# Tracing Buddy vs MindGrids

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MindGrids at 100% against Tracing Buddy's 63%. MindGrids also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). Tracing Buddy's advantage is ratings volume (935 vs 2). On price 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. MindGrids asks for nothing beyond the download.

MindGrids holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tracing Buddy has 935 ratings behind it against 2, 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 100% of MindGrids's.

Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, MindGrids daily. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tracing Buddy | MindGrids |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (935 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tracing-buddy-drawing-grid/id1470174296/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindgrids/id1582136020/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **935** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 63.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 28 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [La Fáppbrica](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470174145) | [Mindlabs Systems](https://appshunter.io/developer/602065824) |

## 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


### MindGrids

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindgrids/id1582136020)

Create custom grids for your photos to aid in artistic endeavors. Adjust grid size, color, and width to match your canvas and reference images. Perfect for artists and art enthusiasts looking to accurately scale or skew images.

**Highlights:** Create grids from gallery photos or new captures, Adjustable grid size and photo dimensions, Customizable grid color and width, Useful for scaling and skewing reference images, Simple interface for artists

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tracing Buddy free?

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

### Is MindGrids free?

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

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

MindGrids is rated higher. Tracing Buddy averages 4.5 out of 5 from 935 ratings, while MindGrids averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Tracing Buddy or MindGrids have ads?

Tracing Buddy shows ads; MindGrids does not.

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

Tracing Buddy ships an update every 6 weeks, and MindGrids daily. Most recently, Tracing Buddy was updated on October 14, 2026 and MindGrids on September 25, 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.*