# Tracing Buddy vs TraceArt

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tracing Buddy at 63% against TraceArt's 14%. Tracing Buddy also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.1) and ratings volume (956 vs 83). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Tracing Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tracing Buddy has 956 ratings behind it against 83, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Tracing Buddy's written reviews are positive against 14% of TraceArt's.

Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, TraceArt every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tracing Buddy | TraceArt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (956 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracing-buddy-drawing-grid/id1470174296/reviews)** | [2.1 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traceart/id1539017013/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **956** | 83 |
| Positive reviews | **63.5% of reviews** | 14.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [La Fáppbrica](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470174145) | [KENICHI YAMAMOTO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1335325739) |

## 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


### TraceArt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traceart/id1539017013)

Transform your smartphone into a drawing tool. Trace photos and illustrations onto paper with adjustable outline thickness and screen brightness. Perfect for aspiring artists of all skill levels.

**Highlights:** Trace photos and illustrations, Adjust outline thickness, Adjust image size, Screen lock with maximized brightness, Save unlimited sketches

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ADs | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tracing Buddy free?

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

### Is TraceArt free?

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

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

Tracing Buddy is rated higher. Tracing Buddy averages 4.5 out of 5 from 956 ratings, while TraceArt averages 2.1 from 83 ratings.

### Do Tracing Buddy or TraceArt have ads?

Both Tracing Buddy and TraceArt show ads.

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

Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, and TraceArt every 3 months. Most recently, Tracing Buddy was updated on October 26, 2026 and TraceArt on October 21, 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.*