# Tracing Buddy vs Gridy

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Gridy at none against Tracing Buddy's 4. Gridy also leads on ads (none vs shown). Tracing Buddy's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 23 months) and ratings volume (935 vs 6). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tracing Buddy sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Gridy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Tracing Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tracing Buddy has 935 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Tracing Buddy's written reviews are positive against 50% of Gridy's.

Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, Gridy every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tracing Buddy | Gridy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (935 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracing-buddy-drawing-grid/id1470174296/reviews)** | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gridy/id1504019093/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **935** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **62.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 23 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 28 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [La Fáppbrica](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470174145) | [Sahil Gangele](https://appshunter.io/developer/1072158691) |

## What reviewers say

### Tracing Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracing-buddy-drawing-grid/id1470174296)

Easily transfer images to a drawing surface using a grid system. Create drawing illusions with perspective distortion and anamorphic images. Offers various image filters and grid customization options.

**Highlights:** Drawing grid with customizable lines and subdivisions, Perspective distortion for anamorphic illusions, Image filters: line art, black & white, background removal, AR-guided distortion process, Manual distortion control, Save grid settings in projects

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $0.49 | per month |
| Yearly subscription | $3.99 | per year |
| Premium Features | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium Features | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic app
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Versatile and easy to use
- 👍 Cheap and has just the perfect amount of help
- 👍 Awesome app for pencil drawing and watercolor

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Zoom feature not working
- 🐛 Grid feature not working as expected
- 🐛 Lock feature not working properly
- 🐛 Instructions and customer support not helpful
- 🐛 Ads cover drawing area

**Reported bugs**

- Zoom feature not working
- Grid feature not working as expected
- Lock feature not working properly
- App only works once, can't reuse

**Requested features**

- Ability to crop photo inside the app
- Easier way to start a new drawing
- Ability to rotate image
- Grid with numbered overlay and adjustable starting point
- Grid size based on specific measurements


### Gridy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gridy/id1504019093)

This app simplifies digital drawing by applying a grid overlay to your images. It acts as a reference tool, making it easier for artists of all levels to start and complete their work.

**Highlights:** Grid overlay for digital drawing, Import images from Photos app, Customizable grid settings, iCloud sync across devices, Supports dark mode, Landscape and portrait orientation

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tracing Buddy free?

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

### Is Gridy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Tracing Buddy or Gridy?

Tracing Buddy is rated higher. Tracing Buddy averages 4.5 out of 5 from 935 ratings, while Gridy averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do Tracing Buddy or Gridy have ads?

Tracing Buddy shows ads; Gridy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Tracing Buddy or Gridy?

Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, and Gridy every 23 months. Most recently, Tracing Buddy was updated on September 21, 2026 and Gridy on June 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.*