE?

GHOSTLINE is rated higher. iPencil averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while GHOSTLINE averages 4.6 from 348 ratings.

### Do iPencil or GHOSTLINE have ads?

Neither iPencil nor GHOSTLINE shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iPencil or GHOSTLINE?

iPencil ships an update every 3 weeks, and GHOSTLINE monthly. Most recently, iPencil was updated on June 1, 2026 and GHOSTLINE on September 30, 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.*