# Tracing Buddy vs ReproBack

Tracing Buddy and ReproBack both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 63% of Tracing Buddy's written reviews are positive against 0% of ReproBack's. Tracing Buddy also leads on ratings volume (935 vs 8). ReproBack's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tracing Buddy sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month and ReproBack sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Tracing Buddy against 4.4 for ReproBack. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tracing Buddy has 935 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of Tracing Buddy's written reviews are positive against 0% of ReproBack's.

Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, ReproBack fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tracing Buddy | ReproBack |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (935 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracing-buddy-drawing-grid/id1470174296/reviews)** | [4.4 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reproback/id1517387889/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **935** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **63.5% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 267 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [La Fáppbrica](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470174145) | [Shunsuke Yahata](https://appshunter.io/developer/1517387888) |

## 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


### ReproBack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reproback/id1517387889)

Enhance your drawing skills by overlaying grid lines on reference images. This tool helps you maintain accurate proportions and overall balance, making it ideal for artists of all levels and for teaching children how to draw.

**Highlights:** Grid overlay on original images, Assists in grasping ratios and balance, Useful for learning to draw, Helps check finished picture balance, Suitable for children's art education

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| UpGrade to ProMode | $1.49 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tracing Buddy free?

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

### Is ReproBack free?

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

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

Tracing Buddy is rated higher. Tracing Buddy averages 4.5 out of 5 from 935 ratings, while ReproBack averages 4.4 from 8 ratings.

### Do Tracing Buddy or ReproBack have ads?

Both Tracing Buddy and ReproBack show ads.

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

Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, and ReproBack fortnightly. Most recently, Tracing Buddy was updated on September 26, 2026 and ReproBack on September 5, 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.*